Weather: Bright with plenty of cloud cover, very blustery & cold. From 915am.
First visit to the new(ish) reserve, the first location of hopefully quite a few over Easter.
In the carpark & towards the visitors' centre:
Rook, Chaffinch, Linnet & Great Tit on the feeders.
Onto the reserve & the first reedbeds:
Coot, Woodpigeon, Tufted Duck, & a pair of Marsh Harriers over the reeds battling against the wind.
Continuing up the track between the reedbeds & first poplar plantation an abrupt, loud squealing notified that a Water Rail was nearby although it was not seen.
A bit further up a Roe Deer watched from the middle of the track, but had slipped into the reeds before I could get my camera out.
Lingering in the area, quite a bit of activity in the reeds & overhead:
Wren, Stock Dove, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Grey Heron, Canada Goose, Mute Swan & possible Bearded Tit.
At the furthest end of the reserve that was open, although some of the reserve was closed due to the sensitive nesting time of the year, a Cormorant perched on a large dead tree & others flew overhead.
Continuing up to the viewpoint & the shelter there, I heard a distinctive call & as I crested the slight rise to the viewpoint two Cranes, large wingspans prominent, flew into view & then into the reeds. Quite a bird to see in Norfolk, especially so close & a speciality of the reserve with a couple of pairs apparently nesting.
Leaving the reedbed area & climbing onto the river-wall public footpath:
Green Woodpecker, Magpie, Reed Bunting.
On the river & marshy area viewed from the river-wall:
Great-Crested Grebe, Wigeon, Teal, Oystercatcher, Shoveler.
On the larger stretch of water near to the visitors' centre, good numbers of duck (including those already seen) & especially gull:
Gadwall, more Wigeon, Little Grebe, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Common Gull.
Finally heading back to the car:
Blue Tit on the feeders, Moorhen.
32 species (not including Water Rail or Roe deer), none new.
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