Excellent day at Titchwell despite the inclement weather. Even on the way out there, things were showing, with a Common Buzzard up and a Weasel running across the road near Sculthorpe and a Stoat doing the same thing at Burnham Deepdale.
Arrived at Titchwell to be greeted by no less than 17 Marsh Harriers up over the reserve and three Green Sands and a Spotted Redshank flew over the path. A nice selection of other waders included 82 Oystercatchers, 20 Ruff, 12 Ringed Plovers, four Greenshanks, five Curlew Sands and 3 Little Stints. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the Temminck's noted in the log book.
Lots of Meadow Pipits and wagtails on the heavily vegetated side of Parrinder Hide and amongst the 20 Pied and 5 Yellow Wags was a superbly marked, clean adult White Wagtail in crisp ashy-grey autumn plumage.
All the expected wader species could be found on the beach.
The sea was surprisingly rewarding despite the very strong wind - in the wrong direction - and in just an hour or so mid-afternoon we noted an Eider, redhead Merganser, four Arctic Skuas all flying west, several GC Grebes offshore, RT Diver west and a Little Tern flying west with a flock of 15 Common Terns. Best bird though, was a rather nice juvenile Shag on the sea drifting east. With its high forehead, lovely thin bill and subtle, soft, head markings, it showed so much more finesse than the clunky Cormorants around it!
So if you get fed up with being knocked about by the wind, just give yourself a break and spend a couple of hours in the hides at Titchwell and then thank me later when that rare wader turns up