Friday May 29 Birds, Picnic, Ice-cream and Friend = one of our days out. We met up with Pauline at Fakenham Morrisons car park. Not as hot as the previous few days the temperature had risen to 28C, much too hot for us. Today we had a mostly overcast sky with an occasional sharp shower. The latter never lasted long nor were they frequent. We had to work hard for our birds today, there's a lot less song as they are nesting, many are sitting on eggs and migration is temporarily halted. Apart from the occasional anomaly, like the Gull-billed Tern which turned (accidental pun) up at Cley in the afternoon. One could have walked to Lincolnshire from Snettisham, the water was so far out that it could not be seen through my scope. Without sun, it was possible to scope the reserve pit from the causeway. Again, a megalopolis of Black-headed Gulls, but much quieter than last time. There were some brown youngsters amongst the sitting birds. Pauline thought she'd seen a tern species...
Saturday November 1 On a day of sunshine and overcast, mainly the former as the day went on, with a very brisk wind, the best bird was the dullest looking. The juvenile Long-tailed Duck was on the second pit at Snettisham, in the bottom corner - exactly where the beautiful adult male spent some time last year. It was extremely active, often disappearing from view. I managed a quick glimpse from the car near the top of the entry track, before we had to move. A very croaky and unwell Sue Bryan was already viewing. Later, we moved so that Pam could see the bird and then, back to the track so that I could try to photograph it. Sue had walked across the causeway with her camera, coming back to tell me that I wouldn't see it from where we were. I managed one photo only of a partially obscured bird - for the year folder - Sue's Blog has three good ones. The tide was still very low here, it should have been coming in. The mud was almost bare, even the Shelduck were not in view, apa...
Sunday October 20 Active birders are in pursuit of the Yellow-browed Warblers, Dusky Warbler and Humes' Yellow -browed seen along the coast from Cley to Holme. There have been reports of the first thrushes coming in too. We managed a small flock of Redwings near Abbey Farm. Our day was remarkable for the lack of passerines. Probably the other most surprising omission was Carrion Crow. Pam now tells me that she saw a couple near home when I was asleep (3 hours sleep last night). One Robin, one Blackbird, one Blue Tit, a singing Wren and fly past Goldfinches were the list padders. The highlight for me was, when parked at Hunstanton Lighthouse car park, two Glossy Ibis flew overhead. Pam followed them, seeing three more join them as they flew out over the Wash. I didn't immediately identify the the birds, it's the first time I've seen them in flight above me. Broad wings and a steady flap, no glide. The Fulmar aren't back on the cliffs yet, small huddles of Feral/Roc...
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