Trip to Rutland, Suffolk and Norfolk (Part Three)

Suffolk and Norfolk Part Three.

Morning awakes sublime – glad earth and sky

Oer the easts illuminated canopy

 Shade of its makers majesty the sun

Gleams in its living light – from cloud to cloud

Streaks of all colours beautiful run

Words from John Clare’s Sunrise

Whooper and Bewick Swan courtesy of Sam Hood

Day six.  It was a beautiful morning with clear blue sky and temperatures gradually rising.  It reached 17C in the afternoon and it was like summer.  We began the day with a wonderful walk along the coastal path next to Stiffkey Marshes.  The hedges were alive with small passerines including Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch and Bullfinch.  Stonechat, Reed Bunting were close by in the low bushes on the marsh and Skylarks sang.  We watched Marsh Harrier, Red Kite and Golden Plover flying over the marshland, and Little Egret, Great White Egret and Grey Heron were present along with waterfowl.  Pink Footed Geese flew overhead.

This morning gave us our best sightings of Brent Geese that were in small flocks all along the marsh and close to the pathway.  This time it was my turn to spend time with my favourite goose species and they weren’t at all disturbed by our walking so close by them.  Eventually many took off in small skeins.  This was truly a wonderfully atmospheric walk in tranquil marshland area with wide open spaces and expansive skyscape which Norfolk supplies aplenty.

Later in the day we visited Warham Hill Fort.  Occupied once by the Iceni tribe, of which I have to admit I know little.  I initially thought it would be a small round area on a small mound.  I was in for a surprise as it is a really large, impressive structure.  Sam has been here in summer and tells me this chalk grassland is then covered in flowers and attractive to butterflies including the Chalkhill Blue Butterfly.  I settled for the fort, the heat from the sun and 10 Common Buzzards in the air together.

Sam at Warham Fort

We stopped off at Wells-next-the -sea which was heaving with folk, it being half-term down there.  A break was taken in a teashop which had a feel of something from the 1940s, not that even I remember that far back.  Our next stop was to be Holkham which was also busy with folk.  We had more Red Kites, Marsh Harriers and waterfowl here, but what we were really after was the Shore Lark.  A walk through the tall Corsican Pines brought us out onto the expansive beach and as we walked the crowds depleted.  It always amazes me that folk come to these places and seem not to walk too far and therefore stay huddled together in droves.  We found the Shore Larks, directions given by a fellow birder helped.  We caught sight of the small flock lifting and so followed them to the feeding position within a very large rope off area.  Very good conservation management.  There was 10 Shore Larks of which we had very good sightings of them on the ground feeding.  Another highlight of the trip.  Neither of us had ever seen this number together.  Another birder joined us and it turned out that he was up from London for the day and from Epping Forest where John Clare was first incarcerated in an asylum, so we had an interesting chat about this.  The guy hadn’t known that Clare had escaped from there and over five days living rough had walked home to Helpston.  Sadly, his freedom didn’t last long as he was placed in Northampton Asylum for the rest of his days, although still able to write brilliant poetry for much of that time,

Mist blankets the sun at Holkham

On the return walk in the late afternoon the mist began to come in from the sea quite quickly.  As we walked through the pines, shafts of sunlight shone down through the mist rather like stage lighting, giving an ethereal feel to the whole area.  We looked for possible Firecrest and/or Crossbill without success, only gaining stiff necks and sighting of tits..

Once back to the car we found the sun almost blocked out by the mist, but as we drove on towards our next accommodation the sky cleared again and the sun shone brightly.  We reached our accommodation at Titchwell just in time to watch hundreds of Pink Footed Geese flying to roost as they drew letters in the sky.  As the sky cleared of the geese it was time for us to once again book into our accommodation.

Mammals seen today, Chinese Water Deer, Muntjac Deer, Brown Hare and Grey Squirrel.

Muntjac Deer seen feeding at Minsmere previos days.  Courtesy of Sam.

Day seven. This was to be our final full day of the trip and it proved to be another clear sunny and mild one.  We found the accommodation to be quite luxurious and the bathroom was larger than many hotel rooms I have stayed in. 

