Back Garden

The last day before we tearfully send back the 500mm!

Freiston Shore RSPB

A morning down at Freiston Shore.

Surlingham & Rockland RSPBs - 27.5.11

Blickling Hall, Norfolk - 26.5.11

Today a day out at the National Trust house: Blickling Hall halfway between Norwich and Cromer.

The view of the house was  quite magnificent as you approached...

but as we turned round we saw some of the usual suspects to be found at these houses...:-)

This was the 'Sitooterie'  - which is, as it's name sounds in Scottish - a place to sit out in!  It has started raining by this point (as can be seen by the hood) but little came through the branches, so it would have been lovely sitting out on a summer evening.

Sitooterie

The Orangery

Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk - 25.5.11

Day trip to the RSPB reserve at Minsmere in Suffolk today.  The weather forecast the best day of the week so we thought we'd make the most of it.  It was about 90 mins to get there, but well worth it.  Here is a small selection of photographs:

Avocet

Black-Headed Gull

Avocet

Barnacle Goose

Pair of Avocets

Konik Horses

Goslings

Flying Avocet

Common Tern

Another flying Avocet

A landing Avocet

Oystercatcher

This moorhen had landed on the wooden post, had a peck round, scooped up a bit of poo and was about to take off, behaviour we've not witnessed before and can't explain at this moment...I'm sure Packham would know in an instant!

Feeding Avocet

Hobby with prey

and finally - one of the birds we had come to see...

 

Bittern

All in all a very good day and well worth a return visit (when in the locality!)  Especially good for flying Avocets.

Hickling Broad, Norfolk - 24.5.11

Little Egret

Whitethroat

Whitethroat

 

Back at the house we spotted a Spotted Flycatcher just as we were having tea - needless to say, the tea went cold!!

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher