My Wildlife holiday started at a new site for me, in Lincolnshire, Messingham Sand Quarry run by the Lincolnshire Wildlfe Trust.
I arrived at 11am, to cloudy skies and a temperature of 10° C, it wasn’t going to be a good start for insect hunting. Having got me gear together I set off from the small car park, which is found at the end of a small track, after going thru the gate at the road side.
My first sighting was of the Marsh Orchids, the sound of Cetti’s Warblers, Blackbird and Reed Warblers. I eventually found a place where the sun had broke thru and found, Azure Damselflies, Blue tailed Damselflies and a couple of Scorpion Flies, Volucella pellucens and Helophilus pendulus hoverflies.
Having wondered about a bit, I eventually came across a hide, Duck Hide, from here I saw Gadwall, Mallard, Shelduck, Black headed Gulls, Mute Swan and a Common Tern, nothing much else to see so I moved on. I didn’t come across anything else of note so I made my way down into Norfolk.
My next stop was also a new site for me, East Winch Common, a lowland heath run by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. The car park is very small, opposite side of the road from the reserve, a good site for Scarce Emerald Damselfly and Slo Worm, but I was having a bad day by the looks of things and didn’t see much here, only very brief views of an Emperor Dragonfly.
After this I travelled to Fakenham (Great Ryburgh) and my B&B for four nights The Dower House, then I had food in Walsingham at the Black Lion, then a late nights stroll at RSPB Titichwell
Messingham Bird List : Blackbird, Blackcap, Black headed Gull, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Tern, Gadwall, Great Tit, Mallard, Mute Swan, Reed Warbler, Sand Martin, Shelduck, Tufted Duck, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren (18)
Dragonfly List : Azure Damselfly, Blue tailed Damselfly (2)
Scorpion Fly
Azure Damselfly
Volucella pellucens Hoverfly
Huddsbirder 