Cley Birds Photo Gallery

Cattle Egrets, Stiffkey Flood, 31st May 2019. Eleven adults suddenly appeared!

Wrens, Cley, 31st May 2019. More fledglings!

Drinker Moth caterpillar, Cley, 31st May 2019. These spectacular insects used to be a much more common sight along the boardwalk at Cley.

Shovelers, Cley, 30th May 2019. A dozen new chicks!

Siskin, Cley, 30th May 2019. Always a surprise visitor to our feeders, but especially at this time of year.

Jay, Cley, 30th May 2019. Another surprise visitor to our feeders.

Cattle Egrets, Brancaster, Norfolk, 29th May 2019.

Spotted Flycatcher, Holme, Norfolk, 29th May 2019. A late migrant rather than a breeding bird.

Long-tailed Tits, Cley, 28th May 2019. Everything seems to be fledging right now.

Reed Bunting, Cley, 28th May 2019. This newly fledged bird was beside the East Bank. Unfortunately I didn't manage to get a photo of the two Cetti's Warbler fledglings we also saw briefly this morning at Walsey Hills.

Tufted Ducks, Cley, 28th May 2019.

Avocet, Cley, 27th May 2019.

Greenshank, Cley, 26th May 2019. One of two on Pat's Pool this morning.

Cuckoo, Salthouse, 25th May 2019. Maybe there's a limit to the number of severe irritant Browntail Moth larvae even a Cuckoo should eat. After nearly a month of gorging on them, this bird's crop feathering seems to have suffered. It does, however, seem to be recovering and regrowing its lost feathers.

Little Gull, Pat's Pool, Cley, 25th May 2019.

Common Swifts, Cley, 24th May 2019. There are dreadfully few Swifts around Cley so far this year (I've been seeing no more than 5 feeding over the reserve in recent days), but our pair in Box 3 have 2 eggs now. Read all about how they get on at cleyswifts.blogspot.com .

Temminck's Stints, Cley, 23rd May 2019.

Garganey, Cley, 23rd May 2019.

Little Egret, Cley, 23rd May 2019.

Black-winged Stilts, North Point Pool, Wells, Norfolk, 22nd May 2019.

Late Spider Orchid, Folkestone Down, Kent, 21st May 2019.

Monkey Orchid, Park Gate Down, Kent, 21st May 2019.

Early Purple Orchid, Park Gate Down, Kent, 21st May 2019.

Lady Orchid, Yockletts Banks, Kent, 21st May 2019.

Sword-leaved Helleborine, Chappett's Copse, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

White Helleborine, Chappett's Copse, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Duke of Burgundy, Noar Hill, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Corn Bunting, Martin Down, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Yellowhammer, Martin Down, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Turtle Dove, Martin Down, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Adonis Blues, Martin Down, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Common Blue, Martin Down, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Small Blue, Martin Down, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Grizzled Skipper, Martin Down, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Dingy Skipper, Martin Down, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Brown Argus, Martin Down, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Brimstone, Martin Down, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Burnt Orchids, Martin Down, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Common Spotted Orchid, Martin Down, Hampshire, 20th May 2019.

Golden Plover, Eye Field, Cley, 19th May 2019. Thought to be a first-summer American Golden Plover for a short while – until it flew and revealed its white axillaries and underwing-coverts.

Greenfinch, Cley, 17th May 2019. They've been missing from our garden for a couple of years, but now they're back as a breeding species again (this is a freshly fledged juvenile).

Spoonbills, Cley, 16th May 2019.

Pochards, Cley, 16th May 2019.

Temminck's Stints, Cley, 15th May 2019. Temminck's Stint is the only species of passage wader that has not declined drastically at Cley in recent years.

Spotted Redshank, Cley, 15th May 2019.

Great White Egret, Cley, 15th May 2019.

Little Bittern, Nunnery Lakes, Thetford, Norfolk, 14th May 2019.

Green Hairstreak, Salthouse Heath, 14th May 2019.

Hornet, Salthouse Heath, 14th May 2019.

Slowworm, Salthouse Heath, 14th May 2019.

Great White Egret, Cley, 13th May 2019. Dark billed, and obviously therefore a different individual to 10th May (below).

Garden Warbler, Cley, 13th May 2019.

Grey Wagtail, Glandford, 13th May 2019.

Brown Argus, Cley, 13th May 2019.

Small Copper, Gramborough Hill, Salthouse, 13th May 2019.

Great Reed Warbler, Titchwell, Norfolk, 12th May 2019. After a couple of waiting sessions, I was lucky to get a few quick glimpses of this elusive bird.

Garganey, Cley, 12th May 2019.

Bewick's Swan, Cley, 12th May 2019. The first one I've seen here this year and a strange, late record; perhaps a lost immature that has lost its family.

Grey Heron, Cley, 12th May 2019.

Wryneck, Weybourne Camp, 11th May 2019. This Wryneck is showing well in the same way as the Great Spotted Cuckoo is – ie intermittently at very long range. This site could and should be an excellent nature reserve with permit access. Most of the 'conservation' that goes on here is of the Shooting kind. Attitudes need to change!

