200 up: North Norfolk

Saturday 5th October and a hastily put together Norfolk trip, picking up Gary at 5.30a.m. in Bishop's Stortford. Plenty had been reported over the previous couple of days so it was fingers crossed for a few rares and a chance to add 3 year listers to bring up the magical 200 species.
After a strong coffee break near Ely we arrived at Titchwell at 7.30 and almost immediately heard yellow browed warbler near the car park.At this time, in the dense vegetation it was not worth checking to see it, that would be later, so we headed off to the reserve and the island hide.
Here regular waders in the shape of snipe, ruff, dunlin with a solitary avocet and splendid grey plover. However, the highlight was, as we watched a jack snipe, a most territorial water rail emerged to see it off. Being a jack it was up and down in a few seconds and we later saw the same rail chase off a common snipe, too. This legged it over to the reed beds from Fresh Marsh. A med gull in flight before we headed to the beach. Plenty of westerly gannet movement and 3 red throated divers. A great crested grebe on the sea along with waders on the beach. Sanderlings ran and turnstones messed about on the broken pill box on the beach. Oystercatchers, godwits, curlew and redshank were also noted. As we walked back a confiding curlew on the Brakish Marsh.

dunlin

snipe

water rail

Back to the Parrinder Hide and a spotted redshank and golden plover before checking the meadow trail for the yellow browed. Brief glimpses as it moved between the dense willows, calling upon take off. #198 for the year and a lifer for Gary report here

ruff

turnstone

sanderling

1st year and adult herring gull

After another coffee we headed for Burnham Overy Dunes hoping for some migrants but got little else apart from wheatear and stonechat. Dunnocks, skylarks, house sparrows and linnets were all checked but they turned out to be what they were!

confiding curlew

pleasing shot

more dunlin

same curlew

 A trek back to the car and off to Holkham Pines for more searching. The Washington hide was our first stop after listening in the woods, but nothing was giving itself away. In the hide was a party of pensioners enjoying their picnic. One set of bins between them, enjoying views of greylags. A distant hobby was noted over the hall estate as well as 2 spoonbills. More variety clubbers arrived, complaining about Gary's scope so we left before choice words were uttered! On to the Tower Hide where we scored with 100's of greylag and a marsh harrier. Upon leaving long tailed, great and blue tits were heard along with glimpses of goldcrests. A check for firecrest was unsuccessful and we didn't hear one, either.

common darter

Agrarian revolution memorial: Holkham Hall

female marsh harrier

greylags using airbrakes

kestrel

greylags unsettled by microlight.

As we were ahead of schedule we thought, after a discussion, it maybe worth going for the Warham Greens red breasted flycatcher. Once parked and a wander to the Norfolk Coastal footpath, we saw plenty of folk in a small copse. Here indeed was the rbf, deep in the tree. Fortunately it moved as the only chap on it wasn't too good at describing its position. Phrases like "up the trunk and along the diagonal" and "behind the green leaves" don't actually pinpoint the quarry! However, by climbing a tree I was lucky that the bird flew into binocular vision and I got good, if brief views, as did Gary. #199! A lifer for him.
By this time it was gone 3 and we both needed to be home by 7, so off to the Three Horseshoes at Warham for a pint. Pub closed so on to The Swan at Hilborough for an excellent pint of Growler and a strangely tasty packet of poppadoms with a carton of jam to dip. Revolutionary and a talking point in the pub. Very modern, I thought.
Seeing as we were passing Lyndford Arboretum it seemed only right that we should pop in. Once parked we were immediately onto common crossbills. #200 for 2013 and the 3rd lifer of the day for Gary. No sign of the 2 barred crossers but large numbers of siskins flew to roost and plenty of nuthatches called.
Home by 6.30 was much appreciated. Great day and a good list which, with a little more time and another habitat could have easily topped 100.
Species list:
red throated diver, little grebe, great crested grebe, gannet, cormorant, little egret, grey heron, spoonbill, mute swan, pink footed goose,(10 sp) greylag goose, canada goose, brent goose, shelduck, egyptian goose, mallard, gadwall, shoveler, wigeon, teal, (20 sp) pochard, tufted duck, marsh harrier, kestrel, hobby, pheasant, water rail, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, (30 sp)avocet, ringed plover, grey plover, golden plover, lapwing, knot, sanderling, turnstone, dunlin, redshank (40 sp) spotted redshank, greenshank, black tailed godwit, bar tailed godwit, curlew, snipe, jack snipe, ruff, black headed gull,common gull (50 sp) mediterranean gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, great black backed gull, wood pigeon, collared dove, skylark, swallow, meadow pipit, pied wagtail (60 sp) wren, dunnock, robin, wheatear, stonechat, song thrush, blackbird, cettis warbler, reed warbler, chiffchaff (70 sp) yellow browed warbler, goldcrest, red breasted flycatcher, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, nuthatch, treecreeper, magpie, jay (80 sp) jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, linnet, goldfinch, greenfinch, siskin, (90 sp) common crossbill