Another Month

Friday February 1

A gentle drizzle fell as we left at 8.30 a.m., hoping to avoid early ice and traffic. The rain soon stopped but it was louring grey overcast until mid morning. We did well for variety this morning, despite the conditions. A Grey Heron had flown towards Roy's pond before we left and we'd got to mid teens by the time we reached Sculthorpe Moor Reserve. We'd decided that a visit to the Portakabin feeders there would help the day's list considerably.  Bullfinches (3), Brambling (2 males) are expected. Surprisingly, we saw both these species elsewhere during the day but, not the Dunnock feeding under the station. No Mealy Redpoll for us, regularly reported here throughout the day, nor the Long-tailed Tits , Coal Tit and Marsh Tit seen during our last visit. We only stayed for 20 minutes or so as the daylight hours are still short.

The highlight was.....at last.......never had tio wait so long before, Barn Owl at the far end of the field abutting the car park. The cold spell has forced it to hunt in daylight.

Red Kite is almost expected near the dead end lane we favour near Harpley and the Dogotel. Not disappointed to-day. Off the lane is a 'conservation headland' where we photographed wild flower swathes earlier last year. This planting was identical to the one on the RSPB farm highlighted on Countryfile a couple of Sundays ago. None of the myriad Yellowhammers and other finches gathered on their farm hedgerows though. 

No hares there to-day either, yet there were several off Valley Farm Lane and at Choseley.

The dense hedgerows just before Abbey Farm Hide held a mass of constantly flying from side to side finches.So restless that we couldn't capture an identification view in our bins.Then, I worked out that their disappearance from view in the hedge was because they were landing in the field behind. Duh.

Pam reversed, pulling bonnet first into a gateway. From there we could see that the flock of 150+ was mostly Chaffinches, but a third of them were Bramblings. They'd hardly touched the ground below the dead seed holding vegetation belt in the fileld than they were off again. Fortunately, many stayed in the hedge facing the field where we could admire the stand-out male Bramblings, their mottled orange and brown plumage highlighted by the weak winter sun.

So busy looking that I forgot to use my camera !

The plug had been pulled at Snettisham. Miles of mud with a scattering of waders which had to be searched for. The sea edge masses were too distant to ID.

Curlew, Shelduck, Dunlin, Grey Plover, one Great Ringed Plover. Where has the flock of Golden Plover gone? None seen all day. The highlighgt was a dozen or more Pintail, the males' white breasts standing out amongst the drabber Wigeon.

One male Goldeneye, a mass of Greylags, Wigeon and Teal on the pits, a few Coot and one Moorhen. Then Pam spotted a distant male Gadwall.

Hunstanton Town seashore car park was a chance to photograph Starling and Rock Dove for the year folder.

The tide was coming in at Thornham and well in at Brancaster. Our 2019 tide timetable only covers Snettisham. Pam bought them at Titchwell when she went to renew our driving permit for Snettisham. The latter has always been a laminated card which we handed in and accepted a replacement with a change of date - if the car number was the same. This time, Email address, telephone number and much other information was required and the result ? A grotty piece of thin folded A4 paper. That will need safe keeping.

A lot of extra work for the staff too.
We added a dusky feathered Rock Pipit, an adult Mediterranean Gull and Black-tailed Godwit at Brancaster Staithe. 
Two Barnacle Geese in the flock of several hundred Pinkfeet spread across the Gun Hill marsh.
A Great White Egret, Ruff and a few Marsh Harriers at Holkham.
More Marsh Harriers in much faded light at Stiffkey. Unfortunately no Hen Harrier this time nor Little Owl at Cockthorpe.

What an enjoyable day.