A few flight shots from Norfolk.

Here are a few flight shots I took on the recent trip to Norfolk.Nothing special but very enjoyable trying for them.It can also be very frustrating and you end up with a vast collection of empty sky shots.Well I certainly do.

Here is another shot of one of the Shorelarks I was pleased to find at the end of the East Bank on the shingle at Cley.

Very surprised to find these Brent Geese still here on the muddy creeks at Morston quay.

Took these Oystercatcher shots at Thornham harbour.These are the closest flight shots I've got of these chaps.

Another Marsh Harrier shot.This one taken well inland at the N. Creake craft centre.

Had loads of goes at getting a Skylark flight shot but they are always too high in the sky for my lens.This one was a little lower but not low enough.

Only included this shot because I think it's a Whimbrel and as such my only flight shot of one.I got the shot as it flew over Arnold's marsh at Cley.If it's not a Whimbrel ignore.

For an hour I struggled to get any shots of the Terns flying just out at sea from the shoreline at the beach car park at Cley.The darned things dart around too much for me to lock on the focus.

Also in the Cley beach car park I tried to get some shots of the Swallows that were whizzing around.What a game that is !!! Make sure there is no one else around if you have a go as you will swear a lot.I certainly did when I missed shot after shot.

Norfolk Trip Day Three.

Decided on Friday morning to stay local and give Cley a good checkout.Parked in the car park at the end of the east bank and headed straight to the Bishop hide.It was better than Wednesday there with a few Black-tailed Godwits, a couple of Common Sandpipers and a few Ringed Plovers showing but nothing really exciting.

I soon left the hide and decided to try my luck with getting some Marsh Harrier shots so I plonked myself down on my stool along the path that runs alongside the main road.Luck was with me as one showed up with 10 minutes and I managed a few shots but everytime it threatened to come close it veered away.Not complaining though.

I then decided to walk round to the North scrape hide.It was a lonely walk because although it was a fine morning I never met a sole.It was quiet birdwise as well and all I managed was a shot of a Sedgie and a Meadow Pipit.

Just before I reached the hide I came across a Turnstone and a Ringed Plover both feeding round the dried up pools at the back of the shingle bank.

The North hide is not good for taking shots as the sun is usually in your face and you are a long way from the action but I did managed a long ranged shot of the Temmincks Stints that had been there for a few days.

Also on the scrape was a lone Spoonbill which I think was a juvenile.Managed a couple of distant shots.Always nice to see.

By now I was getting hungry so off on the long walk back to the Centre.I decided to have a simple lunch and ordered a couple of cakes and tea for one.This somehow came to just under seven quid.Bloody Hell !!! When I was young you could buy a two bedroom semi for this.

I headed next to the Cley beach car park and had a walk eastwards to the Eye field as a Blue-headed Wagtail had been seen there earlier.I didn't see it but did see at least 10 Yellow Wagtails, at least a dozen Wheatears and quite a few Golden Plovers.All too distant for my lens.

I then went down the shingle bank to try and get some shots of the Sandwich Terns flying along the beach.This turned out to be a major mistake as I struggled to climb back up the steep shingle bank but just when I was going to call Air Sea Rescue I finally managed to reach the car park.By this time I'd got a bad case of shingle leg (your legs go numb walking to much on shingle) so I thought sod this birding lark I'm going to the pub.

Went to the Dun Cow in Salthouse.Left the bins and camera in the boot and took my book for a bit of reading.Sat down in the garden at the front of the pub.I'd only read half a page when I overheard a couple (not birders) sitting right by the road discussing a fantastic looking bird they could see across the road.I couldn't resist a look so I walked over to the road wall and saw a cracking looking Whinchat on the top of a bramble.

A quick dash to get the camera from the car and I managed a few shots before it flew off.It really was a stunning looking bird in summer plumage which was very pleasing as I'd only seen them before in the Autumn.

Norfolk Trip Day Two.

As I set out early on Thursday morning from the hotel heading to Titchwell I didn't know that I would miss out on two life ticks that were very close to where I was but I didn't know it until it was too late.This is the trouble with a bird text service the info. can come through well after a bird is reported.

The first miss was as I drove through Salthouse a Red-rumped Swallow was present near the duckpond and I drove past oblivious to it.Bugger one!!! At lunchtime as I left Titchwell and went on the A149 a White-tailed Eagle was cruising around nearby and again I was oblivious to it's presence Bugger two!!!

Although I spent a couple of hours at Titchwell and walked round everywhere I saw very little.I missed a Cuckoo that flew right over my head because I was too dozy to get the camera on it until it was too late.Bugger three!!! I did see a drake Garganey from the Island hide but it was asleep but I did get some shots of a colourful Ruff but that's all.The islands from the Parinder hide were quiet and the beach was bare of birds.

