A First on the Third

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 the road. Against the light, we were having a few problems identifying the constantly flighting birds through the front windscreen. Not helping at all was a tractor driving back and fro, necessitating a move to a gate entrance for us in this narrow lane. Eventually, both of us had satisfactory views of Brambling amongst the Chaffinches. There were probably Yellowhammers and Reed Bunting too.

The centre pit at Snettisham added Little Grebe, Tufted Ducks and Goldeneyes, the latter one of my favourite ducks.  Breasting the brow of the entry road, we found....... miles of glistening mud, the tide at its nadir. 


Frozen sea water?



Plenty of birds, mostly clustered at the water's edge. Of necessity, we concertrated on those scattered across the mud. Nearby, Sanderling scurried and probed, an occasional group of Dunlin also feeding. As were the few Curlew, Ringed Plover, and Redshank.The widely scattered Shelduck are uncountable. A couple of dozen Knot flew in for a short while. Grey Plover appeared from the creeks and gullies and a small flock of Golden Plover landed in a huddle. The pied battalion of Oystercatchers were on parade distantly towards the Snettisham Yacht Club.

Dragging ourselves away, Hunstanton Yacht Club beckoned. Difficult to believe, but the cliffs where Fulmars abounded, both on the ledges and in flight, were barren today. The rocky shore teemed with gulls and a few waders, Oystercatchers in the majority. A lone Bar-tailed Godwit probed at the edge of the water. Maybe the Lighthouse cliffs parking was worth a shot. It was, but only for the missed Fulmar. when much scoping produced a flying bird well out.

We kept adding single birds here and there, regretfully sailing past Titchwell, where we used to reckon on adding up to 20 birds  in our walking days. Holkham added Marsh Harrier, a short sortie down Lady Anne's drive added nothing, where are the geese today? 

North Point, Wells had a few Shoveller amongst the usual gulls and ducks. 

Totting up back home, we saw 61 species from the car windows today, of which 30 were new for the year. That takes us to 76 for the year so far.

After all our efforts yesterday, Pam had a Brambling on the garden feeders this morning (Saturday).

 


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