North Norfolk Day

Thursday 25th found me checking the moth trap at 4.30 before setting off for a birding day in Norfolk. Having collected Gary from Egmere near Holkham, we headed off to Titchwell.
Light quality was appalling so few photos taken. From the island hide, ruff, dunlin, avocets, moorhens and distant curlew sandpipers. We moved on and got great views of curlew sandpipers from the footpath, feeding busily on the Freshmarsh. Ringed plover were noted here and a flyover grey plover.
On to the beach hoping for some good sea movement but, having lingered for a whinchat, we noted the darkening sky. This observation was followed by several close by lightning bolts so we headed back towards the Parrinder hide to shelter from the probable torrential downpour that appeared to be heading our way. No such luck with the shelter, the rain threw it down for the last 800 yards to the hide and we were both consequently soaked to the skin, wearing as we were, shorts and shirts! Several spoonbills and more curlew sandpipers from the hide as we waited for the rain to cease, which it did after half an hour. We dripped our way back to the car and applied the heaters on full blast!

Curlew sandpiper

Another curlew sandpiper

ruff

curlew sands in worsening light

little egret

Black tailed godwit with 1 feather of summer plumage still to moult.

As Gary had to be home for an afternoon of work, we headed straight for the path at Burnham Overy. We wandered along, noting Egyptian geese with greylags and calling bullfinches. A stile was blocked but the farmers said they were bringing cattle down later, but it was Ok for us to climb over. We got as far as the coastal footpath without noting any hoped for migrants so we headed back in now dry clothes as the sun was now out. We returned along the path to find it completely blocked by a large herd of cattle! Very noisy as we waited half an hour for the farmers to collect the 2 bulls from the field and put them in a cattle truck. A few flyover house martins, swallows and more greylags were noted.

No way through!

A quick whistle stop trip to Stiffkey fen before I returned Gary to home. At the Fen, 6 spoonbills, many canada geese, greylags, golden plover and redshanks but again, no migrnats in the trees along the overgrown footpath.

Once Gary was home I headed off to Jon Clifton's in Hindolveston to pick up moth supplies, but he was out so I headed down to Cley for a coffee and to note if anything was about. A hobby was hunting behind the VC and a caspian gull on Pat's Pool along with common and green sandpipers. 

From here, a quick whizz to Kelling Water Meadows where a pair of wood sandpipers were present, stonechat, linnet and flocks of goldfinches, along with calling chiffchaffs but again, due to the wind being in the wrong direction, nothing unusual.

I finished off at Cley beach where gannets were heading west, mainly juveniles, before a visit to see Jess and family at Stiffkey Campsite. A quick check around the site for moths with the as ever enthusiastic Sidney. We found several and I managed to find some leaf mines on hawthorn that had him searching for more.

Back on the road and home by 9.15pm. A long day.