David Norgate
Well-known member
...back to the birds!
Had an enjoyable day today, with a late start at Felbrigg (where I unfortunately I missed the 'white nun', due to an over exuberant walker who was too wary of losing his fillies), where a small group of Brambling were by the car park and a Whooper Swan & Goldeneye on the lake - with a very obscured drake Mandarin.
West Runton held its usual Med Gull, although it promptly disappeared, but an interesting array of waders on the beach included 18 Grey Plover.
Sheringham quickly gave up the Purple Sandpipers, below 'The Crown', where adjustment of positioning magically turned one roosting bird into two, then three. The Turnstone were particularly enjoyable here, hopping in short flight between the rocks.
A brief stop off at Kelling produced superb views of the Arctic Redpoll, as well as at least one Mealy and a number of Lessers. The distant Brent Goose flock included a Black Brant and 5+ Pale-bellied, which later flew past me at Salthouse, where Pale-bellied could be picked up in flight, but I was unable to locate the Brant!
About 30 Snow Buntings were flighty amongst the 'tourists', dog walker and patient (yet space consuming) photographers. An adult male Peregrine flew from the sea inland, as usual it was a majestic site. Three confiding Knot fed with the Turnstone. At each sea site a constant line of Red-throated Diver passed, with a nice 'surprise' of a drake Goosander at Salthouse, all moving west (as were a few Auks).
A brief stop at Cley produced 'thousands' of Brents (as already mentioned by Johny) and a few hundred Golden Plover (as an eminant Norfolk birder said to me the other day, 'I'm amazed how people estimate the number of birds in a flock'!) Three Twite twittered over, prsumably seperate from the Blakeney flock. I should have spent more time and checked the Beach Road Pool, but I wanted to spend dusk in my local area (although to no avail) and left...
... a heath was visited successfully, too.
Had an enjoyable day today, with a late start at Felbrigg (where I unfortunately I missed the 'white nun', due to an over exuberant walker who was too wary of losing his fillies), where a small group of Brambling were by the car park and a Whooper Swan & Goldeneye on the lake - with a very obscured drake Mandarin.
West Runton held its usual Med Gull, although it promptly disappeared, but an interesting array of waders on the beach included 18 Grey Plover.
Sheringham quickly gave up the Purple Sandpipers, below 'The Crown', where adjustment of positioning magically turned one roosting bird into two, then three. The Turnstone were particularly enjoyable here, hopping in short flight between the rocks.
A brief stop off at Kelling produced superb views of the Arctic Redpoll, as well as at least one Mealy and a number of Lessers. The distant Brent Goose flock included a Black Brant and 5+ Pale-bellied, which later flew past me at Salthouse, where Pale-bellied could be picked up in flight, but I was unable to locate the Brant!
About 30 Snow Buntings were flighty amongst the 'tourists', dog walker and patient (yet space consuming) photographers. An adult male Peregrine flew from the sea inland, as usual it was a majestic site. Three confiding Knot fed with the Turnstone. At each sea site a constant line of Red-throated Diver passed, with a nice 'surprise' of a drake Goosander at Salthouse, all moving west (as were a few Auks).
A brief stop at Cley produced 'thousands' of Brents (as already mentioned by Johny) and a few hundred Golden Plover (as an eminant Norfolk birder said to me the other day, 'I'm amazed how people estimate the number of birds in a flock'!) Three Twite twittered over, prsumably seperate from the Blakeney flock. I should have spent more time and checked the Beach Road Pool, but I wanted to spend dusk in my local area (although to no avail) and left...
... a heath was visited successfully, too.
