Norfolk coastal footpath: Day 1

Left Little Hadham at 9 and arrived at Burnham Deepdale ready for the coasthopper bus back to Hunstanton in plenty of time to complete the first 12 miles. The walk begins at the lighthouse at Hunstanton and follows the dunes along the golf course to Holme. Here we took a break at the Norfolk Wildlife Trust HQ for drinks and snacks. En route I had recorded 13 species of bird, including a singing greenfinch as we waited for the bus. On my last wander (2009) I recorded 99 species and missed greenfinch! That was in Sept, migration time, so I was not expecting such a haul on this walk. After Holme, to Thornham and up to Choseley drying barns, where we saw several corn buntings, yellowhammers, red legged partridge and a family group of long tailed tits.
Before Holme we came across pyramidal orchids and common toadflax in amongst the numerous flowering plants. Sea holly and sea buckthorn were everywhere in the dunes, encouraging large numbers of butterflies to feed. These included common blue, small tortoiseshell, small and large skipper, whites and meadow browns in their 100's. However, several painted lady butterflies were the highlight, a first sighting of the year for me.

harebell

lesser whitethroat

honeysuckle

meadow pipit

pyramidal orchid

greenfinch

common toadflax

corn bunting

small skipper

After Choseley the path wends its way through fields with superb verges left to wild flowers. Thousands of butterflies as we headed on to the marsh at Brancaster and a wander to Brancaster Staithe, past the Roman fort site of Branodunum. Waders were becoming more regular, with redshank, curlew, oystercatcher and lettle egrets commonplace. A cettis warbler called as we eventually, some 6 hours after beginning, arrived back at Burnham Deepdale were we took the car to our base for the weekend, The George at Cley. We finished the day off with a pleasant meal at The Dun Cow, Salthouse. Early night in preparation for Day 2, some 20 miles+

goldfinch

sand wasp

house sparrow

oystercatcher

Cley Next the Sea and The George

 

curlew

little egret

Bird List for Day 1:

carrion crow, lesser black backed gull, pied wagtail, wood pigeon, house sparrow, swift, common tern, house martin, kestrel, blackbird, magpie, greenfinch, black headed gull, whitethroat, skylark, oystercatcher, linnet, mallard, goldfinch, stonechat, meadow pipit, lesser whitethroat, great tit, little egret, green woodpecker, redshank, curlew, coot, shelduck, reed warbler, reed bunting, song thrush, dunnock, wren, chiffchaff, chaffinch, red legged partridge, corn bunting, long tailed tit, jackdaw, swallow, cettis warbler, moorhen, starling, greylag goose, grey heron