Anne's Journal

Tuesday February 28  Pam had a tick list for today, mine was added to it. It turned out to be a very successful and enjoyable morning/early afternoon, despite the persistent mizzle.  It started with a recce of Cromer Crematorium in preparation for Judy's funeral on Saturday.  Once we'd found it - behind the church and cemetery - noted the ample blue badge parking very near to the door, we set off for Sheringham.  Our fifth visit to Sheringham Esplanade, here we go again. The tide was high, splashing well over the breakwater rocks. Our Blue Badge allows us to park on double yellow lines for short spells. We took advantage of this, eschewing the car park to park so that I could see the nearest rocks through the railings. Pam stoically braved the strong, cold wind to scan the rocks below. Plenty of Turnstones about, including on the rocks I could see. As Pam settled herself back into the warm, I noticed two Purple Sandpipers had appeared on the lee side of the ...

 Saturday February 25 Armed with a folded copy of Saturday's Telegraph cryptic crossword puzzle and a copy of Which Gardening magazine, we set off for a raptor watchpoint. We were not early, they need the thermals anyway and it was a pretty cloudy morning, we arrived at the small viewing area near the Church. It does give a good vantage point over a large open area to woods beyond, with some elevation. No sooner had Pam stopped the car and picked up her bins than she called, ' big bird ahead, over the wires, rising from the trees'. We watched a Goshawk soaring tantalisingly nearer before gliding rapidly away, dropping out of sight beyond the trees. We'd watched it for about five minutes, never near, but very enjoyable views. That's probably the shortest time I've ever had to wait for views of this bird. My distance vision is no longer anywhere near as good as Pam's, I depend on her for the distant specks. My crossword and magazine remained untouched. Moths S...

Tuesday February 21 The plan was to visit Welney Wildlife and Wetland Trust reserve before all the swans have departed. There have already been reports of an obvious departure from East Anglia. Fortunately, I checked the website for details of flooded approach roads etc and how to book a buggy. A large notice said that the lift was out of order. That put the kybosh on our plans. No lift, no buggy.  North Norfolk it was. Pam is so good about giving me pole position to photograph the birds at Selbrigg. I suggested that we start there, reversing the car so that she had a better view for a change. Most of the expected birds turned up, but in fewer numbers than usual. There are still four cygnets on the lake without any signs of being chased off by their parents, who remain in a close family group. I wanted to give Sculthorpe Moor Hawk and Owl trust reserve a go, after more than a year. There have been many changes on the reserve and I wasn't sure about access any more. We were previous...

 Monday February 13 During the first Covid lockdown, concerned at house prison for a length of time, I mooted that Pam and I tried to take photos of as many birds as possible. That provided a motivation for targeted action. Friend Pauline thought that the idea was attractive and decided to join in. It's been great fun, so we continued. At the beginning of the year, we meet to look at each other's annual efforts. It's not about photo quality, although that is always the aim, it's about the number of species. Truly amazing is the number of common birds which escape the lens. Come December and I find that I don't have Jackdaw nor House Sparrow photos in my folder - plus many others. I vow to improve matters the following year. And don't. We're all the same though. Then I see that many of my Scottish birds are missing. They never made it from my laptop on to my PC and then THE folder.  It was a most enjoyable session. Pauline providing the quality of species e.g...

Tuesday February 7 After picking up our prescription medication from North Walsham, we returned home via the coast road. The pretty way so that we could drop in to Bacton Car Park and do some sea watching.  The sea was at its lowest ebb, but it's a steeply shelving beach. No dog walkers, nor their cmpanions, in view, the shores are always empty though. It is always worth scoping an apparently empty sea. A few distant blobs became Red-throated Divers, actively diving for food. Three in a small triangle. Then, a group of eight Re-throats, flying by in formation. I've never seen that number together off this coast before. After twenty minutes of watching, we guesstimated over 20 Red-throated Divers - probably an under estimate - and one Great Crested Grebe.  I should have tried for a photograph.

 Saturday February 5 Having a foot person visit at home is pure bliss. He is good and painless. Digging out my ingrowing nail corners has often been both painful and bloody. Neither on both occasions Richard has visited. I am otherwise lucky that I have no hard skin nor corns, nor any other foot problem. Pam had hers done by him for the first time and was equally happy.  There is always time left for a drive to St Benet's. Even on a very dark day when the sun seemed to have stayed in bed.  We soon located a herd of swans well away from the road on what we call swan corner. A wider area of muddy grass where it is possible to park off the road. Despite the intervening reeds and trees, I positively identified both Bewick and Whooper Swans, with a few Mute, in the total of about twenty four.  We then found a family of four Cranes in a trackside field, 2 adults and  two young birds.    Apart from a few Buzzards and a Kestrel, there was nothing else flying i...

 Wednesday February 1 Selbrigg is always a good list starter. Nowhere else on our route can we see woodland birds. Pam did see a Sparrowhawk in the garden before we left, it didn't wait around for me though. The birds were hungry this morning. Numbers of Blue, Great and Coal Tits, two Nuthatches, a Blackbird, four Robins and a Chaffinch soon clustering the nearby tree, waiting their turn to dash in.    Mute Swans and Mallard on the lake, five Moorhens on the shore, plenty to write on the list. Pam also saw our second Buzzard, silently watchful, from its perch in the deep shadow of a forest tree. The only other sighting of note en route, was two groups of Partridges together near Abbey Farm. Red-legged in one, Grey the other. Whilst watching them, a Red Kite flew silently by, only a silhouette against what light there was in a dark sky.   A dark sky until.......Snettisham approached, when the sun appeared. We had to laugh. The pits are completely useless to view from ...