I awoke to the sound of Pink-feet going over and no rain but that quickly changed and the day has, since then largely been about the wet stuff being in driving drizzle, wind blown squalls, invisible clingy mist and a general variety on the theme on precipitation but we have persevered.
We stayed close to Briarfields and did Titchwell thoroughly and unsurprisingly had the place pretty much to ourselves. Marsh Harrier was
seen from the breakfast table and just outside two Red Kites were circling too
before we headed to the reserve.
The first part of the walk down added many calling species
with Tits, Robins, Cetti’s Warblers and Chiffchaffs along with Moorhens and
Water Rail. It was going to be as much
about ears today as anything else.
Marsh Harriers were up and the Golden Plover flock was in
the field inland of the hotel where Lapwing and Curlews could also be seen
while Little Grebes, some dabblers and a Great White Egret was hunting at the
far end but quickly waded out of view.
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| Great White Egret |
Despite the breeze and rain we could hear Bearded Tits and caught
several glimpses as they bounced over the swaying reeds and once in the hide
most of the group saw them albeit briefly as they clambered along the reed
frontage.
There were a few duck and a single Avocet but not much else
so we pushed on, seeing our first Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Shelduck and a brief
young Spoonbill that got blown out onto Thornham Marsh where we added Redshank,
Snipe and Little Egrets.
Once down at the Parrinder we scanned around but there were
very few waders at all and just two Dunlin, Avocets, Redshank and Black-tailed
Godwits along with many still brown Teal and some Wigeon that were on their way
out of eclipse at last. A Water Rail
wove in and out of the reed base right at the back and often the red bill was
the only noticeable part of it in the gloom. A brace of Rock Pipits flew in and had a poke
around the old little brick wall structure out on front and lingered long enough
for scope views while the Black-winged Stilt of dubious origin (it has a tiny metal
ring above the knee) was seen incredibly well and regardless it is always a joy
to see one of these elastic legged beauties.
It even had a good fly around between the marshes showing those inky black
wings above and below.
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| Black-winged Stilt |
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| Black-winged Stilt - just enjoy seeing it! |
The brackish lagoon only had a couple of Curlew as did the
final on before the beach. There were no
other waders at all but a Kingfisher did perform two circuits for the group
which was cool. A Linnet flock fed on
the other side of the path below the path which was littered with grazing Dark
and White-lipped Hedge Snails.
White-lipped Hedge Snail 
Dark-lipped Hedge Snails
The wind was getting up but we still had a look at the sea
and beach. Strangely Black-tailed out
numbered Bar-tailed Godwits and there were just a couple of Grey Plover, two
Ringed Plover and a smattering of Turnstone, Curlew and Redshank. A Greenshank got up and flew back to the
lagoons and a small party of Sanderling flew along the tideline but there were
no Knot and the numbers of everything were low.
It was very odd.
Only a hoard of Oystercatchers further along the beach made
a spectacle. A few Brents were on the
exposed rocky areas and several skeins headed purposefully west offshore. I could not find a Gannet and just one Great
Crested Grebe close in. A Grey Seal
surfaced beyond it.
We could see the weather closing in again and walked back
with heads down as the rain started in earnest stopping only to look at a male
Common Toad crossing the path. T was
time for coffee and lunch where we were joined by a very Long-tailed Tit flock
which had Blue, Great and Coal Tits amongst it along with Chiffchaffs,
Goldcrests and two Treecreepers.
Once fed and watered we headed back out onto the fen trail
to try and find the same roving flock but only loosely connected with a few of
its occupants. A Muntjac fed unconcerned alongside the path. However at the end of the
long hedge we found a good pocket of birds with a feeding group of Gold and
Greenfinches with at least 13 of the latter and a sudden increase in Blackbirds
and within just a few minutes there were over ten around the Hawthorns. I could hear two Song Thrushes too and three
more dropped in. Perhaps there was some
immigration under way today as the winds swung round to the east?
House Martins and Swallows fed over the pools before heading
east and a sudden wave of both species suddenly pulsed through without
lingering. A Great Spotted Woodpecker posed on a tree top long enough to see that
it was a female.
The driving drizzle upped the volume once again so we
retraced our steps pausing to scrump some tiny delicious plums and for me to
show them the grub of Endothenia
gentianaeana inside the heads of the
Teasels – a moth larva in case you did not know.
By the time we hit the centre it was heavy again and a
coffee stop was required and then a Goldcrest put on a show for us as we got to
the van and with the temperature now at 15c there were several Migrant Hawkers out catching the hoards of tiny flies. A quick look for the Golden
Plover up behind the reserve afterwards gave us great flight views of about 200
birds but they kept landing out of sight.
The closer field had loads of Red-legged Partridges, two Chinese Water
Deer and six Brown Hares. Everything looked miffed at the weather! A final look at the next field over from
opposite Briarfields just produced Lapwings and 16 Chinese Water Deer so the
Golden Plovers must have been just to the left and frustratingly out of view
still.
Happy but defeated by the rain we called it a day.
