25th January

Norfolk

I have just returned from a couple of days up in Norfolk. I did manage to spend a 4 hours out and about on Saturday morning. The skies were blue, without a cloud in the sky for most of the day but the wind was a brisk north-westerly.This meant there was quite a chill in the air, so holding the scope steady to digi-scope was not worth trying, except for the rough shots of my local wintering flock of swans.

A short list of my highlights follows.

Red-throated Diver: 15 were on the sea north of Sea Palling.

Whooper & Bewick’s Swan: a mixed flock of around 60 were feeding on sugar beet tops on the old Ludham airfield.

Tundra Bean Goose: 7 were in a field just north of West Somerton.

Pink-footed Goose: 45 with the above geese.

Common Buzzard: a very pale breasted bird was on the ground amongst the sheep.

Common Crane: one was feeding in a field beside the A1064 this morning.

Golden Plover: 400 in a sheep field alongside the Horsey Road.

Lapwing: 350 in the same field.

Fieldfare: 200 also feeding here.

Snow Bunting: 50+ were on the beach.