Birdwatching trip report - United Kingdom

 

In celebration of getting a new job, and with some time to kill before I started, I decided to treat myself to a few days birding in north Norfolk. As it was all an impromptu arrangement there was no set itinerary, except go wherever the birds are. 

 

However, I wanted to be near to the Snettisham area in case the Black-Eared Kite, a British first which had spent most of the winter in this area, made an appearance. I stayed at The Orange Tree Inn in Thornham.

 

I was also really lucky with the weather. It was unseasonally warm, and not a drop of rain.

 

 

After leaving my Staffordshire home at 6am, and a stop for breakfast at a McDonalds in the Peterborough area, I arrived at Dersingham Bog at about 9:30am. The Black-Eared Kite had been seen in this area a couple of days before, so I spent the morning here.

 

Unfortunately the Kite didn’t make an appearance during the whole morning. But there was plenty of consolation at this bog and heath, including Dartford Warbler, two singing Wood Larks, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk. And as for the Kite, there’s always Birdline East Anglia to check for it.

 

After ringing Birdline East Anglia, news came through of two Red-Breasted Geese with the Brent Geese on the saltmarsh at Wells-Next-The-Sea, so over to there next. The right area took some finding, as did somewhere to park. The harbour at Wells was packed with day trippers on a Sunday.

 

A view of the saltmarsh from the harbour produced a few Little Egrets, but it was low tide which made viewing for geese even more difficult. The coast path to the east of Wells harbour follows a sea wall, where there was a group of birdwatchers. 

 

Not long after I joined them one birder had found the Red-Breasted Geese in flight, giving a running commentary of where they were. Eventually they, along with a small group of Brent Geese, landed in a channel next to the sea wall. Absolutely fantastic, they must be the most beautiful of the geese, and a tick for me. They stayed here for about ten minutes, then flew way back into the saltmarsh.

 

I also heard a singing Chiffchaff around Wells. Making my way back to Thornham in the late afternoon, a Barn Owl was hunting. Seen from the main road at Burnham Norton, near the mill.

 

 

As there was no sign of the Black-Eared Kite at all yesterday, I spent most of the day at Cley Marshes. What looks to be a very impressive new visitor centre was being built at the time.

 

From the daukes hide area, there were plenty of Avocets, a pair of Marsh Harrier, a few Ruff and a singing Cetti’s Warbler. A walk from the beach car park towards and along east bank was next. Still a good size flock of Brent Geese in the eye field. Whilst having lunch in the north hide, the north scrape produced Black-Tailed Godwit and Pintail.

 

On continuing my walk to the east bank, what had to be the highlight of my time at Cley appeared, in the form of four Shore Larks along the beach. I was hoping for Bittern and Bearded Tit from along the east bank, but it was rather windy and there had been a lot of reed cutting going on.

 

A quick check of Birdline mentioned two Waxwings at Holkham, seen from the main road to the east of the main entrance. These were easy enough to see from the road. The Red-Breasted Geese had now moved onto the pitch and putt course at Wells. This turned into a much better view of them than I had the day before.

 

 

The morning was spent at Titchwell RSPB. I couldn’t quite believe how busy with people it got, much busier than Cley!

 

The freshmarsh produced plenty of Avocets, Marsh Harrier and Cetti’s Warbler in the reed bed. The saline lagoons produced Spotted Redshank, Black-Tailed Godwit and Grey Plover. 

 

The sea produced a few Common Scoter and a Goldeneye, along with a few Sanderling running along the beach. There was a calling Bearded Tit from the fen hide, but couldn’t see it.

 

One more check of Birdline mentioned now of a Black Brant in Wells harbour, along with the Red-Breasted Geese back on the saltmarsh to the east of town. So back again to Wells, where the Black Brant was there with a large flock of Brent Geese, continually commuting either side of the sea wall between the harbour and the pitch and putt course/football ground. Quite literally a wild goose chase!

 

The rest of the afternoon was taken up with a walk from Burnham Overy Staithe to the Joe Jordan hide at Holkham. Four more Little Egrets along the saltmarsh, and the Joe Jordan hide produced a flock of around two hundred Pink-Footed Geese. The walk back to Burnham Overy Staithe in fading light produced another Barn Owl.

 

 

Still no mention of the Black-Eared Kite on Birdline, so I decided to spend the day travelling to the east of the county, to look for Cranes in the Waxham/Horsey area, and also to visit Hickling Broad.

 

A scan of the fields around Walnut Farm and Brograve Farm at Waxham didn’t produce any Cranes, so I thought I would visit Hickling and try again later.

 

This was my first visit to Hickling Broad, and the area of reed bed is very impressive. Unfortunately there was no sign of Bittern, probably a little too early to hear them booming. There was a calling Water Rail from the Cadbury hide, and the observation hut produced four Marsh Harriers, and an excellent view of four Bearded Tits, along with more calling Cetti’s Warbler.

 

One more try to find Cranes along Waxham and Horsey proved unsuccessful. But I certainly want to try visiting this area again, but earlier in the winter. Especially for the winter raptor and Crane roost at Hickling. That must be a fantastic sight.

 

 

 

Great Crested Grebe

Little Grebe

Cormorant

Little Egret                             - good numbers seen on saltmarshes

Grey Heron

Mute Swan

Pink-Footed Goose             - only flock seen from Joe Jordan hide, Holkham

Greylag Goose

Canada Goose

Dark-Bellied Brent Goose

Black Brant                            - subspecies of Brent Goose, 1 at Wells

Red-Breasted Goose          - 2 at Wells

Shelduck

Egyptian Goose

Wigeon

Gadwall

Teal

Pintail

Mallard

Shoveler

Pochard

Tufted Duck

Common Scoter

Goldeneye

Marsh Harrier

Sparrowhawk

Common Buzzard

Kestrel

Water Rail                              - heard calling at Hickling Broad

Moorhen

Coot

Oystercatcher

Avocet

Ringed Plover

Golden Plover

Grey Plover

Lapwing

Knot

Sanderling

Dunlin

Ruff

Snipe

Black-Tailed Godwit

Curlew

Spotted Redshank                   - 1 at Titchwell

Redshank

Turnstone

Black-headed Gull

Common Gull

Herring Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Red-legged Partridge

Pheasant

Stock Dove

Woodpigeon

Collared Dove

Barn Owl                                - at Burnham Norton and Burnham Overy Staithe

Green Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Shore Lark                             - 4 at Cley Beach

Sky Lark

Wood Lark                             - 2 at Dersingham Bog

Meadow Pipit

Pied Wagtail

Waxwing                                - 2 at Holkham

Wren

Dunnock

Robin

Stonechat

Blackbird

Redwing

Mistle Thrush

Cetti’s Warbler                      - heard at Cley, Titchwell and Hickling Broad

Dartford Warbler                   - 1 at Dersingham Bog

Chiffchaff

Goldcrest

Bearded Tit                            - 1 heard at Titchwell, 4 seen at Hickling Broad

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-Tailed Tit

Jay

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Jackdaw

Starling

House Sparrow

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Linnet

Bullfinch

Reed Bunting

 

 

 

 

Birdline East Anglia – 09068 700 245

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Powell

 

Richard_powell1905 @ btinternet.com

 

 

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