A WEEK IN NORFOLK - FEB 2025

 First stop was Old Hunstanton where we stayed at Le Strange Arms Hotel, from 

there we visited Snettisham which was very disappointing as the Geese had already left and the tides were wrong for any spectacular wader sightings.A drake Goldeneye was the best bird seen here.

GOLDENEYE

BLACK HEADED GULL

BLACK HEADED GULL JMT6 on the cliffs at Hunstanton.

RED KITE near the hotel

TWO KITES DISPLAYING

RED KITE was the most common bird of prey in the area.

THE DISTINCTIVE RED AND WHITE CLIFFS AT HUNSTANTON.

THE END IS NIGH A HEAVY SQUALL COMING IN.

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

LE STRANGE HOTEL -Very comfortable and very reasonable.

Record shot of a distant Shore Lark between Hunstanton and Holme.

After two night we moved a few miles up the coast to Holme next the Sea to a nice AIR B&B called Turtledove at HOLME  BEACH again very comfortable in a pleasant situation.From here we visited Titchwell

BAR TAILED GODWIT AT TITCHWELL BEACH

A WINDSWEPT CURLEW AT TITCHWELL BEACH.

TURBULENT SKIES AT HOLME BEACH

A short way from the B&B wasHolme Bird Observatory and from the seawall embankment at least two BARN OWLS were seen hunting at dusk.

BARN OWL we saw at least 6 during our stay in the county.

TITCHWELL RSPB.

TITCHWELL BEACH

WELLS NEXT THE SEA -SPOT THE ALBATROSS

FOG BOW AT HORSEY BEACH

THE RED FLAGS ARE FOR THE SEAL EXCLUSION ZONE.

-

STUBBS MILL AT HICKLING BROAD.

COMMON CRANES NEAR HORSEY WIND PUMP.

GREY SEALS AT HORSEY GAP.

-

-

-

HORSEY WIND PUMP.

BARN OWL AT SOMERTON near MARTHAM BROAD.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-BARN OWL.

WROXHAM BRIDGE HOTEL  

A FEW VIEWS OF NORFOLK TAKEN WITH MY PHONE.

HUNSTANTON BEACH

WOODFORDS WHERRY A DECENT PINT.

BLACK BOYS HOTEL AYLSHAM Evidently named after Charles 11 on account of his black hair and swarthy complection.

AYLSHAM CHURCH

-

HICKLING BROAD

ACROSS TO STUBBS MILL

SOMERTON MILL

-

-

MARTHAM BROAD.

A mixed bag of weather and birding combined with meeting up with Cathys family ended with a leisurely and thankfully uneventful drive home on Sunday the first day of March.

NEW YEAR- WE START ANEW

 My annual New Years Day walk was postponed due to the foul weeather,the next day was better for the Dour dawdle but it was a bit disappointing birdwise especially the harbour section -not a single Guillemot Razorbill or Diver there all month.

Short Eared Owls have been much in evidence at Sandwich and have been attracting  more and more admirers.

SHORT EARED OWL - SANDWICH

-

-

-

-

PINTAILS AT OARE

FEMALE HAWFINCH AT GODMERSHAM

MEDITERRANEAN GULL FOLKESTONE EAST CLIFF.

BITTERN  ABOUT TO DISAPPEAR INTO THE REED BED ARC PIT DUNGENESS.

GREAT WHITE EGRET ARC DUNGENESS

-

FIELD MOUSE ARC DUNGENESS

-

LITTLE GREBE KEARSNEY ABBEY DOVER

GREY WAGTAIL BARTON PATH DOVER

SHAG AT SAMPHIRE HOE WITH ROCK FISH.

-

BACK TO THE OWLS AT SANDWICH

-

BLACK REDSTART SAMPHIRE HOE.

-

GREENSHANK MILTON CREEK SITTINGBOURNE.

GREY PLOVER MILTON CREEK.

MED GULL

CETTIS WARBLER BARTON PATH DOVER AN UNUSUAL SIGHTING.

ITS DISTICTIVE SHOUTY CALL GAVE IT AWAY

HE THEN CAME OUT IN FULL VIEW.

PROBABLY AN OVERWINTERING BIRD AS THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE FOUND IN SCRUBBY REED BEDS.

AT THE SAME TIME ALL HELL BROKE LOSE IN THE RIVER

TWO MOORHENS  DECIDED TO HAVE AN ALMIGHTY SCRAP

A NEARBY FEMALE WAS PROBABLY THE CAUSE OF THE BATTLE

-

-

-

A TURNSTONE IN REFLECTIVE MOOD

DRAKE WIGEON AT PEGWELL BAY

-

SANDERLING

SNOW BUNTING AT RECULVER

-

THATS ALL FOR NOW I SHALL CLOSEWITH A BEAUTIFUL DAWN AT SAMPHIRE HOE

=