Swift, Cley, 10th May 2019. The first one back roosting in our Box 1. Cleyswifts.blogspot.com is up and running again!

Great White Egret, Salthouse, 10th May 2019.

Pochards, Cley, 10th May 2019. Only two chicks.

Wheatear, Cley, 10th May 2019.

Red-spotted Bluethroat, Cley, 9th May 2019. After a very cold 2-hour wait – and a much-appreciated phone call – the lovely male Red-spotted Bluethroat on Cley East Bank suprised us all by popping out and showing well right on dusk.

Wood Warbler, Muckleburgh Hill, Weybourne, 9th May 2019.

Stone Curlew, Kelling, 9th May 2019.

Black Tern, Barton Broad, Norfolk, 8th May 2019. 17 lovely Black Terns were at Barton Broad in the rain this afternoon, but way over the far side. Only this one came a bit closer briefly. The largest flock I've seen for over 20 years. I knew there would be none at Cley again, so I just had to twitch them.

Great Spotted Cuckoo, Kelling Water Meadow, 7th May 2019.

Great Spotted Cuckoo, Salthouse, 7th May 2019. After a full week now, this rare, elusive and shy visitor remains between Salthouse and Weybourne. I was lucky to see it in a hedge and then fly back east over Kelling Water Meadow to Weybourne Camp again this afternoon (see 5th May below).

Garganey, North Scrape, Cley, 7th May 2019.

Gadwall, Cley, 7th May 2019.

Pochard, Cley, 7th May 2019.

Kestrel, Cley, 7th May 2019.

Common Sandpiper, Cley, 7th May 2019. We see fewer and fewer of these every year, like so many things.

Small Copper, Salthouse, 7th May 2019.

Dotterel, Choseley, Norfolk, 6th May 2019. I know they can be tame at times, but I feel sure they would have come closer if only people would watch from inside their cars, but no-one ever does except me.

Corn Bunting, Choseley, Norfolk, 6th May 2019.

Turtle Dove, Titchwell, Norfolk, 6th May 2019. We were lucky and had to wait only a couple of minutes before it came down to the seed provided for it at Titchwell RSPB.

Purple Heron, Burnham Overy, Norfolk, 6th May 2019. The same bird that was found at Burnham Norton last month (see 21st April below).

Common Swift, Cley, 5th May 2019. Just five were feeding over the reserve this evening.

Great Spotted Cuckoo, Weybourne Camp, 5th May 2019. At 460 yards in the heat-haze, but still nice!

Red Deer, Salthouse, 3rd May 2019. Unfortunately the Cley-rarity Fallow Deer in the same area on Wednesday was too brief and distant to photograph.

Brown Hare, Kelling, 1st May 2019. I counted 40 in the fields between Salthouse and Kelling.

Orange-tip, Cley, 1st May 2019.

Whinchat, Gramborough Hill, Salthouse, 30th April 2019.

Cuckoo, Gramborough Hill, Salthouse, 29th April 2019.

Arctic Skua, Chesil Cove, Portland, Dorset, 27th April 2019.

Arctic Skua, Portland Bill, Dorset, 25th April 2019.

Black-throated Diver, Portland Bill, Dorset, 25th April 2019.

Wall Brown, Portland Bill, Dorset, 25th April 2019.

Wood Warbler, Culverwell, Portland Bill, Dorset, 24th April 2019.

Wood Warbler, Bird Observatory Garden, Portland Bill, Dorset, 24th April 2019.

Whimbrel, Portland Bill, Dorset, 24th April 2019.

Wood Sandpiper, Cley, 22nd April 2019.

Egyptian Goose, Cley, 22nd April 2019.

Black-winged Stilt, Potter Heigham, Norfolk, 21st April 2019.

Purple Heron, Burnham Norton, Norfolk, 21st April 2019.

Spoonbill, Cley, 21st April 2019.

Common Buzzard, Cley, 21st April 2019.

Sedge Warbler, Cley, 20th April 2019.

Mediterranean Gulls, Cley, 20th April 2019.

Grasshopper Warbler, Cley, 19th April 2019. My first on Cley Marshes for four years.

Holly Blue, Walsey Hills, Cley, 19th April 2019.

Albino Barn Owl, Cley, 18th April 2019.

Ring Ouzels, Salthouse, 18th April 2019. Two of six males together.

Whimbrels, Cley, 18th April 2019.

Little Ringed Plover, Cley, 17th April 2019.

Great Grey Shrike, Stiffkey, Norfolk, 16th April 2019. The same bird that was at Morston (see 11th April below).

Hybrid Hooded Crow x Carrion Crow, Cley, 15th April 2019. This was a surprise this morning. It was in front of Avocet Hide for just a few minutes and then flew southeast.

Pochard, Snipe's Marsh, Cley, 15th April 2019.

Stoat, Cley, 15th April 2019. Over the West Bank, so too close to the mammal killing fields of Blakeney Freshes for its own good!

Great Grey Shrike, Morston, 11th April 2019.

Cattle Egrets, Holkham, Norfolk, 10th April 2019.

Jay, Holkham, Norfolk, 10th April 2019.

