5 Hours Along The Coast Road – Wednesday 10th December 2014
We left home about 10.15am it was a lovely bright but cold morning
(7°C)
The journey to North Norfolk began well with a Sparrowhawk at Ashill
which conveniently showed as we pulled up at some temporary traffic lights so I
could watch it hunt along the side of a row of trees and hedging. We saw another
one as we passed through Gayton.
On the way we passed through Great Bircham and in the fields just
before the village were thousands of Geese these were the first of getting on
for about a hundred thousand Geese of various types we were to see during the
day.
Arriving at Choseley Barns we disturbed a group of 20+ Goldfinches
(collective noun – Charm, Chattering, Drum or Troubling), which were flitting
about the various seed heads. Farms like the one at Choseley are so important
for our wildlife, with it’s big wide field margins that have been allowed to go
to seed.
Moving on down to Thornham, after a quick emergency stop at RSPB
Titchwell’s toilets, we arrived to see an enormous flock of Lapwings
(collective noun – Desert or Deceit) flying above the beach. Plenty of other
birds moving about in the creeks: Redshank, Curlew, Little Egret and some Twite
that have been there for a few weeks and in the road coming down to the harbour
we saw another group of Goldfinches and a few Greenfinches.
It’s always a joy to be in North Norfolk but on a day like today it
must be the nearest thing to heaven. Yes, I know there are many beautiful
places in the UK but North Norfolk must certainly rank up with the top of them
especially on a bright Winter’s day.
Carrying onwards on our easterly journey along the Coast Road (A149)
our next stop was at Brancaster Staithe where again quite a few birds: Teal,
Redshank, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Black Headed Gull,
Black-tailed Godwit, Little Egret with plenty of Geese in the air. Mainly Brent
Geese here but there were a few other types that we didn’t get a close enough
look at to identify them properly. We almost had the Staithe to ourselves.
Teal at Brancaster Staithe
The River Burn Brancaster Staithe
We continued Eastwards having a short stop at Burnham Norton where
there plenty of Geese feeding but most of them were well concealed, we could
make out one group of Brent Geese before we moved back onto the A149 stopping
briefly at West End Watermill to look at some Mute Swans, Mallard and Moorhens
on the River Burn.
Meadow Pipit - Burnham Overy Staithe
Stopping at Burnham Overy Staithe where we watched a cormorant successfully
fishing in the River Burn which forms most of the Staithe but there were plenty
of other birds about: Ringed Plover, a Meadow Pipit, Little Egret, Teal,
Redshank, Brent Geese, a flock of about 20 Twite, Kestrel, Herring Gull,
Curlew, Turnstone and a few Great Black-backed Gulls.
After leaving Burnham Overy Staithe we continued along the coast
road until we came to a little lay-by, created by birdwatchers’ cars over the
years, just after a left hand bend. This little pull in is often jammed packed
with cars (it only holds four at a pinch) but today it only had one other car
so we took the opportunity to pull in. On a fine day this lay-by offers one of
the finest viewpoints along the coast road overlooking Holkham Freshmarsh. As
we stopped a Peregrine Falcon took to the air followed shortly afterwards by
half a dozen Curlew. The sky was alive with skein after skein of Geese but when
you looked down to the Freshmarsh all you could see was Geese. There must have
been tens of thousands in our view. They were a bit too far to identify clearly
but they just went on and on and on and we were still a few miles from Holkham
itself. As we carried onto Holkham I saw through the hedges what I at first
thought was an Owl but it then landed on a post and I could quite clearly see
it was a Buzzard and then just a little further on we saw a Kestrel hovering by
the roadside.
We pulled into Lady Anne’s Drive and we couldn’t believe what we saw
it was just field after field of Geese and Ducks and over their heads skeins of
Geese were perpetually taking off and heading inland. It was like being at
Heathrow Airport but for Geese. This sight must rank as one of the “must see”
sights for any nature lover, we’ve seen it many times but it still takes your
breath away. We could see thousands of Pink-footed Geese and intermingled with
them were Wigeon and Moorhens weaving their way in and out the mass of Geese.
Pink-footed Geese & Wigeon Holkham
Brent Geese Holkham
Our next stop was at the National Trust Car Park overlooking
Stiffkey Saltmarshes and again there were plenty of birds moving East and West.
We saw A Buzzard moving towards Morston, you could see 5 Little Egrets plenty
of Curlew milling about and Geese both in the air and on the ground. What did
surprise me after Jan pointed it out to me was that you could clearly see the
Grey Seals spread along Blakeney Point which this week officially became the
largest breeding colony of Grey Seals in the UK overtaking the Farne Islands in
Northumberland.
