Another Rainy Day

 Sunday December 1

It began as I walked out to the car, only a small respite before we got to Snettisham - and then increasingly heavy by mid afternoon. Rain. It was lovely to be out and about, despite the apparent lack of any birds, flying or feeding. The roads were devoid of traffic too, although there were srill plenty of parked motorhomes and cars along the clifftop in not-Sunny Hunny. 

How did we manage to tick off 51 species in half a day of rain? A mystery - and I was there. To add to the negatives, the tide was at its very lowest at Snettisham, I needed my telescope to see the water. The muddy expanse yielded a few Redshanlk, one Grey Plover, about fifteen Dunlin. two Curlew, a few hundred Wigeon, single figures of Teal and a polka dot of Shelduck which reached into the far distance. Even the reserve pit was empty. A few Greylag and a Moorhen was all I could see. If the reported Purple Sandpiper was there, it was hiding.

The only geese we saw all the time we were out ,was a V of Pink--feet overhead as we parked in the Fakenham Morrisons car park. I sat and read an amusing Grumpy Birder (Bo Beolens) article in Birdwatching. His wife, aka Hawkeye, loves feeding the garden birds but hates the corvids and gulls pinching their food. It reminded me of a recent post by Carl C where he had sat with a man feeding the Turnstones at Sheringham. The stranger then went on to say that he didn;t like raptors though, because they kill other birds. Discriminatory love. It's Grey Squirrels and Jackdaws for Pam.

The cliffs and rocky shore near Hunstanton Yacht Club, were more rewarding. Whilst half a dozen wind surfers enjoyed the breeze offshore, I found both Bar and Black-tailed Godwits, Turnstone, Oystercatchers and a Great Black-backed Gull on the rocks and water's edge. What passes for Rock Doves, feral really, clung to the cliff, this one does a passing imitation of a Uist bird.

 

 

Fulmars were already taking up residence on the nesting ledges, we could see at least six pairs in situ. We then went on to the east Lighthouse parking field , seeing a few more of the same waders but no Scoter flock.

Cattle Egrets were reported from Holme yesterday, said to be with the horses. We drove out as far as the car parks without seeing a single bird, let alone horse or cow.

We drove straight back. As we passed the pay hut, Pam spotted some cows in the distance. Two fields away with a hedge of Hawthorn and or reeds beside us. She reversed the car so that we had a better but limited view, immediately announcing that she could see both Grey Heron and Cattle Egrets. Waiting for the wind to part the reeds, I counted three Cattle Egrets but there were more out of sight - I had glimpses of them in flight. The field was not viewable from anywhere else along the road, I chanced a few photos. Well done camera, in dreadful light and rain.

Despie it only being early afternoon, the appalling light and rain aided the decision to drive home via the fastest route possible, i.e.  Ringstead and the A149. We'd missed the whole of the Man U match v Everton, which was not televised anyway. Pauline kept me informed, thank you, and we won 4-0. I wonder  what negatives the papers will find to write about us tomorrow.

Days like this are often interesting for the birds not seen. Robin, Brent Geese and Lapwing come to mind. Maybe if we'd visited more places......but we did see two Red Kites, six Buzzards, six Kestrels, and a perched Sparrowhawk. Seeing Cattle Egrets doing their thing is still a joy.