3rd
A few days away, booked last October ended up being a bit better than expected considering the terrible weather of late. We decided to go up via Welney. There was a great deal of surface water on the fields with rather a lot of swans. On the reserve the water was extremely high, explaining why the swans were pushed off onto the surrounding farmland.
Whooper swans
We amused ourselves trying (and failing) to read rings on the ducks on the bank.
Female Mallard GV36............
There were also quite a few Pochard.
The paths from the hide were submerged.
Black on orange XKV
Black on yellow LID
The only two darvics recorded on the reserve had been seen there before, but we picked up another on nearby farmland that was new, balck on yellow BPY.
We continued on to North Norfolk, staying at Briarfields.
4th
It was a surprise to find that the next day started with bright sunshine. We headed to Holme dunes where we spent the whole morning. Although we didn't go far we found a Scaup amongst the wigeon on the sea, heard and saw a Woodlark and watched Brent and Pink-feet geese. Two birds had neck collars but they were too far away to record the codes. We were also fortunate enough to see a Barn owl.
The afternoon got cloudy and the temperature dropped so there were very few people at Titchwell. Again, the water level was very high. While watching harriers at the end of the day, two Great White Egrets flew overhead.
5th
A visit to Holkham with a very big flock of Common Scoter on the sea, bouncing up and down on the waves a little to far out to pick out any Velvets, but six Shore Larks and 22 Snow Buntings on the beach was nice. The Fresh Marsh was nicely flooded and with some newly constructed scraps. Amongst the Black-tailed Godwits were two colour ringed birds originally ringed by the Humber Wader group, and the Rough-legged Buzzard went over Lady Annes Drive towards Wells.
