Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Annual leave

Got to use up the last of my annual leave, so headed to Norfolk

Arnold's Marsh, Cley

Speckled Wood at Kelling Water Meadows

Celandines

Hoverfly


Alexanders, Smyrnium olusatrum (thanks, Roy)

Dead nettles (this is the kind of plant I can identify)

Er... red campion? No, Herb Robert (thanks Charlie)

Ramsons, or wild garlic... no, Garlic Mustard (thanks, Brian. I did say that I'm no good at plants, and I've just proved it)

What did we see? Started at Kelling Heath where Darren relocated the Great Grey Shrike just as we were leaving. Next stop was West Runton for two Shorelarks seen in a clifftop field; we couldn't find them but we did see a nice fly-by Hobby hunting the Swallows there.

Then on to Kelling Water Meadows, where there were lots of bugs and greenery down the lane (see above), a Ruff on the pool, a little flock of Yellow Wagtails containing two which looked vaguely blue-headed on a brief glance, a male Wheatear and three Ring Ouzels on the way to Weybourne.

I think we went to Cley next. The new visitor centre is very nice but the rainwater-flushed loo was a bit feeble. Nice idea, though. On the shingle ridge by Arnold's Marsh, we caught up with two Shorelarks; on the marsh itself were nearly 200 Sandwich Terns and an assortment of waders including a smart breeding-plumaged male Bar-tailed Godwit. Mustn't grumble.

photos taken with Canon Powershot A640 or Canon EOS 30D, EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:02 pm

    Hi Katie,
    The mysterious green stuff is, I think
    'Alexanders' (Smrynium Olusatrum)
    Not a lot a people know that. I certainly didn't.
    Its a biennial. Sometimes referred to as 'Horse Parsley'

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  2. Thankyou, Roy! I must make more of an effort to learn some plants...

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  3. Indeed. That isn't Wild Garlic but Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata), which also smells of garlic.

    Nice pics as ever Katie.

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  4. Hi Katie

    Alexanders for sure (they're all over Portland at the moment), and the red flowered plant is Herb Robert - a cranesbill.

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  5. Really Must Learn Some Common Plants.

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