First Drive in 2024

 Monday January 15

It was planned as a short drive, to see how Pam's new regenerated hip would work. The weather made sure of that, actually curtailing our plans. Ever the optimist, my inner response to forecast snow was ' it will be alright'. It started soon after 9 a.m., the snow that is, one or two flakes fast becoming a flurry, then a small blizzard. Oh no.

Then; it stopped. With one eye on the covering of low grey cloud, with a dim yellow orb over Stalham, we drove towards the last reported sighting of wild swans. Using Birdguides' reference to Google maps, we were soon parked at the side of the Stalham - Hickling road, looking at over 30 mainly Whooper with a few Bewick Swans. They were in an extensive field puddle. What were they finding to eat? They've been here at least three days.

When I got home and looked at my photos, I found that I'd completely missed photographing the small group of Bewick's. By this time, the sun was out, viewing the birds was dazzling against the light. 

 




 

Pam had turned the car round so that I could photograph, we had to do so again in order to continue. As we approached Horsey, we stopped to allow an oncoming vehicle to pass. The driver lowered his window in order to inform us that the road was blocked by a lorry pulling a car out of the ditch, the roads were really bad towards Yarmouth, advising us to turn round and go ''the other way''. The snow had certainly settled more from Sea Palling onwards but the road was still OK - maybe it was better to be safe than... We turned round at Horsey Corner, Winterton Beach and Ludham could wait another day. 

A beet field holding more than a thousand Pink-footed Geese was on my side of the road now. Dark necks and torsos appearing as ghostly shapes above the cropped greenery. Again, backlit. I love listening to their low chatter, in constant communication within the flock. 

 


A cement lorry thundered by, causing a small percentage of the flock to fly away, in a rush of wings and a strengthening of the chatter.

Pam made a hasty stop, having spotted movement in a field. Two foxes chasing each other, hell for leather, ( what exactly does that saying mean and where did it come from!) acoss the back of the field. The resulting hasty shots is only a record of the occasion.

Three Grey Herons in a ditch, four Red-legged Partridges and a small group of (Snow) Farmyard Geese were the last on the small list.



 

Although it was a couple of hours past high tide, the ebbing sea at Walcott was mesmerising.

 


Really great to be out birding again, even better that Pam's op was so successful. Here's to the next outing, weather permitting.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 12

Image
 Monday May 6 Most of the morning was occupied getting in touch with the car insurance people and then Autoglass - then waiting for Autoglass to get back to us.  A  stone chipped our windscreen on the way through Skye, since then its become a one foot plus horizontal crack on Pam's side. End result. We take the car to Lewis or Skye or wait until we get home. The garage here 'doesn't have the equipment to deal with the sensor in the front screen'. Ian, Heather's husband, says he does them all the time! Ah well, live with it.  Almost the first bird we saw as we drove north was a lovely male Hen Harrier. It was distant but I had to try, one of these days I'll get a decent photo. Original photo before editing, taken with 500mm lens    Edited     As we drove down to Loch Paible, a flock of fifteen Whimbrel dropped in to the near corner.We needed to turn the car, by which time the birds had gone, this Wheatear posed nicely for me.    A short d...
Read more

Moth Migration

Image
 Wednesday October 9 Like birds, moths migrate when the season and weather conditions are right. Recently, we have had easterly winds with a mouth watering fall of birds which we have been unable to walk and see. Many Yellow-browed Warblers, Eastern Crowned Warbler in Shetland, a possible Amur Stonechat and an Asian Desert Warbler in Norfolk. Our moth traps have had a reasonable sprinkling of the migrant moths - although some could be breeding here by now. Palpita Vitrialis Scarce Bordered Straw Delicate   and Rusty Dot Pearl
Read more

Day 19

Image
  Monday May 13   The day started slowly and ended at a gallop. A morning spent doing chores meant an even later start than usual, well past mid-day. Loch Druidibeg was the intended destination but we missed the turning and ended up at Loch Eynort. Both are in South Uist, but Druidibeg is not signposted on the northern approach. We even found a parking space in the small six car parking area, where we sat looking at a pretty empty sea. Eventually, Red-breasted Merganser, Shags, a Great Northern Diver and an Otter on the sea and Willow Warbler, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock, Cuckoo, and a Lesser Redpoll from the small wood alongside. AS we reversed away, Pam noticed the reg plate on the car beside us. It was WOC, Ian and Sue's car. We left them a note and drove on in the rain. We found Druidibeg this time. RSPB Scotland Loch Druidibeg, a community nature reserve formed in partnership with local crofters and the community estate. It is a Special Protection Area and Site...
Read more