Great Day in Norfolk Birding.

Jimmy and I meet with Brian at 5.30 on a cold morning to set off to Norfolk. A Glaucous Gull

has been seen on Old Hunstan Beach. Two& a half hours later we parked just off the beach near the golf club and took the path up to the beach in search of the dead seal where the Gull had been seen feeding.

Brian had wellies on so he got over the water before us and got a quick view of the Gull before it flew off not to be seen for another two hours. We got our sighting of it when we spotted it standing with a few Oystercatchers near the water's edge about 60 yards away from the seal for an excellent view of it. 

Shorelark was next on the list and we found three, not too far away up the beach, A couple of birders we met told us that they had just seen a flock of them a long way down the beach, so maybe about 8 in total.

While here we added to our year list with a large flock of Turnstones, Sandling, Fulmar, knot, and a Peregrine Falcon that landed on the beach near the dead seal.

Bar-tailed Godwit,Red-breasted Merganser, and a flyover of Pink-footed Goose plus Brent Goose. so a good addition to the list.

A short ride to Stiffkey for the Glossy Ibis. Parked up in the car park by the Red Lion pub and a walk across the road to sport the Ibis within minutes, so back in the car it's off up the road to Holkham stopping on the way at the gate to tick White-fronted Goose and then off to park in Lady Ann's drive where we speak to a fellow who asked us if the bird he had in his scope was the Long-billed Dowitcher, and how lucky is that when Brian confirms it is indeed the bird another good year tick plus Snipe seen while there.

Off now to Titchwell on the walk up to the beach Jimmy and I hear and then see Bearded Tit. A fellow birder tells us that a Tawny Owl was in a tree with Ivy just around the boardwalk, so that's where we head, the tree is easily found as a board is in place to tell us where it is, so an easy tick. An escaped Black-winged Stilt is seen as a Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Grey Plover, Avocet, and Common and Velvet Scoter.

Off home now and on the way we spot a large flock of Whooper Swan in a field somewhere also Red-legged Partridge seen. A really lovely day birding with the boys adding 28-year ticks taking the year total to 124.

Glaucous Gull

Peregrine

Long-billed Dowitcher

Abberton, Copthall, KGV res, Bramfield, Watercress NR.

We love to get out on New Year's Day to start a new bird count, but this year it's horrible weather, so we decide to wait until the second day before we go.

With the uncertain weather, we only head to Abberton as that is in Essex and only an hour away from home. We get some nice ticks the best being 4 Bewick's Swans, Scaup, Smew, Goosander, and a bonus tick when we sport the long-staying Canvasback.

Nice to see John P and we meet a new face who tells us about a place called Copthall we have never been there and he meets us there to show us where to head for the best views.

Just a small area to park the car we had to wait till someone moved.

We took a short walk around a field where we set the scopes up, it's not long before we saw a Short-eared Owl, it was perched on a bare bush. It took off to fly around the area to be joined by another Shortie to give us a real show always so nice to watch Owls.

Then a Merlin is seen sitting on a post always a good bird to spot. We are told that Hen Harrier is often seen here, we didn't stay that long so never saw any that's a shame.

 A really nice place that we will go back to.

On the 3rd it's off to our local KGV reservoir where we tick a Black-throated Diver and a Great-northern Diver. As always nice to meet up with Harry.

On the 4th it's off to see Hawfinch at Bramfield church, we see 3 as soon as we arrive and get to see one feeding on the ground amongst the leaves, a Songthursh also seen. A bonus when here in the bus shelter across the road is filled with books to swap with over people so grabbed a couple for Jean and will bring some to replace next time up this way.

Just 14 miles away is a really lovely little nature reserve Watercress NR, so of course that's where we headed off to. Again not too many parking places as it sits just behind a small row of houses and residents rightly so fill most of the road.

In an hour or so we spent here we saw Redpoll, Siskin, Nuthatch, and Water Rail, and to round the trip off a beautiful male Bullfinch was seen flying around the bushes and then came to the feeders.

Total up till now 96 .

American yellow Warbler, to see the old year out. ( Lifer )

We hoped the Yellow Warbler would hang around until the three of us could find the time to head off to see it.

So on the 27th Dec, we met up with Brian and set off to New Hythe in Kent, it's not a long journey, and on arrival, we parked and took the path to join around 200 birders already here.

We stood around for over four hours and I spoke to the boys about giving it up, we agreed to give it another half hour. time;s nearly up when the whole group started to move down the path at pace as someone had heard it. 

I took up a good spot and saw the target bird on a bush next to a large red container, it only sat there for a couple of minutes before flying up and over the container and heading back up to the Alder trees where we had all been standing for so long, it flicked about the trees and gave the very large crowd now numbing over 400 a short view of it. So well worth the time spent and a good day meeting loads of people we see from time to time on our trips.

Not able to get any photos of the bird but this is a small part of the massive crowd.

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