Duck_Pond
Professional Wildlife Photographer And Guide
I had planned to go for a few days, but as usual, the plan fell through! Late on Tuesday night I decided that I ought to at least go for a day. So, alarm set for 5am, and by 9am I was parked up at Snettisham RSPB reserve.
It wasn't looking good. Having driven up with the sun in my eyes all the way, I arrived in a blizzard of sleet! So I sat in the car for a few mins, and it cleared away. Wisely, I'd brought my golf over-trousers with me, and they are so warm! Donned my wellies, as the notice board suggested, and headed towards the hides.
Walking alongside a lake, I could see black headed gulls, greylag geese, a couple of pheasants and not much else. Up over the steps and into a gale! The sun was out by now, but I was glad of my woolly hat!
On the beach were oystercatchers, ringed plovers, redshanks, avocets, shelducks, knots and brent geese.
Walking on to the 2nd hide, by a lake, I decided to get a shot of the scenery, and had a quite amazing experience. As I took the picture, I heard this fluttering, whooshing sound from my right, turned to see what it was and a huge flock of knot, rushed by, all around me! Could feel the breeze off them as they shot by! So I stood there and was fortunate enough to have 2 more flocks go by. Masses of them. Thousands.
Wandering down to the hide by the lake, I spotted skylarks? Seemed quite small. Also saw a green woodpecker fly by. The shelter of the hide was nice, and allowed me to rest my eyes for a second. Contact lenses and strong winds don't mix. On the lake were more greylag, brent, gulls, a couple of gadwells, coots and thousands of oystercatchers! All camped up on the left side, like a black sea, with orange sticks here and there, floating on it.
Leaving the hide, I opted not to go to the other hide, but to try to get better pics of the skylarks. Whilst doing so, I spotted a TV crew wandering back from the hide I'd not visited, and I thought to myself "Ha, probably Bill Oddie!".
I followed the crew alongside this extra lake along where the path should have been, and crossed where they did. It was still almost over my wellies! I noticed 3 of the crew had stopped, so as I walked up, I got ready to say "Hello" and that was when Bill Oddie turned around! I could have died laughing, but I remained calm and simply said "Morning" to him, as I would to anyone else. He wears a woolly hat pulled up to a peak - I reckon to make himself look taller
Anyway, back along the beach, I could see bar-tailed godwits, more redshank and oystercatchers. And I got quite close to a wading knot, in the mud.
Back to the car, I set off to Titchwell Marsh. It had clouded over unfortunately, and I missed the warmth from the sun. Still, a sausage bap soon warmed me up. Walking from the visitor centre, I could see various woodland birds on the feeders, including house sparrows in the trees nearby.
Nothing but a coot visible from the first hide, so off to the next. Over the ground to the left of the lakes, was a kestrel hunting, and a few moments later, a buzzard riding the breeze, swept by. Well timed, I got into the hide just as the heavens opened. I waited for the rain to pass, and the sun reappeared.
Could see avocets, knots, shovelers, mallards, black-headed gulls, moorhens, coots, brent geese, a black-tailed godwit and a little egret on the land nearby, plus a pied wagtail and reed bunting. From the viewing platform on the end, I could see pretty much the same as what was at Snettisham, but much further away, and it was really cold! So I opted not to press on that way.
Back in the visitor centre, I asked about owls, as I'd hoped to be lucky enough to see maybe a barn owl... the lady suggested Flitcham, Abbey Farm, for a little owl, and possibly a kingfisher.
Heading away from Titchwell, I spotted a sign for a reserve near Holme, so popped down to see that. Along the dunes, I could see a small stream meandering out to sea, and on that was a curlew and redshank. Several chaffinches and dunnocks fluttered about the dunes too. Plus possibly a pipet, amongst the washed up straw stuff, but it was shy and flew off before I could get a shot. Plus shelduck and another ringed plover.
Back from the car park - why they need to have speed bumps along the road, when the surface is like an eggbox is beyond me - I spotted a thrush, standing proudly. Well, I say I spotted - a twitcher parked nearby in his car gave it away somewhat!
Off to Flitcham then, for the last stop. Managed to find the place, thanks to the RSPB lady's great directions, and parked up. Into the hide, and what a wonderful set up. Like a natural zoo!
Bunnies, pheasants, greylags, gulls, curlew, mallards (plus ducklings) crows, jackdaws, wood pigeons, oystercatchers, and as promised, a pair of little owls, perched on a broken tree. Fantastic. Not equite the raptors I'd hoped for (i.e. harriers / barn owls) but still good to see. A sparrowhawk made a pass, scaring the crows too.
I waited until about 5pm, hoping to see a barn owl - one was reported in the book, for the day before, but it was starting to get colder, and I had the nice 3 hour drive back to contend with. So, I was just about to leave when I heard a sound outside the hide. A goldcrest! (edited after further viewing of photo) Hopping about the bushes. Marvellous!
