Karl J
Friday 30th January 2004, 18:26
A really good walk along to Burgh Castle & back again today, in the covering of 2 or 3 inches of snow which made it quite scenic ... and as I had a bit of luck with the tide just about right, came away with a good total.
The star birds were several Snipe, the frozen pools and ditches meant they spent more time in the fields where I could see them and I accidentally flushed a few groups of between 1 and 5 of them. Other good waders were a Little Stint and 5 Turnstone, ~80 Avocet, 4 Grey Plover and 1 Spotted Redshank among the more common ones. And one Rock Pipit along the shoreline.
One Snow Bunting and a 2 or 3 Reed Bunting were in amongst a mixed flock inc Skylark, Meadow Pipit etc in one field, with 3 Bearded Tit in a nearby reed bank. Nearer the fort I had 3 Gt Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, several 100 Wigeon, about 100 Coot, a few Teal and 3 Pintail.
In the bushes at the fort were 2 Song Thrush, a Jay, a flock of Longtailed Tit, a couple of Wren and a noisy tree full of crows.
No Marsh Harrier today, the only raptor being one Kestrel but as I was nearly back to Yarmouth a lone Redwing made an surprise appearance from across the river which brought the tally to 53 for the walk.
The star birds were several Snipe, the frozen pools and ditches meant they spent more time in the fields where I could see them and I accidentally flushed a few groups of between 1 and 5 of them. Other good waders were a Little Stint and 5 Turnstone, ~80 Avocet, 4 Grey Plover and 1 Spotted Redshank among the more common ones. And one Rock Pipit along the shoreline.
One Snow Bunting and a 2 or 3 Reed Bunting were in amongst a mixed flock inc Skylark, Meadow Pipit etc in one field, with 3 Bearded Tit in a nearby reed bank. Nearer the fort I had 3 Gt Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, several 100 Wigeon, about 100 Coot, a few Teal and 3 Pintail.
In the bushes at the fort were 2 Song Thrush, a Jay, a flock of Longtailed Tit, a couple of Wren and a noisy tree full of crows.
No Marsh Harrier today, the only raptor being one Kestrel but as I was nearly back to Yarmouth a lone Redwing made an surprise appearance from across the river which brought the tally to 53 for the walk.