Sunday, 6 March 2016

Another Day . Seventy Three Birds in a Norfolk day

Sunday 28th February fresh NE Sunny intervals 5 to 7C

Another long push along the beach in search of shorelarks follows an early morning barn owl. Waders on the beach won't be roosting for long despite the high tide; dog walkers are on their way.
I meet a fellow birder, Steven Holloway, at the start of the Burnham Overy broadwalk. We chat for half hour or so about birds, Norfolk's birding history and birders old and new and Steven's present unemployment status.
News of a possible white stork at Welney WWT reserve has me cycling towards Hunstanton. The bird has rings that show it has Polish origins. I need to see it and the adrenaline of a really good bird clicks in. I try to remember the last time I saw a white stork in Britain. A group of five in Oxfordshire not too long ago had The Birding Clams heading that way. We crashed on the motorway though as heavy rain caused the car to aquaplane.
As I cycle through Thornham the phone text tells me that the stork has flown off and I turn around to bird at Titchwell instead.
Bramblings at the feeders by the cafe, waders on the shore; the birding is superb in the wonderful clear sunlight and the the day list goes past seventy.


Common scoter on the sea, a year tick, and water pipit are the highlights but then again having a robin come onto my hand to collect some cake is just as much of a thrill.

The stork is back at Welney! Plans change and I am off again.


So the year list is still at 174, nineteen ahead of this time last year.


18.53 Miles 448 elevation up 386 elevation down

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