Day 2 of a 3-day Summer Tour in Norfolk. After some very lively thunderstorms overnight, it was a cloudy start. It quickly brightened up through the morning though and then the sun came out again. It was slightly less hot than yesterday, with a maximum of 25C and a strengthening wind in the afternoon. We spent most of the day in the Norfolk Broads and then went out again in the evening to look for Nightjars.
It was about an hour’s drive this morning down to Hickling Broad to start the day. As we got out of the minibus in the NWT car park, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers flew over, an adult being pursued by a red-capped juvenile. Walking down towards the start of the path to Stubb Mill, there were several Common Whitethroats calling in the trees ahead of us, a small family party. There were several Chaffinches and Blue Tits too, which flicked through the bushes ahead of us.
Looking through a gap in the gorse over towards Brendan’s Marsh, we could see two Black-tailed Godwits in the water at the back. A couple of Marsh Harriers flew back and forth over the reeds beyond. Our first Hobby of the trip was over the dead trees in the distance, but a bit too far for most of the group to appreciate. Thankfully, another Hobby then flew across much closer, over the pools high in front of us.
From up on the first platform, we could see a good selection of waders out on the pool, at least initially. There were two Ruff walking around the islands, males still sporting their ornate ruffs, a black and white one and a striking buff one. Ten more Black-tailed Godwits were feeding in the water and a Common Snipe walked out of the vegetation to join them.
Unfortunately, a gas gun bird scarer had been put in the field right behind us and went off with loud bang. Most of the waders took to the sky and when things settled down again the Ruff had not returned. We did find at least six Tundra Ringed Plovers at the back. They are always one of the later northbound migrants but by this time of year it is always hard to tell if they are late heading north or early going back south. The single Little Ringed Plover which was there is easier to understand – they breed here.
As we walked on, we heard Common Cranes calling and looked out over the reeds to see a circling up beyond the dead trees. Helpfully, they flew straight towards us before turning and flying across over the path in front of us. Great birds to see.
There were quite a few blue damselflies flying through the grass by the path. We managed to find a few of the scarcer Variable Damselflies in with the Common Blue, Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies.
There was a good selection of butterflies here too, most notably several Painted Ladys and Small Tortoiseshells feeding on the thistle heads by the path. No sign yet of our main butterfly target for the day – we were hoping to find Swallowtail butterflies although would not get to the best area for those until this afternoon, if required. With World Swallowtail Day tomorrow, it should be a good time of year for them.
Small Tortoiseshells have been very scarce up to now, after a couple of very poor years. So it was especially nice to see a better number here today, even if not back to the previous years where they were one of the most abundant of butterflies.
At the far end, where the path turns towards Stubb Mill, we climbed up onto the top of the bank to scan over the reeds. A Green Sandpiper was on the nearest pool. Less doubt about this one – Green Sandpiper is definitely a returning migrant, probably a failed breeder back already from its Scandinavian breeding grounds. We may think summer is only just beginning but autumn is here already! There were another couple of Little Ringed Plovers on here too.
We had a slightly closer view of the Hobbys flying in and out of the dead trees from here. There were several of them, making sallies out over the reeds, catching dragonflies. We could see more Marsh Harriers too and one flew in and hovered over the reeds right in front of us at one point. From time to time, we heard Bearded Tits calling but at most just got fleeting glimpses.
There were several Little Egrets and Great White Egrets scattered around the pools. When a Marsh Harrier spooked all the egrets up from the pools behind the reeds, four Spoonbills flew up with them.
A flock of twenty-four Teal also flew up several times from the further pools, out of view, and circled round. Like the Green Sandpiper, these are probably birds which have returned already from their Scandinavian breeding grounds.
One of the group spotted a Bittern which came up from the reeds away to our left. We watched it flying away before turning and disappearing behind the trees towards Stubb Mill. A Sparrowhawk flew across and then circled up beyond.
As we walked back along the path, we had another chance to get to grips with the butterflies and dragonflies. We saw our first Norfolk Hawkers and Four-spotted Chasers of the morning.
