Big Grey Blob

Saturday March 10

Scolt Head? No way could we get there nor walk at Burnham Deepdale for a distant view. Many of our friends went last night and posted euphoriic sightings. 

Man U were playing Liverpool at mid-day to-day, would the bird be seen? The dreaded ''no sign of'' message came through on the pager first thing. Yes !! It had re-located to Thornham Marsh, a half hour walk from Titchwell beach. Still not a reality for us.......until the news came through that it was viewable distantly from Thornham Harbour.

Footie recorded, off we went.

Unbelievable number of road closed signs, we just couldn't get down to the coast. It started at Docking when an oncoming deriver was good enough to tell us that the road was impassible due to an abandoned car. We came across that driver twice more as he too tried to find a way through.. Eventually we managed it - via Ringstead. The really pretty way. 

The approach to Thornham was remarkably quiet. Plenty of cars and scopers parked roadside, everywhere looked chokka. There was room in front of the Coal Barn so we parked there and joined a group viewing from the building. A delightful young man pointed out a grey blob behind a bush on the beach, about a quarter of a mile away. Pam found it in my scope and euphoria flooded in. Nothing quite like the anxiety and anticipation of travelling on a twitch to find that the quarry is still there. Our first Norfolk Snowy Owl, a first winter female. Our very first Snowy was also a female, on Fetlar in 1974 when a red-wellied, seven year old Sara,  skipped 7 miles there and back for the viewing. We were staying in a caravan on a bothy's field in the far west of Mainland. It was a fair trek by car and boat to get to Fetlar. Probably my best birthday bird at that time.
At 50X I could just see the white face and the black-highlighted  breast and wing feathers

NOT MY PHOTO

Add that to the news that the Happisburgh Elegant Tern has been accepted onto the British List.... a really good week.

It was a much more leisurely journey home  A late lunch bought at Titchwell, where we had to shoehorn the car onto a grassy mound near the staff car park, then eaten at Brancaster Staithe. The Turnstones here are always entertaining. It was high tide, they found a roost.

This close Black-headed Gull is nearing summer plumage

As we drove through Stiffkey, I managed to find news on the radio. YEEEES. We beat Liverpool 2-1. I punched the air as a motorhome passed, I hope he didn't think that it was directed at him. 

The Morston Greenshank  enlivened the drive home. Appalling light....

What a great day but I do wish we'd had better views.