Another Friday, another early start meant I was wandering along Garden Drove, just east of Wells by 7.50a.m. Parking near the pig farm gave me views of grey partridge whilst whitethroats, blackcaps, chiffchaffs, a single willow warbler along with resident birds were all on the list promptly.
At Warham Greens, 3 whimbrel, egrets, brent geese and hoardes of goldfinches. A good start to the day as I ticked pied wagtail in the pig field where there were more grey partridge.
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| Grey partridge |
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| Startled brown hare |
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| willow warbler |
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| Very distant whimbrel |
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| Another grey partridge |
I returned to the car and thought it has been a while since I did a tour of the Cley Square, so off I went. A hobby flew parallel to the car as I headed into Cley and more impressively, a short eared owl on the Coast Road near the cattle field and the junction of the Beach Road. Both new for year birds. I parked at the NWT HQ and wandered off to the central hides. Flyby bearded tits were another year lister and a sedge warbler skulked in bushes near Daukes Hide. The views from all 3 hides were disappointing, with little to be seen, so back to the car, recording reed warbler and reed bunting along with a distant marsh harrier.
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| Secretive sedge warbler |
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| A more showy individual |
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| reed bunting |
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| Lapwing |
I now headed to Kelling Water Meadows but little to be seen here. Usual warbler selection along the path and just a few avocets and gulls loafing around on the water, so back to the car, noting orange tip, peacock, small tortoiseshell and green veined white butterflies along the way.
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| Green veined white on common (or russian) comphrey |
I now thought a visit to Gramborough Hill , east of Salthouse Beach Road, may prove profitable. Meadow pipits and skylarks along with a single wheatear, several ringed plover and warblers was my reward for the walk on and around the hill. A whitethroat sang constantly and I managed a shot through the vegetation of him.
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| Best I could manage of a whitethroat |
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| Goldfinch |
Last Friday I only spent a short time at Titchwell, venturing no further than the island hide, so today, I headed off there, popping up to Choseley for a uick check. Gald I did as a corn bunting was a year lister and a splendid female yellow wagtail flew down to a puddle as I was driving off.
Into Titchwell where I stopped for a coffee and chatted to Derek, a birder who has spent birding time with Colin Wells, a Stortford birder. On the path I met a couple from South Leicester bird club to whom I have given presentations, good to see them. On to the beach and a chance to find a sheltered spot from the constant north easterly. On a rough sea at least 14 velvet scoters in a raft of 100+ commons but little else. A common tern posed for this series of hovering photos and a little ringed plover and common sandpiper made the day and year list.
A good day, indeed, totalling 90 species, a record for me this year.
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| Mallard family |
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| Common tern |
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| Male ruff coming into breeding plumage |
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| Little ringed plover |
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| The Freshmarsh |
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| Dabbling teal |
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| Avocet |
In all, I added 12 year listers:
velvet scoter
hobby
little ringed plover
common sandpiper
bar tailed godwit
little tern
swift
short eared owl
house martin
beared reedling
yellow wagtail
corn bunting.
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