Flora and fauna in Norfolk - days three and four.

Day 3 – A leg stretch and a rarity.

After another hearty breakfast, we had the walk to Blakeney Point ahead of us, an eight mile round walk, through thick shingle, over dunes and open salt marsh, but it is always worth it. The Norfolk Wildlife Trusts along with volunteers erect temporary fencing at this time of year ensuring closed off areas to the public but allowing a safe haven for nesting birds on the shingle and amongst the vegetation. immediately in the first fenced off area we were watching nesting Oystercatchers, Avocet, Black-headed Gulls and Ringed Plovers. One particular scene involved a Black-headed Gull which had made its nest in the centre of a clump of Sea Campion, and the picture looked beautiful and peaceful. The salt marshes over to our left had Pheasants, Brent and Greylag Geese, Skylarks, Reed Buntings and Lapwing present. As we continued along the shingle walk on the beach, a flock of 9 Whimbrel flew overhead towards the salt marsh and its inlets, and already we were starting to see Little and Common Terns flying back and forth – many with Sand Eels which they had caught. Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls were patrolling the sea, and the Little Terns gave us tantalising views as they dived into the sea to emerge with a Sand Eel – they are skilful at flying and really entertained with their almost squeaky calls.  Blakeney Point is a National Nature Reserve situated near to the villages of Blakeney, Morston and Cley next the Sea on the north coast of Norfolk, England. Its main feature is a 6.4 km spit of shingle and sand dunes, but the reserve also includes salt marshes, tidal mudflats and reclaimed farmland

A Black-headed Gull has made her nest in a bed of Sea Campion - a beautiful scene

It was hard work walking through thick shingle, but the reward was seeing the terns up close and seeing thick patches of Sea Campion in flower, interspersed with smaller clumps of Sea Kale in flower. A mummified Badger had washed up on the beach and the odd carcass of what looked to be Guillemots were dotted about in several places. After what seemed like forever, we reached the grass and sand paths of the dune system. Suddenly it felt like you were walking on the Moon as the legs took full advantage of not having the shingle to negotiate and felt very light indeed. Armed with a flask of tea and some bags of crisps, it was time for a well-earned sit down in the dunes. We sipped our tea listening to the ‘piping’ calls of Oystercatchers and the loud calls of Common Redshanks over the salt marsh ahead, and the calls got louder as a female Marsh Harrier appeared and was quickly moved on by the Redshanks and Oystercatchers, which joined forces to push her out. A Common Whitethroat sang somewhere from the safety of the Glassworts and Linnets passed by in small groups. Meadow Pipits made brief appearances, but with beaks full of insects for the waiting young they quickly and quietly moved on. Likewise, we quietly moved on through the dunes and then back onto some more shingle which took us to the main dune system, where Dune Pansy in flower ( a blue form) was nice to see. Sea Thrift formed carpets of deep pink amongst the yellow of Kidney Vetch. This for me is the best part of this walk, with plenty to see wildlife wise, but with some local landmarks of interest too.

The Yankee and a plantation.

The remains of a boat called the Yankee can be found in the area now known as ‘Yankee Ridge’.  A wreck was found on a sand dune ridge. It measured 24m long by 4.5m wide and had a steel-hull with concrete panelling towards the prow. These remains are always worth a look before heading back to cross the salt marsh back into the dune system. It can also be a good place for Wheatears in the spring and autumn.  Our destination however was ‘the plantation’.  This is an amazing area bird wise and over the years there have been some spectacular ‘migrant falls’, and it is a regular hot spot for rarities to turn up.