I called in at the centre and had a bit of lunch then decided to cut my losses and try elsewhere.As it happened I made a wise choice and went to Thornham harbour which can be very good if the tide is out.

I soon spotted some Bar-tailed Godwits on the mud looking absolutely splendid in summer plumage.

I then saw a lone Grey Plover also looking great.

Also present was a fine looking Wheatear.A lot better than Titchwell.Good choice Max.

I then left Thornham and headed down the A149 to Burnham Market probably driving under the WT Eagle as I went through Brancaster.I parked up at the Montague Harriers viewpoint and until I spoke to a couple of birders I was confident of seeing them as I had seen them the last few years.However they both were very negative saying they hadn't been seen for several days and they might have moved on.

I gave it an hour and then left with no success.I went down the road to the North Creake craft centre for a coffee and to see if the Little Owl and the Spootted Flycatchers from last year were present.If they were I didn't see them but I did see a pair of Grey Partridges.I haven't seen one of these chaps for ages and had never got a shot of one before however distant.

Off then to Morston Quay then for a quick look.Surprisingly found some Brent Geese which I thought would have left by now and in the distance I spotted a Whimbrel.

I then stopped at the Salthouse duckpond to see if the RR Swallow had hung around for me but it hadn't.I did get this Egyptian Goose but that's not quite the same.

Norfolk Trip Day One.

Last Tuesday morning I decided on the spur of the moment to have a few days in Norfolk with the camera.Did have a bit of trouble getting a room as surprisingly all my favourite hotels were fully booked but eventually got in a hotel in Kelling not far from Salthouse.

Parked up in the car park at the end of the East bank at Cley at 9.30AM.It was sunny but a cool breeze was blowing from the NE as I headed straight for the Bishop hide.There was only one birder in the hide and in response to my cheery "Morning anything about ?" his response was not encouraging "It's f****** dead mate". A quick look round proved he was right.

OK then I thought let's have a go at getting some Marsh Harrier and Bearded Tit shots so I left the hide and headed back to the East bank.Besides my bins and camera I was carrying a new purchase a small lightweight folding stool which was a godsend when waiting in a spot for birds to show up.However after well over an hour waiting Marsh Harriers and Bearded Tits on this particular day were rarer than a goal from a Birmingham striker or in other words none were seen.While waiting I did get some shots of a Sedgie which pleased me because back home these chaps had not posed for me this year.

I then decided to walk to the shingle banks hoping for better luck but as soon as a birder I met on the path told me what was on the shingle I broke into an excited trot even shooting past a small group waiting for a Grasshopper Warbler to show again well these are 10 a penny back in Warwickshire.

So what got me so excited? A small flock of Shorelarks were feeding on the shingle banks.I thought these chaps had long gone by now but no they weren't.I'd never properly seen a Shorelark before as the one that I'd seen at Upton Warren a few years ago lurked deep in the scrub on one of the islands so no shots possible.

There were about ten of them in the flock and I soon located them but it must have been North Norfolk dog walkers day because there were dog walkers constantly walking past and the flock was very mobile.When they landed they were perfectly camouflaged in the shingle and hard to spot.It was very difficult to get anywhere them.Did managed my first shots of a Shorelark so I was well chuffed.

After lunch I spent an hour in the Walsey Hills reserve where a Pied Flycatcher and a Lesser Whitethroat were showing but much too far away for any shots.I then had a walk round the Salthouse beach but I saw very little and as the wind was now very strong and I was knackered I left for the hotel.

An early morning visit to Marsh Lane.

On Friday morning I messed things up and missed seeing a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits and a Whimbrel showing at Marsh Lane.

The reason was a bit embarrassing.I'd done some early morning shopping and as soon as I got home I made a cup of coffee and switched on the telly.The royal wedding came up on the screen and I inexplicably got hooked on it and watched it for the next couple of hours instead of racing over to Marsh Lane.What a sissie!!!!

When I finally got there they had gone of course.It was made worse because a couple of Upton Warren birders I knew showed me their shots.Bugger!!!!

I went over there early this morning hoping something good was there but other than the usual waders the only birds of note I saw were a distant Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper so in order to entertain myself I tried to get some flight shots of a Sedgie from the Oak hide.Not an easy task.

Just as I was getting bored with trying to get shots of the Sedgie I noticed three Common Buzzards high in the sky seemingly mobbing a fourth.As the one being mobbed got a bit closer I went into panic mode because it was a very pale bird.Was it something good? An Osprey.A Rough-legged Buzzard? I managed a few shots but when I checked them out it was a pale variant Common Buzzard.Been tricked by one of these chaps before.Bugger again !!!!!