Great White Egret at Bowthorpe Marsh

Since Linda and I had to drive to the west side of the city, we made an early visit to the delightful country park by the River Yare south of Three Score Road at Bowthorpe.

Within five minutes we were enjoying excellent views of this long-staying heron: it flew around occasionally if a dog barked or walker approached within fifty feet, but generally it was fabulously confiding and photogenic. What a great way to start the weekend!

 

 

 

Interesting duck at Whitlingham Lane

I've seen this duck on several occasions, but it's always been too far away for decent photography. It seems to be a hybrid: do any of you have any ideas about its genetic composition?

 

Halvergate

On the way back from the hairdresser's I stopped off at Halvergate Marshes to check for SEOs and RLBs - neither was in evidence while I was there... 

But what a lovely place: I never grow tired of the wide horizons, ancient mills and windpumps and susurrating reeds. In the past I've enjoyed some terrific walks, both alone and with a friend, and seen or found some excellent birds.

Nothing particular unusual today, other than a melanistic Pink-footed Goose and a green-tagged Marsh Harrier (PC?) but still: a tonic for the soul!

 

Snow Buntings at Winterton and seconds of the Glaucous Gull!

Brian had a morning free and Norman was keen to extend his post-op walking, so they picked me up at 7.45 for a walk along the dunes at Winterton.

The Snow Buntings proved elusive at first, but we eventually located a flock of 60+ about a mile north of the Coastguards. Always flighty (particularly when any of the many dogs bounded along the beach!) we managed a few shots each. Other birds we saw but couldn't approach were a couple of Rock Pipits and a Lapland Bunting with the Snows...

A long walk to the 'blue container' and back failed to produce the anticipated SEOs, but we did come across one or two Barn Owls.

With midday approaching we returned home via Great Yarmouth seafront, where I managed to find the Glaucous Gull on a chimney pot along the beach road.

Iken Cattle Egret and - finally - an adult Caspian Gull!

Martin and I headed south-east through the frosty lanes to Iken in Suffolk, where - after a few false starts - we found the long-staying Cattle Egret. Quite different in colouration to the Norfolk bird and fairly confiding until a tractor spooked it.

After a futile search for Spoonbills from the north side of the Alde Estuary, we drove along the coastal road to Thorpeness, finding a large flock of Whitefronts on the way.

A walk around Minsmere was fun, providing views of a couple of Bitterns, a Water Pipit or two, a few Bearded Tits, a Pintail and - best of all - a Caspian Gull near enough to photograph!

Last stop was Hen Reedbeds: what a lovely place this is! Lots of gulls and waders (including a few Knot) but no sign of the Great White Egret. A terrific day out....

 

 

 

Frosty Fen!

It seemed a shame to waste such a beautiful, crisp morning, so Linda and I took a stroll around Strumpshaw. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there were lots of young families enjoying the weather, so birds were not over-abundant: nevertheless, we picked up Barn Owl, lots of Wigeon and Pink-feet, all the expected Tits (Marsh, Coal, L-T, Blue & Great) as well as Siskin and Great Spotted Woodpecker.