Dune Pansy in 'blue form'

The ‘plantation’ is an area of trees including a Sycamore, Pines and shrubs housed inside a fence, and it is this small area which is the first thick area of vegetation that birds entering the area off the North Sea get to see. It is a welcome feeding and resting place and at the right time it can be alive with migrants (for a detailed understanding of Blakeney Point including the plantation, see the excellent wildlife book by James McCallum entitled The Long, Wild Shore – ISBN 978-0-9541695-5-8).  Another cup of tea and a second packet of crisps was on the cards as we sat looking over the plantation. My tea and crisp refuelling stop was short-lived, as soon I could see a small bird flitting about in the trees. I moved a little closer and was able to get my binoculars onto it. As I looked I could see it was a warbler, with a thick white eye stripe and faint wing bar, with a green back and lighter front – brilliant, I was looking right at a Greenish Warbler, only my second ever sighting of this species (Bulgaria was the previous sighting location). It flew across to the Yucca plant before disappearing into a patch known as the garden and could not be located. Returning to our flasks, we also watched a female Pied Flycatcher, a male Blackcap and a Chiffchaff in the plantation.

Male Little Tern enticing its mate with a freshly caught Sand Eel. They mated soon after 

The tide had gone out now so we decided to give the shingle a miss and walk along the soft sand to rest the legs a little. The Little Tern colony is now situated on the Point, so the anticipated close views I was hoping for (along with the Seal colony) were sadly not to be. Several bull Seals were out on a distant sand spit, and as we walked along the beach we continued to watch Common, Sandwich and Little Terns passing. A group of birds out on the water caught my eye and turned out to be three female and one male Eider ducks, with the male almost in ‘eclipse’ plumage. Four Whimbrel called high overhead as they headed out over the North Sea – I'm guessing there destination would be Norway or Scandanavia next? After what seemed like a lifetime we reached the car park.

A tweet came through of a Barn Owl hunting over Kelling Meadows which wasn’t far away, so we drove the short distance there. Unfortunately there was no sign of the owl, but we did note a pair of Egyptian Geese with two young, a Greenshank, a pair of Grey Partridges in a field, a Kestrel hovering and literally hundreds of Woodpigeons in the fields. Returning to the car another report came in this time of a 1^st calendar year American Golden plover back at Cley car park. Being a lifer for both of us we raced over to see it. By the time we got to see it, after much debate, the birding fraternity had come to the conclusion that it was more than likely a Golden Plover. I got some pictures just in case, and throughout the time we watched it , it just sat in the shingle so the under wings could not be seen which would be a good identification feature.  The jury is out on this one. That evening, with legs feeling like cement, a well earned pub meal and a pint awaited us in the Three Swallows in Cley.

Day four – The return to reality.

After breakfast we said our goodbyes to Wendy and Ray at the b+b and headed off home. En-route however we took in a stop at Weeting Heath to see the nesting Stone Curlews. Arriving at the reserve we paid the entrance fee and made our way down to the East Hide. We timed it well, as the male was running about in the open, with the superbly camouflaged female sat on the nest. Like the Dotterel earlier in the week, the camera shots were very distant and not worth including here, but through the telescopes the views were excellent. A distant male Sparrowhawk was circling and a pair of Lapwings moved on a Carrion Crow that strayed too close to their nesting site. Back at the reserve centre a live camera has been set up which shows the female sitting very close on the nest. The young were due to be hatched around the day before our visit, but there was a little concern that the eggs may not hatch as time  was getting on?  Fingers crossed all is ok.

Close up of a male Pheasant visiting the feeding station. 

Along the little woodland walk is another hide where an excellent feeding station has been erected along with a pool for the birds to drink and bathe. The feeding station was very busy, and we clocked up a number of species including 3 male Yellowhammers, Pheasant, Blackbirds, Coal Tits, Blue and Great Tits, Wren, Robins, Goldfinches, Nuthatch, a single Marsh Tit, male Blackcap, Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Dunnock. A distant Green Woodpecker was heard and Crossbills were tantalisingly close in the adjacent Pine trees, but they did not come down for a drink on this occasion. A Bank Vole scurried through the leaf litter and a Brimstone was chased off by a Speckled Wood butterfly.  Several Orange Tip butterflies were seen along with a Large White, and back at the centre where a cuppa and some snacks were consumed, a Kestrel and a Buzzard circled overhead. It was early afternoon and time to hit the road again, and reminisce on what had been a great four days of birding – with 14 lifers for Blair and 1 for me, and
112 species of bird seen.  Here's to the next visit.

All pictures copyright of N J Davies