Saturday 11th September.
As we arrived along the coast road we were welcomed to the north coast by female Marsh Harrier above a wooded river east of Burnham Norton (By the windmill). We returned 2 days later just before sunset and watched a group of three Marsh Harriers flying around the trees, river/reedbeds before flying across to Norton Marsh, before returning inland to the woods/river at sunset.
Sunday
We walked from Wells-Next-the-sea mud flats, from the town out along to the beach and along the pine backed sand dunes and sand banks heading west along as far as Holkham Bay. Out of holiday season this is a magic walk often solitary and peaceful, apart from the waves crashing, the winds blowing dry sand between your feet as you make the first foot marks on the otherwise unmarked beach and sand banks. Caution required as the tide can come in behind you and leave you ‘out at sea’. We watched a few people wading back in after being cut off. The Wells end of the beaches has life guards but out to the west you are on your own.
Near Wells on the mudflats that border the raised dyke/walkway from Wells to the lifeboat station I had close up views of Redshank, Turnstone, a few Curlew and Ringed Plover.
Further out along the tidal sand banks I saw Oystercatchers in abundants, a small number of individual Grey Plover (2 in summer colours and the rest in winters), a number of Black Tailed Godwit.
I also saw 6+ Sandwich Terns flying along the shoreline.
Monday
We saw 15+ Little Egrets on salt marshes at Morston Quay. A good vantage point was from the wooden tower above the visitor centre. Also has a covered glass window viewing area if you need to avoid the chill.
Tuesday
We visited Cley Marshes, and found an abundance of waders and wildfowl, but we focused on our target bird the Marsh Harriers. We spent 2 hours of constant (sometimes very close) watching of up to six individual harriers at one time, generally in groups of two or three birds. We were also lucky to have a passing view of a Merlin. Nice windmill in Cley worth visiting and giving good views over cley marshes. The MH’s primarily flew east west across the reeds and pools using the strong facing winds as lift.
Wednesday
We took the evening boat trip (from Morston Quay) to view the seals on Blakeney Point. We were lucky to view a few hundred at close quarters. They were mainly Common Seals with their young, with a few Grey Seals mixed in. Apparently the common will be leaving soon and the greys will move in to pup during the autumn. The trip out/back also gives access to the salt marshes and all the associated birds. We took the babby (now 2) in a papoose (for safety) as even on this calm day, once you reach the point the boat is thrown about quite a bit by the tide. The captain went up and down the shore occasionally bouncing of a sand bank. Like other small boat trips (e.g. over the Skomer in Pembs.) it can be choppy, and generally is quite exciting for us lilly livered land lovers.
Thursday
We found (or bumped into) a good place for evening geese watching. This was in fields directly east/north east of Stiffkey (a lovely village).
Friday/Summary
As a summary of the evenings spent at the holiday park.. We stayed at Pinewoods Holiday Park on the north tip of the land near Wells-Next-The-Sea. In the evening we listened out for the calls of Tawny Owls, watched the hedgehogs and rabbits wandering around the site. And also looked to the skies to appreciate the clear views of stars and catch site of the odd shooting star. In the mornings we fed the local Ducks who live around the caravans. Little Grebes could be watched on the boating lake.
We also had a few sightings of Brown Hares in the fields along the shore roads and a single Marsh Harrier inland from Titchwell.
We set off to visit friends in London, quite a contrast.
Saturday
As we returned home via our London friends home (long diversion route), we managed to also spot Red Kites (in the Chilterns), then Buzzards and Kestrels as we headed back north on the M40.