So, a great day out, and I'll definitely go again, if not in May sort of time, perhaps to see the Marsh Harriers. It's certainly a superb part of the country for birding and photography. Perhaps next time, I'll seek advice from locals on here for the best place for owls and harriers. The quest continues!
It wasn't looking good. Having driven up with the sun in my eyes all the way, I arrived in a blizzard of sleet! So I sat in the car for a few mins, and it cleared away. Wisely, I'd brought my golf over-trousers with me, and they are so warm! Donned my wellies, as the notice board suggested, and headed towards the hides.
Walking alongside a lake, I could see black headed gulls, greylag geese, a couple of pheasants and not much else. Up over the steps and into a gale! The sun was out by now, but I was glad of my woolly hat!
On the beach were oystercatchers, ringed plovers, redshanks, avocets, shelducks, knots and brent geese.
Walking on to the 2nd hide, by a lake, I decided to get a shot of the scenery, and had a quite amazing experience. As I took the picture, I heard this fluttering, whooshing sound from my right, turned to see what it was and a huge flock of knot, rushed by, all around me! Could feel the breeze off them as they shot by! So I stood there and was fortunate enough to have 2 more flocks go by. Masses of them. Thousands.
Wandering down to the hide by the lake, I spotted skylarks? Seemed quite small. Also saw a green woodpecker fly by. The shelter of the hide was nice, and allowed me to rest my eyes for a second. Contact lenses and strong winds don't mix. On the lake were more greylag, brent, gulls, a couple of gadwells, coots and thousands of oystercatchers! All camped up on the left side, like a black sea, with orange sticks here and there, floating on it.
Leaving the hide, I opted not to go to the other hide, but to try to get better pics of the skylarks. Whilst doing so, I spotted a TV crew wandering back from the hide I'd not visited, and I thought to myself "Ha, probably Bill Oddie!".
I followed the crew alongside this extra lake along where the path should have been, and crossed where they did. It was still almost over my wellies! I noticed 3 of the crew had stopped, so as I walked up, I got ready to say "Hello" and that was when Bill Oddie turned around! I could have died laughing, but I remained calm and simply said "Morning" to him, as I would to anyone else. He wears a woolly hat pulled up to a peak - I reckon to make himself look taller
Anyway, back along the beach, I could see bar-tailed godwits, more redshank and oystercatchers. And I got quite close to a wading knot, in the mud.
Back to the car, I set off to Titchwell Marsh. It had clouded over unfortunately, and I missed the warmth from the sun. Still, a sausage bap soon warmed me up. Walking from the visitor centre, I could see various woodland birds on the feeders, including house sparrows in the trees nearby.
Nothing but a coot visible from the first hide, so off to the next. Over the ground to the left of the lakes, was a kestrel hunting, and a few moments later, a buzzard riding the breeze, swept by. Well timed, I got into the hide just as the heavens opened. I waited for the rain to pass, and the sun reappeared.
Could see avocets, knots, shovelers, mallards, black-headed gulls, moorhens, coots, brent geese, a black-tailed godwit and a little egret on the land nearby, plus a pied wagtail and reed bunting. From the viewing platform on the end, I could see pretty much the same as what was at Snettisham, but much further away, and it was really cold! So I opted not to press on that way.
Back in the visitor centre, I asked about owls, as I'd hoped to be lucky enough to see maybe a barn owl... the lady suggested Flitcham, Abbey Farm, for a little owl, and possibly a kingfisher.
Heading away from Titchwell, I spotted a sign for a reserve near Holme, so popped down to see that. Along the dunes, I could see a small stream meandering out to sea, and on that was a curlew and redshank. Several chaffinches and dunnocks fluttered about the dunes too. Plus possibly a pipet, amongst the washed up straw stuff, but it was shy and flew off before I could get a shot. Plus shelduck and another ringed plover.
Back from the car park - why they need to have speed bumps along the road, when the surface is like an eggbox is beyond me - I spotted a thrush, standing proudly. Well, I say I spotted - a twitcher parked nearby in his car gave it away somewhat!
Off to Flitcham then, for the last stop. Managed to find the place, thanks to the RSPB lady's great directions, and parked up. Into the hide, and what a wonderful set up. Like a natural zoo!
Bunnies, pheasants, greylags, gulls, curlew, mallards (plus ducklings) crows, jackdaws, wood pigeons, oystercatchers, and as promised, a pair of little owls, perched on a broken tree. Fantastic. Not equite the raptors I'd hoped for (i.e. harriers / barn owls) but still good to see. A sparrowhawk made a pass, scaring the crows too.
I waited until about 5pm, hoping to see a barn owl - one was reported in the book, for the day before, but it was starting to get colder, and I had the nice 3 hour drive back to contend with. So, I was just about to leave when I heard a sound outside the hide. A goldcrest! (edited after further viewing of photo) Hopping about the bushes. Marvellous!
So, a great day out, and I'll definitely go again, if not in May sort of time, perhaps to see the Marsh Harriers. It's certainly a superb part of the country for birding and photography. Perhaps next time, I'll seek advice from locals on here for the best place for owls and harriers. The quest continues!
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