A perfect day for birding - the first with Sue since early 2010, the weather has been appalling every time since then. Cloudless blue sky, virtually no wind, the temperature rising to 18C by lunch time.
As we approached Choseley Barns from Docking, a soaring raptor brought us to a halt. Through binoculars, we could see that the Common Buzzard was being buzzed by a Merlin which soon glided fast out of sight. Our first sighting this year.
We spent all morning at Titchwell, after being forced to park in the overflow car park by the volume of people present. Soon after leaving the Centre, a Red Kite drifted overhead, my favourite raptor (or is it a Peregrine, or....White-tailed Eagle ) showing beautifully in the warm sunlight.
Nothing untoward on the marshes, several year ticks for Sue though and a few late Goldeneye. More Avocets than on our previous visit, spread widely, taking up territory I guess. Chiffchaffs singing well on the Fen Trail. Good views of Sue's favourite bird, Bearded Reedlings, calling and chasing in the reeds, oblivious to watchers, more interested in the chase.
Sea watching from a perch in the dunes, on an ebbing tide, the thousand or so Common Scoter showing as a black line, too distant and sun hazed to distinguish any Velvet. Paired Red-breasted Mergansers, several Great Crested Grebes and, at last, a singly very blotchy looking Common Eider. The shoreline was unusually bird-free apart from one Sanderling and a few Oystercatchers. As we left, the mussell beds were becoming exposed and more birds were flying in.
Parrinder Hide was new for an impressed Sue, despite the acres of empty mud on the shoreward side. The brackish marsh had over 200 Golden Plovers, cuddled up on two islands, their mass making their gentle contact calls very obvious. A few were well into their black, bib and apron, summer plumage , yet most were not.
After the usual coastal calls, a CleySpy visit to fix Sue's broken Tripod/scope mount and a visit to Cley church to see the White-crowned Sparrow window, we drove to Salthouse beach. The Spoonbill flew off east and landed half way to the Quags, it's head still visible.
What a lovely day - shame I forgot to carry my camera. Quite unbelievable that I left it in the car......
Weds March 23
Chiffy singing in the garden this morning, G Spot drumming away in the woods and a Tawny calling in broad daylight.
143 moths in the moth trap last night. Mind boggling. Mostly Quaker sp., a few handsome Oak Beauties and a few unknown -or forgotten - the photos of which I'm about to process.
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