March 1
It was Great Yarmouth Bird Club last night, some excellent photos from Steve and Dot's trip to Ecuador in search Of Antpittas - they saw ten of those available.
We left as soon as the talk was over but it still meant latish to bed so it wasn't a terribly early start to our birding day - 6.30 a.m. on a very dull and dark morning.
We did well for common garden birds on the way, achieving 40 by Abbey Farm Hide, including a Barn Owl and Tree Sparrows.
The Red-legged Partridges are looking especially handsome, strutting their stuff along the verges and fields.
We didn't spend long in the hide, long enough for Pam to eat her breakfast and then off for a low tide Snettisham. Very few birds viewable on the vast expanse of mud to-day, I've seldom seen it as empty. A flock of 40 Avocets on the pits was nice. Several Goldeneye on the pits still, the males displaying and chasing each other around.
The Red-legged Partridges are looking especially handsome, strutting their stuff along the verges and fields.
We didn't spend long in the hide, long enough for Pam to eat her breakfast and then off for a low tide Snettisham. Very few birds viewable on the vast expanse of mud to-day, I've seldom seen it as empty. A flock of 40 Avocets on the pits was nice. Several Goldeneye on the pits still, the males displaying and chasing each other around.
Plenty of Fulmars at Hunstanton Cliffs, I could here the pairs chatting to each other on their nesting ledges. The mussell beds were exposed at the Lighthouse car park viewpoint, inhabited by hundreds of feeding waders including Sanderling and Grey Plover. Not a single duck on the sea.
At last, the long planned walk to Gore Point. Into a brisk NE wind.....it was COLD. I gave an inaugural outing to my new furry eared spaniel cap. My ears were warm ! We were rewarded by views of an empty sea, no ducks, grebes, at all. We stuck it for nearly half an hour. At least the wind was at our backs on the return journey. It may be difficult to persuade Pam to make this walk in the near future.
At last, the long planned walk to Gore Point. Into a brisk NE wind.....it was COLD. I gave an inaugural outing to my new furry eared spaniel cap. My ears were warm ! We were rewarded by views of an empty sea, no ducks, grebes, at all. We stuck it for nearly half an hour. At least the wind was at our backs on the return journey. It may be difficult to persuade Pam to make this walk in the near future.
NOA Broadwater Hide is now dry but we couldn't open the flaps. Eventually, after a struggle involving both of us, we managed to open the lowest one. No Brent flock but good views of three soaring Buzzards and a male Marsh Harrier. Still a good sized flock of Pinks in the far fields.
Hot chocolate at Thornham whilst waiting for.... anything really...... was most welcome. The seemingly ever present Spotted Redshank fed avidly in the rapidly emptying creek but no sign of any raptors.
A dozen Corn Buntings at Choseley with a flighty flock of startlingly yellow-headed Yellowhammers.
We kept picking up the odd species whilst making the usual stops along the coast but saw nothing 'good' all day until a lone Pale-breasted Goose in the Brent flock at Cley, viewed from the road. Snow Buntings at Salthouse Beach car park ended the day on 81. A respectable total on , as always, an enjoyable yet unspectacular day. Wheatears soon, I really look forward to the first one, it augurs spring migration.
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