A week at the Norfolk Coast in the Cley area is always relaxing. A very strange week weather wise. We started off wearing coats and it gradually got warmer every day and by the end of the week it was so hot we had to give in and stay in the shade.

It was a week for rare Butterflies. The Silver Studded Blue on Kelling Heath and the beautiful Swallowtail at Hickling Broad. Hickling Broad also had an abundance of Norfolk Hawker Dragonflies which were proving impossible to photograph as they were never still. Marsh Harriers were out hunting and a Bittern flew past over the reed beds. We like Hickling Broad. Himself has had a lovely panoramic canvas print made of the reed beds and we are now trying to find some spare wall space in the home to hang it.

Silver Studded Blue on Kelling Heath.
The caterpillars of the silver-studded blue have a close relationship with ants! The ants protect the caterpillars from predators and parasites, in return they get to feed on a sugary substance that the caterpillars produce. When the caterpillars are ready to pupate, they do so in a shallow chamber just below the ground - often in ant nests. The ants will attend the pupa just as they did the caterpillar, and can even be seen swarming around the newly-emerged adult butterflies, offering them some protection as they wait for their wings to dry. Well, the things you find out.

Swallowtail Butterfly at Hickling Broad.
The British race of the Swallowtail butterfly is now limited to the Norfolk Broads, choosing sites with a vigorous growth of milk parsley, where it lays its eggs on the tallest plants. Visit one of these special places on a day between late May and mid-July, and with a bit of luck you will spot one of these rare and beautiful British insects.

A “Woolly Bear” Caterpillar. These were all over the paths at Hickling Broad and are the caterpillar of the Garden Tiger Moth.

Marsh Harrier over the reed beds at Hickling Broad

A young Sedge warbler shouting for food.

Norfolk Hawker Dragonfly. There were so many of these flying around Hickling, and stopping to hover just in font of us on the paths, but just as you got them in shot they zoomed off again. This large, rare, Norfolk Hawker Dragonfly is a protected species and originally only found in the Broadlands of Norfolk and Suffolk where they like the fens, marshes and ditches with clean non-saline water. They have, however, over the last few decades started to spread to Cambridgeshire and Kent which is really good news..

We spent several late evenings on Kelling Heath listening and watching the Nightjars. One evening was particularly awesome, with Nightjars calling so loudly all around us and flying out quite low .

This is a “record” shot only,of one of the Kelling Heath Nightjars. It was nearly 10.30 at night and this one was in the tree right beside us making its loud “churring” call. Considering the low light himself did quite well to get it. The Nightjar arrives here in April and May from its wintering grounds in Africa. It nests on the ground on heathland and in young conifer woods. It is extremely well camouflaged with bark like colouring and is nocturnal, feeding on moths, flies and beetles.

This female Dartford warbler was not very happy with the Male Stonechat perching on her post.

Male Stonechat, these were seen regularly all over the heath, sitting on top of the gorse making their “chatting” call.

Yellowhammer searching the ferns for food. Looks like it found plenty.

This female Linnet has also found lots of food.

Its a nice walk from the Old Reading Room, Tea Rooms and Gallery down to Kelling Water Meadows. This view looks across to Salthouse, and of course, its nice to stop for tea and a cake when you get back.

Sedge Warbler having a bit of a yoga wing stretch.

Reed Bunting. He looks fit to burst with his singing.

Redshank at Cley, taking a bit of a chance sitting up there in the open.

When we decided to spend a morning at Cley Nature reserve we did not expect to see Nature at its most harshest. Whilst watching the Avocets and Shelducks with their young a Hobby swooped in and in a blink of an eye took one of the Avocet chicks. It was in and out before anyone could take in what was happening. It was only when herself looked back on her images did it show the Hobby, feet out ready to grab the unsuspecting chick. The adult was going frantic in the background. To be honest, we were only just saying how careless the adults were being, allowing the chicks to wander about out in the open without any protection. Its quite hard to watch, but then the Hobby had chicks to feed as well.