NORFOLK N CHANCE NOVEMBER 2021

 A few days birding and meeting family in Norfolk started with a visit to Welney on the way to Snettisham where we were based for three nights then on to Blakeney  and finally to Catfield near Hickling Broad.

POCHARD

WHOOPER SWANs visit Britain in the winter from Iceland

-the yellow on the bill is distinctive to individuals like a fingerprint to humans.

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I`M FOREVER BLOWING BUBBLES

A JUVENILE WHOOPER.

PINK FOOTED GEESE flying over Snettisham heading for the Wash.

TWO GREY PHALAROPES on the freshwater pool at Titchwell.

WATER PIPIT at Heacham.

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BROWN HARES also at Heacham.

PINK FEET IN THE SUNSET

SUNSET AT SNETTISHAM

Having bumped into the Ratcliffes and the Burts it was now John Cantelo who put me on to a large flock of Brambling somewhere in the middle of nowhere,thank goodness  for sat navs.If you read my blog at all John thanks again.

BRAMBLING

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-FEMALE BRAMBLING

When we arrived at Holkham 1000s of Geese were flushed from the adjacent field it was quite a spectacle.

PINK FEET AT HOLKHAM

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-Noisy birds to say the least.

-they visit Norfolk in their thousands each winter from their  Arctic breeding grounds.

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WIGEON

 DRAKE WIGEON.

FISHING BOAT OUT OF KINGS LYNN AT HOLKHAM.

HOLKHAM DUNES minus SHORE LARKS that had been there half an hour before.

The weather had been reasonably kind for the first part now inevitably it went downhill and became cold windy damp and murky.

CLEY MILL in the murky mist.

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CROMER PIER

STUBBS MILL -Hickling Broad where Cranes usually come to roost,not tonight though.

A DARK FORBODING SKY AT HICKLING.

 

NOVEMBER 2021

 Here is a brief pictorial synopsis of my month.

COASTGUARD SPOTTER PLANE looking for migrants -aren`t we all.

BOLETTE LEAVING DOVER

SANDWICH TERN a late sighting at Sandwich Bay appropriately.

-hopefully it will be off the coast of West Africa by now.

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GLOSSY IBIS at Dungeness one bird has been there for most of the year.

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-now a second bird has joined it hopefully male and female?

-maybe hang around to breed next year if so.

REDWING at Langdon Hole a regular winter visitor from Scandinavia.

DUNNOCK

F15s American aircraft based at Mildenhall in Suffolk a regular sight at the White Cliffs.

GUILLEMOT one of four in Dover Harbour early in the month.

SHORE LARK a pair of these wintervisitors were seen at Leysdown on the Isle of Sheppey.

-They are called Shore Lark here because thats where they are seen but they are a bird of mountain regions breeding above the tree line in the Alps.

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-also known as Horned Lark

-because of the horn like feathers on the head

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-just above the eyes.

SHORT EARED OWL at Dicksons Corner Sandwich Bay

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CAR TRANSPORTER SEINE HIGHWAY heading down channel

BLACKBIRD our resident birds are joined by many immigrants from the continent at this time of year.

ROCK PIPIT at Samphire Hoe although there are two or three breeding pairs

numbers increase through the winter months especially on the west beach where up to twenty/thirty may gather in good years to scavenge amongst the sea weed.

GANNETS we saw them arriving back earlier in the year now they have bred on the northern breeding grounds

-and are leaving our waters for warmer climes once again

-these young birds are following the adults

-maybe as far south as West Africa

-Hopefully we will see them return in the Spring.

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RECULVER a graffiti artist with a good sense of humour.

MUTE SWAN flying in at Reculver,don`t think he has pooped a red pellet.

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BRENT GEESE probably a family group the four at the rear are juveniles with the pale wing bars.

-think these have probably come from Svalbaard or Greenland.

MAXINE a Ro Ro cargo ship en route from Sheerness to Calais

RAZORBILLS a small group of four at Samphire Hoe.

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TWO SONG THRUSH AND A  REDWING at Samphire Hoe

SONG THRUSH

REDWING

DUNNOCK

GREY MULLET in the Wellington Dock Dover.

DRAKE TEAL now in full winter dress at Bushy Ruff 

-hangs around with the Mallards expecting to be fed.

GREY WAGTAIL Russell Gardens Dover.

GREAT CRESTED GREBE one of two in the harbour on the 30th.

Also had a week in Norfolk but will publish a separate account of that trip later.TTFN.