Mistle Thrush, Holkham, Norfolk, 10th April 2019.

Orange-tip, Holkham, Norfolk, 10th April 2019.

Speckled Wood, Holkham, Norfolk, 10th April 2019.

Lesser White-fronted Goose, Potter Heigham Marshes, Norfolk, 9th April 2019.

Hybrid Lesser Black-backed Gull x Herring Gull, with its Herring Gull mate, Blakeney Duckpond, 9th April 2019. The Ring-billed Gull-type hybrid was also seen at the duckpond again on 6th April.

Sedge Warbler, Cley, 8th April 2019.

Hoopoe, Winterton, Norfolk, 7th April 2019.

Smew, Ormesby Broad, Norfolk, 7th April 2019.

Green-winged Teal, Herringfleet Marshes, Suffolk, 7th April 2019.

Fulmar, Portland Bill, Dorset, 5th April 2019.

Gannet and Mediterranean Gull, Portland Bill, Dorset, 5th April 2019.

Gannets, Portland Bill, Dorset, 5th April 2019.

Shag, Portland Bill, Dorset, 5th April 2019.

Kestrel, Portland Bill, Dorset, 5th April 2019.

Cattle Egrets, Abbotsbury, Dorset, 4th April 2019.

Common Redstart, Portland Bill, Dorset, 3rd April 2019.

Carrion Crow, Portland Bill, Dorset, 3rd April 2019.

Early Spider Orchid, Dancing Ledge, Dorset, 2nd April 2019.

Dancing Ledge, Dorset, 2nd April 2019.

Ring-necked Duck, Radipole Lake, Dorset, 1st April 2019.

Lesser Yellowlegs and Black-tailed Godwit, Lodmoor, Dorset, 1st April 2019.

Grey Heron and Eel, Lodmoor, Dorset, 1st April 2019.

Coot, Lodmoor, Dorset, 1st April 2019.

Comma, Portland, Dorset, 1st April 2019.

Peacock Butterfly, Portland, Dorset, 1st April 2019.

Tree Sparrow, Cley, 29th March 2019. He's still visiting our feeder, but only very occasionally now.

Greenfinch, Friary Hills, Blakeney, 29th March 2019.

Peacock Butterfly, Walsey Hills, Cley, 29th March 2019.

Albino Barn Owl, Cley, 27th March 2019. The Ghost Owl is a true phantom: it's been here for a year now, yet I've seen it only a handful of times and this is only the second time I have managed to photograph it.

Garganey, Bintree Mill, Norfolk, 26th March 2019. The flood at Bintree Mill is looking in lovely condition: I'm predicting more good birds there this spring (and not just the Harris Hawk I also just saw there!).

Starlings, Cley, 26th March 2019.

Lapland Bunting, Blakeney Freshes, 25th March 2019.

Little Ringed Plover, Blakeney Freshes, 25th March 2019.

House Sparrow, Cley, 25th March 2019.

Pochards, Snipe's Marsh, Cley, 25th March 2019.

Tawny Owl, Blakeney, 24th March 2019.

Comma, Walsey Hills, Cley, 24th March 2019.

Spoonbill, Pat's Pool, Cley, 22nd March 2019.

Cattle Egrets, Welney, Norfolk, 21st March 2019.

Tundra Bean Geese, Welney, Norfolk, 21st March 2019.

Scaup, Welney, Norfolk, 21st March 2019. The washes are well flooded at moment: loadsa lovely ducks, of course, just not yesterday's baikal teal unfortunately.

Brown-tail Moth Caterpillars, Gramborough Hill, Salthouse, 20th March 2019.

Common Lizard, Cley, 18th March 2019. It's good to see a Common Lizard back on Walsey Hills again (sadly the Adders were eradicated from there years ago by over-zealous 'conservation work').

Slavonian Grebe, Cley, 17th March 2019. A surprise on the North Scrape this morning, it quickly transferred to the Brackish Pool, where it caught several sticklebacks.

Spoonbill, Cley, 17th March 2019. The wintering bird remains.

Little Ringed Plover, Cley, 17th March 2019. The first of the spring, on the island at the back of Simmonds' Scrape this afternoon.

Water Pipit, Cley, 17th March 2019. The first I've seen here this year – right at the back of Simmonds' Scrape this afternoon.

Robin, Salthouse, 17th March 2019. But no luck at all with the Lesser Whitethroat today.

Lesser Whitethroat, Salthouse, 16th March 2019. The wintering bird remains – and remains elusive.

Pied Wagtail, Salthouse, 16th March 2019.

Common Wheatear, Cley, 15th March 2019. It's always a joy to see the first Wheatear of the spring, in the Eye Field this afternoon.

Ringed Ringed Plover, Cley, 15th March 2019. Beautifully camouflaged against the shingle and not only ringed, but in full display and mating too. Usual dogs off leads running about too, so they'll doubtless fail to rear any young as usual.

Stock Dove, Cley, 14th March 2019. Sizeism: Our ground feeding station is protected by 75mm netting to keep out the food-gobbling Pheasants and Woodpigeons, but it allows in Stock Doves, Collared Doves and smaller species.