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Sunday 31 July 2011

Black Tern at Cley in glorious sunshine!

BLACK TERN
From East Bank, Cley.



East Bank - Cley
A beautiful sunny day. Walked along the bank with Eddie M., John F. and Matthew. A beautiful walk with light winds. We walked east at the end of the bank and sat watching a juv Black Tern briefly on Arnold's Marsh. The tern then flew across the shingle and west along the beach. I walked down to the water's edge with John F. and had stupendous views of this beautiful Black Tern fishing along with Common, Sandwich and Little Terns in a feeding frenzie of fish. I took tons of pictures and was very pleased to find that I had several good flight shots when I looked through them all later. I was very lucky I didn't get soaked as I had to run quickly back from the surf several times, whilst photographing! I could have sat here all day. I love Cley beach so much. The scene this morning was so beautiful, the sea almost looked turquoise and rolling waves glittered in the rays of the sun - it could have been a scene in the caribbean! To add to the excitement a Guillemot was sitting on the sea only what seemed like a few yards from me!!! (see pics)

Common Tern from East Bank, Cley.


Guillemot from East Bank, Cley.


Back at the carpark (East Bank) there was an Emperor Dragonfly cruising back and forth in the Catcherwater Drain.


Walsey Hills NOA
The bottom public footpath has now been cut by the council, but the centre path from the information building that leads to join with the bottom public footpath, has still not been cleared - it needs a serious strimming now as you can't even see where the path was at the end! On the buddleia's by the building were two Painted Ladies, along with Red Admirals and Peacocks. Sand Wasps were scurring around on the bank. Sadly still no sign of Adders this year. Temperature had risen considerably and now much too hot for me!

NWT Visitor Centre for lunch - Jacket Potato with Cheese and confession time - half a piece of coffee and walnut cake with a stem-ginger ice-cream - yum yum! It was lovely sitting here out of the heat.

Afternoon spanish siesta to escape the heat!

Returned to Walsey Hills to photograph butterflies in early evening light. Two Wall butterflies were additional to this morning's list. The Painted Lady posed beautifully on the sandy bank. A juv. Cetti's Warbler was calling - highlighted to me.... I was not familiar with juv. call, but am now.


Dauke's Hide NWT
Family of Sedge and Reed Warblers in the bushes/reeds just before the hide. Pat's Pool is now is now full of water again - its looking good! On Simmond's Scrape: 3 Yellow Leg Gulls, 5 Green Sandpipers, 2 Greenshanks, 6 Spotted Redshanks, 8 Spoonbills, 1 Common Sandpiper and a juv. Med Gull on Pat's Pool. Usual avocets, redshanks, gulls etc. A good number of pied wags were flitting about the muddy banks of Pat's Pool at the furthest side. A couple of goldfinches landed briefly on the barbed wire fence just outside the hide. Nice to see Pete S. who popped in the hide for while. Waited until 9.15pm in hope of being incredibly lucky again - but no sign of the otter this evening!

MORE PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE ADDED

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