Sometimes circumstances combine to deny you your expected highs. Today was one such example.
I met ten eager visitors in Aldeburgh at 9.30 am hoping for another exciting winter wildfowl guided walk, but with poor visibility and a SE wind, my heart began to sink. It's always harder to find the geese when the wind is from the east, and the mist wasn't going to make it any easier. Four black-tailed godwits and two avocets flying off SE at least made for a good start - the first avocets I've seen down here this winter.
Undetered, we set off anyway. South Marsh was quieter than usual, but we had good views of wigeons, pintails, shovelers, gadwall and lapwings. Sadly, the light drizzle was becoming steadier, and the visibility deteriorating, and very soon it became tricky to even use optics as the rain settled on the lenses and promoted turned to fog due to the cold.
A flock of 100 barnacle geese on North Marsh lifted spirits slightly, but that was as good as it got for geese! The only other geese seen were 20 greylags! No Canada geese. No white-fronts. Certainly no bean geese. Aargh!!!!
Still, all wasn't lost, as there were good numbers of ducks on the marshes, along with a few curlews. And six water pipits - a new bird for some. Returning along the old railway line, the horse paddocks behind the caravan site came up trumps too, with good flocks of chaffinches, goldfinches and redwings, a mistle thrush, a fieldfare and a green woodpecker, and a great spotted woodpecker in the trees above.
Fieldfare by Jon Evans
So, while not a complete disaster, North Warren did fail to live up to its reputation this time, yet everyone left happy, if a little damp and cold. Roll on spring!