North-west Norfolk

Sunday December 5 

It wasn't forecast to be the sort of day when one wondered why one had left home. Very heavy, squally showers, peppered the morning; familiar roads had unfamiliar puddles, forming fords in many places.

Selbrigg always adds a few woodland birds. No birds in sight - explained by the totally empty feeding posts. Pam soon remedied that. Within a few minutes, a Robin, three Coal Tits, a Nuthatch, two Chaffinches, a Blue Tit, a Blackbird - and two Grey Squirrels had made an appearance. One of the squirrels only had a third of a tail. Road accident? A Muntjac made a fleeting appearance on the track beyond the gate. The large pond/small lake's Mute Swan family came over to have a hopeful look, as did the resident Moorhens and Coot.

We were pleased to add Red-legged Partridges as we entered Valley Farm lane. Until we reversed into our usual turning spot  before the lane becomes private. 

 

 

Cannon fodder. Feeding until the next shoot. Wild birds? A fair fight?

Roadside Buzzards do not usually wait long enough for a photo opportunity. As soon as the car stops, they're off. This one was so wet that he lingered long enough for a couple of shots over the side mirror.

 

Snettisham lacked its usual flocks of thousands of Knot .They must have moved round the wash to Holme andTitchwell. Almost monochrome Oystercatchers and Shelduck startled against the dun mud.

Top of my hope list to-day, Goldeneyes appeared on the last pit. Two handsome drakes and their less obvious females. One of the drakes was performing its mating ritual of throwing back its head whilst uttering an attractive call. Distance meant that I had to imagine the latter.

In an appreciated dry spell, I scoped from Holkham Park gateway on the A149. Two Great Egrets, a small flock of Greenland White-fronted Geese, a few Pink-feet, Greylags, Teal, more Wigeon, two Marsh Harriers, two Red Kites and a flock of waders, which Pam spotted. I turned my scope onto them, lining a small pool, one of the many in view. Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwings and at least six Ruff. I gave up looking for the reported Cattle Egrets seen here yesterday. There weren't any cattle either. Two Belted Galloway bulls were still in the field near to Lady Anne's drive.

A little early for the roost, we spent twenty minutes at Stiffkey. Three more Marsh Harriers, no other raptors.We managed to see over 50 species in the day, the biggest miss being Turnstone. As usual, I loved the outing, in spite of the weather.

Man U winning again was the icing.