Norfolk - 31st December 2024

 Today, Jayne and I came down to Norfolk for a few days. We started off our trip with a visit at Old Hunstanton to see a juvenile Glaucous Gull. Unfortunately, the bird had been seen early on, but had been disturbed by other visitors before we got there, so we "dipped out"! Thankfully, for us there were other birds around, including a singe Knot, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Sanderling , Common and Great Black-backed Gull  and best of all, a flock of 6 Shorelarks, that we managed to see.

Shorelark

Afterwards, we drove down to St Anne's Drive (Holkham Hall Estate), where we caught up with a Long-billed Dowitcher (204), that has been wintering with a flock of Black-tailed Godwits. We got great views, despite the strong wind, and even managed a record shot, before the flock got flushed by a Red Kite and a Marsh Harrier! A great bird to end the year on. 

Long-billed Dowitcher

Norfolk Highlights

It's been half term this week, so I spent a couple of days in Norfolk with Jayne. We were based in Wells-next-the Sea, and whilst there, we spotted a few nice birds, including a couple of "year ticks".

On arrival in Wells we walked down the estuary to the beach. Black-headed, Common and Herring Gulls were present all along the river. There were dozens of Dark-bellied Brent Geese  present on the river, including this family party of 2 adults and 4 juveniles.

Brent Goose

 

When we arrived on the beach there were dozens of Redwings and a few Fieldfares flying "in-off" the sea.

Next morning we drove down to Holkham Hall, and parked up on St Ann's Drive where we saw Pink-footed Geese grazing in the surrounding fields. We then walked down through the woods, and out on to the beach to scan the sea. We spotted 4 Red-throated Divers, half a dozen Common Scoters, and the two "year ticks"; Velvet Scoter and a winter-plumaged Razorbill. A couple of Oystercatchers and 5 Sanderlings were also seen feeding along the edge of the water. On our way back to the car we spotted a couple of Redwings and this Blackbird feeding on berries in the dunes. I think the white scalloping on the back of this bird points to it being a "continental" bird.

Blackbird

Our last stop in Norfolk was RSPB Titchwell. We only had an hour or so here, but we did get some great views of this winter-plumaged Black-tailed Godwit, along with hundreds of  Golden Plover, a few Dunlin, Teal, Shoveler, a Little Egret and a calling Cetti's Warbler.

Black-tailed Godwit

Year List update:
175 -Velvet Scoter
176 - Razorbill