Thursday, December10
Another dull, damp and dark December day. So good to be out birding. Our sort of birding. Driving around in the car, stopping where the fancy takes us, or some birds show.
We started at Selbrigg, where Pam scattered some food for the birds. We are not alone in this, others do so too. The lone parked car turned out to be Greg's. Even I, who is so unobservant where people and things are concerned, noticed that it was a different colour from the previous model. A silver Nissan Qashqai. After a catch-up chat, we departed. Whilst Pam was outside chatting, Coal, Marsh, Blue and Great Tits still dropped in for a feed. Two Grey Squirrels did likewise and a Muntjac shot across the forest track.
Encouraged by Pauline's mention of birding at Courtyard Farm, near Roydon, Pam decided on that as our eventual destination. Roydon Common and the western continuation of what is known further east as the Cromer Ridge provides an area well suited to raptors.
Cromer Ridge is a ridge of old glacial moraines (terminal moraine) that stands next to the coast above Cromer, Norfolk, England. Cromer Ridge seems to have been the front line of the ice sheet for some time at the last glaciation, which is shown by the large size of the feature. All the material that was dredged up from the North Sea was poured out of the glaciers to form a ridge.
Located on the North Norfolk coast, Cromer Ridge is among the highest land of East Anglia reaching 335 feet (102 m), and is 8.7 miles (14 km) long. It is characterised by its irregular, undulating, intimate and well-wooded topography and by substantial areas of heather in the west. Small, enclosed arable fields, hedgebanks, sunken lanes and sparse settlement are also characteristic features of the ridge. (Wiki)
Norfolk's highest means not high at all.
We did see two Buzzards, four Kestrels, two Marsh Harriers and a female Sparrowhawk. The latter exploded out of the hedge immedistely after a small poasserine. The prey escaped, and the disappointed hawk flew, arrow straight, down the lane before making a steep left turn into the woods. Such skilful flyers.
Thornham Creek was nearly full of water, an hour or so before high tide. The wintering flock of Twite, numbers now increased to 17, flew, apparently aimlessly, around. A swirling amorphous cloud, changing direction as one. Do they have a choreographer? We did not see them land. They disappeared as suddenly as they arrived.
A lone Curlew stalked the creek bank, probing for worms. Luckily, I managed a photo as it pulled one out of the water.
On to picnic lunch at Brancaster Staithe. Cambridge Diet shake for me, a cereal bar for Pam, coffee for both. Our individual Zojirushi drinking flasks are excellent at keeping drinks hot all day.
It was lovely here to-day. One other car, far enough way, meant that the birds were close and unconcerned, feeding away on the goodness brought by the incoming water.
Dunlin
Grey Plover, Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits, the usual gulls and Oystercatchers.
One of the latter decided to swim across to another mud bar.
Little Egrets are irresistible photographic subjects for me.So elegant. This one already had a few long neck plumes.
Hunting
Shall I fly? No.
Yes, I will now.
A Rock Pipit fossicked along the tideline, allowing us to stop and look, although keeping a wary eye open for any movement.
A soul satisfying hour or so. We drove home.
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