Not trying to give a sys list just a note on my trip which I greatly enjoyed.
Friday 1st June
Decided to leave home early on Friday 1 June (02:30) and have a very early try for the Golden Pheasants at Wolferton, arrived before 6 after an uneventful journey. Amazing the traffic on the roads even at this early hour. Anyway after an hour, no luck as usual, not surprised though when I saw the cutting that had taken place in the triangle area. All the usual woodland species to be seen and heard though. Decided to go up to Choseley to see what was around, had had bleeper messages of quail, I wasn’t disappointed, had really good calls. Also picked up little owl in the usual place. Corn buntings, yellowhammers and common whitethroat also. Good grey and red legged partridge here also amongst others.
Thornham harbour gave usual species with an oystercatcher nesting in one of the old posts. Had breakfast at the café in Burnham Deepdale, to be recommended and well priced at £6.25 including coffee. Anyway back now to Holme NWT to see if the shrike was still around, no news but great turtle doves. Had to deliver a tumble dryer to some friends in Thornage so onto Salthouse Heath for nightingale – what a song and I saw it!
Saturday 2nd June
Looked out of my tent to mist, same as my last visit in April. Decided to go inland to Weeting, but still in mist mid way between Fakenham and Swaffham to abandoned and retuned to the coast at Cley NWT and up on the heath, all the usual suspects. As I walked into the reeds the first bird I saw was bearded tit. Good Sparrowhawk amongst the reed beds chasing warblers, I guess.
Then decided to give Swanton Novers a try, no HB but good species in the hedges, lesser whitethroat and garden warbler. Quick visit to Choseley in the evening gave me a yellow wagtail.
Sunday 3rd June
Kelling heath first, what great habitat this is, tree pipit and stonechat. Then Great Ryburgh for 10:30. Good views of the hb, great hobby’s and barn owl. Decided this was a raptor day so off for the monties, had to wait around 1 ½ hours but then great views of the male. Plenty on marsh harrier activity to keep me amused whilst waiting.
Monday 4th June
Weeting and Lakenheath day. 4 adults stone curlew and 1 chick at Weeting, best views I’ve had. Also woodlark and this must be the Mistle thrush capital of the UK. No orioles at Lakenheath, but gargeney and a stunning male reed bunting, I love them and their concise song! One of the birds of the trip for me. Back to Blakeney for the rb shrike, good, but distant views, great cetti’s here as well. Back to Cley, great greenshank here.
Dersingham for good views of nightjars in the evening, bit eerie being on your own down there!
Tuesday 5th June
Flitcham Abbey Farm, what a great site this is, pity the kingfishers have moved downstream this year though. Then Sparham pools where caught up with grey wag. Had a right job finding the car park and gave up, parked down by the bridge and walked back to find the car park was through the wooden posts, wasn’t convinced I get my car through them! Back to Cley and the new replacement North Hide, what an improvement in both the hide and view. Have to say I’m not impressed with the new paths laid near the Visitor Centre at Cley, feel they are a mess and haven’t been finished well at all. Will be very difficult for wheelchair users.
Wednesday 6th June
Home later so back to Cley and Salthouse heath for a last nightingale of the year for me, not disappointed, I just love them. Then onto Cley for another fix, great food pass by one of the harrier pairs.
Now to Titchwell, great afternoon with a really good list of species, caught up with a number of waders I was missing, little gulls, gannet, fulmar and so on.
All in all a great few days in what to me is the premier birding area in the UK. Not enough time visit all the sites. In all just over 120 species, which I’m very happy with. Missed out on about another 10/12 which should easily have had. Noticed the number of whitethroats, common and lesser. this year seems more. Loved the hobby’s but still think I enjoyed the male reed bunting at Lakenheath as much as some of the rarer species.
Sounds like you had a good trip. I agree with you about the Reed Buntings – I love watching them swaying about on the tops of reeds, singing frantically. Nice and easy to identify too, which is a bonus for me.
Ron
Thanks Hampers , brings back lots of memories for me, I spent time on the Norfolk coast many years ago. Would love to go birding there now.