Matthew Parrott
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parrottmatthew.bsky.social
Matthew Parrott
@parrottmatthew.bsky.social
140 followers 220 following 49 posts
40, father of two, a fascination with wildlife and aviation, manager at RAF Air Defence Radar Museum, Norfolk @rafadrm.bsky.social
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parrottmatthew.bsky.social
Completely in love with Herdling by @okomotive.ch in which you rescue an increasing number of furry beasts to lead them home.

Beautiful scenery and music, enjoyable puzzles and genuinely distraught when one of my herd was eaten by a massive owl
Screenshot from the Herdling game, a young shepherd guides a herd of large horned sheep across a snow covered hillside, large rocks loom in the distance Screenshot from the Herdling game, a young shepherd guides a herd of large horned sheep across a rock-strewn meadow, autumn leaves fly on the wind and a rocky cliff can be seen in the distance
August 24, 2025 at 5:02 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
Another superb visit to NWT Hickling Broad, this time with a trip on the boat to explore the reedbeds and visit the tower where purple hairstreaks perch at eye level. Several swallowtails plus bittern, spoonbill, cuckoo, marsh harrier and hobby.

#norfolkbirding @savebutterflies.bsky.social
photo, colour, of a swallowtail butterfly at NWT Hickling Broad and Marshes, Norfolk. The butterfly is yellow with bold black markings and outlines, backlit so it looks like a stained glass window. There are two red spot markings on it's hind wings, and it is perched on a reed stem. photo, colour, of a purple hairstreak butterfly at Hickling Broad and Marshes, Norfolk. The butterfly has wings of a faded purple colour with darker edges and a pale blue body with orange antennae. The butterfly lives in the canopy of oak trees, here it is perched on a lush green oak leaf, the cup of an acorn is emerging behind it.
August 10, 2025 at 7:35 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
An outstanding day at Old Buckenham Airshow, my son's first air display with all the favourite Red Arrows, wing-walkers, Lancaster and Spitfire.

Big thanks to the organisers and car park team!
photo, colour, the red arrows RAF display team jets, painted red and white and trailing red, white and blue smoke photo, colour, a wing-walker display team with two women balancing on the upper wings of a pair of biplanes that look like they are hurtling towards each other in mid-air.
July 27, 2025 at 10:35 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
Filling Bluesky with Swallowtail caterpillars because they are brilliant.

At least six individuals on the milk parsley at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen.
photo, colour, a swallowtail caterpillar on milk parsley. The caterpillar is bright green with black bands along it and orange spots. The caterpillar is eating the green milk parsley. photo, colour, a Swallowtail caterpillar feeding on milk parsley. The caterpillar is bright green with black bands and orange spots, the caterpillar blends with the green milk parsley and reeds.
July 8, 2025 at 9:51 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
We avoided the worst of the heat yesterday with a late walk to the beach at RSPB Tichwell Marsh, thanks to the membership team for pointing out the pair of spotted flycatchers near the visitor centre. Lots of godwits, avocet chicks, spoonbills and a couple of ruff.

#norfolkbirding #birds
photo, colour, spotted flycatcher perched on a branch. The bird is grey-brown with a pale, dappled breast, black beak and eyes. The branch is green with an ivy-covered tree trunk behind it photo, colour, a spoonbill in a large saltwater pool at RSPB Tichwell Marsh. The bird is white with a long black, spoon-shaped beak which has a yellow tip. Behind the spoonbill is a large rocky outcrop covered in green weed, which orange and grey coloured black-tailed godwits are feeding on, a black and white coloured oystercatcher is flying over in the background.
June 30, 2025 at 11:38 AM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
A very hot and humid walk around Wheatfen nature reserve this morning, masses of black-tailed skimmer (left) and scarce chaser (right) hunting around the ditches, plus emperors and Norfolk hawkers.
photo, colour, a black-tailed skimmer dragonfly perched on a stick. The dragonfly has four transparent wings with a long blue tail ending in a black tip. photo, colour, a scarce chaser dragonfly. The dragonfly is perched on a green reed, it has four transparent wings and a long bright blue tail with a dark band half way down the tail and a black tip to the tail.
June 16, 2025 at 4:14 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
It's the first time I've seen the cattle at Holkham with their cattle egret accessories, good to see a pair of mistle thrush feeding in the meadow too with an overwhelming amount of spoonbills everywhere you looked.

