A very early 4.45a.m. start for a day birding in Norfolk. First stop was Lynford Arboretum near Mundford. The hawfinches were not to be found but siskins, chaffinches, nuthatches, brambling all kick started the day list. Poor light before 7 meant disappointing shots taken of the brambling. The temperature was pleasant and it was great just listening to the chorus of great tits, blue tits, goldcrests, treecreeper, nuthatch, blackbird, wren and song thrush all competing.
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| Half Moon at Lynford |
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| wood pigeon in sunrise |
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| early morning wren |
Brambling at the feeders
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| nuthatch |
From here, I headed off to Cley East Bank and the beach where I came across a single water pipit commuting between Arnold's Marsh and the reserve. Bearded tits called and flocks of brent and greylag geese overhead. At one point, 4 marsh harriers were in the air, with one seeing off a carrion crow. Lapwings, dunlin, ringed plover and godwits made it on to the day list, before I headed off to Weybourne beach.
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| greylag goose |
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| roosting herons at Cley |
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| brent goose flyover |
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| distant marsh harrier sees off a carrion crow |
Here, I walked east, stopping to watch a few kittiwake fly past to a field that held a sizable flock of gulls. An inceland gull had been recently reported from this area and it looked like a job of going through several thousand gulls to find it. I joined a fellow birder, Nick but my concern was not warranted as the gull was sitting alone, on a ploughed field and was easy to spot. Both of then carried on towards Sheringham to find, firstly, a wheatear when we were joined by Lee. A scan of the ploughed field gave up 6 snow buntings and then, in the distance, 2 lapland buntings. The latter, too far way for a photo and barely visible with binoculars, definitely a scope job.
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| Iceland gull |
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| off to join the flock |
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| Find the snow bunting |
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| one hard to find snow bunting |
From here, Nick and I headed towards Kelling Heath but after a rather quiet half hour wander, with no dartford warblers or woodlark, we returned to the car. Goldcrests and tits in good numbers along with a green woodpecker. I returned to Cley carparkand the regular confiding black headed gull. The sea was exceptionally quiet so I then thought a quick view at ceratin vantage points along the A149. Stops at Holkham, Burnham Overy Staithe were made before I finished off at Titchwell. By now it was 4.30pm and the light was dreadful so no chance of anymore photos. As it happened, I didn't miss anything, with avocet, water rail, sanderling added to a reasonable daylist. Wonderful day out.
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| meadow pipit display flight |
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| male reed bunting |
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| female reed bunting |
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| The ever present Cley beach car park black headed gull |
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| Stonechat |
Species list;
little grebe, great crested grebe, cormorant, little egret, grey heron, mute swan, pink footed goose, greylag goose, canada goose, brent goose, (10 sp) egyptian goose, mallard, gadwall, teal, shoveler, pochard,tufted duck, marsh harrier, kestrel, common buzzard (20 sp) red legged partridge, pheasant,
water rail, coot, moorhen, oystercatcher, avocet, ringed plover, golden plover, lapwing (30) sanderling, dunlin, turnstone, redshank, black tailed godwit, curlew, black headed gull, common gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull (40)kittiwake, iceland gull, wood pigeon, collared dove, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, skylark, water pipit, meadow pipit, pied wagtail (50) wren, dunnock, robin, wheatear, stonechat, song thrush, mistle thrush, blackbird, cettis warbler, chiffchaff, (60)goldcrest, great tit, coal tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, nuthatch, treecreeper, magpie, jay, jackdaw, (70) carrion crow, rook, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, brambling, linnet, goldfinch, greenfinch, siskin (80)reed bunting
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