Was a Favourite

 Friday November 17

Gardening done for the day, the sun was out. We went to Ludham. Ludham Marshes and the St Benet's Abbey area was a firm favourite. Somewhere where birds were always a possibility, with lovely marsh scenery and a sense of wildness as a bonus. For the last couple of years the number of people using the small public  area has increased tremendously, fuelled by the dissemination of information on WhatsApp groups. I belong to several of these groups myself and thoroughly enjoy the benefits. I do not enjoy their massive footprint on my favourite places. Selfish or what?

The approach to St Benet's small car park is along a less than well kept concrete, single-track lane. Yesterday, every possible parking place was in use. Gateways, wider grass verges etc. Their occupants, armed with an impressive array of optical equipment were grouped along the edges. Passing the last farmyard, the concrete gives way to a rutted, muddy water-pooled track, leading to the small car park. Pam noticed an owl sitting in a bush on the right of the track, just a blob outline to me in the gathering dusk. Two birders avoiding our approach were friends Pauline and Peter.It was a Short-eared Owl.

The car park holds about a dozen cars, there was one space for us, facing the distant Thurne windmills. We only stayed about ten minutes. No Cranes in view, a Buzzard rose briefly, Fieldfare gathered on the riverbank treetops and an echelon of Cormorants flew by to roost. I wanted to try and photograph the perched owl. It was flying. As I watched it, another rose for a brief claw encounter before they went rapidly on their separate ways. Six Short-eared Owls were reported when I got home. 

Our sausage butcher shop in Ludham was still open, although they were already moving the outside vegetable display indoors. His traditional pork sausages are, to our taste, the best around.

My Liquid Amba tree is a lovely colour at the moment, I must try and photograph it before the colour changes once again and/or the leaves fall. It seems to happen overnight in our present weather.

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