A friend came up to do some birding this weekend so I took him around my patch of North west Norfolk.
With a minimum of driving and visiting a half dozen sites on a roughly circular route we started at Hunstanton, moved east along the coast via Titchwell then swung back inland and ended at Snettisham.
Our highlights were Barn Owl- at least 6, a single Little owl, over 1,000 scoter including a dozen Velvets, Red breasted Merganser, Red throated diver, Scaup, Fulmar, Ruff, Knot, Spotted Redshank. 3 Peregrines, 2 buzzards, 8 marsh harriers ( no sparrowhawk anywhere though) . Several flocks of Snow Buntings totalling over 50 birds , 30 Twite and 2 Shore larks. Despite snow and some sites being frozen over our total was about 90 species.
He's probably coming back in April for more :)
S
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Hi-
had a weekend birding Frampton, Snettisham , Titchwell and Holkham with a buddy up for the weekend;
We had Turtle Dove, Whinchat, Dotterel, Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Scaup, loads of Whimbrel,Wheatears, Yellow wags, a pair of Mediterranean Gulls, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Little Stint and a Citril Finch.
A morning at Titchwell -
We started around Choseley around 8am with Barn Owl, Corn Bunting, both Partridges and Yellowhammer then moved to the reserve.
A Short eared owl was located in the grazing meadow sitting in the tussocks. 2 Cuckoos flew over .
Plenty of Little Gulls , a flock of Blackwits, a Sanderling, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers on the freshmarsh and all 3 hirundines and swift overhead.
On the beach we had Barwits, Turnstone, Sandwich Tern, Common Scoter and Peregrine and left the reserve after lunch on 80spp.
Dropped in at Dersingham bog ( Red Kite en route) and found Tree Pipits, Nuthatch and Stonechats feeding young and also added Siskin, Goldcrest and Cole Tit;
Day total was 91 spp- home by 5pm.
Day out around the NW corner of Norfolk today;
Started at 8 around Holme hides and Golf Course / Gore Point and saw Fulmar, Stonechat, RTD, Knot, Barwits, Cole Tit, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare and Barn Owl; (40spp)
Moved on to Thornham harbour for Twite, Rock Pipit Shelduck,
(50spp)
Drove inland and checked fields for Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting, Bullfinch, partridges and bumped into a Red Kite;(70spp)
The Pink footed Goose flock near Docking had some extras- Barnacle, Tundra Bean, Todd's Canada and Red Breasted;(90spp)
Arrived at Titchwell at about 1pm and went straight for a seawatch ( taking in Spotted Redshank,(100th Spp) Yellow Legged Gull, Chiffchaff, Cettis, Ruff, Golden Plover, Grey Partridge, Siskin, Redpoll, Brambling on the way.
On the sea we added Long tailed duck, Velvet and Common Scoter, Eider, RB Merg, Goldeneye and Great Crested Grebe;
Finished the day with 107 spp
an amazing list for one day!
see my photos on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggyn/