Great Knot at Titchwell RSPB Norfolk - To be, or Knot to be?

Great Knot, Red-eyed Vireo and Acadian Flycatcher – the three birds that I have missed through being in work, due to them either being one day wonders or departing before the weekend came around. Undoubtedly there will certainly be another Red-eyed Vireo, and with an almost equal certainty there most definitely WON’T be another Acadian Flycatcher (at least for a very VERY long time!) but Great Knot?

Now endangered in their native range of Australia and SE Asia, and with populations in decline due to habitat destruction, there have only ever been 4 records of Great Knot in Britain – the last of which was the Breydon Water bird in Norfolk two years ago. Before then, the last individual was 10 years earlier in Lancashire back in 2004 - the chances of another one coming around so soon were looking very slim. 

It was therefore quite a surprise and rather unexpected when reports surfaced of a summer plumaged Great Knot found on the Freshmarsh at Titchwell RSPB – an attractive black and rust coloured adult. With the bird remaining throughout the day and relocating to the beach later in the afternoon, there was hope that we might just be able to grip back this mega wader at the weekend.

The Great Knot at Titchwell!

Little Terns at Gronant

Paying a visit to the fantastic Little Tern colony at Gronant earlier in June, upon arriving at the shingle nest site we were greeted by hundreds of these beautiful and dainty terns bombing through the sky, busily catching fish to bring back to their waiting chicks and mates. The only nesting colony nearby, it is well worth a visit during the late spring and summer months to watch them in action and admire these tiny wonders up close as they go about their business during the breeding season.