Beginning at Titchwell on our first day, there wasn't much of note in the reserve itself, but the sea held a male Goosander (briefly) and a female Long-tailed Duck, amongst a few other things. Onwards to Lady Anne's Drive, and a dash out view the sea before the light got too bad quickly produced a Great Northern Diver and then the drake Surf Scoter with a few Velvet and Common Scoter (cue awful picture #1). Only my second ever.
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| Surf Scoter... on the right... with the white nape |
The following day I got up early and birded the area around Stiffkey Campsite Wood, despite the unfavourable wind direction (from the south-west). Most interesting were lots of Chaffinches (probably 1000+ overall) moving west in almost constant waves; amongst them were at least 9 calling Brambling as ones or twos. The only winter thrushes were 3 Redwings and a single Fieldfare, and the only warbler was a (non-tristis) Chiffchaff. After breakfast, we then walked from Stiffkey to Blakeney, encountering a large flock of Chaffinches and a Merlin, but little else.
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| Looking towards Blakeney Point |
Our final day saw us head to Cley for a circuit of the reserve (getting caught in a downpour halfway round); best were the 3 Grey Phalaropes on North Scrape (cue awful picture #2), whilst the sea hosted two each of Razorbill and Red-throated Diver, and a few Gannets. After an early lunch we cut our losses and headed home, making a brief stop to view the Rough-legged Buzzard from the A149 at the western end of Holkham Pines on the grazing marsh (fortunately there is no awful picture #3 of this as I didn't even bother to try...).
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| Back-lit Grey Phalaropes |
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