NORFOLK TRIP - FRIDAY MORNING.

I often make mistakes when out birding like leaving it too late to go and see a rarity reported locally or leaving a hide just before a bird shows but this morning I made a very good decision for a change.

After breakfast I drove the short distance down the A149 to Titchwell to try my luck there.However I had only gone 100m down the main path when my bird text alert went off : " The Wryneck showed again at 8.30 AM down the East Bank path at Cley".

As I said in my last blog my plan was to stay in this area and not travel around chasing birds but a Wryneck was very high on my Must Get a Shot list so I thought damn it I'll go for it.

I soon found myself back on the A149 heading east the 20 odd miles to Cley.Had some fun and games in Stiffkey where I met up with a petrol tanker coming the other way at one of the narrowest parts of the road but still got to Cley at 9.30 AM.The East Bank car park was full but I managed to slip into a space on the Walsey Hills lay-by.As I started to walk along the East Bank path I noticed 2 new scrapes had been dug out on the left.

I soon met a birder coming back down the path but his news was not good : "Not been seen for an hour it was up by those people down there but we lost it".As I was getting close to group of birders I saw something land on the path about 15m away.Checking it out with my bins I was amazed to see it was the Wryneck.Yippee ! ! !

I alerted the group of birders who were about another 15m away past the bird who had not spotted it and we enjoyed good views of it for about 5 minutes on the path.Quite soon there were about 30 birders watching it all being very well behaved but it only needs one clown. A photographer from the other group went down the east side of the bank walked along the bottom  and then climbed up the bank  to get close to the bird.He made so much noise as he climbed up the bank the bird flew off immediately into the reeds.What a burk ! ! 

I stayed on for another couple of hours and it came back several times and showed well.Great bird and great fun because when it came back it was hard to spot.They are pretty small and very well camouflaged.

Here are a few shots which I was very pleased with especially as it was a bit overcast and you could not get close.

NORFOLK TRIP - THURSDAY.

Just before dawn on Thursday morning I set out to visit Norfolk for a couple of days hoping the easterly winds forecast would bring in some rarities for me to see and of course for me to get shots.

I was staying in Titchwell and my plan was to stay that end of the coast and not go racing off everywhere so my first port of call was Burnham Overy Staithe.I'd been told by my friend Andy Hale that if you walk the sea wall upto the dunes and Gun Hill you'd get a good chance to see something decent if conditions were right.

Don't know why but I'd never been there before and I was very impressed with the scenery as I parked on the beach just after 9.00 AM and set off on the walk to the dunes in very pleasant weather.The tide was out and the muddy creeks were full of waders but nearly all were Common Redshanks.

Not long down the path I spotted 6 Turnstones.

A little further down the path 3 Spoonbills flew by high in the sky.They were followed by a Kestrel but it was a bit lower and more in range.

At the end of the broad walk I turned left and headed for the dunes (if you turn right you soon come to the west end of the Holkham pines).All the local birders I met told me that they had not found much and although the wind was from the east it was not strong enough and the weather was too nice.Oh Dear ! !

I didn't do too bad I soon found a female Common Redstart in the bushes and was able to get a few shots. 

I then headed back to the start of the broad walk where some brambles and bushes looked promising.It took me a while but I managed to find a Common Whitethroat and a female Pied Flycatcher. I had seen a Spotted Flycatcher but didn't get any shots. 

On the walk back I was glad that there were some benches to rest up on as my legs were protesting.It was very pleasant checking out the creeks from the benches especially as the tide was coming in.There were lots of birds to see incl. Little Egrets,Godwits,Curlews etc. a bit far off for my lens although I did get a shot of this Grey (or Golden) Plover.

Near the end of the path I came across a couple of Turnstones luckily they were pretty close in.

Got back to the car at 3.30 PM and as I was knackered having walked a long way for me these days I headed to my hotel.Didn't find any great rarities but it was such a nice place I didn't care much.

After an evening meal I drove the short distance to Thornham harbour to see what was about in the evening sunshine.There were at least a dozen Curlews in the muddy creeks but alas no Whimbrels.

There was also a few Godwits incl. a Bar-tailed Godwit that came into range.

Best of all I spotted a Greenshank and was able to get some shots in the fading light.

I then had a drive round to see if I could see some Owls but failed I must be going to the wrong places.My only success was this Owl which I think is a Wood Owl.

A MORNING AT MARSH LANE.

Popped over to Marsh Lane on Tuesday morning and enjoyed some fine weather.The Dunlin and the LRP were both showing on the CP pool islands. Just a bit too far off for my lens but nice to see again.

The Bar-headed Goose was also present again but this time showed much better.Lovely looking Goose pity it's an escapee.

When I was walking down the main path and just before I got to the new hides on the causeway I spotted a large bird of prey drifting over the trees coming from the railway pool direction.It only showed for a couple of seconds before dropping down so I couldn't ID it.I couldn't find it again but I was certain it was not a Common Buzzard..However not much later on in the day others found a Marsh Harrier so I'm pretty certain that's what I saw.Pity I couldn't get any shots.

A Reed Warbler was pretty close in on the reeds from the northern hide on the causeway but it stayed pretty well hidden so I only got some half shots but very nice to see..

Just before I was about to leave a Hobby turned up but although it cruised round the pools for a while it would not come close.

A bit of bad news from Netherwood Lane I'm pretty certain that my good friend Red has flown off to ever winter in Africa.He will be missed.

A COUPLE OF LOCAL TRIPS.

On Saturday I resisted going over to Draycote Water to see the Cattle Egret which was a wise decision because it had gone and was not seen.Instead I went to Brandon Marsh for the first time in many weeks.

Got there at not long after 9.00 AM to find it a bit gloomy.Soon teamed up with a couple of friends and together we visited most of the hides but after over 2 hours we had not used our cameras at all.It was very quiet.

Did visit the new hide which was very impressive although even for me the benches seemed too high which makes it almost impossible to get any flight shots without crouching right down.There are two ponds close in front of the hide which is great for photography.It's a pity that that weed has taken over there.

Monday lunchtime I went over to Marsh Lane and got there just as the rain started again.From the car park hide I found a Dunlin and managed some shots in the gloom. 

As the Dunlin moved round feeding it kept having a set-to with a LRP. 

During another shower a Little Egret dropped in which was the first I'd seen for a while now.

Another old friend that I hadn't seen for ages now also dropped in.The Bar-headed Goose.