Bingo!

Well that was quick!

Two million!

At some point this coming weekend - probably tomorrow - 'Birds of the Heath' will receive its two millionth unique visit! Thanks so much to those of you who read (and hopefully enjoy) the blog and my eclectic ramblings!

There's a plaice for us!

Four, in fact! Linda's son and daughter gave us a voucher for supper at our local pub: we booked in for my birthday last night. I chose plaice (a particular favourite) The server asked if I wanted standard or large: naturally (thinking it would just be a bigger piece of fish) I chose large. This is what arrived! I have to confess I couldn't even attempt the fourth, largest item: we took it home to freeze! (Bear in mind: the chips were in a separate, enormous bowl!)

Birthday birding!

Brian and I met early for a run around the North and East Coasts, finishing at Halvergate by way of  Horsey. We had a thoroughly enjoyable day, with Siskins at Letheringsett to start, with The Eastern Black Redstart at Sheringham as the highlight. Something I've personally never seen was a flock of Avocets several hundred metres out to sea at the Coastguards...  Nice to add Cattle Egret to the day and year lists: three birds in the usual spot at the end of Branch Road.

Who'd've thought it?

Given my somewhat eventful - and, in the early days, somewhat hedonistic -  life, what were the odds I'd be celebrating my 75th birthday today?

Lists!

I read somewhere that many birders / twitchers / listers can be placed somewhere on the autism / asperger's spectrum: certainly many of us exhibit some of the characteristics! Since I started looking at birds (as opposed to seeing them) at around ten years of age, I've maintained some form of diary, linked to various lists. These days my records are kept on an XL database: mine, I think, is slightly out of date, since some recent new birds had to be added at the bottom. At the time of writing this post, these are my current totals:

Life list:  439
Bird species I've photographed: 357
Yare Valley list: 189
Best year list: 307
Best day total: 157

I realize that none of these are even in the second division of birding lists, but I rarely leave Norfolk and certainly don't chase new ticks unless they're something special like a Lammergeier! The letter below refers to the second time the 'Cley Casuals' won the national 24 hour bird race with, I seem to recall, 153 species.

Thrush help wanted!

This strange-looking thrush appeared on Linda's trail-cam yesterday: anyone have an idea what it might be? It's about Redwing sized...

A thrushy sort of day!

As well as a constant stream of Redwings, Fieldfares and Blackbirds into our garden all morning, I was pleased to see (and add to the year list!) both Mistle and Song Thrush when Linda and I visited the Church to fill the feeders. (The Mistle was somewhat distant, the Song Thrushes just a little less so!)

Aurora!

Following yesterday's early start and somewhat tiring eight hour birdrace, I really wasn't motivated to stay up after midnight in case the auroral display developed into something special.... but here are some photos from around 11.00pm.

Cley Bird Club - annual bird race

Linda and I headed north to Cley to take part in the CBC's new year bird race, starting at the Coastguards at 08.30 and travelling around the 'Cley Square' several times until dusk. We visited Walsey Hills, Salthouse, Cley Reserve and Blakeney. We headed inland to Wiveton, adding Great White Egret to a decent total of 40 or so species, before returning for tea and a scone at the Reserve Centre. The Eye Field gave us a delightful Golden Plover, while the beach added Kittiwake and Common Scoter. Moving on to Morston gave us several new waders and a third Water Pipit - close enough to photograph!

We returned to Bayfield for cheese on toast (we'd visited earlier adding just Nuthatch) The feeders by the cafe were, as usual, very busy, but only Coal Tit was new. The flooded fields by Glandford Ford produced a bonus Grey Wagtail.

Having been tipped off by Sue & Steve Gantlett we visited Cley Sewage Works, quickly locating one or two Chiffchaffs: only later when looking through the photos did we realize we'd also 'seen' a Goldcrest!

Last new birds were at Salthouse - the long-staying drake Pintail and a pair of Stonechats - and a couple of Canada Geese that fellow-racer Jo.King told us about. Back to the VC to total up: 80 species, plus three more that only one of us saw....

Wild Swans and a visit to the apiary.

This morning Linda decided to check on her hives, fearing the worst after the recent freezing weather. In fact there were no signs of life in a couple, but another appeared to be managing. On the way home we stopped off at Ludham Airfield and were pleased to find a herd of thirty-four Whooper Swans which, on inspection, contained four Bewicks. Back home the cotoneaster has been discovered by a decent flock of Redwings - always a pleasure to see in the garden.

Year tick at Bintree Mill!

But sadly not the elusive Black-bellied Dipper! Amazingly, Moorhen was a new year bird, despite several trips out into the Broads. Linda and I shared our Dipper Dip with Norfolk birding royalty, in the form of Mark Golley, Lynette and Mick Saunt.

Frosty Moon!

Last night's waning Moon was exceptionally 'crisp'! The 'Sea of Crises' (Mare Crisium) was particularly striking...