Phew

Tuesday March 25

Shattered when I had to get up before Sue arrived for a day's birding. It was my presentation on Colombia at last night's Bird Club, we didn't get in until after 11 p.m. and Daile had returned my PC before we left. So......I didn't resist re-installing two programmes, including AOL and Firefox and testing them out. I'm always hyper, mentally,  after such an evening anyway and, need to wind down before bed. 

I eventually got to bed and had Robbie the cat needing attention on and off into the small hours. I may have had nearly 4 hours sleep after several similar nights.

The forecast had promised rain in the afternoon, we reversed our usual route and started at Cley.  Beach Road Salthouse only had a couple of cars parked at the end, Pam decided to drive it for the first time since the storm surge. We've only made it part way before due to the volume of cars and nowhere to turn comfortable.The 'car park' no longer exists, flat shingle extends to the sea, Gramborough Hill and Little Eye standing out at either end. It paid off though as we had our only two Wheatears of the day perched on roadside posts.

A lovely sunny morning, we called in at all our usual  waterside spots on the way to Titchwell. 

Brancaster had some comparatively close Black-tailed Godwits changing into summer plumage, probing the glutinous mud on the western shore.

A couple of Turnstone were also going through a plumage change

Pam's virus makes her very listless but she wanted to walk a bit so we went as far as the Island Hide at Titchwell.

I carried my camera this time so was able to photograph the complete Long-tailed Tit nest with no birds nor entrance visible. Two birds were flitting in the willows on the left of the path, maybe they haven't laid yet or built another nest in a less public place.

An enormous amount of water on the Freshmarsh, with few birds apart from ducks and a flock of Black-tailed Godwit. The latter were spooked by a Marsh Harrier, leaving two Knot in view. Far fewer Avocet than before and no other waders. On the return trudge, I saw a Red Kite approaching from the west and then found a group of birders watching a pair of very distant Red-crested Pochard. They were at the far end of the pool to the east of the path near the Centre.

The SatNav - Cressida 'cos she's very posh-voiced - took us to Flitcham and Abbey Farm. Three Buzzards and  a Barn Owl sitting in a hole of its nesting tree at the far right of the pasture.

The sun had disappeared behind cloud cover and it was getting rather cold, we didn't stay long.

Valley Farm Lane produced a single Tree Sparrow sitting on top of the hedge. I took one hasty photo before Pam - inadvertantly - turned on the windscreen wipers. Goodbye bird.
A second Red Kite for the day, in the Harpley area, was the last bird of note before arriving home for a much needed cuppa.