#norfolkbirding #bird
photo, colour, a white cattle egret sits on the back of a brown and white cow in the middle of the picture. A pair of brown cows stand either side of the centre cow in a lush grass field photo, colour, three spoonbills in a blue sky, the birds are white with long wings and necks, a dark spoon-shaped bill and long black legs
June 8, 2025 at 8:13 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
Another excellent wander around RSPB Strumpshaw Fen this morning with bearded tits, sedge warblers, cuckoos, kingfisher, black-tailed skimmer and scarce chaser dragonflies, as well as a very obliging swallowtail butterfly.

#norfolkbirding
photo, colour, a kingfisher perched on a branch. The bird has a long black pointed beak, orange breast, bright blue wings and head and a white flash on its neck. It hold on to the branch with small red feet. photo, colour, a swallowtail butterfly feeding on blossom. The butterfly is quite large, mostly black and yellow markings with a blue curve along the rear wings and red spots. The blossom is white and surrounded by lush green leaves.
June 2, 2025 at 6:30 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
A superb afternoon at @rspbminsmere.bsky.social including kingfisher at the pond, showy Cetti's warblers, hobby aerobatics and lots of cream spot tiger moths
Photo, colour, a cream spot tiger moths sits on green grass. The moth is triangular with blotches of cream spots on black wings
June 1, 2025 at 7:58 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
An otter at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen last week, normally only brief sightings on the reserve but this one spent a long time feeding under the watchful gaze of the resident coots.
May 29, 2025 at 8:03 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
Common crane pair at RSPB Strumpshaw, Norfolk.
A beautiful sight to see taking off out of the reedbeds.

Many thanks to the people in the hide pointing them out to us, from the middle of the hide we couldn't see them behind the tall grass so had to lean to the left!

#norfolkbirding #bird
photo, colour, a pair of common crane birds flying over a Norfolk reedbed against a pink sunset sky. The birds have long necks, wings and legs, the bird in the middle of the screen is difficult to pick out against the green tree in the background.
May 29, 2025 at 7:19 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
Unashamedly filling social media with green hairstreak photos after a stunning lunchtime at Kelling Heath, plenty of stonechats and Dartford warblers about, purring turtle doves hiding in the trees, fleeting adder and green tiger beetle sighting too #norfolkbirding #greenhairstreak #butterflies
photo, colour, a green hairstreak butterfly on blue alkanet. The butterfly is iridescent green with gold edges, black and white striped antennae, legs and eyes. The alkanet flower is deep blue with white hairs along the green stem. photo, colour, a green hairstreak butterfly on blue alkanet. The butterfly is iridescent green with gold edges, black and white striped antennae, legs and eyes. The alkanet flower is deep blue with white hairs along the green stem.
May 19, 2025 at 3:28 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
The Temminck's stints were drawing much of the attention at Cley today, but we were more impressed with the pair of smart golden plovers and 16+ little terns off the East bank, as well as the spoonbill flybys #norfolkbirding #birds
Photo, colour, a Temminck's stint, a small brown and white wading bird feeding on a marsh with lush green rushes surrounding it Photo, colour, a pair of little terns sit resting on an island on a pool of water, the birds are small and white with pale grey wings and a black crown, and a yellow beak Photo, colour, a golden plovers, a smart speckled yellow, grey and black wading bird with a short beak, black belly and white striping around the Face and neck. It stands on a rocky shore of a pool.
May 18, 2025 at 7:06 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
A beautiful evening at RSPB Buckenham Marshes on Monday, great to see several avocet families close to the hide, as well as little ringed plovers and masses of lapwing chicks.
#norfolkbirding #bird
Photo, colour, an avocet sitting close to their chicks on the edge of a pool of water. There are green rushes growing around the birds, the avocet adult is black and white whilst the chicks are fluffy white and grey balls scurrying around the adult. Photo, colour, two avocet sitting close to their chicks on the edge of a pool of water. There are green rushes growing around the birds, the avocet adults are black and white whilst the chicks are fluffy white and grey balls scurrying around the adult.
May 14, 2025 at 3:15 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
Finally caught up again with my favourite butterfly - the green hairstreak - at Salthouse Heath this afternoon.
Photo, colour, a small, green hairstreak butterfly perches on a tiny petal of a bright yellow gorse bush
April 26, 2025 at 9:20 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
Relaxing visit to Titchwell and Salthouse Heath today, heard turtle dove, saw green hairstreaks, Sandwich terns and lots of lizards, bloody-nosed beetles, ducklings and goslings.

