Another Stonking Day
Thornham Point and Blakeney Point
Arrived Titchwell RSPB 6.55am.
Several
Goldcrests calling in the trees in carpark. Had quick walk round Fen Trail, not much in there yet, raining slightly and dull, very windy weather!!! Got on to main path and was gobsmacked by the state of the tide, the whole of the west side of marsh next to path was completely flooded, it was an amazing sight!
3 Wheaters flicked back and forth from main path ahead. 21 Coots, 5 shelducks flew over, tons of Knot and usual waders. Main reason for coming this morning was to try and see the Great Grey Shrike at Thornham Point that was seen yesterday. Half way along I bumped into some young lads who I think were volunteers for Titchwell - I asked them if they had seen the shrike and they said they couldn't get up there yet because of the tide!!! ( I like a challenge
) When I got to the viewing platform it was just stunning, the sea was violently lashing into the dunes, in fact you couldn't really stand on the viewing platform the spray was coming over!!! It was now 8am (high tide was 7.49am) so I knew it wouldn't come any higher - so I preceded to clamber over the marrams to the point, which was an expedition in itself as there was no path, it was very up hill and down dale, how I didn't rick my ankle I don't know, but I was determined and excited about the fact I would be first up there and the possibility of seeing that shrike! It was an amazing walk 8.40am flushed a
Short Eared Owl from the Marram Grass, right next to me, it flew off south towards reserve centre and immediately straight after flushed a
Hobby with prey from the buckthorn seaward side just before the point. I realised on reaching the area of buckthorn and trees where shrike had been seen, that I could not get across yet because of the water, so while waiting for this to subside I walked onto the beach which I could just about walk on now and saw loads of
Sanderling and Turnstone, Knot, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, 1 little egret in channel. Stumbled upon
2 Stunning Purple Sandpipers! following the tideline, they seemed incredibly tame. Raining steadily now, I managed to get across to main area of buckthorn and went round a couple of times, but no luck with shrike:-C, but did flush a
Sparrowhawk!, then stood in the brick building to have a drink of water and cheese scone. Then crossed over to beach and saw a couple of
Rock Pipits. I caught up with the
Purple Sandpipers again and in the rain I managed to get some naff but record shots of them with Coolpix camera (showed them back at Titchwell Centre). One man passed me to go to the Point on my way back, but apart from him, one other couple were on the beach and I only passed a couple of people along main bank much to my surprise! Had another
Wheatear on path on the way back! It was definately worth getting out of bed for this morning! Put my list of birds in the log book back at centre and chatted to staff and then went to carpark and had some lunch, then drove to Cley Coastguards to meet my friend Pete to do Blakeney Point!
Blakeney Point - 2.30pm
Lots of birds flitting about and diving in to bushes in the wind, it was hard to pick stuff up, no doubt there will be some biggys turn up there when the wind drops. Lots of
Redwing, stopped counting after a while, at least 20+, lots of
Meadow Pipits,
Chaffinches. Had fantastic views of
2 Snowbuntings on seawards side,
Sparrowhawk was floating about.
Little Egret. Lots of
Goldcrests,
1 Wheatear. We passed
BF Member J Moss (nice to meet you Jason) who had seen a Great Grey Shrike, Quail and something else, I can't remember what now. We also passed a group of birders who had also seen the shrike in and around the Plantation Area!!! (that would make up for this morning I thought), also another couple of birders had also seen Ring Ouzels and Redstarts and a Pied Fly! My feet started to go faster now, its amazing how a Great Grey Shrike can speed you up
.
Arrived at Plantation at 4.30pm to have stonking views of the Great Grey Shrike sitting quite at ease in the Pine tree:t: - also a nice
Brambling (5.20pm) sitting in one of the bushes, lots of very tired
Goldcrests, a nice
Blackcap flicking about, several
Chaffinches. Walked over behind to 'Near Point' but couldn't see the Redstarts or Ouzels. Sat by plantation again and had cup of tea and something to eat and started the trawl back in drizzly rain. Another
Wheatear on way back, lots more
Redwings, another
Little Egret and finished off with
1 Greenshank.
Got back to Coastguards at 7.10pm, now very dusky! Got straight in car and drove back to King's Lynn. Knackered to say the least.
Out again tomorrow, think I will flush out a few goodies at Holme tomorrow!!!
Good Luck tomorrow everyone!
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
