Not a total considering ...

13 May 2012

At long last we managed to get out birding again - it was 1 March we last went.  I can't believe it has been so long.  It's no wonder our list doesn't grow all that much.  Anyway, on Friday evening when we saw the weather forecast for yesterday we decided we would go. 

#We were up early and on the road for 7.15am heading along the A47 towards Cley again.  It   was a good run too with no hold for a change.  The weather was nice and dry and sunny all day.  We finally arrived there at around 1030 ready for the off.  On the way with me driving we got collared dove, blackbird, magpie, starling, woodpigeon, pheasant, jackdaw, buzzard, crow, green woodpecker, rook, red kite, sparrow hawk, peregrine, mallard, sky lark, swallow, lapwing, shellduck, greylag.  That red kite seems to be becoming a regular along there near Peterborough.  It's good to see them spreading too.

By the time we got to Cley I was busting for a wee so I headed off and left Jan to lock the car.  We decided that coffee was due before we headed off round the site and while we sat drinking it we could see that the reserve didn't look all that busy with birds.  There were a lot of birders about though with groups all standing around together in various places looking at something of value.  Most of these groups were up on the beach path or on the path along the eastern side of the reserve, both of which are out of bounds for us on our scooters. 

We soon joined in as best we could by heading off the three hides that stand together.  Another birder put us on to the Temminck's and Little Stints as well as a Dunlin before he left.  Jan had to go off back to the car for something she had forgotten so I sat in the middle of the three hides waiting for her to come back.  While I sat there a family came in; son, baby, mum and dad.  The boy was about 5 or 6 I think.  he was looking out the birds but didn't know what he was looking at.  I gave him a run down what birds were there and then had a brain wave.  Jan had bought two new field guys for us and as I had my old one with me too, I gave the book to his mum and said the lad could have it.  He was very pleased and kept saying 'thank you'.  Thing is, if giving the lad that book it encourages him to keep on with birding, then it's not wasted is it?

Our list at Cley then was ... mute swan, marsh harrier, black headed gull, sedge warbler, siskin, cetti warbler, avocet, knot, coot, pied wagtail, shell duck, common tern, temminck's stint, little stint, little ringed plover, dunlin, tufted duck, goldfinch, red shank, pochard, shoveller, turnstone, oystercatcher, swifts, little egret. 

After that we headed for Titchwell again with no worries about having to rush because of the light fading early.  On the way we called in at Wells.  No new birds there and to be honest, at £4.50 a day to park we won't be stopping there again.  As it was found a free disabled driver's space and got in there.  I don't think we will be stopping there again!  After a so-so pint of real ale we headed off to Titchwell.

There was so many birds there that our poor ID skills really did lets us down badly.  LBJ's were dashing all around us far too fast for us to get a good look at before they were off again.  How many we missed out on because of it we don't know.  We did however manage to get some good sightings, at least for us that is - but again it was with help.  A whimbrel was pointed out as well as a female red crested pochard and one we saw but couldn't ID was      declared to be a meadow pipit.  Our full Titchwell list then was ... robin, moorhen, whitethroat, greylag, coot, pochard, wood pigeon, white fronted geese, marsh harrier, mallard, shoveller, tufted duck, shellduck, pochard, little stint, black headed gull, herring gull, oystercatcher, white wagtail, reed bunting, common gull, brent geese, turnstone, sanderling, ring plover, sedge warbler, meadow pipit, whimbrel, red crested pochard, great tit, bearded tit, lesser red shank, grasshopper warbler, black cap, willow warbler, grey heron. 

By the time we got back to the car we were happily tired but cold.  Setting off we headed for Hunstanton where we went to the Marine Bar for a drink and I had pish, fhips 'n pushy meas ... very nice too.  We finally got home at around 10pm and were pleasantly surprised to be able to get our car parked just across the road, and half up the street.  

 
Top and bottom of it?  A pretty good day with 66 species seen - our biggest daily total with around 26 for the yer list and a couple of lifers too.  We were very happy with it anyway.