Bits and Pieces

 Wednesday October 28

It's been so long since I wrote that I thought I ought to make an effort to sum up the last couple of weeks birding. The real answer is, not a lot. So much time has been taken up with medical appointments for both of us that it's left no time for days out. However, we have made a few local excursions which have added to our year lists - which are still pathetic.

Bacton car park

The day after the storm. The sea was still very rough, deep troughs and boiling crests, blown back by the strength of the wind. Yesterday's good sea-watching was no longer. We saw a small passage of Gannets - always a joy - a winter plumaged Great Crested Grebe and, unusual for this coast, a Shag.

Happisburgh 

Part of the 'new' beach car park has already fallen into the sea. We parked near the toilet block so that I could scope the wires at the back of the houses. It wasn't long before thirty plus Starlings perched on the wires and I was able to pick out the juvenile (grotty) Rosy Starling. We were lucky, many people have dipped. Indeed another birder there said that it was his third attempt.

Bacton Car Park again

Regular Gannets to enjoy, but not much else - until a Sooty Shearwater came shearing by. I followed it with my scope as it hurtled south, Pam managed to catch up with it too, she does very well with her binoculars.

Slender-billed Nutcracker 

So tempting, and only six miles away. Tales of horrendous parking conditions and enormous crowds kept us away. The bird was showing in the garden of an empty house, so gave good views at the weekend. It then started roaming more widely. It wasn't a UK tick, I saw my first bird when it was eating apples in a Suffolk orchard many years ago. But, this is a Norfolk tick and a very desirable bird, I love them. The last ones I saw were in Bulgaria. The only other Nutcracker species I've seen is Clark's. from Tioga Pass, California. A grey bird, with black wings.

After Covid and flu jabs this morning, we came home via Mundesley in order to suss out the conditions. We found many cars parked on all the surrounding roads with birders standing on roadside verges in Water lane, peering over hedges, many others forming a wide row in a more open area, peering at rooftops. None of them were seeing anything, no bins raised. It was dangerous to stop long, and obviously of no use at all for me, car bound. With suitable ground I could do some walking using my rollator, this did not look a suitable possibility.I didn't expect so many people mid-week.

 

 

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