Icky Treat!

Busy Saturday morning but an Icterine Warbler had been seen at Burnham Overy Staithe and a lifer for me so I made a quick jaunt down.

I say quick but for those in the know, it is a long walk from the parking space on the A149 down to the dunes.

However, after the long walk I arrived at the site where a number of birders were scoping and photographing a bird.

The Icterine Warbler had just come out to play and sat very obligingly not more than 30 feet in front of us.

Often when you see a lifer for the first time it is a fleeting and not particularly rewarding glance. This bird was much more obliging and stayed on view for a good 5 minutes before flitting back into the bushes.

Not only did I get to see all the features but got a couple of decent shots to boot!

I got back home and low and behold there was a large covey of Grey Partridge in the back garden!

Having added a lifer in Honey Buzzard as a flyover earlier in the week I am getting a very enviable garden list!

New UK lifer!

Due to the in laws coming over from France, opportunities for birding have been thin on the ground!

Three short visits in nearly two weeks have left me a bit frustrated but I did make the most of them.

Last Saturday Jen asked if I could nip to the Co-Op in Wells to pick up some bits. I told her as leaving that i would nip to Cley and before she could say no was gone!

I made for rhe beach car park and walked along the shingle to the screen in front of the North Scrape. A familiar face was already in situ - Mr Lee GR Evans no less.

He said hello and we both looked at the White Rumped Sandpiper that could not be further back from us if it tried! To be honest, Jono and I had much better views of the one we found at Titchwell last year. This was so far away that photos were not viable but a useful year lister nevertheless and back home within an hour and half!

Nothing else seen on my way back though a confiding Meadow Pipit on the fence posts was pleasing.

Sunday was given over to housework though I managed to sneak to Sculthorpe but apart from a Nuthatch (one of my elusive year listers!) only a Muntjac appeared.

The week drifted by and I never got out of the house. Saturday was shopping with the In Laws but we finished at 2.30. They were tired and just wanted to watch telly and i was so frustrated at being indoors again that i managed to persuade Jen to let me have a couple of hours out.

All week I had been keeping tabs on a long staying Marsh Warbler at Narborough - about half hour away from me. I checked again and it had been seen in the morning so off I went.

I had heard one (and briefly seen) in Turkey and remembered the amazing song.

The area along the Nar Valley Way was easy to find and a couple of other birders were their too. As per my normal routine, it had been seen and heard only 5 minutes before but has then vanished. 15 minutes went by and nothing. Bearing in mind my limited time I prayed that it would sing and show before I had to go!

Eventually after half an hour the amazing song was heard in a nearby elder bush and a couple of minutes later it flew into the reeds on the opposite bank. Sadly, it did not climb the reeds then vanished again for another 15 minutes so heard but not seen properly!

Finally it flew back in the reeds a bit higher this time. I did get some half reasonable views and a couple of record shots for another UK lifer! Though not great I was pleased considering how hard it is to get any sort of photo shooting through reeds.

Hopefully, I will have a whole day to myself next weekend!

Saturday day out

Sophie was helping Jen at Holme on Saturday but only for a couple of hours.

I agreed to pick her up so, left at the same time and was at Titchwell by 8.45.

The reserve itself was quiet with only the usual waders and ducks though the Little Gulls were still on the freshmarsh.

However, sea watching was excellent with numerous Common, Sandwich and Little Terns, Gannets feeding and, even though the seas was choppy, the tide was in. This gave me excellent views of a pair of Razorbills - year lister for me.

I made my way to Holme and had a bacon roll and coffee but Jen was really busy and Sophie wanted to stay for another hour to help out further so I took a stroll. Apart from numerous Whitethroat, this too was quiet.

Butterflies were better with Wall Brown, Orange Tip, Common Blue and Painted Lady with the latter two giving decent views.

After dropping Sophie home and having a quick coffee I decided to try Sculthorpe which is only 10 minutes away from me.

I paid my 'voluntary' £4 and walked the complete reserve. I must say how enjoyable it was. Paths and cleverly positioned feeders made woodland watching easier and I got excellent vies of Bullfinch and fleeting views (obstructed sometimes-see photo!

In fact part of my reason for visiting was to add some common birds such as Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker to my year list - yet they eluded me there too! It seems strange to have Citril Finch yet not have these!!

The reserve opens out to fen and a narrow stretch of the Wensum. Only the normal ducks, nesting Lapwing and loads of Reed Bunting here but pleasant nevertheless. Walking back, I just entered the woods when a brown flash shot by and perched. Good views of a Spotted Flycatcher.

A very nice reserve and one I will revisit regularly.

The Last Three Weeks in Norfolk

The big difference living in Norfolk is that I now 'nip out' to do my birding rather than devoting a whole day as I used to living in Herts.

However, on 10th May I was due down in Green Tye for a friends 60th birthday and had to leave here at midday. I was just sorting my bag out at 10.45 when i got a call from Jen to say that a Citril Finch had been seen at Holkham. Checking Birdguides and her information was correct that one had been seen at 9.45 at Holkham Pines.

Dilemma - do I try and see this mega but know I only have an hour and a quarter or risk waiting until Monday evening which would be the next chance I would have. I went for it!

The bird was right at the end of the pines almost at Burnham Overy which meant a good half hour walk from Lady Anne's Drive.

Subsequently, I did not actually get to that area until 11.25 and I knew I only had 10 minutes max before I had to leave!!

Fortunately the bird flew and landed deep in the pines. The briefest of glimpses but still counts!

I power walked back and made my party on time!

On the Monday after work I nabbed a good year lister in Temmincks Stint at Titchwell but this was almost at the furthest island so no photos.

A period of non birding followed until Saturday when I had a good half day all to myself.

First stop Titchwell where I bumped into Alan (a volunteer warden) who was paging through that there was a White Faced Whistling Duck on an island on the freshmarsh. He pointed it out to me and although it was not ringed, it was almost certainly an escapee. Out of focus record shot below.

Year listers followed in quick succession with a flying Yellow Wagtail and 6 Little Gulls on the freshmarsh. Alan called two Med Gulls flying over and really helpfully gave me some ID tips too.

Behind a Chinese Water Deer showed well too.

We walked down to the beach which was generally quiet but Little Terns were close in giving another year lister soon followed by another! The sea had a fair swell but I noticed a couple of unusual blobs a fair way out. It was actually easier for Alan to use my scope than try and tell him. He immediately called Guillemot which is unusual for this time of year.

After a thoroughly pleasant couple of hours I decided to call on my way back home for lunch at Choseley Drying Barns as Turtle Dove has eluded me and they are regularly seen there. No luck but great views of Corn Bunting and Yellowhammer.

I had not planned to go back out after lunch but glanced at my phone at 2 to see that a Red Necked Phalarope has been seen on and off all morning at Cley on the North Scrape.

Having done my chores I decided to give it a go.

It was distant and has this unbelievable behaviour of spinning round in a circle feeding. It looks like water draining out of a plug hole. If you can ID the bird from the record shots below well done!

Still a lifer for me so well chuffed!

It was now a lovely afternoon so ambled up to Kelling Heath. Jono had given me the low down on where to find Dartford Warbler but although I had no joy, it was stunning with great views and lots of Linnets and more Yellowhammers.

By now I realised that I was going to be late home but vowed to go back early one morning and do a dusk to get Nightjar which is not uncommon here.

A good day and still earned brownie points too!