Stiffkey Spoonies and Trimingham Bee-eaters
We took our first camping trip to Stiffkey for several years. Torrential rain and wind during the first night, but better, brighter, hotter days to follow, mostly. Mrs Sciencebase spotted Spoonbills at North Fen Stiffkey on Tuesday night before the rain, so we headed that way the next morning and discovered a flock of around 16 or 17. Alongside Cormorant and Avocet.
Spoonbill in flight
The next day’s walk took us west to Wells-next-Sea where there was another flock of 14 or so.
Spoonbill in flight, showing breeding plumage
In between those two sightings, however, we had headed for the quarry at Trimingham further along the North Norfolk coast to see the nesting Bee-eaters. There are three there this year (there were eight last year, but not nesting success, as far as I know). One of this year’s three is apparently one of the same birds that was at this site in 2022.
European Bee-eater in flight
Bee-eater departing the threesome’s burrow at Trimingham
Meanwhile, it’s always worth checking the utility blocks on a campsite for moths and I was pleased to see two species there that I’d not recorded before – Beautiful China-mark and Marbled Brown. Also, lots of Garden Grass-veneer, a Riband Wave, a Common Yellow Conch, and various other micros.
Beautiful China-mark
Interesting to learn that the campsite manageress has also been turned to the mothside and was interested to know what I’d spotted and to show some her utility-block snaps. Appa...
Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - Category: Science Authors: David Bradley Tags: Birds Lepidoptera Source Type: blogs