East Wretham Heath 30 July 2025 (0725-1000)

Lakes, meres and muck heaps are habitats I like to visit at this time of year for signs of wader passage, with this in mind this morning I chose East Wretham Heath where the largest area of water known as Langmere is a reliable location for passage waders.

I arrived at the car park at 0725 and immediately recorded juvenile Coal Tits, singing Blackcap, one Whitethroat, juvenile Blue Tits, Chiffchaff, Chaffinches, and one Kestrel in the many old Hawthorns here. A Hummingbird Hawk Moth was feeding around a buddleia.  

I headed off for Langmere with passage waders in mind, Wood Sandpiper perhaps or Greenshank maybe? An initial overview of the water saw 200+ Lapwings around the fringes of the mere and a single Little Egret probing in the shallows.  Typically, many Little Grebes (20+) seen and heard on the water along with many Coot too.  A pair of Egyptian Geese were present with 3 half-grown young.

Having repositioned myself for better views of the mere I could see that the Lapwings were a mixture of both adult and juvenile birds.

A scan of the far fringes of the mere paid off with a single juvenile Greenshank found probing the wet muddy fringes of the mere as well as wading in the shallows in its search for invertebrate food.  After a long wait the Greenshank eventually made its way to the nearside fringes of the mere with occasional stops for preening.

Greenshank (juvenile) on Wretham Heath 30 July 2025

This beautiful Greenshank offered great views as it walked and ran the margins of the mere, occasionally, it was chased off by Lapwings, it was then that the white rump extending up the back was revealed.  Another notable feature of this bird is the slightly upturned bill, this is probably accentuated by the lower mandible curving up towards the tip.

Greenshank 30 July 2025.  Note the distinctive white wedge running up the birds rump and back.

  

Lapwing (juvenile) at Wretham 30 July 2025

Probably in excess of 220 Lapwings were present around the mere including juvenile birds (see above), this birds exhibits typical juvenile appearance which includes the short crest and the buff fringes to the dark wing feathers.  A very beautiful bird.
 

East Wretham Heath 12 July 2025 (0740-1045)

The day began overcast with a light mizzle but this was soon burnt off by the sun to give cloudless skies and a high temperature of around 30 degrees Celsius.

This was intended to be a short visit today to check for signs of wader passage, there was no evidence of this, however, it was to be a productive visit with 37 species recorded along with several species of butterflies and moths seen.

From the reserve car park I walked over the heath towards Waterloo Plantation.  I stopped at my usual spot to overview this wonderful heathland habitat along with partial views of Langmere.  I had my scope with me but this was useless at range due to the heat haze, nevertheless, this first static watch was to prove quite productive.  

East Wretham Heath 12 July 2025 (A very hot day)

The water level at Langmere was beginning to drop but the shore around the mere held good numbers of duck and geese, a few Lapwings, and probably in excess of 70 Coot whilst on the water was several Little Grebes and about 5 Tufted Duck.  About 40 Greylag Geese were present and a flock of 20+ Shelduck flew in, many being juveniles.  A single Little Egret dropped in but almost immediately flew off.   

Several small birds were frequenting the heath in front of me, most were juvenile Pied Wagtails, I then scanned a lone Hawthorn and found a very handsome male Redstart sitting in the bush, it then flew towards some Scots Pines, a stunning bird.

The most abundant Warbler seen on this visit was Chiffchaff with many juveniles seen in Sallows where they searched for invertebrate food, this included one making short flycatching sallies for tiny insects.  Also noted was a few Blackcaps and juvenile Blackbirds and on the far shore of Langmere a single Song Thrush was seen under a bush, its small size for a Thrush and warm brown upperparts being so distinctive. A few Hirundines were overhead, mostly Swallows but also a few House Martins.

Walking back over the heath I heard the highly distinctive but distant call of a Raven, once I got to a position uninterrupted by trees and bushes I scanned the sky over the heath and soon located 3 Ravens at height and at distance soaring high over the heath and engaged in chasing and tumbling behaviour, and of course frequently calling, a sound I love. 

3 Ravens seen high and distantly over Wretham Heath 12 July 2025

On my return walk over the heath my attention turned to butterflies and moths, sadly, however, some very small moth species went unidentified.  Moth species I could identify included a Six Spot Burnet and two Hummingbird Hawk Moths.  Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Peacock, and Comma butterflies were seen.

Six Spot Burnett on Wretham Heath 12 July 2025

Hummingbird Hawk Moth (two seen) on East Wretham Heath 12 July 2025

Hummingbird Hawk Moth 12 July 2025 on East Wretham Heath

Bodney and Little Cressingham 4 July 2025

 June and July are often said to be the quiet months of the year for birding, I say this depends upon what you are looking for.  With regard to migration, these two months may be considered quiet, however, July can be exciting with wader passage underway.  Songbirds are still feeding young in the nest or seeing to the needs of juvenile birds which have dispersed from the natal area.

Aside from birds, June and July is a great time for finding and watching insect species.  Butterfly species in our garden have been represented by Red Admirals, Peacocks, and Large White, but I have not seen Painted Lady yet.

We have had Hummingbird Hawk Moth visiting our buddleia, what a stunning species this is, the appearance, behaviour, and sound, all resembling a Hummingbird, and in fact, I wonder if those not familiar with this moth may indeed say they have seen a Hummingbird.

Hummingbird Hawk Moth in our garden 3 July.

4 July

This morning I was focussed on finding successful breeding evidence by our summer visitors, and I am pleased to say that I found Whitethroats, including juvenile birds, at three localities.  Having found these birds I actually spent much of this visit watching these wonderful migrant breeders.

I was watching habitats which comprised wide roadside verges with lines of young Scots Pines and ground covering scrub. Wide field margins of various wildflowers, weeds and grasses, would hold invertebrate prey.

Approaching a locality where Whitethroats were I could see some movement between cover followed by the distinctive "tschurrr" alarm of an adult Whitethroat, an alarm warning its young of my presence. I was lucky enough to see a number of juvenile Whitethroats including one showing well and allowing me to see a specific feature which ages the bird, most notably the dark eye which differs entirely from the adults eye which has an orange-brown iris and black pupil.   

Other species seen this morning showing evidence of successful breeding included Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, and Coal Tit. 

Whitethroat (juvenile) Little Cressingham 4 July 2025.  Note the dark eye.

A number of Butterfly species were seen including Peacock, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, and Small Skipper.

Small Skipper at Bodney 4 July

Gatekeeper at Little Cressingham 4 July