No Fools Day

Friday April 1 

Not an early start, still cold though. As we approached Fakenham, a navy blue cloud loomed into view. Oncoming cars had their headlights on. A heavy snow shower whitened the surrounding fields, adding to that already lining the road. We soon drove through it, and only had a small hail shower for the rest of the day. 

Not many birds around today, it took ages to see our first Red Kite. Many winter visitors have left, the number and variety of summer visitors yet to come. We usually manage a March Wheatear, but missed the only one seen on the Eye Field at Cley. The northern isle of Lewis has had at least one. In good weather, many migrants fly through to their nesting grounds, without loitering at the coast to fuel up. We still have at least six male Bramblings and two females feeding in the garden, the Siskins departed a few days ago. One of this week's males was in the best breeding plumage I have ever seen..I didn't manage a photo, unfortunately.

The last time we visited Snettisham, I recounted the tale of two men in two vans, one of whom fell down the bank whilst measuring. To-day, there was a post and blue cord/rope lining the whole length of the reserve's shoreside path, the end nearest the entrance extending downwards towards the sea. Nesting birds, keep off, notice attached.  Excellent. What about the dogs who will run freely through?

About a hundred Knot remain out of the thousands, a few Curlew, Avocets, Oystercatchers, Ringed Plovers, Turnstone, Dunlin, Mallard and Shelduck fed on the mud.Viewing the pit is difficult as one has to look into the sun. All I could make out was hundreds of Black-headed Gulls and Greylag. We went the whole day without seeing Coot and Moorhen. The wind was sufficiently strong to whip up white water in the pits. This male Tufted Duck, sporting his summer head plume, was surfing the waves.

 

As we parked on Hunstanton clifftop, I could hear the gabble chatter of nesting Fulmars, not one in sight. We soon had five in the air. They always seem to be really enjoying their flights, not surprising that they were James Fisher's favourite birds. Awesome flyers too.

Brancaster Staithe was an opportunity to photograph - never near enough - mud-larking Black-tailed Godwit.

 

One of these days I'll get an Avocet photo which pleases me. I wish.

 

Whilst I was scoping the water at the western end of North Point, Wells, Pam found a pair of Grey Partridges huddled low,  feeding near the fence. Our first this year. 

 

Always highly anticipated is the stop at Holkham Meals House gate, to look over the extensive marsh. Everything is very distant, using a scope is essential. With patience, and Pam's direction at times, we saw four Great White Egrets in a reed bed, two of them mating. That was a first too. For me that is. A lone Spoonbill amongst the nesting Cormorants, Egyptian Geese, Shovellers, Marsh Harriers, Buzzards, Kestrel, Lapwing and Wigeon. The usual herd of Belted Galloway in front of the wall, and at least five Red Deer - from the front legs up - peering out of a reedbed. 

Straight home via Blakeney, in time for a Pointless which had been cancelled for the World Cup draw.