Norfolk 29.11.22

 Great to be back in Norfolk but the light was just dreadful and sometimes considerably worse! Visited Holkham Gap on the beach where Red breasted merganser, Goldeneye, Red throated diver and Slavonian Grebe were noted out to sea. No sign of the hoped for Shorelarks, but Common scoter through my scope became Rick's 200th bird for the year.

Off to CleySpy to get Rick kitted out with a new scope and tripod and then off to Gramborough Hill at Salthouse. Virtually birdless so headed east to Titchwell where the light meant photos were impossible, as proved below!

Titchwell held a mixed flock of finches feeding in alder along the footpath from the entrance but high water levels meant very few waders on the Freshmarsh.

The beach was better with plenty seen including good numbers of Bar tailed godwits. Out to see, just Great crested grebes. By 3.45pm we watched 7 Marsh harriers come into roost before returning home by 6.40. A good day and Rick very pleased with his new scope. 

Species list:

1. Red throated diver
2. Great crested grebe
3. Slavonian grebe
4. Cormorant
5. Little egret
6. Great white egret
7. Mute swan
8. Whooper swan
9. Greylag goose
10. Pink-footed goose
11. Brent goose
12. Shelduck
13. Mallard
14. Gadwall
15. Wigeon
16. Teal
17. Shoveler
18. Tufted duck
19. Common scoter
20. Goldeneye
21. Red breasted merganser
22. Red kite
23. Marsh harrier
24. Kestrel
25. Merlin (possible, very brief glimpse)
26. Pheasant
27. Moorhen
28. Oystercatcher
29. Golden plover
30. Grey plover
31. Turnstone
32. Lapwing
33. Dunlin
34. Sanderling
35. Redshank
36. Curlew
37. Snipe
38. Black tailed godwit
39. Bar tailed godwit
40. Black headed gull
41. Common gull
42. Herring gull
43. Lesser black backed gull
44. Great black backed gull
45. Wood pigeon
46. Collared dove
47. Skylark
48. Rock pipit
49. Meadow pipit
50. Pied wagtail
51. Dunnock
52. Cetti's warbler (heard)
53. Goldcrest
54. Robin
55. Blackbird
56. Redwing
57. Long tailed tit
58. Great tit
59. Blue tit
60. Wren
61. Treecreeper
62. Chaffinch
63. Brambling
64. Goldfinch
65. Greenfinch
66. Siskin
67. Linnet
68. Starling
69. Jackdaw
70. Rook
71. Carrion crow
72. Magpie
73. Jay

Redshank at Salthouse

Dunkins on Titchwell beach

Black tailed godwit, Titchwell

Black headed gull, Salthouse

Titchwell beach curlew

Titchwell Little egret

Little egret, Titchwell beach

Great white egret at Titchwell: 3.25pm in near darkness. 200th second at 3200 ISO!