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 Thursday March 28

We left home in sun, with blue sky highlighting the froth of white-flowering, hedgerow Blackthorn. After a short discussion, we decided to travel along the coast from east to west, contrary to our usual practice. Starting at Sheringham, we drew another blank for the wintering Purple Sandpipers. Ten minutes here and there, hoping that the birds will be in view from the promenade in front of the museum is beyond hopeful.

Blakeney duckpond is still empty, but two handsome Lesser Black-backed Gulls rested on the creek edge in front of the Bakeney Hotel. 

Not long before the highlight of the day. Pam saw a Swallow as we were entering the track down to Morston Quay. Only a glimpse and totally out of my view. Lovely - there will be more.

North Point Pools at Wells were full of Black-headed Gulls, most of them in summer plumage, there must have been at least three hundred. The westerly pool had about twenty Black-tailed Godwits, fast asleep, heads tucked away, standing on one leg. Teal, Wigeon, and Lapwing thronged the banks and waterside sedges.

Men were still hard at work, razing the hedge, which lines the main road before the access gateway at Holkham, down to the ground. The brush had been added to the log pile along the access track. A mountain of destruction. Why? Not much to see here, we drove on to Brancaster Staithe where I'd planned to eat my breakfast/lunch. First meal of the day anyway. Now the clouds had won, they'd been gathering in number and intensity all morning. As we were leaving, Pam saw a Short-eared Owl fly from the channel end, across the distant boats, disappearing over the house of the mussel gatherer. A first for the site and always a pleasure. I managed a view through the side window and over Pam's head.

The rain started to fall, quickly becoming very heavy, accentuated by the strong, gusty wind. We turned inland for home.

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