A day at Titchwell
A day a Titchwell
We decided to go for trip to Norfolk today. Of course it meant an early rise, and a 2 ½ hour trip in the car for us. We where travelling from Bedford to Titchwell, and decided to take the route including the A1065 and then B1355 to Titchwell itself.
The weather was a little bit unpredictable to say the least (as mentioned by BF member in my enquiry about Norfolk post). We prepared ourselves well enough to deal with all types of weather.
We arrived and the first impression of Titchwell - what a fabulous place to be.
The noise of bird song was amazing in the woods close to the visitor centre. I could see the reason why. There is a wooden washing line, built to cope with a least 10 birds seed/nut feeders. Birds would love all of this food, even I would. It looked like 5 star birdie Hilton Hotel :t:
We could see that a shelter was set us to view the bird feeders and well established there. In it, where 6 people with their bins, and scopes in hand looking at the birds, as they flitted to and forth on the bird seeders.
I went into the visitor centre to be greeted by a working member of the RSPB who stated that a
Tree Sparrow had been seen off and on for most of the morning. He filled us in with details what had been seem and that we should report it and write anything down that is seem in the visitors book.
So
Tree Sparrow had been noted as we had a good look through our bins at all the activity on the bird feeders.
We found the usual birds
Blue Tit, Great Tits, Green Finches, Chaffinches, Gold Finches, House Sparrows, Collared doves, etc….
The less usual finds where the
Long Tailed Tits and 2
Bramblings. Superb viewing to see all of these birds in one place.
So we marched on to the bird hides to see what was there. The wind and cold weather had picked up and the waters moved in small waves in all directions, as the wind battered against us as we walked along the boardwalk. The first thing that we where confronted with lots of groups of
Brent Geese. They where everywhere in 6’s and 20’s honking as they flew around our heads as they did. Some flew quite low at times. The geese where finding it hard to keep in a straight flight path in the high winds, as they flew around. They looked although they where travelling backwards at times.
A bird scuttled out of the nearby bushes in front of where we where walking along the boardwalk, and it looked like a male
Stonechat to us. He re-appeared and sat twittering at us and showing off, oh yes he was a male Stonechat.
We past the Salt marsh area to the left and the
Brent Geese sat in their groups everywhere. I have never seen so many of them in one place before.
The weather had now become dull, with spots of rain here and there. The wind had increased in volume; it was now getting colder by the minuet.
We entered the Island hide, and sat down to be confronted with a birders delight of groups of male and female
Shovlers seemed to be in groups everywhere. The movement of the water kept them active, as all the reeds swayed in all directions on the waterways. All the birds seem to be having difficulty keeping their balance while they swan around.
A couple of
Shovlers a male and a female, appeared directly under the hide window so we had a good view of them. Great to see so close up and personal
A couple who where in the hide with us, allowed us access to their scope and said that they could see a
Marsh Harrier in the distance in the trees behind the area of the Salt marsh. Yes, I could one through the scope as it moved around with all the grace that it could. Wonderful to see one at last!!.
Next we investigated the Parinder Hide. There where a few
Advocet, dotted here and there diving and feeding like mad, along with
Coot, and
Moorhens everywhere.
We could see a group a group of
Godwits in the distance probing for morsels with their long bills at all the food they could get a hold of. It was now early afternoon and the tide had gone down for this point of the day so their must have been a glut of food to had by all types of birds.
A lone
Redshank probed for food, and strutted about close to this Bird hide. A kindly birdwatcher that shared the same hide allowed us access to his scope for a better view of the bird in hand. It was super to see it so close and all the detail and markings on its body where something else. I never realised how speckled their tails ends where. This same person told us that he thought he saw a
Pintail too! Loved to have seen that not to be
Lots of
Black headed Gulls where swimming everywhere in the Salt marsh, and appeared to feed and it was good to see that their black head colouring was now there. Must be that time of year now.
We arrived at the viewing platform at Thornham Point and found that it had become too cold, wet and windy to hang around any more. So we decided to make our way back to the car once more. Another day for a visit was on the agenda now.
A lone
Curlew in the distance was a spectacle to see for us, as we walked back to the visitor centre.
We decided to have another look at the bird feeders once more, by the visitors centre before we left. We looked at the feeders from the Meadow Walk area, and managed to view 2
Tree Sparrows on the extra long Seed Feeder, and reported it back to the Centre volunteer to say that they where still around. Lovely to see, the distinguised white cheek patch, and the chestnut brown body. Very characteristic over the House Sparrow. which is so much grayer. That was a great find, as I have never seen one before. The meadow walk will be walked another day for us.
We where pleased that we saw the best of all types of birds we could squeeze in the 2 hour period that we where there.
It was decided between us to drive further a-field around Norfolk, and travelled through Holkam to see a group of Birds Watchers looking at a large group of Geese in a field nearby. I could not make what geese they where but I am sure someone will let me know here. Who was there from BF today
As we travelled through ‘Stiffkey’, as we made headway to Cley. I was looking at the waterways to the left. I saw an lone
Egret standing on its own feeding in the marshes closely to the road we where travelling along. They stand so hunched up a bit like Herons do so it was a giveaway what they where. They had a white
Egrets plumage, and they are so easily seen for this reason alone.
We continued along the A149, to see what Cley looked like. We arrive and parked in the car-park to investigate, The place was so hectic; we decided to leave the preplanned visit to Cley for another day when the weather was better.
I felt so pleased with everything despite of the stormy weather. The stormy weather may have been a bonus for us. A quiet clear day may have had the opposite effect who knows. Of course it may be the time of year too that counts now.
You would not believe what we saw on the way home
a lesser spotted
Wait for it ……….
Rooster trotting along the motorway. LOL …..
I would recommend Titchwell to anyone here but as it is a Norfolk thread we all know that already. Cley will be the next visit to look forward too. Same applies to Holkham.