When we got back to the Whiteslea track, we turned left and walked through the trees and up to the mound. From up on top we had a good view over Brendan’s Marsh again and the Hundred Acre reedbed. The Black-tailed Godwits we had seen earlier were much closer from here, four of them now, but there was still no further sign of the Ruff.
We stood here and scanned for a while. The Hobbys were still flying in and out of the dead trees in the middle of the reedbed. The Marsh Harriers flew back and forth over the reeds.
A school group was out for a walk with a couple of the wardens. As they walked up along the bank towards the Broad, one of the wardens shouted and we turned to see a Bittern flying away over the reeds behind us. It flew off towards the old Observatory and then dropped back down into the reeds in front.
The path back to the Visitor Centre through the wood is lined with brambles. They are in flower now and a good source of nectar for Swallowtails. The group voted for an early rather than later lunch, so we made our way slowly back that way, scanning the bushes. We failed to find any Swallowtails here but we did stop to watch a Common Whitethroat singing in the top of a rather bare oak. A Willow Warbler was singing further back.
We got our bags out of the minibus and sat out in the picnic area by the Visitor Centre for lunch. A Song Thrush had just had a bath and sat up in the top of a tree preening. After lunch, as most of the group went in to the Centre to get ice cream, a Swallowtail flew past and disappeared off towards the car park. After the ice creams were duly consumed, a few of the group saw the same Swallowtail (or another) fly quickly through the car park as we went back to the minibus. They weren’t hanging around today!
We walked back out through the wood and there were still no Swallowtails on the brambles here. The wind had picked up and it was quite blustery now. We carried on further up the Whiteslea track and turned onto the bank beside the broad. One or two Marsh Harrier sailed past and we could see a couple of Common Terns out over the Broad. Several Willow Warblers were singing in the willows and we eventually found one in the bare branches in the top of an oak, where it was sheltered from the wind.
We figured the best bet for finding Swallowtails would be on the far side of the wood, where it was in the lee of the wind. As we turned onto the path back towards the Visitor Centre, we could see a couple of people photographing something on the brambles and as we walked down a Swallowtail flew up and across the path in front of us. It settled on the brambles by the path to feed on the flowers.
Finally, we had good views of a Swallowtail. It kept flying up and fluttering round, before coming back to feed. Once or twice it chased off another passing butterfly. When it settled, we could see its short ‘tails’ on the corner of its hindwings.
A male Marsh Harrier flew in over the reeds beyond, straight towards us. It seemed to see us and turn back but as it lifted up above the height of the trees it was caught by the wind and dropped back down again.
When we could tear ourselves away from watching the Swallowtail, we walked back to the lookout for a quick look out over the Broad. There were lots of Mute Swans out on the water and a Lesser Black-backed Gull on a post. As ever, there was a lot of disturbance on the water, boats, canoes and even a couple of windsurfers.
Walking back past where the Swallowtail we had been watching was still on the brambles, we found another couple of Swallowtails further on. We heard Bearded Tits calling and had brief views of a couple of small groups of juveniles perched in the reeds and flying over. A male Bearded Tit flew past with food in its bill. We heard a late Bittern booming in the reeds, so close we could hear it drawing breath. A Hobby was catching dragonflies over the channel in the reeds and when it flew up it came right over our heads.
One of the group found a Great Silver Water Beetle larva walking across the path so we stopped for a closer look. When it grows up, it will turn into one of the largest and heaviest beetles in the UK.
Mission accomplished, we cut back through the trees to the Visitor Centre. For those who didn’t have ice cream earlier (and for some who did!) there was another chance to try some now. The Norfolk Gooseberry is a personal favourite (but other flavours are available!). While we were eating, we had a short rest in the picnic area. Another two Swallowtails chased each other round in front of the Centre and a Norfolk Hawker landed on the side of the roof.
With SE winds, we thought we might get lucky and find a Caspian Tern here today, but it was not to be. There seems to be one most years at Hickling. So it was frustrating now to find out that one had turned up at Lakenheath Fen this afternoon instead. Doubly so since we had decided to do Hickling today and Lakenheath Fen tomorrow rather than the other way round.
