A MUCH BETTER MORNING IN NORFOLK.

Very early Friday morning I had to get up and go to the toilet.It was exactly 5.00 AM.I was in full zombie mode but as I very thirsty I decided to have a cup of tea.Whilst the kettle was boiling I spotted a white bird cruising over the field right next to the hotel.It was a Barn Owl ! ! !

In an instant I went from Zombie mode into Panic mode which can be very dangerous if you are my age.Off went the pyjamas. On went jeans, boots and a jumper.The camera was grabbed and off I dashed to the field.I couldn't get too close as there was open ground and my new best friend had got it's eyes on me. 

It flew off into a distant tree and as I waited now behind a bit of cover for it to return I realised I'd got no socks on and worse still I forgotten to put any pants on.Luckily there was no one around after all it was 5.10 AM.The Barn Owl cruised round the field on and off till 6.00 AM when it flew off into the woods.Cracking hour watching it.

After an early breakfast and after paying the hotel bill I set off not to nearby Titchwell which I usually do before heading home but to a village called Narborough about 25 miles due south of Titchwell.The reason being that a Marsh Warbler had been seen there very recently.A lifer for me.

I was very confident I knew exactly where to find the bird but when I arrived at the village at 9.00 AM I couldn't find the Ship Inn which was the starting point.Luckily 2 birders arrived and I followed them.

The bird was 400 m along a narrow path that ran alongside a river.The river was no more than 2 m wide there and the bird was in the reeds/scrub on the opposite bank.The good news was it was pretty close and was singing a lot but the bad news was that it was very skulking and didn't show.

I was thinking of giving up after two hours waiting especially as it was very hot and I'd got a raging thirst when it suddenly appeared very briefly on a low branch in the gloomy center of a low growing tree along the bank.

So pleased just to see it and get a tick.Couldn't get a decent shot in the gloom but chuffed to get anything.The trip to Norfolk ended well after a dreadful start.