Norfolk Bird and Mammal Report 2014

Pleased to see that this juvenile Little Owl has been given a full page in the latest Norfolk Bird and Mammal Report - always a great publication and always a boon to have a picture published in it.

More owl pics on this link...

Little Owl in the rain

Not the best weather for photographing Owls today.

Little Owl again

Although this time it was in a regular spot and less hurried.

Commuting tick!

You know all those belting award winning Little Owl photos that you see of them with really uncluttered backgrounds in the late evening sun when their eyes glow like angry wasps? You know the ones.

Great aren't they?

Well this is what you get if you find a Little Owl with a manky eye on top of a road sign that is next to a hedge first thing in the morning. When your camera is zipped up in the bag and set up for what you were doing yesterday lunchtime.

I've gone past this junction well over a thousand times on the way to work, and I have never EVER seen a Little Owl. A Barn Owl a few hundred yards further up in a harsh winter, yes.  But not a Little Owl.  This is the first I have seen on a commute.  I shall dawdle through this section of the Norfolk countryside in future.*

Great, isn't it?

*Obviously I stay within the prescribed speed limits at all times.  Absolutely Officer.  In the future I shall just be more annoying to other motorists who need to get to work NOW!!!  Woe betide anyone who tailgates me in this particular parish!

Here hare here, and other photos from last week...

Unusually for me I took a photo of something furry, rather than feathery.  This Hare was in a field near Langham.

The week began where last week left off, with Little Owls.  The family that I am visiting has three young, this one is sheltering from the rain and not looking to pleased with it all.

During the week there was a rare bird in Great Yarmouth.  Here is a picture taken with a telephone of some people having a Great time knot seeing the rare bird.

An obliging Linnet that sat on a wall.

An obliging Wren that sat on a stick.

Little Owl adult showing nicely in the evening sun...

...and the Wren again for good measure.  This particular bird will feature in future posts. 

More of my photos can be found by clicking here!

Last week

Last week finished with a Marsh Harrier, and this week begun with the same, although the photos are a bit better.  Clocked this one near Martham.

With the rough weather during the week, seawatching became rewarding for a couple of days.  Lots of Terns, Common Scoter, Gannets, a fair few Whimbrel and a Black-tailed Godwit.  Here is one of the Common Terns in the murk.

This little critter needed reference books initially as I thought it may have been a funny looking Dunlin, but in the end this shot clearly shows the jizz of a Purple Sandpiper, not a patch tick but I do like Purple Sandpipers.

It is July so butterfly pictures have to do when the birds don't show.  This Common Blue was struggling in the wind and if I knew how to operate my phone properly it may have ended up on a selfie when it landed on my face.

Saturday was proving unproductive until this happened!