Brief notes on our visit to Norfolk. We stayed at the Briarfields Hotel in Titchwell village- very nice ,good food and wine also at this time of the year our fellow guests were also birders.

After an overnight stay in Birmingham the drive on Sunday 18 Nov to Titchwell produced 2 RED KITE all the other species logged were also seen in Norfolk .

Reached Titchwell RSPB by 13.00 so went straight onto the reserve - first big difference  compared to T'stone Bay were the numbers of birders - whereas we might have 6 on a Sunday at Titchwell the total would be closer to 750 !

Highlights were - 5 AVOCET, 2 SPOTTED REDSHANK, 50 + PINTAIL, 500 + BRENT GOOSE, 14 RED B MERGANSER, 2 GOLDENEYE, 20 COMMON SCOTER, 1 RED T DIVER.

On the road to Choseley Barns at least 10,000 PINK FOOTED GOOSE going to roost, in the fields 1000+ GOLDEN PLOVER and 8 GREY PARTRIDGE

 

MON 19 NOV

 Started off again at Titchwell - On the sea were 7 LONG TAILED DUCK ( inc 3 ad Males ) 5 EIDER, 1 RED N GREBE, 1 SLAVONIAN GREBE, 2 RED T DIVER,  30 + GOLDENEYE , 500+ COMMON SCOTER..

On the reserve a F RED C POCHARD , 2 BRAMBLING and 5 SPOTTED REDSHANK. A cracking male HEN HARRIER watched over the Marsh 

Late morning stopped off at Burnham Overy Staithe - just outside the village  agood pull in on the A149 which overlooks the north end of Holkham Marshes - 1000+ PINK F GOOSE, 500+ BRENT GOOSE, 8 GREY and 11 RED L PARTRIDGE ( in the same field ) whilst looking at the geese managed to pick up 2 WAXING feeding on berries . A f HEN HARRIER  over the marsh.

Next stop CLEY  Marshes - very little around compared with Titchwell - 1000+ BRENT GOOSE, 200+ GREYLAG GOOSE, 1 AVOCET, and a SACRED IBIS which has been there for a few weeks ( local opinion indictes this could be one of the birds from the Brittany breeding group ) Salthouse only held some TURNSTONE.

 

TUES 20 NOV-

Made straight for HOLKHAM GAP- took nearly 2 hours to find the flock of 45 SNOW BUNTING but well worth the effort as we found 2 LAPLAND BUNTING - no sign of any Shorelark.

Big surprise was the complete absence of Geese apart from some GREYLAG and EGYPTIAN at Lady Anne's Drive.

Stopped of at the A149 layby again, amonst the Geese were 3 BARNACLE with 2 MARSH HARRIERS hunting over the marsh.

Finished the day at Titchwell where over 40 RUFF were on the marsh and 3 MARSH HARRIER came in to roost

 

Wed 21 NOV -

Very poor viz and heavy rain resuted in a change of plan - a first visit to Flitcham Abbey Farm - whilst only a small site the goodies included 5000+ PINK F GOOSE , 3 BRAMBLING and 3 TREE SPARROW.

 

THURS 22 NOV - Went to 2 sites for Little Owl without success, again stopped in the layby on the A149 and picked up 2 WHOOPER SWAN on the Marsh

Departed at 11.00 to make our way to Bedford where we stayed with our son ANDY and family.

 

FRI 23 NOV -

Stopped off at FARMOOR RES on the way home and mnaaged to find 3 SCAUP.

At Birdlip ( near Gloucester ) another RED KITE flew over and the final specie for the trip a GREEN WOODPECKER.

 

Apart from the Geese the main highlight for me were the several hundred of Waders we saw - atotal of 17 species- I don't think I have seen auch a large number of RUFF before  ( I saw 40 +- according to the reserve log over 60 recorded). Also the Duck - male LONG TAILED are a delight .

Whilst there were a good few Geese the numbers were well down on our previous visits.

The trip species list finished at 108 quite good for the time of the year and the weather which prevented our visit to Stubbs Mill for the Crane roost