Anne's Journal

 Sunday September 20 Rising to a lovely blue-sky Autumn morning, we drove to Morston Quay. We felt the need to do some birding but didn't want to drive too far. When we arrived, there were very few cars in the designated car park, we drove to the far end of the boat mooring area. There was some water in the creek; it soon became obvious that the tide was coming in. A lone Redshank feeding avidly, was the only bird to be seen at first.    Carefully scanning the marsh, where a few gulls loitered, Pam found a half dozen Golden Plover. A few distant white blobs caught our eye, enabling a Marsh Harrier to come into focus. A Black-headed Gull, hoped that we might be lunching, eyeing us from the top of one of the weather-worn posts, swaying, feathers well ruffled, in the strong breeze.     Then, a Bar-tailed Godwit came into view, often obscured by the plethora of mooring stakes, steps and platforms. It too, fought the wind as it fed on the rising shoreline. ...

  Monday September 15 My first birding day out, nearly three weeks after the lens replacement in my left eye. Mr Burton pronounced the result 'very good' when I saw him last week. Apart from a small misty area due to macular degeneration, I can indeed see everything much more clearly. Thanks go to my. surgeon. My right eye will be operated on next Tuesday.  It's a shame that the birds didn't turn up for us until we got to Snettisham. When we met Pauline at Fakenham Morrrison's - after buying lunch from Greggs of course - we still hadn't reached double figures. Seeing a group of birders at the top of the slope to the reserve is always encouraging. We discovered later that it had been a high tide 'wader spectacular' morning. The tide was well out by now but near enough to marvel at the number and variety of birds on show, feeding avidly on the receding tideline, or, roosting in huge swathes along the mud. I never tire of this sight. Even if identification ...

  Tuesday September 1 This year seems to have flown by. I haven't been out birding for a while as I had a cataract removal operation on my left eye. I am now able to see much better than before, thank goodness - there are no guarantees. We didn't set off too early as Sam and Adrian arrived before we'd left . They have very recently returned from a holiday on Crete so had a lot to tell us. Both of them are walnut coloured, and found the humid, unrelenting 34C + heat, difficult. It was after a trip to Crete in August that we vowed to only go to the Mediterranean countries at Easter from then onwards. We left them to their garden chores/house cleaning duties - always a pleasure!. There were even fewer birds than usual en route, not in double figures until after Abbey Farm. Seeing Swallows lining up on wires in preparation for migrating, is a pleasure, with a hint of sadness. We saw the occasional House Martin but few in comparison.   Driving up the slope towards Snettisham, ho...

 Monday August 4 All mornings are leisurely starts these days, unless we have a specific timed activity planned. We set out under an overcast  sky, it even rained a little as the car was packed.  Few birds around, it took us until Sculthorpe before we hit double figures.  Glorious mud at Snettisham, but....... my first Turtle Dove of the year flew from the bushes beside us, across the front of the car to the pits below. Pam had seen one a couple of weeks ago. As we reached the parking area, our friendly reserve volunteer strolled across. He kept watch for the warden last time we were here so that we could back down the causeway to view the pit. His choice. It's really good to meet someone who is not officious and understands different needs. He said that the Turtle Doves had only been seen in the singular. Wouldn't they have moved on if a mate hadn't been found? The whole time we were chatting, there was a regular incoming of screeching Common Terns carrying fish. ...

  Monday August 3 Birthday card and present opening came first, which meant a late arrival for Snettisham high tide. The mud was still wet, despite the already hot sunshine, distant groups of waders could occasionally be seen flying along the shore. i did manage to find a Little Tern hovering near the Oystercatchers. Hopes were not high when Pam reversed down the causeway so that I could scope the end reserve pit. Scope views showed that the, apparently rock and pebble strewn islands, were thousands of birds. Looking directly into the sun, I could identify Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Redshank, and Knot, from size and beak length etc. What else was amongst them? So frustrating. Even viewing from the Rotary Hide would not help. Shore Hide would be better, but that was beyond our walking capabilities.    I took a few photos, hoping that I could zoom in on the birds  on my P.C.  at home. I managed to add Common Tern, and Bar-tailed Godwit to my list.    ...

 Sunday August 2  Concerned about the effect of the long drought on my small potted alpines, with Pam's help, I planted up the two sinks I prepared last week.  Previously emptied of spent soil and plants, I patched the top edges of both sinks where the hypertufa had been knocked off. It's over 30 years since I first covered them, the first ones I ever did.They've lasted well.     Garrulous Gary, number two gardener, was fascinated. He hadn't realised that there was a Butler sink underneath it all. This is where we are at. Not completed with a top dressing of alpine grit, as I still have some bulbs and a few more plants to add. The new stuff will weather to a better colour match - I hope. The original had peat in the mixture, I used potting compost this time.