Optimism

Thursday, February 7

A much smaller group than usual at Cley NWT Centre, always enjoyable.

A beautiful sunny, cloudless day was too good to miss. We went on to Wells to try for the Rough-legged Buzzard. A year tick for Pam and a month tick for me. 

One car occupied the increasingly rutted layby, its two occupants scoping towards Wells harbour. In hope, we raised binoculars and found the Rough-legged Buzzard perched on the lefthand side of a dilapidated shed's roof. 

As I raised my camera, it flew.

This is the first winter bird taken with my 400mm lens, unedited. 

 I then edited and massively enlarged, the remaining photos, keeping those that had any plumage details at all. 

North Pools was the next stop. As Jem had mooted, a short stop brought a feeding male Stonechat into view, from the car park. He was very active. Landing on a pen's sturdy rails, before returning to its favourite look-out on top of a Hawthorn bush. Silhouetted against a bright blue sky, he looked great but the light played havoc with the colouring.in my camera.

 

 Maybe our luck was in.

The sleeping policemen on the lane to Morston quay are pretty horrendous in their bone jolting ferocity  - even at a slow speed. I often wonder whether a slight increase in speed would get it over and done with in, definitely, less time.

The sought after Greenshank was well down the channel where we haven't seen it before. Past what we call Redshank corner at the far end of the car park. Is there any car park in Norfolk which doesn't have large and extensive potholes. They're full of water at the moment which makes them easier to see - and more difficult to judge the depth.

 Again a photograph as was, taken with my 400mm lens, followed by an enlargement.

 Blakeney duck pond, when there is little passing traffic, is always a temptation!