NORFOLK OR BUST

Nineteen members from Sandwich Bay met at Hanningfield Reservoir in Essex on monday morning,some,the early ones were lucky enough to see the ring billed gull,the later arrivals had to make do with a slavonian grebe and little stint as consolation.After this it was a treasure trail to the Ouse Washes in Cambridgeshire for tree sparrows and the first whooper swans of the winter.

ELY CATHEDRAL from the OUSE WASHES.

FAMILY GROUP OF WHOOPER SWANS.
From here we made tracks for our hotel in Old Hunstanton.
On Tuesday morning we all set off for Titchwell RSPB reserve,by the time we got there the car park was already overflowing,and the hides and footpath down to the beach were like the M25 on a friday afternoon,not my idea of birding at all,but we did manage a spotted redshank and a jack snipe,taking photos was not really an option here as the birds were distant and you risked being pushed into the water by uncompromising old ladies armed with walking poles and camouflage clothing,if you stopped for any time.

GREY PLOVER ON THE SALTMARSH AT TITCHWELL.

After lunch a visit to Holkham Hall gave us good views of Fallow deer and two new birds for the trip Nuthatch and Egyptian geese.

FALLOW DEER STAG The rut was just getting started and the stags were bellowing and getting ready to fight all comers.

Well some were.
Wednesday found us at Cley,the Norfolk Wildlife Trust reserve,again it was pretty crowded,but not as bad as yesterday.NWT have built a large new HQ over the road from the reserve,its a bit like a motorway services with shop cafe  and toilets,marvellous you can sit and watch the birds from the grandstand,no need to get cold or wet or muddy!is this the future?armchair birding.Not for me.

BLACK TAILED GODWITS

Enough of the grumpy old man act,we had good views of lots of birds here at Cley,including more Whooper swans Black tailed Godwits,Marsh Harriers and various ducks.

WHOOPER SWANS

BRENT GEESE were numerous on the NORFOLK COAST.

SHOVELLER

BLACK TAILED GODWIT

THE FAMOUS CLEY WINDMILL.
Late afternoon found everyone at Holcomb Gap to watch the spectacle of thousands of Pink Footed Geese coming in to roost,well we saw them in the distance,they would choose a different roost today wouldn`t they.

PINK FOOTED GEESE below the cloud base.

MORE PFGs

Some did come a bit closer.

HOLCOMB SUNSET