July Doldrums

 Monday July 27

It was overcast for much of the day, which suited me fine. Less hot, and less glare. A 'might as well' decision to turn off for Valley Farm, didn't add any birds, but it did give us our first meeting this year with our gamekeeper friend Barry. He and his wife were looking at the pile of parcels in the barn. A new neighbour has got work as a deliverer. He was tickled by the fact that it included a bundle of hay for a rabbit. 

He likes a chat.  The old lady at the farmhouse has died and the three tenants of the farm cottages have been given 6 months to leave. Barry fell down the stairs at the end of 2025, breaking ribs and fracturing three vertebra. The doctors told him that he was lucky to be able to walk again. Indeed he is. Still working, up at dawn to deal with the irrigation system. We got away. We haven't seen him for at least a year. Since the Tree Sparrows left, we rarely visit the area.

These Egyptian Geese sum up Snettisham.

 


Apart from Greylag, two Common Terns in flight ,and single figures of Shelduck, the bay was empty. We were hailed by two visitors, asking about access for vehicles. They'd obviously found the trek from the car park tedious. Having advised them on where to find Spoonbills and the need for a very high tide to make Snettisham what they saw on TV, we left.

Soon after joining the main road, we stopped to admire four Red Kites inter-acting above us. A lovely sight against a patch of blue sky. I'm still trying to get a decent photo for the year folder. The light wasn't working for me again, this was the best I managed.

 


The Kites spiralled south, and we made a quick visit to a packed Hunstanton, before driving to Titchwell car park to eat our lunch. We parked in the coach car park which we had all to ourselves, watching Blue Tits and Wood Pigeons come to feed on the apples shining red in the hedgerow.

We saw two Spoonbills, a Marsh Harrier and a flock of flying Barnacle Geese at Holkham before a final stop at Pam's favourite North Point Pools. Twelve Spoonbills clustered in a group were a joy. Although distant, I tried a few photos. Three of the birds were sweeping for food by now.

 


There were also our first waders of the day, Avocets and Lapwing.

No Swifts today and very few Swallows and House Martins.  Migration is on its way.

 

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