Little Hadham Birding: Norfolk: Bad, better and best

Yesterday, a whole day in North Norfolk. Unusual for me to do a twitch but I thought I would begin with the roller at Horsey. En route, marsh harrier and common crane had been seen over the road, along with usual road side birds. A 5a.m. start saw me at Horsey before 7 and a walk down to the area where it has been seen daily for a few weeks. I met up with another chap and we searched all the way to the beach and then along the track to the trees where it was originally found. Here we met another chap who was sure it wasn't where we were heading, so back to scour the north side of the track. After an hour I had had enough. All I had seen were goldfinches, wren, yellowhammer, 3 kestrels, wood pigeons, carrion crows and a quick sea watch had given up little, sandwich and common terns and a solitary gannet heading north. I left, bumping into fellow birders as I headed back to the car.

Off to Salthouse for the temmincks stint and purple sandpiper that had been present over the weekend. Nothing!! Not a good start to the day, so off for a double espresso at Cley and, hopefully the red necked phalarope. In the car park, I bumped into the chap I met at Horsey and then 2 others. After I had left the roller turned up within 2 minutes. They shouted into the wind for me as they could still see me talking to a couple of birders. Oh well, can't win them all. He had great photos, too. Into Dawkes hide for green sandpiper, ringed plover et al before a drive around to the beach car park and the swarovski hide. A confiding meadow pipit showed well and a little egret lazed across the Eye Field. The hide was busy, all looking for the rnp. It turned up, at distance, puddling around and continually feeding. I wondered how many of these strikes actually provide food? A few photos here, through a 300mm lens and then cropped!!

green sandpiper

Spot the red necked phalarope. Answer at end of article.

rnp

Another distant red necked phalarope.

meadow pipit

After this, I set off for Arnold's Marsh. Always a great place and I wasn't disappointed. Black and bar tailed godwits, terns, cormorants, a solitary very red, red knot, redshank and a single curlew sandpiper. Always like it here and stayed a while just enjoying the spectacle and chatting to a couple who have been to a few of my RSPB talks. Then, off to Stiffkey Fen, a gem of a place.

Here, more of the same waders, checking the juvenile ruffs to make sure they weren't buff breasted sandpipers. Another good selection of birds and med gull went on to the day list. From here I stopped off, in torrential rain, for a coffee at Holkham tea rooms before a late afternoon jaunt to Titchwell. The test match appeared to be going in the wrong direction, but my day was getting better, so I thought Titchwell would crown the day. I wasn't disappointed.

The light was superb with avocets, lapwings and moorhen right outside the island hide. On the scrape a garganey and off in a smaller water, red crested pochard. Plenty of godwits, ruff, dunlin and a wood sandpiper, another year lister. Snipe probed, moorhen messed about, avocets swept and black headed gulls called. Superb. By the time I had got back to the car, the Aussies had collapsed and I had enjoyed 2 very peaceful hours alone on the reserve. Dark clouds and increasing breeze encouraged me back to the car park rather than the beach. I'll be back for this habitat in a couple of weeks. Returned home at 10.15pm, a long but wonderful day.

In all an 82 species day, with 9 year listers.
Finally: the juvenile red necked phalarope in the picture quiz is between the 2 mud piles to the left. Got it? Tiny, compared to the dunlin to the right of the photo, not to mention the 2 black tailed godwits in the foreground. Photo taken from over 100 yards away. The bird took some finding.