Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Frustrating Day!!!
Sunday bus services not good - start later and finish earlier!
Beautiful sunny day. Got the first bus out and got the bus driver to drop on the corner by Jameson's wood just after the Farm Shop between Holme and Thornham (the black throated thrush track!) arriving here about 10am. Walked along the footpath and only saw a party of long tailed tits, blue tit, great tit and a robin on route. Lots of skylarks in the field just before Thornham Bank and also good numbers of meadow pipits going through west. Sat on the bank with scope for a while trying to magic up a lapland bunting, but no joy (this field is sometimes good for laps). Lots of pinkfeet got up over Holme marsh as I walked the Thornham bank towards Holme reserves. 1 Marsh Harrier over Holme church.
Holme Bird Observatory - a single swallow 11.40 just behind obs. Seawatching: - 17 sanderling west, 1 guillimot on sea, several wigeon, teal and brent geese going by, but nothing else while I was there. Several of us standing outside the obs. had stunning views of 2 Short eared owls together that had come in off sea - there were almost over the broad water! (12.30pm). A massive starling flock of several thousand appeared over Holme church and snaked its way east and over Thornham Bank. A local birder Paul gave me a lift as far as the pay hut, where I then continued along the footpath towards Redwell Marsh. A MASSIVE flock of approx a couple of thousand starlings descended into the bushes and trees right in front of me at Redwell!!!! As I approached them they took off and landed again further along the track - as I walked along I realised that they had not noticed me and as I was walking under them, their chattering noise sounded awesome - suddenly they all took off and the noise of their take off was almost deafening!!! At the end of the track I crossed the road by the Hun bridge and walked past the village pond and up Beach Road to the crossroads and caught the 1.49pm bus east.
Could not decide where to get off, studied timetable, pager etc and initially was going to get off at Holkham and walk to Wells but realised sensibly by the time I had done that and walked all the way down that long road into Wells to catch bus I just would not have time before the last bus to do it properly. So I decided to opt for a chilled 2 hours seawatching at Cley. Re: my year list and West Runton today, have seen short toed lark and the Barred W, but would have liked to see the Richard's P and Lap bunting. Rang RBA and it sounded like they had not been seen for a while, so rather than trapse round an empty field decided to be sensible and chill at Cley. Got off the bus at Cley and walked along the West Bank. Beautiful and sunny and the views were beautiful - had a wheatear half way along the bank. The Richard's Pipit had now come up on the pager again!:C If I had had a car I would have gone at this point, but no more buses that was it!:C At coastguards stood with Julian, M.G. and E.M. for a seawatch. Not alot doing, wigeon, teal and brent geese was all I managed to see. Phone call from Connor - that oh so familiar excited but so serious voice 'Penny where are you' - I just knew this was something good:eek!: 'Rosy Coloured Starling at Choosely'!!!!!!!!!! BOTHER, BOTHER, BOTHER. So I had left the area I was in to watch a few ducks and geese at Cley, and now there was a RCS!!!
Julian was tempted and after hearing news of it again finally decided to go and gave me a lift as well - thank you Julian:t: So off we went - I can't actually remember what time we got to Choosely except that we had dipped badly by about 10 minutes when we arrived:-C Watched a few flocks of starlings going over, but nothing.....Julian then went home. Ray gave me a lift half way down the hill and I decided to walk to the bottom as I had to wait for the last bus at 6.15pm back to Lynn anyway from Titchwell. I felt very very sulky walking down that hill, knowing that the day had ended and having not seeing the RCS! and not being able to get to West Runton. It got worse - had a text message from M.G. to say he had a grey phalorope land on the sea (about 25 minutes after I had left) and he had another one later aswell! As Julian said - a day of being in the wrong place at the wrong time all afternoon!
Beautiful sunset and could see thousands of starling flocks descending into the reeds at Titchwell - its in there somewhere!!!!!
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
P.S. On holiday next Saturday for 5 days - can't be doing with this again, will have to hire a car I think!!!!!!
