3rd June

I must apologise for the reports over the last couple of weeks. The weather, work and possibly the lack of birds are my excuses.

I popped up to Norfolk again at the weekend, mainly to see my wife's mother. We drove up on the Friday and visited the area where my parents used to live Snettisham. We called in at Dersingham bog hoping for Woodlark, normally a regular there but not on this occasion. There were 4 Tree Pipits on territory as well as 2 Cuckoos. Apart from these there was little else. We then moved on to Titchwell for lunch and some relaxed birding. Once we left the shelter of the cafe, where it was sunny the reserve was covered at various times by a sea fret (mist) that was frustrating in that the birds were often hidden. I did manage Temminks’ Stint, Spoonbill and 4 Little Gulls. We moved on to Cley and so did the mist, so we just had coffee. It was then on to Sally’s mum and a delicious helping of fish and chips from the Stalham chippy.  The only birding I got after that were early mornings at Cley and quick stop at Eccles beach to see the Little Tern colony. The weather on the Saturday was cloudy and chilly all day, where as Sunday was sunny but with a nip in the wind.

Here are a few snaps.

As I left the star bird of the weekend (further down) this Osprey flew in from the east at straight over my head. You couldn’t ask for better than that. Well a couple of hours later while walking back from the shops I saw a Black Kite thermaling a short distance away. The trouble was, I had know binoculars with me.

White-spotted Bluethroat, even in a brisk wind he could be heard singing.

The crowd on the east bank at Cley. It was a shame it didn’t show as well as this one at Welney a few years ago.