30th birthday trip (30!!!!!!!! AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!) to these places produced the following 5 new 'ticks' for my list:
LITTLE STINT - Present at both Cley & Titchwell. I wouldn't say 'little' but that wader is seriously TINY!!!!!
COMMON SCOTER - Spotted just off Titchwell beach during my first go at seawatching!! I know how it's addictive now!
EIDER - Both male and female seen during Titchwell seawatching
BAR-TAILED GODWIT - at Cley & Titchwell
GADWALL - At both Cley & Titchwell.
Possible juvenile GOLDCREST seen hopping from branch to branch near to hide at Cley - can someone tell me what a Goldcrest's call is like? Does it sound like one of those old football rattles being whirred continuously?
STOAT - seen at Cley
Gannet, Razorbill and a few Divers seen during the day by other birdwatchers. I want to go seawatching again now!
OTHER SIGHTINGS INCLUDED:
Kestrel - 1 near Fakenham and another near Holbeach on the way
Sparrowhawk - 1 at Titchwell
Lapwing - 500
Black-tailed Godwit - 20
Avocet - 2 at Titchwell
Curlew - 5 at Titchwell
Dunlin - 20 at Cley, 3 at Titchwell
Oystercatcher - 3 at Cley, 4 at Titchwell
Ringed Plover - 2 at Cley
Sanderling - 2 flocks on sea at Titchwell
Little Egret - 5 at Titchwell, 3 at Cley
Grey Heron - 2 at Cley
Cormorant - 14 at Titchwell, 2 in 'wing-drying' pose. From behind they look like flashers!
Shelduck - 100
Teal - 40
Wigeon (male and female) - many at Cley, many at Titchwell
Shoveler - 20 at Titchwell
Mallard - all over the place!
Coot - 10 at Cley and same at Titchwell
Moorhen - 2 at Titchwell
Greylag Goose - about 40
Brent Goose - 30
Herring Gull - present at both Cley & Titchwell
Little Gull - 2 at Titchwell
Black-Headed Gull - various locations
Greater Black-Backed Gull - 3 at Titchwell, 1 at Cley
Chaffinch - 4 at Titchwell
Greenfinch - 5 at Titchwell
Goldfinch - 3 at entrance to Titchwell
Blackbird - 2 at Cley
Pied Wagtail - large flock at Cley
Starling - various locations
Wood Pigeon - all over the place!
Collared Dove - see Wood Pigeon.
Pheasant - many in fields along journey route.
Rook - 15 in various locations
Jackdaw - 20 at Blakeney (where we had lunch)
Carrion Crow - at various locations
Magpie - 30 seen during day
Didn't manage to get to the Lesser Grey Shrike at Holkham
Some of these sighting numbers might be on the conservative side - please be patient as my bird-counting skills improve!
Additionally, I had mini shopping sprees at both Titchwell and Cley shops. Parents said I could spend £30 in each shop on them as it was my birthday but any more would be from my purse! Came away with some CDs of birdsong and 'dawn chorus' sort, 3 new RSPB pin badges (white-tailed Eagle, a different Snowy Owl design and Bee-Eater), postcards, cuddly owl toy and an 'Eagle Odyssey' DVD. I also got 3 2 KG bags of Bill Oddie bird food (Essential Bird Breakfast - new cover, Garden-Friendly Combo and Mealworm Crumble), a book of 'Birds of Town and Village' with Basil Ede illustrations from Past Times in Boston as a present and finally, a Gardman hanging feeding station.
PHEW! Don't think I've missed anything!
