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THORPE AREA: Marsh Harrier at last

4th June 2012

After singing the National Anthem I went out for a look around Thorpes finest nature habitats.  Rosary Cemetery was quiet (admittedly this is generally a good thing, I mean, you don't want a noisy cemetery), and In didn't see much of note in Lion Wood either.  No sign of any orchids at Carey's Meadow (a few years ago I had at least three species flowering in the first week of June here), but my day took a turn for the better when I found a pair of Lesser Whitethroats taking caterpillars into some thick brambles.  The local Black Swan was at Thorpe Green, along with some Mallards moulting into eclipse plumage.

At Thorpe Marsh a dragonfly flew swiftly off the path, almost certainly a Four-spotted Chaser although it went to quickly to be 100%.  At the second scan I managed to pick out one Little Ringed Plover on the scrape, along with the usual geese and Stock Doves.  Further round I was scanning the posts when I noticed the pale underwings of a large bird of prey.  Looking through my bins I confirmed that finally I'd managed to catch up with a Marsh Harrier here (102).  For around five minutes I watched it hunt parallel with Bungalow Lane, it even engaged in a bit of hovering.  A cracking bird, well worth the wait.  I couldn't see anything on the spit, but did find a big Drinker moth caterpillar on my way back to the bridge.



2 comments:

  1. Nice work James, persistence pays off for you! No doubt a bird you have been unlucky not to have seen before, so to finally lock eyes onto one is a good feeling. No sign of any Marshies at Surlingham today, nor much else!

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  2. Thanks! Yep its been frustrating, there have been regular sightings (plus Daniel managed four in his one visit!), but typically they just hunt for a few minutes then fly back east, so completely hit-and-miss. I'm still hoping for Spotted Flycatcher to turn up, and maybe a late Black Tern or Little Gull. Hope you get something good at Surlingham over the half term.

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