More year listers

Another Saturday trip with Gary to North Norfolk. Picking him up in Stortford at 5 a.m., we stopped for coffee near Ely before arriving at Thornham Point at first light. Few waders (black tailed godwit, redshank, curlew) + gulls were noted but no sign of a hoped for short eared owl. We then headed for Titchwell, still hoping for an SEO. There was a low, damp mist which meant photos were poor and distance viewing not possible, but plenty of birds about. 3000+ golden plover on Fresh marsh whilst 10+ common snipe on Betts pool. Overhead, 3 whooper swan heading west; year lister number 208 for 2013. The hides were left for later as we headed for a rather breezy and cold beach. Not too much moving: few scoter, plenty of gulls including a single med gull and a couple of red throated divers and great crested grebe.
On the beach, a pair of golden plover, plenty of turnstone, godwits, sanderling, oystercatchers, dunlins but after 45 minutes the cold got to our ungloved hands, so off to the Parrinder Hide.

oystercatchers

golden plover

same bird

busy sanderling

sanderling

lapwings

As we left the beach a solitary snow bunting called and flew over and more searches of Thornham Marsh still didn't give up the SEO. A bar tailed godwit was noted on the Brackish Marsh and a water rail squeaked from the reed bed. Into the Parrinder Hide where we noted huge numbers of birds. Wildfowl as expected, shoveler, teal, gadwall, mallard, greylag etc + the golden plover and lapwing. Few waders apart from redshank and dunlin along with 1 knot. Spot shanks had already been noted on the Lavender pool. We moved on, checking Betts pool for the water pipit which was seen, briefly, right at the back on mud. Bearded tits called and one flew over the beach path. we returned to the HQ where another coffee was taken. This time, I opted not to add hazelnut syrup. An error not to be repeated.

bar tailed godwit

a small part of the golden plover flock

shoveler

shoveler drake from the Parrinder Hide

We got back to the car park and time for roasted pork rolls and a porkie pie. Good sustenance before a drive to Holkham. £3.00 paid to park for 2 hours, noting large numbers of wigeon and pink footed geese down Lady Anne's Drive before we wandered east along the beach towards Holkham Gap. No shorelark, twite, snow bunting or Lapland bunting, but a spot of sea watching was most rewarding. 2 slavonian grebe (Gary lifer) and year lister number 209 for me. Also, a male and female red breasted merganser, reasonably close in. Year lister 210. Also, huge numbers of scoter, mainly common but with some velvets as well as great crested grebe, a single kittiwake, several grey seals. Great place, if rather large area to cover. Still no buntings etc as we headed back along the beach and once back at the car, more bread buns (the default type, cheese and pickle.) A chat with another birder showed us that the lapland and snow bunts had been present a little further towards Wells' However, I came across a distant bop on a post from Lady Anne's Drive. Out with the scope and a buzzard sp. Very clear horseshoe white blaze across the breast gave the impression of rough legged but it flew off as we watched a marsh harrier overhead. Gary digiscoped it so maybe id it from these snaps, but very distant.

pink footed goose

distant wigeon

pink foots

pink foots put up by marsh harrier

returning geese

geese on the move

resting pink foots

Following Holkham we headed to Cley, where we refuelled on another coffee before off to the beach. A twitch was going on with several over excited gentlemen!! Felt if I jokingly called a Myrtle Warbler one of them would have keeled over with a heart attack! Anyway, the red breasted flycatcher had moved on, flushed by, yet again, a selfish photographer, not to be reseen. Off to the North Hide where 10 pintail and plenty of brents were seen. The scrape was full of birds, all great to see before we returned to the car after a brief sea watch which gave up 1 red throated diver.
At the beach carpark were plenty of birders arriving for the long gone rbf but more interestingly, was a wedding photo shoot taking place. From my angle they appeared to be sitting next to the dog bin!! Off to East Bank where more bearded tits were heard and usual waders on Arnold's Marsh. By now the sun was setting so back to the car. Remarkably, the last bird of the day was a swallow, over Walsey Hills and North Foreland Woods. A very late record. A stop for Mars bars and drink at Brandon and we were back home by 6.15pm. Yet again, an excellent day.

several drake pintail

from the North Hide

Looking south

Black Headed gull

bhg

same bird on Cley beach

wedding on the beach

dunlin

little egret in setting sunlight

busy feeding

 Species list:
red throated diver, slavonian grebe, little grebe, great crested grebe, cormorant, little egret, grey heron, mute swan, whooper swan, pink footed goose, (10 sp) greylag goose, brent goose, shelduck, mallard, gadwall, pintail, shoveler, wigeon, teal, eider,(20 sp) common scoter, velvet scoter, red breasted merganser, marsh harrier, common buzzard, kestrel, red legged partridge, pheasant, water rail, moorhen (30 sp) coot, oystercatcher, grey plover, golden plover, lapwing, knot, sanderling, turnstone, dunlin, redshank, (40 sp) black tailed godwit, bar tailed godwit, curlew, snipe, ruff, black headed gull, common gull, mediterranean gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, (50 sp) great black backed gull, kittiwake, wood pigeon, collared dove, skylark, swallow, water pipit, meadow pipit, pied wagtail, wren, (60 sp) dunnock, robin, stonechat, redwing, fieldfare, blackbird, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, bearded reedling, (70 sp) magpie, jay, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, linnet, goldfinch, (80 sp) greenfinch, siskin, reed bunting, snow bunting.