Sunday bus services not good - start later and finish earlier!
Beautiful sunny day. Got the first bus out and got the bus driver to drop on the corner by Jameson's wood just after the Farm Shop between Holme and Thornham (the black throated thrush track!) arriving here about 10am. Walked along the footpath and only saw a party of long tailed tits, blue tit, great tit and a robin on route. Lots of skylarks in the field just before Thornham Bank and also good numbers of meadow pipits going through west. Sat on the bank with scope for a while trying to magic up a lapland bunting, but no joy (this field is sometimes good for laps). Lots of pinkfeet got up over Holme marsh as I walked the Thornham bank towards Holme reserves. 1 Marsh Harrier over Holme church.
Holme Bird Observatory - a single swallow 11.40 just behind obs. Seawatching: - 17 sanderling west, 1 guillimot on sea, several wigeon, teal and brent geese going by, but nothing else while I was there. Several of us standing outside the obs. had stunning views of 2 Short eared owls together that had come in off sea - there were almost over the broad water! (12.30pm). A massive starling flock of several thousand appeared over Holme church and snaked its way east and over Thornham Bank. A local birder Paul gave me a lift as far as the pay hut, where I then continued along the footpath towards Redwell Marsh. A MASSIVE flock of approx a couple of thousand starlings descended into the bushes and trees right in front of me at Redwell!!!! As I approached them they took off and landed again further along the track - as I walked along I realised that they had not noticed me and as I was walking under them, their chattering noise sounded awesome - suddenly they all took off and the noise of their take off was almost deafening!!! At the end of the track I crossed the road by the Hun bridge and walked past the village pond and up Beach Road to the crossroads and caught the 1.49pm bus east.
Could not decide where to get off, studied timetable, pager etc and initially was going to get off at Holkham and walk to Wells but realised sensibly by the time I had done that and walked all the way down that long road into Wells to catch bus I just would not have time before the last bus to do it properly. So I decided to opt for a chilled 2 hours seawatching at Cley. Re: my year list and West Runton today, have seen short toed lark and the Barred W, but would have liked to see the Richard's P and Lap bunting. Rang RBA and it sounded like they had not been seen for a while, so rather than trapse round an empty field decided to be sensible and chill at Cley. Got off the bus at Cley and walked along the West Bank. Beautiful and sunny and the views were beautiful - had a wheatear half way along the bank. The Richard's Pipit had now come up on the pager again!:C If I had had a car I would have gone at this point, but no more buses that was it!:C At coastguards stood with Julian, M.G. and E.M. for a seawatch. Not alot doing, wigeon, teal and brent geese was all I managed to see. Phone call from Connor - that oh so familiar excited but so serious voice 'Penny where are you' - I just knew this was something good:eek!: 'Rosy Coloured Starling at Choosely'!!!!!!!!!! BOTHER, BOTHER, BOTHER. So I had left the area I was in to watch a few ducks and geese at Cley, and now there was a RCS!!!
Julian was tempted and after hearing news of it again finally decided to go and gave me a lift as well - thank you Julian:t: So off we went - I can't actually remember what time we got to Choosely except that we had dipped badly by about 10 minutes when we arrived:-C Watched a few flocks of starlings going over, but nothing.....Julian then went home. Ray gave me a lift half way down the hill and I decided to walk to the bottom as I had to wait for the last bus at 6.15pm back to Lynn anyway from Titchwell. I felt very very sulky walking down that hill, knowing that the day had ended and having not seeing the RCS! and not being able to get to West Runton. It got worse - had a text message from M.G. to say he had a grey phalorope land on the sea (about 25 minutes after I had left) and he had another one later aswell! As Julian said - a day of being in the wrong place at the wrong time all afternoon!
Beautiful sunset and could see thousands of starling flocks descending into the reeds at Titchwell - its in there somewhere!!!!!
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
P.S. On holiday next Saturday for 5 days - can't be doing with this again, will have to hire a car I think!!!!!!
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