A Recce

 Friday March 7

Not planned, after our disappointing previous visit, we took the side road to Selbrigg. The owners of the wood have replaced the wooden gate posts with metal and removed many of the trees and shrubs around the entrance. All very tidy but not conducive to feeding, nor photographing, wildlife. Pam spread some food about before returning to wait and see. It wasn't long before at least two Nuthatches appeared. First of all feeding from the gatepost, which I can only see through the windscreen. Eventually, they appeared on my side of the car, making grab and fly sorties onto the posts.

One of them perched on a nearby tree trunk whilst waiting its turn. I missed that. Fortunately, it decided to do so once more, when I was ready.

 

Dunnock, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Robin and Wren also made an appearance. To our delight, a Treecreeper again appeared in the trees to the right of the gate. Two sightings in one month - maybe no more for the year.

We decided to access the coast road via Bayfield. Pam pulled in to the layby opposite a Bayfield Estate gate, parking facing the gateway. She then walked across to scan the lake, whilst I did so from the car. All the geese were Greylags, I scanned left - and there was a female Goosander  swimming up the middle of the channel before diving. I alerted Pam - shouted across the road - and she saw it too, before it continued to spend most of the time underwater before disappearing.

Maybe our luck was in.  No it wasn't, very few birds on the eastern Stiffkey floods, let alone any Lesser White-fronted Geese. There have been two small flocks, originating from the Swedish re-introduction group, in north Norfolk for the past week or so. 

It was lovely to be out on such a warm March day, the sun highlighting the white, bridal froth of Blackthorn flower along the verges, swelling buds and catkins on the Alder and Hazel.

i ate my lunch gazing over Stiffkey Marsh, where the remaining Brent Geese, Little Egrets and a few gulls occasionally showed themselves. More entertaining was watching walkers trying to negotiate the very wet and muddy path to the sea, trying - and failing - to find an alternative walkway through the marsh.

Scanning Friary Hills and Blakeney marsh, a handsome male Marsh Harrier flew towards us. By the time I'd got my camera out of the window, it had disapppeared overhead. Bother, one of the trials of car photography. A small group of corvids flew past, I had my camera ready, so I clicked. They were Rooks, one of them having a white wing and tail flash.

 

Back to Cley and Glandford. The sewage works gate was open, a big van and its occupants parked inside. No birds there. We parked near the ford. It's popular with dog walkers, two yapping dogs arrived ahead of their owners, tails wagging excitedly. Obviously part of the walk, stones thrown into the water for dog retrieval. Pam had heard a distant 'song', I heard nothing until a Chiffchaff arrived virtually overhead, there had been an overnight influx. Was it an UK over wintering bird, or a French immigrant? We'll never know.

We were happy with two year ticks. 

Always happy too, to trap Yellow Horned Moths. Not an annual occurrence. but failrly regular. One yesterday and one today (Saturday as I write). Both moth numbers and species variety have increased considerably in the warm weather of this past week.

 

 

One can just about see one yellow horn in this view.

We saw several butterflies too. Three Brimstone and Red Admiral identified.