As we would be heading out again this evening, we had to be back in good time this afternoon. We decided to start making our way back west, but with a short detour up to Cromer to check in on the Peregrines.
We managed to park in town and it was just a short walk down to the church. Scanning the roof and ledges at the top of the tower, we couldn’t see one immediately but one of the volunteers came straight over as we arrived to point out the female Peregrine on the tracery on top of the arched windows. She seemed to be staring down at the window slats below, probably eyeing up the local feral pigeons!
One of the three juvenile Peregrines flew round the tower and landed on the ledge above. Apparently the adults had delivered some food up there earlier and there was probably still some left. It ran along the ledge and when it stopped, we turned the scope onto it. Now we noticed a second juvenile also on the ledge – we could just see the top of its head now.
Suddenly, the female Peregrine took off and the feral pigeons scattered. She disappeared off behind the tower, lost to view but after a couple of minutes all the pigeons erupted from the roofs of the buildings opposite. She shot past over our heads and off the other way.
A nice distraction on our way, now we had to head back. It would give us a little time for a rest and an early dinner, before we headed out again later.
Nightjar Evening
After a break and dinner, we met again. We drove down towards the coast and round via the marshes to see if there were any Barn Owls out hunting. There were none around any of the fields we scanned on the way and no sign of any activity around a barn where a pair of Barn Owls breeds.
We stopped at Cley and got out. Looking over the marshes, a Spoonbill flew west, heading out towards Blakeney Harbour, possibly going to feed on the saltmarsh. Three Cattle Egrets flew the other way, heading in to roost. With no heat haze now, the air was clear and we could see two Gannets very distantly, over the sea beyond.
We had another quick drive round inland looking for Barn Owls, but there was still no sign of any activity. Normally, a this time of year they have hungry young to feed and come out in the evenings. Perhaps it is going to be another poor breeding season, or maybe they are just late nesting this year. We had a pressing appointment up on the heath, so we couldn’t stay to see if they might appear later.
Up on the heath, we parked and walked out into the middle, over to the middle of one pair of Nightjar’s territory. It was quiet at first and they seemed to be slightly slow to start calling tonight. A couple of Shelducks flew over and we watched the corvids and gulls heading off to roost. Rather than a first churr from the roost site, we heard the male Nightjar call and looked round to see him already flying out of the trees. He disappeared back in and we heard our first churring, a quick early burst.
When he called, we knew he was flying again but he seemed to be going through the edge of the trees. He appeared again, landing briefly on the top of a dead tree, higher than he normally like to perch. We managed to get him in the scope but unfortunately he didn’t stay long enough for everyone to see him there.
When he took off, the male Nightjar flew out over the heath and came straight towards us. He circled round low over our heads, flicking his wings, so we could see the white flashes in his wingtips. He seemed to be checking us out. Then he disappeared off out over the heath.
Presumably the male Nightjar went out to relieve the female on the nest. She then flew in and did the same as he had done, flying round over our heads before landing briefly on a nearby small dead bush briefly. We could see she lacked the white in her wings. Then she flew across and landed again on the path for a few seconds, before disappearing back out over the heath. We saw her a couple of times more, flying past over the gorse.
After a while, the male Nightjar began churring again in the distance, in a couple of large oaks. Then he flew back over us and into the edge of the trees again. He disappeared in to a perch we couldn’t see but now started churring properly. We stood and listened. Long and loud, without stopping, occasionally we could hear the tone change on the intake of breath. Amazing to hear.
The light was starting to go now so when he stopped churring and flew back out over the heath, we decided to walk slowly back. Another male Nightjar was churring ahead of us so we stopped to listen to that one briefly as we passed. Such an evocative sound, out on a deserted heath in the middle of a summer’s night.
When he stopped, we saw him flying round through the tops of the trees hunting. It was getting dark now, and we had another busy day out again tomorrow. Time for bed and dreams of Nightjars.
