Anne's Journal

 Saturday January 31 I've always tried to see all the winter geese in January, a solid start to the year's birding. As suspected, Taiga Bean Geese no longer fly across the channel to the Yare Valley, their numbers have been diminishing for years. When I first moved to Norfolk, in 1974, a flock of over two hundred spent their winters here. Luckily, a random bird had attached itslf to a flock of Pinks and Barnacles, spending a few days at Wells North Point pools. We were still missing Tundra Bean Goose. At least four birds had been reported with a Pinks flock off Stone Lane. Buckenham. Pam found the flock - I couldn't even see them - at the far end of an enormous field. In addition, there was nowhere to park and scope. We moved on to Buckenham Marsh.  Now that the level crossing is no longer gated and manned, many more people seem to have found their way down here. Still not in  big numbers though, it's an open and shelterless place where the wind really cuts through one....

 Monday January 19 Startled to be leaving in rain - they don't always get the forecast right - it soon stopped. The rest of the day was a patchwork quilt of sun, heavy cloud, grey overcast, thick mist and the odd spot of rain. Warmer too, the temperature went up to 10C, which made having an open window much more comfortable. I used a tide app. to help decide where to go today. I read that the high tide at Snettisham was at midday and at a height of 6 metres. Well worth a visit; we drove directly there, picking up our first Mistle Thrush on wires over the weed field near to the beach. Seeing a group of twenty people march across the causeway entrance, we hastened to park - to find the tide well out, acres of mud with very few obvious birds. Pam then looked at her printed timetable - the writing is too small for me to read in a moving car. Oh dear, high tide was during the night. A quick look at dozens of Wigeon, Teal, Shelduck and Mallard before we left. There were still a few Gold...

Friday December 16 Thurne is a dead end village off the Clippesby road, we're fond of it. It's the home of the windmills which can be seen across the marsh from St Benet's and a good place to look for cranes. We saw two Marsh Harriers, one down on prey in the same field as last year, but no Cranes. On to St Benet's, hoping that the Black-winged Kite's move to the Horsey area meant fewer visitors. We took the last place in the front row of the car park. Two Cattle Egrets pootling about on the grass in front of us kept us amused.   Luckily, Pam was wide awake, and called, 'Cranes'. A group of four, followed by a group of five, Common Cranes,  flew over Thurne and away.  Next up was a Barn Owl , my first of the year, flying fast across in front of us before disappearing over the Cross embankment. A lovely, pale, biscuit-coloured, bird. I settled for another wait, whilst keeping an eye on the other birder/photographer standing behind his massive lens. The lens s...

 Wednesday January 14 We're more weather-driven than ever these days, I suppose it's an age thing. Confined to the car means relative comfort, with heated seats and efficient air-con., the good effect of much of that goes when windows are opened, especially if there's a strong wind. Brancaster Staithe brought the first 2026  Red-breasted Mergansers. For many years, we could depend on at least one being here for most of the winter, for the last few years, they have been missing. Actively fishing on the incoming tide, they still managed to drift downstream and away. Not the best of photo opportunity but a record shot.    We tried to see the Glossy Ibis reported to be on Stiffkey floods. Pam is always on edge at parking roadside to view the fields, because of passing traffic, but we gave it a good go. Many birds on the flooded fields, mostly Wigeon and Greylag. A highlight was a Cattle Egret standing on the head of a Highland Cow. It would have been a nice photo.  ...

 Sunday January 11 Not the best of days weatherwise - but it wasn't raining.  Towards the end of December, an Eastern race of the Black Redstart had taken up residence in Sheringham. Originally, it was around the Chalets and sewatching shelter, we'd visited once, as it occasionally came into view from the upper tier, and had been unsuccessful. The bird was now in St Nicholas Close, a residential area, having found shelter from storm Gerritt I should think.  As we drove in, three birders with cameras poised alerted us to the bird's presence. We parked across the road and had limited views of this lovely little bird perched on the wall in front of the watchers. A few minutes later, the Redstart flew over our heads into another garden. We took the opportunity to drive up the road, turn around and park once more. This time, the bird appeared on the grass verge in front of us, only viewable through the front windscreen. I enjoyed the binocular views of it feeding in the g...

 Saturday January 10 On January 2nd we found ourselves within driving distance of Great Yarmouth. The lure of 'easy' Med gulls led to the beach behind the Sealife Centre.  Although a lot of hoarding has appeared, it's still possible to drive around the back for a view of a popular beach - for both families and gulls. Even on this very cold day, there were families wandering along on the seashore, and on the promenade.  I immediately located a single Mediterranean Gull in the centre of the beach, at least a 100 metres away, and managed one photo.   Then, a small boy came rushing along the prom, shouting loudly - as they do. One last shot.   Maybe an adult bird next time. January 9 Storm Gerritti brought us overnight - and all day today - rain and strong wind. According to reports, we got off lightly compared with other regions. The best result was the disappearance of the snow and ice, allowing the walk to the car and driving on our roads, to become sa...