Sunday 14th July, and Billy no-mates was heading off for 2 nights in Lincs
and Norfolk.
First stop
was one of my favourites, Frampton Marsh. Chris, (another one!!, this one a
regular RSPB volunteer and one of the RSPB Boston cruise announcers) was on
duty and pointed out the Black Necked Grebe in front of the visitor
centre actively feeding a youngster.
As there was
nothing else to see from the main hide, I went to the sea wall, and enjoyed the
sight of 5 Spoonbills in a row. Masses of Black Tailed Godwits, and a good
number of Avocets were all over the reserve.
After lunch I
drove on to Hunstanton where I was to bed down for 2 nights for B & B at
The Shelbrooke Guest House. I’d stayed at several sleeperies in Hunstanton, but
this was a new venue.
Good start. I had booked a single room, which meant bring
a dressing gown ( = not en-suite!!), but I was informed that I had been
upgraded to a double room due to a last-minute cancellation. So that was good
news…. AND I had got the last place in the front car park… even better!!
In reply to
my question, the owner said they did not do black pudding for breakfast!!, but they
would get some in for Tuesday!!. and thye
did, and I could see other guests benefiting from MY request!!
Together with
a cup of Yorkshire Tea, I was then confined to my room for an hour… well I HAD
to watch the cricket final, right to the last memorable ball. Trouble was that
leaving the bedroom in frustration with the word “Tie” appearing on the Lords
score board, I did not find out who was declared the winner until late on.
Still, good news when I got it, even if there was debate raging about whether
it was 1 + 4 overthrows, or 2+ 4 overthrows!!
I know not
why, but at dawn and dusk, my bedroom window overlooking the roof tops of the
town, was a marvelous viewpoint for Swifts. Whizzing passed the window,
probably only 4/5 feet away, and with some of them screaming, it was a
privilege to be so close, and see them so clearly as I enjoyed my cup of
Horniman’s Tea!!!!
I slipped
down to the coast before dinner, and watched the last few nesting Fulmars
collecting food, and whilst it was the wrong time for Purple Sandpipers, some
Turnstones were in evidence.
Monday 15th July and it was just a short drive to Titchwell. And I nearly flattened my first, and only trip
addition on the A149 when a Partridge decided to cross the road in front of me;
fortunately (for me) it was close enough to see it was a Grey.
I guess
Monday is not a busy day for visitors, so it was quite quiet in the hides at
Titchwell. The Island Hide had good panoramic views, and an RSPB volunteer in
the hide like me, was in awe at seeing c500 Avocets come in to land.
Spectacular.
An abortive
walk to the water’s edge added nothing special, although with the sun and heat,
I could understand why Butterfly Alley (the walled path to the Parrinder hide)
was so named.
With little
to tick at the water’s edge, I retraced my steps, stopping at the Island Hide. A
good decision.
First of all,
very close in on the mud were 2 very small black headed gull chicks, with a
parent close by. Then literally just below the hide window, I could see a
slight movement in a ground nest, and as we watched a third chick literally
fell forward and out of the nest. As we watched it stumbled through the grass
stubble down to the water’s edge. It still had to cross a small water area to
finally reach the parent on the small mud bank where it finally dropped to the
ground with exhaustion. The doting parent, who had been calling the chick, and
flying to and fro to coerce it onwards spread her wings and proceeded to brood
the little feller.
It’s
experiences like that, whatever the species, makes witnessing of bird survival
is so exhilarating.
As a bonus, in the reeds in front of the hide we spotted a Bearded Tit foraging
away.
Next stop was
Holme Dunes and the Norfolk Wildlife Trust visitor centre, Bacon butty and a welcome cup of Typhoo!!
Sadly,
nothing special had been reported there, but I did spot a handsome Great White
Egret, with the bold yellow beak and the big S shape of the neck. I had decided
to visit the hides then the dunes. It turned out that if I had visited the dunes
THEN the hides, I would have seen the Osprey that was harassed by the Black
Headed gulls. C’est la vie.
I slipped
down to the harbour and water at Thornham, where it was nice to keep out of the
very strong sun, but nothing to see of a birding nature.
A final
comment about Hunstanton, and which serves to embrace my usual QI item about an
historic event, this time 50 years ago.. This is a picture of a small temporary
tribute on the grass bank on the sea front for the American Moon landing on
Sunday the 20th July 1966. On that date I was working for The
Automobile Association, and on the following day on a bus from Exeter to
Torquay, I recall eaves dropping on a conversation between 2 ladies, about what
an incredible achievement that had been on the previous day – which they were
reading about in a Monday edition.
Tuesday 16th July? Cley may have had
a little good bird news, but the distance in the wrong direction, on my own,
made me decide to have another look at Frampton (the same pattern as I did
earlier in the year), as the web had reported Curlew Sandpiper and Little
Stint.
Called in at
a large antique centre south of Kings Lynn to try and add to my Microtibialist
collection, but I dipped there too!!
*** see below
On arrival at
Frampton I gathered the Little Stint had not been reported, and the Curlew
Sandpiper was elusive. So, it was not my best trip with just 173 by the end of
the tour.
Such is
birding, and with the car recording 77 degrees… guess what ? Home James!
*** Made up for only adding 1 to my bird
collection, by adding these 3 to my Microtibialist collection, at the NEC on
Friday. Another ladies leg-shaped
walking stick; a small bone pipe-tamper, and a small leg-shaped needle
case.
He-ho…Win
some lose some!!
Happy Birding
