Leaving Thornham we drove up to the drying bans at Choseley and before long had connected with a mixed flock of farmland birds which included a handful of Corn Buntings and several Yellowhammers. However, it was now well past midday and our stomachs were rumbling, so it was off down the road to the RSPB reserve at Titchwell.
Whilst Steve stayed by the car having his packed lunch, the rest of us walked along to the Visitor Centre and ordered bacon rolls, three for me today (including a take-away which the ladies kindly wrapped in foil for me!). Whilst we were getting served I had a call saying the Northern Harrier was showing just up the path. So we bolted our food and ran up the path only to discover it had vanished again. However, after ten minutes or so the bird showed again over the marshes and we were afforded excellent views of the bird...all of us except Steve who had arrived too late. We gave the bird another twenty minutes or so to reappear but it failed to oblige so we walked out to the beach and spent some time sea-watching. Out to sea we found a Red-necked Grebe and mixed in with a flock of several hundred Common Scoters we saw at least six Velvet Scoters. A single Slavonian Grebe was also present and a small flock of Eider were also out to sea. As we were staring out to sea we were lucky enough to have a small flock of Snow Buntings fly in and feed near us:
Whilst Steve stayed by the car having his packed lunch, the rest of us walked along to the Visitor Centre and ordered bacon rolls, three for me today (including a take-away which the ladies kindly wrapped in foil for me!). Whilst we were getting served I had a call saying the Northern Harrier was showing just up the path. So we bolted our food and ran up the path only to discover it had vanished again. However, after ten minutes or so the bird showed again over the marshes and we were afforded excellent views of the bird...all of us except Steve who had arrived too late. We gave the bird another twenty minutes or so to reappear but it failed to oblige so we walked out to the beach and spent some time sea-watching. Out to sea we found a Red-necked Grebe and mixed in with a flock of several hundred Common Scoters we saw at least six Velvet Scoters. A single Slavonian Grebe was also present and a small flock of Eider were also out to sea. As we were staring out to sea we were lucky enough to have a small flock of Snow Buntings fly in and feed near us:
Leaving the beach we walked back on to the reserve proper and from the new Parrinder Hide connected with a flock of Twite and a Water Pipit:
We then returned to the car, seeing a couple of Egyptian Geese fly over along the way, and headed back east, stopping at Burnham Overy Staithe and walking north towards the dunes.
From our viewpoint we saw a ring-tail Hen Harrier, a few Marsh Harriers and a Sparrowhawk. However, it was getting too dark to see much else so we called it a day and were back at Wells by about 5.30pm after another long but profiable day of birding.
From our viewpoint we saw a ring-tail Hen Harrier, a few Marsh Harriers and a Sparrowhawk. However, it was getting too dark to see much else so we called it a day and were back at Wells by about 5.30pm after another long but profiable day of birding.
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