I usually visit North Norfolk around this time of year and managed to obtain a cheap deal at Le Strange Arms in Hunstanton for three nights at the beginning of this week. On the way up, I had hoped to take a detour to Cantley to view the wintering flock of Taiga Bean Geese along with a Lesser White Fronted Goose, but all the bird news services were no longer reporting them. I therefore set forth very early on Monday morning and headed straight up to North Norfolk and stopped off for breakfast at my usual spot at Wolverton Triangle to try and view the elusive Golden Pheasant that live round there. I have spent many hours at this spot and have never managed to see them and after 30 minutes of sitting in the layby on the south road, decided to give up and drive round the triangle and head off up to Cley. Halfway down the north road, I could not believe my eyes but there were two splendid males on the grass verge. I managed to stop the car yards from where they were, but they scattered back into the undergrowth when another car passed me. I immediately telephoned my birder's wife and gloated and started the journey up to Cley. Five minutes later I remembered that I had brought my camera with me and decided to do a u-turn and head back to the triangle to see if I could obtain some decent pictures and not just record shots on my phone (as I had done earlier). When I arrived back, I could not believe it but they were still being very obliging and I managed to obtain the above photo before both scooted back into the undergrowth. At last a species that has no longer gone unseen.
I then proceeded towards Cley, taking a pitstop at Kelling where a very obliging Arctic Redpoll was showing extremely well in a garden (even managed to get a photo of that one as well). Two new species within half an hour, definately made up for not seeing the Taiga Bean Geese and Lesser White Fronted Goose. After Kelling I stopped by Salthouse car park which can always guarantee Snow Bunting at this time of year and was not disappointed with a flock of about 30 and almost tripped over an extremely tame Knot (within 3 feet away from me). I then decided to investigate the east bank of Cley and again managed to hook up with a target species within minutes (Bearded Tit), it was proving to be a great days birding already, and it was only about 9:30am. The main reserve at Cley was very quiet with not that much to offer, so I made my way round the coast, stopping off briefly to see if I could find any Twite at Blakeney Quay (unfortunately not) and then onto Holkham for a quick walk on the beach where I managed to find several Shore Lark (well, I say find...I just looked for people with telescopes and used them to pinpoint the location of the Larks). Unfortunately I could not find any Rough Legged Buzzards, so proceeded onto Titchwell to spend the rest of the day. Titchwell proved to be well worth the visit with 3 Long Tailed Duck, 2 Velvet Scoter, a single Eider and plenty of waders to add to the list. Dusk brought in 10 Marsh Harriers and male and female Hen Harriers. I then made my way to the hotel for a well deserved rest. The following day I pretty much did the same thing, while adding Scaup and Rough Legged Buzzard, Spotted Redshank and Corn Bunting to my tally. On Wednesday, I ventured early out to Holme to do a spot of sea watching and unfortunately did not see much of note except one Razorbill going west and quite a few Red Throated Diver. A Spoonbill had been reported at Cley, so I headed over there again but could not find the bird and decided to do a spot of sea watching instead and managed a passing Iceland Gull, about 30 Red Throated Divers and two Gannets. As the weather was appalling, I decided to make my way back along the coast, briefly passing by the obtain a Red Necked Grebe at Wells and finished the day at Titchwell again and managed two Mediterranean Gulls in the roost. On Thursday I was not too sure what to do, as I had to make my way home by the end of the day. So, I went to Titchwell for one last time and finally managed to see a Bittern (my first for the year). While I was waiting for the Bittern, a flock of Pink Footed Geese settled into some nearby fields, which had three Bean Geese amongst them. I then took a leisurely drive back home, briefly stopping at the Nene Washes and managed to observe some very very distant Cranes. Overall a satisfactory 4 days away, except for a Mason's meeting in the room below mine on my last night (noisy weirdos). Today I had contemplated going to twitch the Yellowthroat at Gwent, but just could not be bothered.
