Peregrine (Falco peregrinus) Norwich Cathedral

It wasn’t that long ago that the Peregrine was merely a very scarce winter visitor to Norfolk. Much to the dislike of some Pigeon fanciers their numbers have blossomed in England to such an extent that they now breed in Norfolk.

There was a lot of fuss in the media when a pair of Peregrines successfully fledged four young at the Norwich Cathedral of the Holy and Undivided Trinity. For the first few days after the juveniles left their breeding platform on the spire, the youngsters flying ability was fairly questionable. It only amounted to semi-controlled, fumbling descents. The downward motion only interrupted, in large steps, by the varying roof heights of the cathedral.

The caring staff from the Hawk & Owl Trust provided round the clock chat to the streams of visitors attracted to the Cathedral to see the spectacle.

Common Swift (Apus apus) May 2013

Surprising how  warm brown and scaled the Common Swift can look. Bottom one zeroing in on an insect with its (the Swift that is) pink mouth open wide.

Common Swift (Apus apus)

Breckland May 2013

Falcons at Lakenheath Feb RSPB taken with so much compensation that the sky was burnt out. The birds look like cut outs.

Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix)

Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus)

 Hobby (Falco subbuteo)

Trinidad & Tobago April & May 2013

Wildlife sightings from Limosa Holidays tour to Trinidad & Tobago April/May 2013.

Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus)

White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus)

Silkmoth species (Rothschildia vanschaycki)

Butterfly Orchid (Psychopsis papilio)

Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus)

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)

Rufous-tailed Jacamar (Galbula ruficauda)

Trinidad Motmot (Momotus bahamensis)

Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis)

White-bellied Antbird (Myrmeciza longipes)

Trinidad Chevron Tarantula (Psalmopoeus cambridgei)

Green-rumped Parrotlet (Forpus passerinus)

White-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgas cayennensis)

White-bearded Manakin (Manacus manacus)

Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda)

Green-backed Trogon (Trogon viridis)

Great Antshrike (Taraba major)

Green Honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza)

Purple Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes caeruleus)

Green Honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza)

Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

Hercules Beetle (Dynastes hercules)

Common Otter (Lutra lutra)

Black-bellied Dipper at Thetford

Black-bellied Dipper at Thetford is now wandering from the small steam that it spent the winter. Photo taken 28 Feb. 

The Gambia January 2013

Photographs from a recent Limosa tour to The Gambia

African Thrush (Turdus pelios chiguancoides)

Guinea Baboon (Papio Papio)

Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus)

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Clouded Flat (Tagiades flesus)

Small Orange Acraea (Acraea serena serena)

African Jacana (Actophilornis africanus)

Blue Savannah Sapphire (Iolaus menas menas)

Yellow-billed Stork (Mycteria ibis)

Greater Painted-snipe (Rostratula benghalensis)

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia)

Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus)

Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)

West African Crocodile (Crocodilus niloticus)

Malachite Kingfisher (Alcedo cristata)

Abyssinian Roller (Coracias abyssinica)

Long-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus climacurus)

Pink-backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens)

African Finfoot (Podica senegalensis)