Anne's Journal

  Thursday January 31 Pam did the RSPB Garden Bird Count on her own this year. For the same reason as for the lack of Blog entries of late. Ten days ago, my leg gave way, I turned on my ankle and fell in the NS cafe. The paramedic came first, discovered that I was injured, then called for an ambulance. We left for Norwich A and E at 2 p.m. I'd been sat on the floor for most of that time = since 10.30. After admission and an xray we got home at 7.30. No-one was sure that I hadn't broken a bone so I was asked to return the following morning, Another doctor and a three minute consultation for the same prognosis. Damaged ligaments, 6 week r ecovery.  Bird List Blackbirds 17 Nuthatch   1 Blue Tit  8 Great Tit    3 Chaffinch    8 Greenfinch  7 Dunnock   1 Wood Pigeon  2 Stock Dove   4 Great Spotted Woodpecker  1 Goldfinch 18 Robin   2 Long-tailed Tit   6 Coal Tit   1 Pied Wa...

Sunday and Monday January 19/20  Sunday We had a good look at the Martham goose site as we drove past, still no obvious place to park on this very busy - and fast - road. A Black Redstart had been reported from the power station/docks area, we haven't seen one for a year or so - nor did we today. The large beachside compound full of piles of metal looked ideal habitat, one Herring Gull its sole inhabitant.  The beach behind the Sea Life Centre and the delapidated giant Victorian glasshouse is a favoured spot of ours. The old Winter Gardens is the last surviving example of this architecture in the UK. The council has received a £19 million grant to renovate it, when I wonder. We'd hoped that the beach would be empty on a cold and very dull overcast day. No such luck, one large family were playing and another couple were throwing a ball for their dogs. Well away from this activity, six Mediterranean Gulls , lined up on the water's edge. A Pied Wagtail, hanging about near th...

 Tuesday January 14 These Tundra Bean Geese were at Sharrington, and had been there for several days, along with a large group of Pinkfeet. Following a BirdGuides Google maps link, we were soon in the right area. No sign of any geese at all. There were men working on loading a mountain of sugar beet into a waiting lorry in the adjacent field. That was probably the reason for their absence. There was very little traffic about, we were able to pull up onto the pavement opposite the Red Lion in Stiffkey so that we could scan the wet marsh beyond the river. I used my monocular, as my left eye is finding it increasingly difficult to focus when using binoculars. At the furthest edge of the small valley, a Glossy Ibis was making its way across the wet meadow, feeding as it walked. With my usual optimism, I took a few photos. Next stop, Holkham. A scan from the gateway saw plenty of ducks had returned to the now unfrozen pools. Male Shovellers' white breasts stand out well. To the right of...

 Friday January 10 Pam spent the morning working with Adrian. He worked, Pam oversaw and instructed, that's how it happens - and it works very well for both of them. We set off for Martham early afternoon. The heavily frosted roads and surrounds had thawed in the sun, making driving a safe option. Passing Boundary farm near Waxham, we saw two groups of swans in the usual fields. The near group were all Whooper Swans, against the light and at distance, the far group could not be identified using binoculars. We drove on, using the Birdguides route app. for directions. The fields were empty of any geese, let alone a lone Tundra Bean Goose amongst Pinks. Pam later met Sreve Smith in Tesco (as you do), he'd been this morning and there were none there then either. It came through on Birdguides as being present. Some you win,,,,. Returning via West Somerton, Pam saw a flash of blue as we passed the staithe. She thought she'd seen it land on a post so stopped in a gateway. Nothing...

 Tuesday January7 Waking to find that we didn't have any heating when the temperature outside did not rise much above 1C all day, was not good. Pam immediately phoned Graham Bedford, who installed the system. It was his first day back at work after a bout of flu which lasted over Christmas and New Year. He did say that he'd try to fit us in tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.  After setting up the fan heater, we went out for a drive when our heated seats and very efficient heating system soon warmed us up. We needed to post a parcel at Walcott post office. The waves there were magnificent. Huge rollers on an incoming tide nearing its zenith, the offshore wind blowing back the breaking wavetops. Nowhere to park, we drove to Bacton beach car park. The waves here were nothing like as spectacular, I put my camera down. Various road closures have caused new route planning. The North Walsham road 200 metres from our home is closed for four weeks. We either have to take the road to Witton ...

Friday January 4 Looking for numbers, scattering some seed at Selbrigg brought Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Robin, Chaffinch, Wren, Dunnock and Blackbird for a breakfast feast.    The first Robin photo of the year,included especially for Pauline.   Overnight frost and low temperatures had left a legacy of frozen puddles, frosted verges and a real bite in the air. Not enough to freeze the pond, Mute Swans and Mallard looked hopefully at us. The west was calling, determined to visit as many fruitful lanes as possible without spending too much time at any, the first rewarding lane was - as it so often is - the back road to Flitcham. First a Mistle Thrush, followed by a large mixed flock of finches, first seen shortly before the entrance to Abbey Farm hide. The landowner is very aware of the need to safeguard bird habitat ,and has left wide swathes of seeding plants at the edge of many of his fields.The finches were flying up from the seeds to land in the tall overgrown hedges lining ...

 Thursday January 2 2025 For only the second time ever, the weather prevented New Year's Day listing. On the previous occasion, we'd driven as far as Felbrigg before deciding that thick fog was not good for driving nor birding. Pam kept a garden list. At first she thought that 14 was the final number of species before re-calibrating and ending with 16. My first bird of 2025 was a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the garden feeders. This morning, Pam counted 18 Blackbirds around the feeders, almost all black-beaked, meaning birds from the Continent, or first winters. Having booked an early afternoon grocery delivery for today, the only slot available, we couldn't go too far. Via Walcott, with its seawall-top Turnstones, Herring and Black-headed Gulls, we  drove to Winterton, with a short stop at Cart Gap.  What were we doing out? We left home in hailstones, which soon became splodges of wet snow on the windscreen. By the time we got to Winterton Beach car park, the sun was shin...