Tasks Completed

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 first  breakwater. As I called them, they flew towards us, giving Pam good flying views.  

Following Pauline's excellent instructions, we parked on the verge of a tall hedged, dead sunflower-seeded meadow on the outskirts of Hempstead. Unfortunately, the heavy mizzle was blowing in my side of the car, making using a telescope impossible. We waited, seeing a large flock of finches fly down into the field and back up again into the tall trees at the far right corner. Some landed on the wires, allowing me some binocular views through the brambles, which suggested that they were Brambling. Frustrating, we waited longer. The mizzle lessened to the extent that Pam could get my scope from the back. At last I could attempt some solid identification of the flock perched in the tallest trees. Then, the sun appeared. Hurrah. Definite identification of Brambling and Yellowhammers, the heads of the latter incandescent as though fired by their own sun from within.

Mike had also given us instructions, spoken ones, which proved the adage which I had on my classroom wall for many years.

I hear and I forget

I see and I remember

I do and I understand

A short drive to Letheringsett ford.  Our first visit last week was birdless. Today, a mixed flock of small finches fed in the tops of the alder trees. They were small, flitting, skittish and actively feeding amongst the long racemes of Alder catkins on which they were feeding. More scope work revealed Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Blue Tits and Goldfinches. We didn't find a Mealy Redpoll - nor did the other birders present.

What next? Whilst our luck was in, Holt Sewage Works was just up the road. We hadn't had any news from here this year, but it was worth a try. Indeed it was. The gates were open, so Pam ventured a little way though, giving us a clearer view of the filtration beds, The nearest one was at work, its water spouting arms whirling steadily around, used a jumping off point for Grey Wagtails. It's a year of numbers for us. We saw six Grey Wagtails at once, the most we've ever seen together in this country.

Appalling photos, I'll show one of them. Most of them were of birds preening, so were Anne Boleyn'd.

 

One bird preening, another on the filter bed.

 

 

My list was complete, Pam had two left. Competitively priced fuel at Thorpe Market, followed by a very efficient hand car wash on North Walsham Industrial Estate, completed the list.