Last Wednesday, set off for a tour of less visited places in North and East Norfolk. First stop was Lynford Arboretum near Mundford. I arrived early before sunrise and was immediately greeted by a flock of flyover siskins. Goldcrests hovered and flitted around the conifers and a single firecrest was noted near the office shed. Too early for a photo, so off to check the feeders. Here, 20+ coal tits and at least 3 marsh tits in amongst a throng of chaffinches, blue and great tits, but no sign of bramblings that often winter in this splendid area. Very early morning photos here of the marsh and coal tits.
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| 2 marsh tits and a coal tit |
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| very early morning marsh tit. |
Having checked and not come across either hawfinch or crossbill, I was back in the car and headed to the Norfolk coast and a coffee at Cley following a sea watch from Cley beach car park. Small movement out to sea, with guillemots and gannets predominating but also a red throated diver, but no phalaropes. One was noted later in the afternoon!
From here, I headed for another sea watch, at Sheringham but very little apart from more guillemots. From the eastern clifftop carpark a purple sandpiper became year lister 201 and several turnstone could be seen on the beach. However, the light was becoming very strange, brooding and dark and on the horizon, clearly a sea squall was happening and it appeared to be heading inland and towards the east of the county where I had planned to go! Winterton Dunes is not the place to be caught in a heavy rain and hail storm, so I abandoned that plan and headed back to the west, stopping at Salthouse, Cley and Holkham before finishing, in what I hoped would be good light at Titchwell.
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| Alba sp wagtail (Sheringham) |
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| black headed gull in very bright light |
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| BHG on Sheringham beach |
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| storm coming |
Upon arriving at Titchwell I headed immediately for the Parrinder Hide. The sky was becoming increasingly cloudy and very orange. From the hide, usual selection of waterfowl (shoveler, mallard, gadwall, few pintail and teal) along with a solitary pink footed goose right outside the hide. As can be seen form these photos, everything was now showing tints of orange.
4+ marsh harriers, a short eared and barn owl, both over Thornham Marsh whilst a flock of golden plover came in to roost with godwits, avocets, dunlin and a couple of ruff and redshanks.
All in all, a reasonable day.70+ species seen, but not one offering good photo opportunities.
Later this week, maybe a trip to Kent, Oare and Dungeness perhaps, depending on weather.
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| Shoveler (Freshmarsh, Titchwell) |
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| greylag (Parrinder Hide) |
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| same goose, in orange light |
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| sunset over Thornham |
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| incoming golden plover |
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| orange grey heron in brooding light |
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| Titchwell village from the beach footpath. |
So, day didn't pan out as planned, so maybe later in December a trip to Winterton, Buckenham and Cantley as well as a quick scan over Breydon Water.
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