Little Hadham Birding: First Norfolk Visit of the year

Friday I was off to Norfolk, with Gill from Much Hadham. We were planning on a general wander around the more productive North Norfolk sites to get my year list up and running.
First stop, in temperatures around -5C was Thornham. Here we started off with brent geese and a party of 45 or so twite. The light was not too good, which led to poor photos. However, this rapidly improved for the rest of the day. The windscreen wiper on the car was covered in ice, consequently, failing to clean my very dirty screen.

twite in sub zero temperatures

sunrise

Robin that landed on my bonnet to warm itself

reed bunting and twite

From here we made the short journey to Titchwell. Wrapped up against the cold blast we headed to the beach, where the tide was in. On a bush at the end of the path were a party of mixed finches, linnet, twite and goldfinches. A marsh harrier soared over Thornham Marsh. On the beach we watched a solitary kittiwake, red throated diver and 6 goldeneye, 5 drakes. To their right were a pair of very smart red breasted mergansers whilst further out were a group of 5 wigeons. Gulls, ringed plovers, dunlin and turnstones could also be watched on the sand.

Lapwings on the frozen Freshmarsh

Mixed finch flock

gulls and ducks on the ice.

We headed back to the Parrinder hide, past redshanks, little egrets, reed buntings and black tailed godwits. Most, as usual, of the birds were on the Freshmarsh and were in silhouette. Lapwings, avocets, gulls and wildfowl all were noted before the cold had us off for a coffee. Before we got there a quick check for a recently seen male hen harrier. No luck, but a fast flying merlin shot across Thornham Marsh.

Black tailed godwit

After our coffee, we headed to Burnham Overy Staithe but no rough legged buzzard showed. We noted at least 5 common buzzards, 2 red kites and 3 marsh harriers before we moved on to Lady Ann's Drive. Regular fare here: pink foots, wigeon, curlew etc so along to Cley. A quick sausage roll and then a trip to the beach. Gill wanted a lifer in snow bunting. A scan along to the pill box produced none, so off to Salthouse beach road. Usual flock of turnstones and gulls but no snow bunts and all who were about said they had not seen any. From here, a walk down the East Bank. Grey plover on Arnold's Marsh but no snow bunts. A party of 30+ linnets gave us hope, but not to be. As we wandered back to the car a group of 3 bearded tits showed nearby, venturing from the reeds and on to the ground.
By now it was 2.30 so we returned to Burnham Overy Staithe and a walk along the path to the footpath on the sea wall. We had hoped for barn and short eared owls, but got neither. More geese, both in fields and overhead and a flock of 50+ curlews ended the day as we arrived back home before 7pm. A super day.
Species list:
red throated diver, little grebe cormorant, little egret, grey heron, mute swan, pink footed goose, greylag goose, canada goose, brent goose, (10 sp) shelduck, mallard, gadwall, shoveler, teal, wigeon, tufted duck, goldeneye, red breasted merganser, red kite,(20 sp) marsh harrier, common buzzard, kestrel, red legged partridge, pheasant, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher avocet, ringed plover, (30 sp) grey plover, golden plover, lapwing, sanderling, turnstone, dunlin, redshank, black tailed godwit, curlew, snipe (40 sp) ruff, black headed gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, greater black backed gull, kittiwake, wood pigeon, collared dove, skylark, meadow pipit, (50 sp) pied wagtail, wren, dunnock, robin, stonechat, redwing, fieldfare, blackbird, great tit, blue tit,(60 sp) long tailed tit, bearded reedling, magpie, rook, jackdaw, carrion crow, starling, house sparrow chaffinch, goldfinch, (70 sp) greenfinch, linnet, twite, reed bunting,