The time was now getting on, it was about 3.20pm and the light was
beginning to go, even though it was a bright day. We decided to go straight to
Salthouse to see if we could catch a glimpse of the Arctic and Lapland Buntings
that are normally there, we thought it was a bit late in the day but there was
no harm in trying. On the way we saw two Marsh Harriers preparing to come into
roost at Cley Nature Reserve. We went to the end of Beach Road at Salthouse
where the National Trust Car Park used to be but is no longer there after last
year’s storm surge, which happened just a few days over a year ago.
Car Park Signs At Salthouse
There was some Brent Geese, a few Crows, Black Headed Gulls,
Turnstones and Pied Wagtails but no Buntings of any type but what we did see
were two first winter Caspian Gulls and one of them was sporting a long leg
ring but unfortunately I couldn’t see the number, this one completely eluded
any pictures or video as he hid behind a road sign. The light was really going
now so we decided to go back to Cley Beach to have our coffee. As we went back
down Beach Road at Salthouse we saw a Little Egret, two Little Grebes and a
Hare happily munching on the grass.
1st Winter Caspian Gull
As we came up to the car park at Cley there was a group of about 200
Brent Geese, which took off as we had our coffee in the Beach Car Park. As it
was now nearly dark we decided to head for home after a good and varied day
with a new first for us with the Caspian Gull.
Quiz
The word is JINX. The
Wryneck was formally called the Jynx and its modern scientific name is Jynx
Torquilla. It is a bark coloured migratory Woodpecker that now seldom nests in
Britain, although it was widespread in the 19th and even into the
middle of the 20th century. We are beginning to get more passing
through the UK. Jan and I were lucky enough to see one a few years ago at RSPB
Minsmere. Although the experience was rather spoilt by an eager group of
Twitchers who insisted on trying to get nearer and nearer to the poor bird
until it took fright and flew off.
This Week’s Question
The name of which sporting
freshwater fish combines elements from 1. A black white and red Butterfly whose
caterpillars feed on stinging nettles. 2. A Springtime Butterfly related to the
whites, whose males are more colourful than the females. 3. A Bunting said to
sing “A little bit of bread and cheese.” 4. A bird that was a Professor in
Bagpuss. 5. The wild endymion. 6. A North American Bunting and 7. Piglet’s
favourite flower?
Answers after the next entry. Keep your eyes peeled and good
spotting.
We left home about 10.15am it was a lovely bright but cold morning
(7°C)
The journey to North Norfolk began well with a Sparrowhawk at Ashill
which conveniently showed as we pulled up at some temporary traffic lights so I
could watch it hunt along the side of a row of trees and hedging. We saw another
one as we passed through Gayton.
On the way we passed through Great Bircham and in the fields just
before the village were thousands of Geese these were the first of getting on
for about a hundred thousand Geese of various types we were to see during the
day.
Arriving at Choseley Barns we disturbed a group of 20+ Goldfinches
(collective noun – Charm, Chattering, Drum or Troubling), which were flitting
about the various seed heads. Farms like the one at Choseley are so important
for our wildlife, with it’s big wide field margins that have been allowed to go
to seed.
Moving on down to Thornham, after a quick emergency stop at RSPB
Titchwell’s toilets, we arrived to see an enormous flock of Lapwings
(collective noun – Desert or Deceit) flying above the beach. Plenty of other
birds moving about in the creeks: Redshank, Curlew, Little Egret and some Twite
that have been there for a few weeks and in the road coming down to the harbour
we saw another group of Goldfinches and a few Greenfinches.
It’s always a joy to be in North Norfolk but on a day like today it
must be the nearest thing to heaven. Yes, I know there are many beautiful
places in the UK but North Norfolk must certainly rank up with the top of them
especially on a bright Winter’s day.
Carrying onwards on our easterly journey along the Coast Road (A149)
our next stop was at Brancaster Staithe where again quite a few birds: Teal,
Redshank, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Black Headed Gull,
Black-tailed Godwit, Little Egret with plenty of Geese in the air. Mainly Brent
Geese here but there were a few other types that we didn’t get a close enough
look at to identify them properly. We almost had the Staithe to ourselves.
We continued Eastwards having a short stop at Burnham Norton where
there plenty of Geese feeding but most of them were well concealed, we could
make out one group of Brent Geese before we moved back onto the A149 stopping
briefly at West End Watermill to look at some Mute Swans, Mallard and Moorhens
on the River Burn.
Stopping at Burnham Overy Staithe where we watched a cormorant successfully
fishing in the River Burn which forms most of the Staithe but there were plenty
of other birds about: Ringed Plover, a Meadow Pipit, Little Egret, Teal,
Redshank, Brent Geese, a flock of about 20 Twite, Kestrel, Herring Gull,
Curlew, Turnstone and a few Great Black-backed Gulls.
