Little Hadham Birding: Very Grey and Damp day in North Norfolk

Setting off at 5.15 am for a Norfolk day on Monday 7th. Customary coffee in Wells and straight to Holkham beach before the light was any good so camera left in the car. The over wintering Shore Larks were distant, about 5 of them before a check on the sea. Rafts of scoter, including 3 Velvet Scoter. A quick check in the pines gave up Goldcrests and tit species before heading to Cley beach for another sea watch. Unbeknown to me, the best light of the day here but just distant gannets.

From here, a wander down the East Bank: wigeon, teal and a kingfisher but nothing out to sea apart from several Red throated divers. Checked for Snow bunting but none to be found.

Down the Iron Road to Salthouse beach in very grey light, all cars with headlights on. A mixed flock of Goldfinches, Twite and Linnets feeding upon the Horned poppy seeds and a pair of Stonechats near Gramborough Hill but no sign of the Lapland bunting that had been reported that day. The over wintering Long Billed Dowitcher commutes between the East Bank and a pool on the beach, but again, a no show today. A Meadow pipit posed for a photo near the car.

Headed west to Brancaster Harbour but just the expected waders so up to Choseley Barns. Overhead, 1000's of Pink footed Geese and south west from the layby, quartering the area around a yellow crane, a male Hen Harrier. Bird of the day. Huge flock of Starlings rose from the pig field before a whistlestop trip to Titchwell beach and hides in persistent drizzle. A Water Pipit and Rock pipit got on to the day list, as did Sanderling on the beach. A Red necked grebe on the sea, distant as the tide was way out. Two Pintails from the Parrinder Hide as well as a pair of Pochard and a few Ruff. A check in the alders in the car park gave up a large mixed flock of Siskins, Goldfinches and Lesser redpolls.

By now I felt like I could be out mothing it was so dark so off to Thornham Point where another Hen Harrier had been seen, but not whilst I was there. A Bar tailed Godwit probed the mud near the footbridge before I decided to call it a day and headed home. No traffic issues meant back indoors by 6.30pm. A good birding day but hugely frustrating from the photography point of view. Basically, anything that was mobile wasn't worth photographing as the shutter speed settings were so low and ISO were so high that cropping would make the photos very grainy, as seen below.

Species list.