Glossy (ish)

Monday was our birding day over the bank holiday weekend when, after spending most of the day at Holme and Titchwell, we called into the Ouse Washes on the way back, late afternoon, after hearing that a Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron and Spotted Crake had been reported there in previous days. Although all three species were listed on the board in the visitors centre, the Heron and Crake were nowhere to be seen; but the Glossy Ibis most certainly was - in plain view outside the Grose hide.

This particular individual didn't look quite as 'glossy' as birds we've seen in Portugal but it was a juvenile, and the light wasn't good at all - I'm sure a little bit of sunshine would've made all the difference. Having said that, there were moments when we did catch a glimpse of that stunning iridescence...

...and anyway, it's always a great bird to see in the UK.

Summer?

I think most people would agree that generally Summer 2012 has been a wash out - and probably pretty disastrous for a lot of our wildlife. However, nature is nothing if not tenacious and on occasional days, and more frequently in the last few weeks, whenever we've had some reasonable weather, there have been birds and other creatures to see and appreciate...

This Swallow was enjoying a sunny afternoon in late May at Cley

In June, as part of a long weekend in Pembrokeshire, we visited Skomer island and these ever-comical characters had plenty of photos taken - who could resist...



Puffin

With so much wet, cool and windy weather I began to think we'd never get any Butterflies, but yet again, they've somehow seen it through and recently we've managed to find a few special ones. A Purple Emperor at Chicksands Wood in Bedfordshire..



Graylings at Snettisham and Minsmere (it's almost impossible to get a photo of these with their wings open)...

and several Wall butterlfies (which are really quite scarce these days), again at Snettisham, and also the Ouse Washes...

While we were at Chicksands Wood looking for butterflies a couple of Beds birders who were there for the same reason, called us over to see a mesmerising piece of wildlife action. A Brown Hawker dragonfly had pounced on a Migrant Hawker and was down in the grass eating it, and not a bit bothered by us taking photos of this rather gruesome scene...

In case you'd like to see what a Migrant Hawker looks like with its head attached to its body, this one was at Slimbridge when we visited in early August...

Our visit to Slimbridge wasn't for Dragonflies though, but for this Long-billed Dowitcher  - a vagrant wader from North America and Eastern Siberia. It was in amongst a large flock of Black-tailed Godwits (like the one to the left of it in the photo below). As it was feeding more or less non-stop, it was difficult to get a photo of it with its bill out of the water, but I eventually managed.  A good bird to close with, I think...