After leaving Burnham Overy Staithe we continued along the coast
road until we came to a little lay-by, created by birdwatchers’ cars over the
years, just after a left hand bend. This little pull in is often jammed packed
with cars (it only holds four at a pinch) but today it only had one other car
so we took the opportunity to pull in. On a fine day this lay-by offers one of
the finest viewpoints along the coast road overlooking Holkham Freshmarsh. As
we stopped a Peregrine Falcon took to the air followed shortly afterwards by
half a dozen Curlew. The sky was alive with skein after skein of Geese but when
you looked down to the Freshmarsh all you could see was Geese. There must have
been tens of thousands in our view. They were a bit too far to identify clearly
but they just went on and on and on and we were still a few miles from Holkham
itself. As we carried onto Holkham I saw through the hedges what I at first
thought was an Owl but it then landed on a post and I could quite clearly see
it was a Buzzard and then just a little further on we saw a Kestrel hovering by
the roadside.
We pulled into Lady Anne’s Drive and we couldn’t believe what we saw
it was just field after field of Geese and Ducks and over their heads skeins of
Geese were perpetually taking off and heading inland. It was like being at
Heathrow Airport but for Geese. This sight must rank as one of the “must see”
sights for any nature lover, we’ve seen it many times but it still takes your
breath away. We could see thousands of Pink-footed Geese and intermingled with
them were Wigeon and Moorhens weaving their way in and out the mass of Geese.
Our next stop was at the National Trust Car Park overlooking
Stiffkey Saltmarshes and again there were plenty of birds moving East and West.
We saw A Buzzard moving towards Morston, you could see 5 Little Egrets plenty
of Curlew milling about and Geese both in the air and on the ground. What did
surprise me after Jan pointed it out to me was that you could clearly see the
Grey Seals spread along Blakeney Point which this week officially became the
largest breeding colony of Grey Seals in the UK overtaking the Farne Islands in
Northumberland.
The time was now getting on, it was about 3.20pm and the light was
beginning to go, even though it was a bright day. We decided to go straight to
Salthouse to see if we could catch a glimpse of the Arctic and Lapland Buntings
that are normally there, we thought it was a bit late in the day but there was
no harm in trying. On the way we saw two Marsh Harriers preparing to come into
roost at Cley Nature Reserve. We went to the end of Beach Road at Salthouse
where the National Trust Car Park used to be but is no longer there after last
year’s storm surge, which happened just a few days over a year ago.
There was some Brent Geese, a few Crows, Black Headed Gulls,
Turnstones and Pied Wagtails but no Buntings of any type but what we did see
were two first winter Caspian Gulls and one of them was sporting a long leg
ring but unfortunately I couldn’t see the number, this one completely eluded
any pictures or video as he hid behind a road sign. The light was really going
now so we decided to go back to Cley Beach to have our coffee. As we went back
down Beach Road at Salthouse we saw a Little Egret, two Little Grebes and a
Hare happily munching on the grass.
As we came up to the car park at Cley there was a group of about 200
Brent Geese, which took off as we had our coffee in the Beach Car Park. As it
was now nearly dark we decided to head for home after a good and varied day
with a new first for us with the Caspian Gull.
The word is JINX. The
Wryneck was formally called the Jynx and its modern scientific name is Jynx
Torquilla. It is a bark coloured migratory Woodpecker that now seldom nests in
Britain, although it was widespread in the 19th and even into the
middle of the 20th century. We are beginning to get more passing
through the UK. Jan and I were lucky enough to see one a few years ago at RSPB
Minsmere. Although the experience was rather spoilt by an eager group of
Twitchers who insisted on trying to get nearer and nearer to the poor bird
until it took fright and flew off.
Its modern English name of
Wryneck (and also another old name for it of Snake Bird) refers to its
ability to turn its head through more
than 360°. In the past, it was caught and tied to a wheel for the casting of
spells that involved turning or returning events, hence putting a jinx on
someone or something. Nowadays it is just hounded by Twitchers, will we ever
learn?
The name of which sporting
freshwater fish combines elements from 1. A black white and red Butterfly whose
caterpillars feed on stinging nettles. 2. A Springtime Butterfly related to the
whites, whose males are more colourful than the females. 3. A Bunting said to
sing “A little bit of bread and cheese.” 4. A bird that was a Professor in
Bagpuss. 5. The wild endymion. 6. A North American Bunting and 7. Piglet’s
favourite flower?
Answers after the next entry. Keep your eyes peeled and good
spotting.
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