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
For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides, binoculars, scopes, tripods, etc - put 'Birding Tips' into the search box
Hi- try this little guy
Worra lovely bird.I have never seen a snow bunting.......I would like to see a cirl bunting too.
I had no real interest in bird watching `til a couple of years ago when, needing some time to myself-Phoned in sick,Jumped on motorbike.It took me to Cromer from Leeds.I passed this Cley Marshes place the next day and stopped for tea.Why not hire a pair of bins & go for a stroll it was suggested.Did so and a couple of hours later,not only was I mentally refreshed but totally smitten by it all.So,thanks to the avocets and a marsh harrier inter al. plus the hospitality of good Norfolk folks-Had my sanity back and a bl**dy good new hobby/interest.
The whispering reed beds and a good cup of tea helped too. :-)
In a corner of Norfolk while eating a sandwich-
Don't see sights like that when eating my sandwiches S - unless I put magic mushrooms in!!!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Excellent. One of the best shots of a Little Owl I've seen. He/she must have fancied a bite of your sarnie.
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
Snettisham Coastal park 0745-0830 - this weekend-
3rd May- walked from Shepherds Port North to the end of the pools and back south along the raised dyke.
Plenty of singing Willow warblers and Chiffchaffs all over. Whitethroats song-flighting on hawthorn bushes and Lesser Whitethroats cavorting IN the hawthorns. Sedge and Reed warblers gobbing away and 2 Grasshopper warblers heard- one scoped from the top of the bank for 5 minutes . A noisy male Cuckoo yelling his name and a tired migrant wheatear on the grass. Other regulars included Stonechats, Linnets and Reed Buntings.
I may go back for more tomorrow before hitting Titchwell at 9.
Hi
a new NW Norfolk WINTER BIRDING ROUTE -
Start near Holme village and bird field edges
Move to Holme GC and sea watch
Drive to NWT reserve entrance and bird along to Gore Point
Enter NWT or NOA depending on time / membership status
Drive back to either Hunstanton lighthouse or
Drive inland and check likely looking hedges for finches
Loop back to Thornham Hbr
Lunch at Titchwell and bird til dusk
Sounds a great day out Seymour a group are heading to that area late Jan. may try it out.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
Starting at dawn it should net you about 90 spp- for a monster day list leave Titchwell about 1330 and get to Sculthorpe ASAP.
When are you about??
Back end of Jan.I am not organising it one of the club members is in charge I will find dates and accommodation at weekend.