#norfolkbirding
Photo, colour, a black shiny beetle walking along a stoney path edge. The beetle is bulbous. Photo, colour, a speckled brown lizard lies flat along a fence panel, there are green reeds in the background.
April 26, 2025 at 7:01 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
A cormorant on Sheringham Beach earlier this week, when we didn't see any eagles #birds #norfolkbirding
Photo, colour, of a cormorant bird sitting on a metal post at the end of a beach groyne. The bird is mottled black and white with yellow cheeks and an emerald eye. The post is rusting and covered with lines of white bird poo
April 18, 2025 at 7:27 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
A coot chick at RSPB Lakenheath Fen last weekend #bird #suffolkbirding
Photo, colour, of a coot chick hiding in reeds. The chick has a fluffy black body, large black feet and an orange beak with a white tip. The chick's head is a mixture of pink, yellow and orange fluffy feathers with a black eye. The reeds are light brown with a few green shoots of new growth.
April 18, 2025 at 7:23 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
A trip out on the boat at Ranworth Broad this afternoon, catching the newly arrived osprey on its perch, little gulls, common tern and lots of dancing great crested grebes.

#birda #bird #norfolkbirding
Photo, an osprey is perched in a Y-shaped tree, there are pale green sallow trees in the foreground and a blue sky in the background Photo of a great crested grebe swimming in green water, the bird has a pale beak, red eye and elaborate brown and black head plumage, a pale neck and dark grey/brown body
April 7, 2025 at 5:09 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
Already feeling like Spring at NWT Hickling yesterday, swallows and sedge warblers, garganey and little ringed plover. A few bitterns booming, willow warbler singing and flyover of 8 cranes, stock dove on the birdfeeders. #norfolkbirding #bird
Photo of a stock dove, the bird is a mottled grey colour with a green patch on its neck. The bird is standing on the ground surrounded by nettles Photo of a garganey duck standing in water, the duck has a grey body, brown neck with a black and white crown
April 7, 2025 at 9:42 AM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
A beautiful day to make our first visit to Norfolk Wildlife Trust's new Sweet Briar marshes reserve #norfolkbirding #bird

Loads of chiffchaffs, jays, buzzards riding thermals, and mixture of tits, finches and reed buntings in the scrub - will be coming back again once more migrants appear.
Common buzzard riding thermals in a blue sky A Comma butterfly on blackthorn blossom
March 9, 2025 at 5:05 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
A superb visit to Sculthorpe Moor this afternoon with very busy feeders attracting water rail, brambling, stock dove and treecreeper.

#norfolkbirding #birds
water rail bird walking in front of a mallard drake a stock dove perched on a metal fence
February 9, 2025 at 11:56 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
A cold morning at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, lots of marsh harriers, greylag, teal and gadwall negotiating the ice, as well as this spiked-hair heron.

#norfolkbirding
grey heron standing on one leg on the ice at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen in Norfolk
February 3, 2025 at 2:20 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
Red necked grebe showed very well in the sunshine at Whitlingham CP today (just before the hailstorm).

#norfolkbirding #birda #birding
Red necked grebe showed very well in the sunshine at Whitlingham CP today Red necked grebe showed very well in the sunshine at Whitlingham CP today
January 27, 2025 at 5:26 PM
parrottmatthew.bsky.social
#Birda list of 159 species for 2024, which I don't think is bad considering it's the first year I've not worked on a nature reserve, and we didn't get to a big coastal site in summer, or catch up with many of the Scottish specialties.
A chart from Birda app of how many bird species I saw last year, totalling 159
January 12, 2025 at 5:21 PM