Sunday, March 11, 2018

πŸ“– #16 ~ Norfolk Weekend 2/2

🌀🌧10C Sunday 11th March 2018 ~ After yesterdays mad dash a more sedate start to the day at RSPB Titchwell Marsh. With no sign of the Snowy Owl here we parked at the reserve with impunity at around 9:30am. A Chiffchaff singing in the carpark was my first of the year.

After a look at the feeders, a single Brambling of note, a leisurely stroll along the West Bank path towards the beach, pausing at various spots to scan the freshwater marsh and across towards Thornham. Still around 100 or so Brent Geese, constantly chattering away and although we heard Bearded Tit within the reed bed we never quite managed to make contact, nor did we see the apparently 'showing well' Bittern at the Island Hide! However, to the East across the reed beds at least five active Marsh Harriers and along the channels Little Grebe, Gadwall and a half dozen Pochard, including three drakes.

Two of seventeen Mediterranean Gulls ~ Unfortunately in direct sunlight!
There's little scrape currently on the freshwater marsh but in places the water was low enough to support various numbers of Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit and four sleeping Knot. There seems to be an unprecedented number of Meditteranean Gulls currently, with seventeen today, although I'm aware of numbers of up to forty in recent weeks! The Bracken Marsh produced Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Knot, Ringed Plover and Curlew and a sea-watch was more productive than yesterday, with ten Long-tailed Ducks, (4) Goldeneye, drake Greater Scaup and single Great Crested Grebe!

On route back to the centre, just as a Red Kite drifted over, there was a sudden exodus of the reserve! Would this have had anything to do with fact that the Snowy Owl had just be found once again, this time at RSPB Snettisham.

Bird Species Seen

Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Brent Goose, Mallard, Gadwall, Pintail, Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal, Pochard, Scaup, Tufted Duck, Long-tailed Duck, Goldeneye, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Sanderling, Turnstone, Dunlin, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Meditteranean Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, SNOWY OWL, Barn Owl, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Song THrush, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Goldcrerst, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Bearded Tit (H), Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Brambling, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, Snow Bunting

Other

Roe Deer, Muntjac, Brown Hare