I have just returned from Norfolk having spent most days preparing my new home for a plasterer and decorator to come in. If I wasn’t doing that I was outside trying to get the garden back into some kind of shape.
I did manage to have a few early mornings up on the north coast or at the nearby Rush Hill Scrape. passerines were very few but waders were fairly plentiful, the highlights being White-rumped Sandpiper, American Golden Plover and Temminck’s Stint. The one bird that slightly frustrated me was a Franklin’s Gull, seen before I left London and gone within 2 hours and then popping up 40 miles along the coast one evening after a heavy downpour but moving on within the hour. It was still as it always is an enjoyable break.
There were some beautiful sunrises while I was away, this was looking from the visitor centre at Cley NNT Reserve (more further down).
I saw Spoonbills at several locations around the coast, with 19 on the North Scrape at Cley being the largest flock.
Rush Hill Scrape from Weavers Way
2 Egret species and Common Cranes at Rush Hill Scrape
Shanks over Rush Hill Scrape
Has this poor Ruff suffered as a result of cannon netting?
A couple of juvenile Little-ringed Plovers at on Simmon’s Scrape at Cley. I was surprised to see a chick that was barely 5 days old on the same scrape.
Two Green Sandpipers shadow a Hobby as it flies over Cley NNT Reserve.
The difference early morning sun makes to a Common Snipe.
This seal caused a shoal of fish to come close to the surface, which attracted the attention of these gulls and terns.
A family of Yellow Wagtails were on a cliff side bush
I picked this flock of birds up when they were way out at sea and thought that they were waders. I was then a little surprised when they turned out to be a flock of racing pigeons on their way back to their loft.
I had 3 fairly close encounters with Chinese Water Deer, normally I see them in the distance.
Cley NNT Reserve above and below
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