NORFOLK - 29 APR 10

[Wandering Tattler]

On 29 Apr I met up with Rich Seargent and Richard Horton at 0530 hrs at Wayland Wood, within half an hour we had bagged a male Golden Pheasant perched about 5 metres up in a tree. We watched the confiding bird for a while before heading back to our cars and adding several more woodland species to what was to prove a very rewarding day.

By 0800 hrs we were parked at Cley-next-the-sea and as the Visitor's Centre was closed we walked around the reserve. There was a good selectiion of waders and ducks, including Egyptian Goose, Whimbrel and Wood Sandpiper, plus Marsh Harriers, Yellow Wagtails, Bearded Tits, Whinchat, Wheatears, Lesser Whitethroat and a confused Fulmar flying along the edge of the field!

After lunch at Cley we made our way to Titchwell with a short stop at an attractive pond for Greeenshank and Choseley Barns for Corn Bunting and Yellowhammers. Titchwell was on cracking form as ever, although we were later to discover that we had not nailed everything. The highlights included Pintail, Garganey, 4 Red-crested Pochards, Common and Velvet Scoters, Red-breasted Mergansers, 1-2 Red-necked Grebes, a booming Bittern, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Little Terns and more Bearded Tits. We also had some fun helping a Canadian birder connect with some European species.

With deteriorating weather we made a desperate attempt for Montagu's Harrier but not surprisingly we lucked out. The two Richards then headed south while I headed back to Yorkshire but with 2 hours of daylight there was still time to rack up a few more species to what was already a respectable day total.

I popped into Sculthorpe Moor Community Nature Reserve and added Marsh Tit and Bullfinch, plus a new (if introduced) mammal, a Chinese Water Deer. Another species was added after midnight but within 24 hours, Barn Owl, bringing my total for the 'day out' to 118 species. Knowing that the two Richards had seen or heard species that I had missed we had amassed a combined total of over 120 species.......

........, unfortunately we had missed the Iberian Chiffchaff that had been found whilst we were at Titchwell and had departed Titchwell less than an hour before a Bee-eater showed at the Visitor's Centre. You can't have everything!

Thanks to Richard Seargent and Richard Horton for a great day out!