In Norfolk, I was keen to find a moth that I was pretty sure I had already seen years ago. When I was a bird ringer at Walberswick in Suffolk, the cottage we stayed in to do our ringing was next to one used by the Natural History Museum. We got to meet several visiting experts including moth people. They would often show us things they had caught out in the marshes the night before and I even photographed the nice colourful ones. If only I had photographed those drab, brown Wainscots they kept on bringing back I might not still need to point a camera at Fenn's and White-mantled Wainscot. A visit to Catfield Fen was very productive and I caught Fenn's Wainscot along with a great variety of other reedbed specialities.
Fenn's Wainscot
While in Norfolk we had a chance to meet up with Chris's brother, a keen sailor. We joined him and his partner, Sue, for a trip along the River Yare to Rockland Broad. We saw some nice birds including Great Crested Grebe, Egyptian Goose and Marsh Harrier doing a food pass to a gang of hungry young ones. The faunal highlight of the trip came in the form of an Otter that crossed the river ahead of the boat then swam in the riverside reeds calling to a mate or young on the other bank.
Great Crested Grebe
Under Sail
Otter
Just before leaving Norfolk, we spent an afternoon on Great Yarmouth North Denes with our long time friends Michael and Terry O'Hara. On a windy afternoon with patches of cloud often covering the sun, photography was trying at best but we managed to get some results. For me, the highlight was a Cuckoo Bee feeding on Sea Holly flowers. Whenever I go out with my camera, I am happy if I get one shot that I can feel makes the trip worthwhile. This bee was my shot of the day.
Coelioxys mandibularis
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