Fresh Page and Notebook

 January 1 2023

Dawn starts are an event of the past. They were never very productive anyway, I can remember breakfasting in a field gateway as the sun came up, watching Hares eating theirs. We have never missed a New Year's Day birding, even when the fog was so thick we couldn't see the whole width of the road, we made it as far as Felbrigg before turning for home.  The one we spent in Australia felt wrong, even though it was successful.

So, a sedate 8.20 start, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock and Collared Dove heard and viewed from the front garden. Buzzard, the first of six, and Kestrel, the first of twelve, added within a mile of home. The roads were free of traffic. We actually got through North Walsham, including two sets of traffic lights on major crossroads without seeing another vehicle or person. Amazing. 

Selbrigg was also traffic free - no evidence of bird food either. Pam got out to spread some no-mess mixture on the posts and ground. Immediately, the tree above her was active with hungry birds impatient for their food. I counted six Coal Tits. Pam turned her back and they descended. Blue, Great and Coal Tits, a pair of Nuthatches, Chaffinch, a male Siskin, and Blackbird. Dunnocks fed on the ground as did four of the six Moorhens which appeared from the pond. The Swan family and the assorted Mallard remained unfed. A Jay was the last addition as we drove away after a pleasant ten minutes diversion.

Grey Partridges near Harpley Cottages, the first of the splendid Red Kites - we saw into double figures by day's end, a few Curlew on a meadow. Redwings flighting wildly about the treetops and then there was Snettisham. The first pit had over a dozen actively feeding Goldeneye, most of them males. The tide was out, of course, but on the way back in. We managed to identify all the usual waders, with nothing unexpected. A tremendous number of Teal on both the reserve pit and the Wash. Even more Greylag and Wigeon on the last pit. Five Little Egrets and one Spoonbill hunched under the cover of greenery on a far bank.A Little Grebe led me a merry dance but I eventually got it.

Re-joining the main coast road, our hearts sank as we saw a queue of cars already forming even this distant from Hunstanton. We took the first turning for Ringstead, coming back onto the coast road at Holme.  Directly to Brancaster Staithe which was satisfyingly lacking in cars. It had been a lovely sunny winter's day, now, in early afternoon, the light was already fading. It felt like early evening. We parked to enjoy the feeding Black-tailed Godwits, until an enthusiastic photographer arrived and crept up on them. They quietly crept further away. When will people learn that a car is the best hide in these circumstances. He and his wife were very pleasant. She came over to tell me that there were Turnstones amongst the mussel detritus (!!).

 I told her that there was a Grey Plaover on the island and she went into raptures. It was a new bird for her. Always lovely to see such enthusiasm and joy in someone new to birding.

Most of the boats moored here have been taken out of the water for the winter, to-day there were two serious fishing trawlers moored. 

 

Would there be room for us? Yes, only one car in the gateway overlooking Bone's Drift at Holkham. It did mean parking head on so that I could only scope through my side window. The other birder was outside scoping. Another car pulled in. It was the Bostocks who we'd met earlier at Brancaster. He too set up his scope. The marsh was heaving with birds, mainly Lapwing, Teal and Wigeon. Red Kites, Marsh Harriers. Great White Egret kept us interested. Suddenly, most of the birds erupted into the air, a maelstrom of wings somehow managing to avoid each other. A Sparrowhawk - we didn't see it - was thought to be the culprit for the panic.Then, the first birder said, 'I've got it, the Eagle, it's sat on the ground'. He gave some very good instructions and we all found the blob. For me, in the car, it was through the top branches of a tree, its white neck and head gleaming.

The view from my 400 mm lens before cropping

I have a nerve even showing this to anyone !

Pam then took my camera and walked to where it was in the open but so distant. 

 

Definitely one of those ' record shots'

The juvenile White-tailed Eagle from the Isle of White re-introduction scheme, then moved to where I could see it in the open. As I reached for my camera, it flew. I called this - and all the people present rushed to stand directly in front of our car. There went my flying eagle opportunity. What a splendid end to a birding day. 

A Scottish birder told us that he had a tour of the marsh earlier and that the ranger was feeding the bird in order to encourage it to stay. He'd put a deer carcase out for it.

We didn't add anything at North Point, arriving home soon after 4 pm, having added a reasonable 63 species, all from the car. 

The most we've ever managed on Jan 1 was 97, when we were younger and fit - and lucky. Another good day ended with a twilight trek along Cley Beach to see a Ross's Gull, which was nearer East Bank than Coastguards. I returned via East Bank, adding Bearded Tit and Reed Bunting, whilst Pam went back to Coastguards for the car. She didn't catch up those birds for ages. My excuse is that it was when I was waiting for my knee replacements - and thoughtful Pam's suggestion.

I loved my day out.