I usually visit North Norfolk around this time of year and managed to obtain a cheap deal at Le Strange Arms in Hunstanton for three nights at the beginning of this week. On the way up, I had hoped to take a detour to Cantley to view the wintering flock of Taiga Bean Geese along with a Lesser White Fronted Goose, but all the bird news services were no longer reporting them. I therefore set forth very early on Monday morning and headed straight up to North Norfolk and stopped off for breakfast at my usual spot at Wolverton Triangle to try and view the elusive Golden Pheasant that live round there. I have spent many hours at this spot and have never managed to see them and after 30 minutes of sitting in the layby on the south road, decided to give up and drive round the triangle and head off up to Cley. Halfway down the north road, I could not believe my eyes but there were two splendid males on the grass verge. I managed to stop the car yards from where they were, but they scattered back into the undergrowth when another car passed me. I immediately telephoned my birder's wife and gloated and started the journey up to Cley. Five minutes later I remembered that I had brought my camera with me and decided to do a u-turn and head back to the triangle to see if I could obtain some decent pictures and not just record shots on my phone (as I had done earlier). When I arrived back, I could not believe it but they were still being very obliging and I managed to obtain the above photo before both scooted back into the undergrowth. At last a species that has no longer gone unseen.
I then proceeded towards Cley, taking a pitstop at Kelling where a very obliging Arctic Redpoll was showing extremely well in a garden (even managed to get a photo of that one as well). Two new species within half an hour, definately made up for not seeing the Taiga Bean Geese and Lesser White Fronted Goose. After Kelling I stopped by Salthouse car park which can always guarantee Snow Bunting at this time of year and was not disappointed with a flock of about 30 and almost tripped over an extremely tame Knot (within 3 feet away from me). I then decided to investigate the east bank of Cley and again managed to hook up with a target species within minutes (Bearded Tit), it was proving to be a great days birding already, and it was only about 9:30am. The main reserve at Cley was very quiet with not that much to offer, so I made my way round the coast, stopping off briefly to see if I could find any Twite at Blakeney Quay (unfortunately not) and then onto Holkham for a quick walk on the beach where I managed to find several Shore Lark (well, I say find...I just looked for people with telescopes and used them to pinpoint the location of the Larks). Unfortunately I could not find any Rough Legged Buzzards, so proceeded onto Titchwell to spend the rest of the day. Titchwell proved to be well worth the visit with 3 Long Tailed Duck, 2 Velvet Scoter, a single Eider and plenty of waders to add to the list. Dusk brought in 10 Marsh Harriers and male and female Hen Harriers. I then made my way to the hotel for a well deserved rest. The following day I pretty much did the same thing, while adding Scaup and Rough Legged Buzzard, Spotted Redshank and Corn Bunting to my tally. On Wednesday, I ventured early out to Holme to do a spot of sea watching and unfortunately did not see much of note except one Razorbill going west and quite a few Red Throated Diver. A Spoonbill had been reported at Cley, so I headed over there again but could not find the bird and decided to do a spot of sea watching instead and managed a passing Iceland Gull, about 30 Red Throated Divers and two Gannets. As the weather was appalling, I decided to make my way back along the coast, briefly passing by the obtain a Red Necked Grebe at Wells and finished the day at Titchwell again and managed two Mediterranean Gulls in the roost. On Thursday I was not too sure what to do, as I had to make my way home by the end of the day. So, I went to Titchwell for one last time and finally managed to see a Bittern (my first for the year). While I was waiting for the Bittern, a flock of Pink Footed Geese settled into some nearby fields, which had three Bean Geese amongst them. I then took a leisurely drive back home, briefly stopping at the Nene Washes and managed to observe some very very distant Cranes. Overall a satisfactory 4 days away, except for a Mason's meeting in the room below mine on my last night (noisy weirdos). Today I had contemplated going to twitch the Yellowthroat at Gwent, but just could not be bothered.
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