We were early arrivals at RSPB Titchwell and had sighting of Brambling near the feeders area.  Sam spotted a Stoat whilst I was otherwise engaged.  The reserve was very busy today.  We found many waders and waterfowl previously seen and listed already so I won’t bore readers with them again, but instead just stick to the new and most relevant sightings.  It wasn’t lone before we found the Spoonbill and soon found that there were a pair of them, at times on the pool and at other times out on the marsh.  A flock of Knot were seen and Sam picked out Mediterranean Gull and we were surprised we hadn’t seen more of them during the week.  Maybe we just aren’t gull people.  From the main hide we had very good sightings of Water Pipit, so that meant we had three species of pipit today, Water, Meadow and Rock Pipit.

Continuing our walk down to the beach the sea initially looked clear of birdlife, but patience brought us Black Necked Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Long Tailed Duck and Red Breasted Merganser.  Flocks of Sanderling were feeding along the tideline.  Time past quickly at what is a fine reserve.  Before we had a bite to eat we were able to watch a very tame Muntjac Deer almost acting like a pet dog just feet away, obviously so used to the reserve visitors. 

Snettisham was to be the next stop but we called into the woodlands at Wild Ken Hill.  We took a rathe nice walk here in peace and quiet, but there were few birds about in the area we walked.  Locals confirmed that this wasn’t unusual.  However, we did add Nuthatch to our list, one heard calling from high in the trees.  Then it was onto Snettisham.

On arrival I found that at the start of what was going to be a longish walk neither my mind nor my body was very willing.  I was in short, cream crackered.  Even Sam was feeling the pace now and he faced a long drive tomorrow.  We had walked some miles this week.  So we did what two brave Geordies would do, we gave up and decided to head back to the hotel and spend the late afternoon enjoying our accommodation.  Well, we did this, but not without spotting and hearing a Kingfisher.

Us boys in action.  Courtesy of Sam.

After a laze around we felt ready for our evening out.  We were meeting Ptolemy again at Great Walsingham where he has his digs and we were going to eat at the aptly named pub The Dabbling Duck.  A very nice pub where we had an equally nice meal and good chat.  By now it was raining but we didn’t care.  On the drive back to the hotel we had a close encounter with a Barn Owl perched by the road on a fence.  It became the 85^th bird species of our last day, the most we had seen on any one day this week.  Not a bad ending to our trip!

Mammals today were Muntjac Deer, Stoat and Grey Squirrel.

Day eight.  This was our return day.  We decided against stopping of at The Wash as the weather wasn’t brilliant and in truth I think now we were on the way back home we just wanted to get back.  Kestrel, Common Buzzard and Red Kite were among birds seen on the journey.

It goes without saying that my trip with Sam was an excellent one, it helps that we can both be as daft as each other and there is laughter all along the way, but we do know when to keep quiet and enjoy the nature around us and that’s what makes us such a good naturalist duo.  We’d also met some very friendly folk along the way.  Sam is back to work this week and off to the Antarctic again (in the air as I post).  He has a hard life!  Ha Ha.  Before he says anything, I do know he works very hard and long hours on these trips, but what an experience!

Sam's favorite Geese species.  White Fronted.  Courtesy of Sam.

I’ve included a bird list below of species seen during the trip.  Now I thought initially it was 113 species, then I found I’d missed a couple off and it came to 115.  When I counted this list I have become crossed eyed and found 116 so the final number is work in progress.  Either 115 or 116 bird species.  Please feel free to count them and let me know.

I tried to list five highlights of the trip, but there were so many I found it impossible.

An image that sums up a perfect trip.  Courtesy of Sam.

Hope you enjoyed the reports.

Complete Bird List for Trip.

Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Bewick Swan, White Fronted Geese, Pink Footed Geese, Greylag Geese,  Canada Geese, Barnacle Geese, Brent Geese, Shelduck, Egyptian Geese, Mallard, Gadwall, Pintail, Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Long Tailed Duck, Goldeneye, Smew, Goosander, Red Breasted Merganser, Grey Partridge, Pheasant, Black Necked Grebe, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Bittern, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Grey Heron, Spoonbill, Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Crane, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Sanderling, Turnstone, Dunlin, Redshank, Black Tailed Godwit, Bar Tailed Godwit, Curlew, Common Snipe, Ruff, Long Billed Dowitcher, B H Gull, C Gull, H Gull, Med Gull, G B B Gull, L B B Gull, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Barn Owl, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Shore Lark, Water Pipit, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Wren Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Blackbird, Cetti’s Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Bearded Tit, Nuthatch, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Brambling, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Siskin, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting, Snow Bunting.  (115) or is it 116?  

Mammals List.  Red Deer, Muntjac Deer, Chinese Water Deer, Brown Hare, Rabbit, Stoat, Grey Squirrel, Brown Rat and Grey Seal.