Yesterday (Sat 1st Sept) I picked up birding friend Gary in Bishop's Stortford and headed off to North Norfolk. Following a coffee at Wells our first stop was Kelling water meadows. We wandered along the lane and it quickly became clear there were very few birds around. The sky was cloudless and the temperature was 20C. High pressure meant that either nothing was moving through or that they were just migrating over and not stopping. Basically, what had been there had left and what was supposed to be there had yet to arrive! A scan across the water meadow gave up numerous sand martins, swallows and a few wildfowl sp. A reed bunting darted into the reeds but nothing else apart from a distant turtle dove, first year lister of the day. Off to Cley East Bank. Same results here with numerous black tailed godwit on Arnold's Marsh, sandwich terns and redshanks. A quick sea watch gave views of a small party of calling whimbrel, 2 groups of westerly sanderlings.
We headed off to the Visitor's Centre for a coffee where I also bought a new pair of binoculars. My old Opticrons had been knocked and the binocular vision was just not sharp enough, giving a double vision effect, very irritating. After trying out 7 or 8 pairs of 10x42 I chose a pair of Hawkes that seemed to offer a good range, sharp focus and pleasing clarity. Lifetime guarantee as well.
We then popped over to Gramborough Hill at Salthouse. 2 wheatear were all we got so, as we needed to be home by 6pm we decided to spend the rest of the day at Titchwell. Here, a few more species got on to the day list, including red necked phalarope and jack snipe, both on to the year list. 25 spoonbills was an impressive sight and a sea watch gave up a few more wader species: ringed plover, turnstone and knot in particular. These were all noted in parties of black tailed godwits that were roosting on the beach, but being flushed by folk enjoying the now 24C temps.
Species list;
- cormorant
- little egret
- grey heron
- spoonbill
- mute swan
- greylag goose
- canada goose
- brent goose
- shelduck
- mallard
- shoveler
- teal
- tufted duck
- marsh harrier
- common buzzard
- kestrel
- red legged partridge
- pheasant
- moorhen
- coot
- oystercatcher
- avocet
- ringed plover
- grey plover
- lapwing
- knot
- sanderling
- turnstone
- dunlin
- redshank
- black tailed godwit
- whimbrel
- snipe
- jack snipe
- red necked phalarope
- ruff
- black headed gull
- common gull
- herring gull
- lesser black backed gull
- gret black backed gull
- sandwich tern
- wood pigeon
- collared dove
- turtle dove
- sand martin
- swallow
- meadow pipit
- pied wagtail
- wren
- dunnock
- robin
- wheatear
- blackbird
- chiffchaff
- great tit
- blue tit
- bearded reedling
- magpie
- jackdaw
- rook
- carrion crow
- starling
- house sparrow
- chaffinch
- goldfinch
- linnet
- reed bunting.
Surprised the species list managed to get to 68, but nevertheless, a great day out as always in this region. Am guiding a Canadian couple the week after next so hope that we get a few Easterlies to bring in a few rarer species as well as the regular migrants crossing the North Sea.
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| Goldfinch at Kelling |
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| Cormorant over Cley beach |
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| Sandwich tern, Cley beach |
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| Wheatear at Gramborough Hill. being watchful |
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| Heat hazed photo of the wheatear |
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| Wheatear still watching the sky because....... |
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| ........high overhead, a kestrel. This was mobbed by carrion crows |
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| Distant ruff at Titchwell |
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| Pied wagtail |
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| Pleasant reflection of this black tailed godwit |
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| Little egret at Titchwell |
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| View from Titchwell beach |
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