Friday, June 4
It was not even 7 a.m., chores done, (by Pam) when we set out in warm sunshine. Very shortly, it clouded over, and we had leaden skies all day. Only a few drops of rain though, heralding last night's deluge. .A distinct lack of hirundine all day. We saw three Swallows, 1 House Martin and 1 Sand Martin. Regular small groups of Swift though, in their habitual villages.
Sculthorpe Mill was not the quiet haven we expected. The car park held several vehicles, the front of the building latticed by scaffolding. Window frames were being painted, and it looked as though the inside had been gutted. It was a very quick look for Spotted Flycatcher and Grey Wagtail, the disturbance was obviously long-standing.
Driving along the back lane to Abbey Farm, we disturbed a Red Kite from its tree perch. As it flew, three more rose from the field to join it in a langurous aerial ballet. One, particularly tatty individual, with several missing primaries, flew within camera reach of my side of the car.
Seeing Barry waiting for us outside his house in Valley Farm lane is a dichotomy. It takes up birding time, yet he is such a nice man, our conversations are always informative and enjoyable. A passing Brown Hare prompted Pam to ask if they were shot. Not by Barry, but on the farm, yes. 'His' swifts had arrived, all six of them - he knocked holes in his new roof to let them in.
To-day's encounter was also entertaining. Soon after the 'we have all survived the pandemic' talk, his wife drove up, coming over to meet us for the first time. She works at an organic vegetable farm.
Imagine the speech marks.
Barry : Come and meet my little old ladies
Wife: I've heard a lot about you
At this point an elderly, shorts and vest clad, runner went by, hailed by Barry and then inroduced to us as the man who had bought the much renovated house at the road end of the lane. The man whose Golden Eagle weathervane I have coveted.
B I helped him inside the house. he's got this huge range in the kitchen and they don't cook nothing.
W And it's got this big old mirror behind it and a chandelier
B They've got three microwaves, all their food goes ping. No vegetables.
W Yes, a big old chandelier in the kitchen
A car came down behind us, we made our hasty goodbyes and left, seeing one Tree Sparrow.
We did dither as to whether to visit Snettisham reserve or not. We went, it wasn't worth the negotiation of the appalling track through the chalets. The tide was the lowest we've ever seen, the acres of mud clear of birds. Shelduck and Avocets were discernible, the shoreline a distant blur. Small areas of the shingle had been fenced off to protect nesting birds - there were none inside. It's been publicised that dogs off the lead and wayward pedestrians walking off the track have had a disastrous effect on Great Ringed Plover nests. Plenty of dogs there yesterday, all of them on the lead though.
Hoping to see Turtle Doves on the wires, we lunched in the P and D car park for the eastern end of the wash leading to Ken Hill. Springwatch is being broadcast from that farm this year.
The BBC springwatch website says:
The Wild Ken Hill Estate sprawls from south of Heacham to the north end of Snettisham and goes as far as Sedgeford.
It has been in the family's ownership since 1864 and has undergone a rewilding project since 2019 that has seen the reintroduction of native species, including beavers.
The estate also started a traditional conservation programme two years ago and uses regenerative farming.
Barry told us that there was local opposition to the farm and its methids. Well, there would be.
Having spent too much time on the coast road queueing - staycationers have swarmed on the North Norfolk coast - we went inland at Stiffkey, arriving home in good time for the Sainsbury delivery.
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