Fantastic day today, beautiful weather, beautiful birds
Mission today, Black eared Kite!
There is a massive Willow that reaches to the skies a couple of gardens from me, biggest one I have every seen - it is seems to be a very popular rest stop for a lot of birds, who land in and then shortly take off and carry on. Anyway while eating my porridge early this morning, I spotted several birds flitting about in the top branches, rushed to get binoculars, and 5 bramblings were taking a break in the sunshine! lovely, never seen them from my garden before, very pleased. Several greenfinches and goldfinches in the garden, robin, blackbird. On leaving King's Lynn, I saw my usual sparrowhawk.
Driving down the road off the A149 to Snettisham RSPB, a jay bounded across the road. Parked up, loads of cars in car park. What a wonderful day, not much on the first pit, apart from a few cross ducks, mallard, an egret and a redshank. Mudflats: Golden plovers, shelduck, redshanks, wigeon, etc etc. 2 scaup, pochard, several golden eye, little grebes etc from shore hide. Walked right up far end and headed for the bodies and scopes!!!!! Standing on the high bank I had wonderful views of 2 short eared owls (which 3 other birders had picked up) over the marsh and then shortly after that I had very distant views (AT LAST!) of the black eared kite (12.20pm), with marsh harriers mobbing it as well!!!!!! Then after this had brilliant views of a barn owl, also pair of reed buntings sitting in the gorse. Stood by the sluice eating sandwiches and cup of tea, it was like a summer's day. Walked back along the high bank, saw my first heron of '07!!! red legged partridge, and a little egret flew over, I then joined with some other birders, further along on the bank (1.20pm) to watch brilliant views of the Black eared kite in the sunshine soaring in the blue sky, with 2 marsh harriers near Snettisham Church!!!!! 1.35pm a couple and myself had stunning views of a Male Hen Harrier - Wow what a day!!! Walked back along the causeway and along the top and back to carpark. Cup of tea and chocolate! Then on to Holme HBO, 3 long tailed tits in the Tamarisk shrub by centre, and then 2 short eared owls displaying over the marsh, directly opposite, with I watched along with Jed, Sophie and Connor. Pink feet coming in for the night on the marshes, sun setting over the broadwater. [Lesser Yellowlegs still at Thornham today and so were the Waxwings at Burnham Thorpe]. Silouttes of starlings on the wires against pink skies down the track. A mistle thrush sitting on the telegraph wire by pay hut. Stopped at Redwell marsh and sat in the hide until 5pm and had a Merlin over Holme church flying west!!!!! Tea and cake at parents, home.
:bounce: :girl:
