After such a good start to August, and with several weeks of my summer holidays still left to go, I was unsurprisingly in a pretty good mood. Although I'd been on holiday for two months already, the rest of my family hadn't been so lucky and so we had a few days in Norfolk for some time off together. Of course, that meant I would have a little bit of time for birdwatching, so I had to pick that time wisely...
Our first day was spent milling around our little stable cottage, where Tawny Owls were vocal at night and Swifts passed over during the day. Every Swift encounter at this point was treated with that extra moment of enjoyment, treasuring the sight of them as they darted around screaming to one another; their playful acrobatics will always be something which I love watching, and the sight of them in the summer is something I'll forever enjoy. I think they'll always be one of my favourite birds...
 |
| Marsh Harrier at Blakeney |
 |
| Common Terns |
 |
| Common Terns |
 |
| Common Tern |
 |
| Terns at Blakeney |
 |
| Seal |
 |
| Seal |
 |
| Seal |
 |
| Seal |
 |
| Seals and Tern |
 |
| Seals |
 |
| Seal |
 |
| Black-tailed Godwit |
 |
| Common Chiffchaff |
Thankfully for me, my sister - on her day to choose where to go - opted for a seal watching trip at Blakeney Point. This was a free ticket to not only watch the seals but also keep an eye out for some decent birds off the point. The first bird from the car was a nice female Marsh Harrier that spooked a few Redshank from the marsh, making it a decent start. Our boat trip there was quiet with a few Curlew and Little Egret, but as we got closer to the seals the tern colony was alive with creaking Sandwich Terns and bickering Common Terns. While everyone on our boat were admiring the 'cute' Seals, I was at a loss at whether I should photograph the seals or the hundreds of Sandwich Terns which were by passing by metres from our boat. With the grim, grey weather, I tried to stick with the Seals but couldn't help myself really...
As well as the Sarnie and Common Terns, which were the most numerous, I noted 2 Little Terns dashing out to sea behind us as well as a few Turnstone on the beach. However, seeing a few Arctic Tern a bit further out and mostly away from the Common Terns was also a success, as it was a bird I'd never seen much before. A 4 tern trip was a big success, and really a bonus to being able to photograph the seals from the ever-swaying boat we were in.
 |
| Sandwich Terns - the best type of tern |
 |
| Sandwich Terns |
 |
| Sandwich Tern |
 |
| Sandwich Tern colony |
 |
| Sandwich Tern point blank |
 |
| Sandwich Tern |
 |
| Common Tern |
 |
| Sandwich tern |
 |
| Sandwich Tern |
 |
| Sandwich tern off Cley |
Our journey back was largely quiet, with the exception of a group of Black-tailed Godwit and a few Curlew that passed overhead. We then headed off to my pick of Cley Marshes Nature Reserve a little bit further east along the coast, where I had time for a couple of hours birding. Our arrival was timed impeccably with pouring rain, and so I started by having to dash to the single hide overlooking the main pools of water. The persistent rain continued to hammer down, so my plan of going to Arnold's Marsh (for Little Gull and other waders) soon went out the window. Sadly it was relatively quiet on the pools; apart from bagfuls of Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Dunlin and at least 50 Ruff, there weren't many waders. The highlight was seeing this Common Snipe appear out of the reedbeds in front of the hide during a short outburst of sun.
 |
| Black-tailed Godwit |
 |
| Black-tailed Godwit |
 |
| ad Snipe |
 |
| ad Snipe |
 |
| Snipe |
I then moved on to the next hides, a decision I was left to rue as my dad and sister went around to the beach. Although there were a further 40 or so Ruff, about 10 Avocet and 2 Green Sandpiper, just as I reached these hides, obviously, a Black Guillemot was seen drifting along the coastline, disappearing seconds before I had managed to run around to where it had been seen. Just as the rain began again...
 |
| Avocet |
 |
| Green Sandpiper |
 |
| Green Sandpiper |
 |
| Avocet |
 |
| Avocet |
While 'dipping' the Black Guillemot, plenty of creaking Sandwich Terns were still moving along the coast, fishing away, while a distant skua species (probably Great from what I saw) headed Westwards. A few Oystercatcher were also seen 'migrating' East. It was a shame to leave so early in the day but the dismal weather meant I didn't feel too disappointed.
We really weren't too lucky with weather over the next few days and apart from staying local and visiting some of the coastal towns/beaches, I took a step back from birding and enjoyed some time with my family. However, on our penultimate day on a boat trip around the Norfolk Broads we saw a Kingfisher and some close Great Crested Grebes, while almost everywhere we went we had hirundines for company. Swallows are another of the many species I miss during the winter - I can say this now as I'm writing this post in January!
 |
| Great Crested Grebes |
 |
| Great Crested Grebes |
 |
| Great Crested |
That was really it for the birding time in Norfolk, as my first visit to Lakenheath Fen RSPB on the way back home was practically bird-less. A sole Kingfisher and few Buzzard were the only birds seen in the 33C heat.
However, with a trip to Brownsea Island, one of my favourite places in the south of England, coming up a week after, birdwatching wasn't going to be taking a break any time soon...
 |
| Ruff etc at Cley |
 |
| Ruff etc at Cley |
 |
| Avocets flying in with a Ruff |
No comments:
Post a Comment