Friday, 27 May 2016

Let's Catch Up Again.......

Monday 23rd May                 fresh NW                     Sunny intervals

The previous evening I spent at Kelling Heath listening to maybe four nightjars churring around me. Before dark, in fact before the colours faded to greys, turtle doves had been purring and a male Dartford warbler had sung from a perch atop a nearby gorse bush.
Nightjars takes the list to 248, third on the BUBO Year list.
The same birds I see again in the early morning. Well I don't unfortunately see a nightjar in the morning but one keeps intermittently singing. This morning's Dartford warbler is a female.
I cycle down to Weybourne and take the road west and bridleway north to access The Quags. Egyptian geese have five well grown youngsters.
The day list grows with common birds and there are a lot of hirundines flying around. I notice that sand martins frequently go past with two following one, closely flying together. I imagine that this may be two young birds learning from an adult.
I walk all the way to Salthouse, not wishing to cycle and instead push the bike so that I can take in the lovely, if rather chilly morning. There is a new hide just off the road as I approch the famous east bank. Time for breakfast, spicy fruit loaf with peanut butter. I read the notices and see that the extension to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust's Cley reserve, an area of 53 hectares, has cost £2.6 million. I ponder.
Next to the beautiful, Green roof-covered Cley Nature Reserve visitor's centre for a permit. Down to Daulkes hide to watch the many hirundines over the scrapes. A hobby comes past twice just to prospect without hunting too seriously. A small group of black-tailed godwits come down with a couple of knot. All of these delights are enjoyed by myself and a group of Dutch birders.
The last week has been rather exhausting, what with cycling almost 400 miles as well as the two days at the Norfolk Bird Fair. I make my way after  walking around the reserve, to Moreston. Here I enter the church and sleep on a pew for three hours! I hadn't intended to. I entered the Holy place to look at the memorial to the village's War dead.
A cycle ride to Wells, a quick shop for provisions, a short reading session in yet another church and into the excellent Wells Youth Hostel for the night.

The year list now stands at 248, twenty five ahead of last year at this stage.

34.83 miles                1165 feet up elevation     1348 feet down elevation

No comments:

Post a Comment

60 Miles in September ACORNS CHILDREN'S HOSPICE - Green Birding and Olaf the Snowman

  60 Miles in September for Acorns Children's Hospice   OK, let's do this. Cycle, swim or walk. Have lots of fun - be Olaf the Snowm...