Saturday, August 13, 2011 — RSPB Titchwell   
The intention was to explore Brancaster Marsh for butterflies and dragons as well as birds. But the weather, damp and cloudy, was against that. So the seven hardy members who braved the elements decided to drive along the coast to Titchwell where we could shelter in the hides if necessary.
With a lull in the rain and the prospect of seeing some birds on the high tide we set off for the beach. A Cetti’s warbler was singing near the shop and the pinging of bearded tits alerted us to their presence in the reeds. Trying not to spend too much time on the good numbers of waders, ducks and gulls on the freshwater marsh, we stopped to watch a greenshank feeding at the far end of the channel  which was soon to be saltmarsh. By the time we arrived at the beach more rain had set in. The usual waders and gulls were resting or patrolling the tideline, with several chestnut-coloured knot in summer plumage standing out. With only a few eider and common scoter on the sea, the wisest amongst us beat a hasty retreat to the excellent Parrinder hide on the new sea wall. Contractors were putting the finishing touches to the wall but, thankfully, were working away from the hide at its east end.
Some smart, summer-plumage grey and golden plover rested in the middle distance, whilst families of ringed plover fed just outside the hide. They were joined briefly by a common sandpiper bobbing his tail constantly. Later, a young little ringed plover appeared, allowing direct comparisons with the ringed plovers. It was a shade smaller and more slender, with the characteristic yellow eye ring already apparent. Snipe and a few green sandpiper were feeding at the foot of the reeds on the far side of the water. The highlight for me, however, was a weasel. We had seen it running towards the hide from the west as we walked to the beach. Mike spotted it again running back towards the hide from the east side. Comparisons with pipe cleaners ensued and it was “weasily” distinguished from a stoat. Ken reminisced over a white stoat he had seen here in the winter.
As we dried out in the hide the weather improved and we walked back to the car park. Looking at some ruff on the shooting marsh, we were discussing how the young birds were noticeably smaller than the adults when we realised one of them was a spotted redshank. With its head and much longer beak, tucked in initially, it was surprisingly similar to the ruff. A few common dragons and damsels were found at the dragonfly pond and we saw five species of butterfly. The bird count was a respectable 67.
In the afternoon Ken and I carried on to Sculthorpe, which was very quiet, but we did see eight species of dragons and damsels and six species of butterfly. A beautiful male bullfinch graced the right-hand table at the main hide. From the far hide, we watched a stock dove enter the owl box on the edge of the wood — we didn’t see it come out again. Leaving the hide, we noticed a shrew on the path being buried by black and orange sexton beetles. Hearing the cries from birds of prey above, we looked up to see five large birds wheeling overhead. Three were buzzards which moved off into the distance; the other two were young marsh harriers with green numbered tags on their wings. They continued circling at a lower level, and, just as we were about to leave, a female rose out of the reedbed carrying some prey. She called to the youngsters who responded by flying closer with one of them receiving the food pass. A good end to a good day’s birding despite the weather. Graham Sherwin

Sunday, September 11, 2011 — RSPB Titchwell  
With the first two car parks full at 9 am, and the third nearly, there must be a twitch on. Sure enough, just down the main path from the visitor centre there is a multitude of lens, scopes and bodies! What are we looking for? A little bittern no less, and hard to find, even though it is no more than 15 feet away, sitting in the reeds. Big deal — it is just a “mini” bittern. Well yes, sort of, but still… another one for this year’s list! We all, eventually, got at least a glimpse of the bird and moved on down the reserve to see what else might be around. No big flocks of waders or geese on the fresh lagoon, but we did spot two wheatears and two yellow wagtails, plus a common sandpiper.
With the major work finished on the reserve, the outer sea wall had been breached with a digger on the Thursday prior to our visit and a high spring tide plus windy conditions had allowed seawater to enter the old brackish marsh. [See the Titchwell report, page 00.]Few birds today, but it will be interesting to see how this area changes over time. Down to the beach and a short sea watch added red-throated diver, gannet and skua plus the more common shore birds. A single hobby and a kestrel on the walk back to the car park.
After lunch, those remaining returned to stake out the little bittern, and we were rewarded with much better views of the bird as it came right out into the open ,searching along the reed edge for prey and seemingly unconcerned by the onlookers. A Cetti’s called nearby but only a few people paid any attention — and anyway you couldn’t see it!
Of interest earlier in the day: along the fen trail we had found some scat which we hoped might be otter but was in fact mink, said warden Paul. (The fishy smell wasn’t that bad!)
At the end of a pleasantly sunny but windy day the ten  group members had ticked 58 species.  Brian Faulkner

Sunday,October 9, 2011 — RSPB Rutland Water                GS
A dozen members made the journey to Rutland Water, enough for us to take advantage of the group entrance fee. We spent a few minutes in the comfort of the Egleton Reserve Centre, where three green sandpipers were feeding to the right and we counted four snipe on a small island despite their excellent camouflage. A barn owl flew in the distance, a fox appeared in and out on the far bank, and a lucky few caught the blue flash of a kingfisher zipping past. Several common species of duck and gull joined the list and a few late swallows fed over the water.
With the prospect of a black grebe on Lagoon Four we walked north. Although we scanned the scene pretty thoroughly we could only find the more usual dabchick and great crested grebe. A group of golden plover occasionally taking to the air provided the highlight for me, along with a buzzard in the half-distance. We were up to 38 species before we moved on.
Lagoon Three seemed to be packed full of great crested grebe, and a lone heron was the first for the day. Next stop was the Lapwing Hide overlooking the main body of water at that end of the lake. We arrived as somebody called out “Peregrine!” and were treated to a female flying slowly past at fairly close quarters, nonchalantly ignoring the small group of lapwing gently mobbing her. An arctic skua was also seen, but a telescope was necessary to pick out three red-crested pochard amongst the huge group of wildfowl and gulls in the middle distance. Oddly, we had only our first sighting of coot for the day — and there were plenty of them as well. Hunger pangs created a charge for the car park where we picnicked in continuing mild and sunny weather.
Before exploring the area south of the Centre we checked the feeders where, disappointingly, there were no tree sparrows, though a marsh tit helped to soften the blow. A small dragonfly pond was still attracting common darters and a southern hawker. Further on, a small group of common darters were found ovipositing and migrant hawkers were also observed. A colourful comma was the only butterfly. There were several newly created pools to the west of Lax Hill which should provide good habitat for birds in the future but were decidedly barren and devoid of life during our visit.
We tried to ignore the map and walk around the bottom of Lax Hill — to no avail. We climbed the hill into a buffeting wind and viewed the Water from a few more hides before returning to our cars, having added some more common species to our list: 58 for the day.  Graham Sherwin