Highlights

 Sunday October 4

At last, a day free of appointments and happenings. We had a full tank of petrol too. West Norfolk, here we come.

Very little of note in our usual stops, we didn't see any species of tit all day, nor finches, apart from Chaffinch and Linnet. We added Coal, Blue and Great Tits when we got home, plus Goldfinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Pam saw a Magpie - I had to wait until there was one on our back lawn.

Our arrival at Snettisham pits coincided with the very lowest point of the tide. I was so busy watching a Herring Gull drag a dead rabbit across the shore before pecking at the eyes, that I forgot to photograph it. Grisly, but interesting. If the animal died from myxamatosis, would the bird be affected by that?

Around twenty Pintail, mud loafing in a line, only two drakes approaching breeding plumage, were our first of the year. Small flocks of Golden Plover, and Mallard, isolated Grey Plovers, Redshank, Curlew and Dunlin with a few Teal. completed the mud list. I added Little Grebe, Moorhen and Egyptian Goose on the pits.

Views of two different Sparrowhawks, five Red Kites, one Marsh Harrier, one Kestrel, and two Buzzards completed the raptor list. 

What a surprise. Despite the - now - blue sky and sunshine, Brancaster Staithe only had six parked cars. We haven't called in to one of our very favourite places for months, because of its popularity.The entry road was free of its usual cars jostling for parking and passage. Full of boats of all shapes and sizes, none have been taken out of the water for winter storage yet. Pretty empty of water still, a few ducks and waders waiting to be winkled out from their crowded resting places.

Teal are amongst my favourites, I find the males stunning, although I find it difficult to do justice to their dapper beauty.

 

The blue sky was reflected in the wet mud.

A few Brent Geese broke away from the cloud which lifted off the marsh.

A Curlew appeared, dwarfing the nearby Teal.

Another immensely soul satisfying day. Time to go home and watch the best football match I've seen this season. I can't remember a better one, ever. Not one with both teams playing exciting, skilful, technically brilliant football. Liverpool 2, Manchester City 2. A just result I think. I haven't read what the papers say yet. I could relax and enjoy it too, as I wasn't emotionally involved !

And we filled up with petrol in Roughton.  No queue.