Little beauty!

It was hard to believe the string of texts I received whilst on Fair Isle two weeks ago. First a Rufous-tailed Robin in Norfolk, then even more gripping news: Short-eared Owl, Tree Sparrow, another Woodlark and a Whooper Swan at the Lakes in quick succession, all of which would have been Lakes ticks for me (this patch-listing lark does funny things to your perspective)! Although Blyth's Reed Warbler, Olive-backed Pipit and a certain jewel-throated Luscinia up in Shetland went a long way towards softening the blow of those dips at the time, once I was back in full Lakes mode, the still-present Goldeneye just wasn't enough to rectify things at a local level.

The balance was well and truly restored today though; an impromptu scan of D Lake this morning (when I'd told my wife I was only going as far as the flood) resulted in a big Little surprise: a first-winter Little Gull swimming around among the Coots and Black-headed Gulls! The latter weren't particularly welcoming to their diminutive relative, and after a preen and a couple of brief circuits of the lake, it headed off south.

140 OTL (both the Challenge list and my own Lakes 'life' list).

Big ears

Ledra aurita appeared in our moth trap a few weeks ago. I found the one pictured here earlier in the summer when I was walking along the path and heard a short buzzing noise coming from an oak. I did not know they could make themselves heard like this; it seems to be the closest thing to a cicada that we have on our list.

Dry weather has halted the mushroom season for us. Assuming that there has been a similar drought in Thetford, I am quite glad. because it gives me time to look at insects of having to spend evenings chopping up fungi and looking for clamp connections.

Our species total is now 1592. Still behind, but perhaps close enough to make it an interesting finish.

Feed the birds weekend

The only new one - Black Redstart

It’s been quite a rip-roaring weekend at The Lodge.  Not only was it a ‘feed the birds’ event all weekend, but some excellent birds dropped in to say hello too.

First up are the regular Woodlark posse, which has dropped from a peak of six last week to a fairly constant three.  They have been showing really well often at just a few yards around the Hill Fort.

Next up there has been an Osprey which seems to like to feed on it fishy meals in one of the trees on the new heath.  It was first seen on Friday afternoon and reappeared again Sunday.  Some of the photos taken of this bird are so good that you can also identify the species of fish in its talons!  I wonder if we can count that too?

The ‘best’ bird of the weekend was a Black Redstart which flitted around the top of the Avocet building right above the main event on Sunday.  This was not only a new bird for the challenge, but also a site tick for me!  It kept visitors entertained all afternoon, but unfortunately did a bunk Sunday night so many staff missed it.

As if that lot wasn’t enough, the ringers in the gardens caught a Firecrest Sunday afternoon too.  So all those, along with plenty of Siskins, Redpolls, and the odd Brambling and Crossbill makes The Lodge a great place to come birding for a few hours at the moment.

One of the six Woodlarks that have been around The Lodge recently

We’re still two down on the Nuns with our Black Red triumph.  I wonder if we can make up the ground before the year is out?

Black Redstart

Yesterday was Feed the Birds Day at The Lodge, so several staff members were on site, including Tony Payne, who for a change had his bins with him. Good job really, because he found a Black Redstart bouncing round on the roof of the Avocet building (where, incidentally I work). He beat Bash to it by seconds, so BX remains a glaring miss on the latter's self-found Bedfordshire list. I believe Steve has photographic evidence to be posted here soon.

137...

All that glitters...

As expected, yesterday's Whooper Swan had realised its mistake and presumably headed to Welney overnight, but it had been suitably replaced by a 1st winter drake Goldeneye, taking us to 139.

Super-whooper

Thanks goes to WWT for the temporary loan of one of their Whooper Swans, swimming around on D lake this lunch time. We'll send it on to Welney shortly. Bird no 138. Only my second record here (one in 1999).

Weekend double

I spent this morning down the lakes hoping to relocate Dave's Short-eared Owl from yesterday but with much more disturbance from fishermen, there was no sign.  With glorious weather, there was quite a bit of stuff going over, the highlight being 3+ Tree Sparrows which circled overhead before possibly dropping onto the adjacent fields.

That puts us on 137 and back in the lead for now, and I quite agree Steve, I must come into work on a weekend more often!