2:10pm to 5:20pm. Weather: cold, bright & breezey (easterly).
Attempt to connect with the reported shore lark & to reacquaint myself with one of my absolute favourite parts of Norfolk.
Carpark:
Greylag Goose - approximately 200 in the fields around the car-park.
Canada Goose - in with the greylags.
Common Gull - over.
Chalet Scrapes:
Mallard, Tufted Duck.
Goldeneye - lone male.
Cormorant, Coot.
Shoreline:
Snow Bunting - good-sized flocks amongst along the shore next to the gate after the chalets, often quite close to the path, including a couple of individuals that were becoming more white as spring approaches.
Linnet - even larger flocks of up to 20 active along the shore & nearby bushes, & even closer to the path. A good scan looking for reported twite drew a blank but I had great close-up views of adults & first winter birds. I also had to admit defeat with the shore larks because none showed, although I was assured a couple of times that 'they were there earlier'.
Scrapes & Mudflats:
Little Grebe, Shelduck, Dunnock, Dunlin, Knot, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Lapwing.
Shoreline
Blackbird, Goldfinch.
Grey Plover - a few inviduals.
Wigeon - grazing on vegetation adjacent to the shore.
Meadow Pipit, Black-Headed Gull.
Hide:
Gadwall, Shoveler, Great Black-Backed Gull, Oystercatcher.
Far Marshes:
Barn Owl - a good scan of the marshes towards Wolverton soon revealed a quartering individual; a reliable spot. Later, back towards the carpark I was treated to great close-up of one quartering a rough field adjacent to the first scrapes next to the chalets. It eventually flew off inland over the seawall where, after I crested the wall, I could see it continuing to hunt all the way up to the far end of the reserve.
Pathside Scrub:
Moorhen, Wren, Woodpigeon, Magpie (2).
Car-park:
Pink-Footed Goose - flocks of a few hundred over as dusk descended. I'd met a couple of people who were waiting for them & they caused me to pull-over & take a few photos.
34 species.
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