North Norfolk November Birdwatching 2019

The North Norfolk coast showing Blakeney, Cley and Salthouse

It was time to do an early trip to Norfolk for the birds and wildlife. Mike Cram, a close birding friend of mine from Bridgend and I had planned this trip for a while, and it was hit and miss with the weather, which actually turned out to be cold but dry - that will do. So, at 4am on the Friday morning Mike picked me up on the way through and off we set. A pit stop at Corley services saw us change drivers, and off we set towards Norfolk itself. Eventually the light got better and we started to see pre-Norfolk trip ticks such as Sparrowhawk and Red Kite. But soon enough we reached Norfolk herself, and this is when the fun really starts.

First port of call was Welney Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust - a familiar site for Mike but a new one for me, and I was not disappointed. A cup of Mikes flask tea went down well as did the customary Welsh cake - a little taste of home. As we sipped and chewed we started to clock up the species with Pheasants, Jay, Crows, Robin, House Sparrows, Canada Geese, Herring and Black-headed Gulls, Jackdaws, Greenfinches, Goldfinches and Linnets around and over the car park. A Kestrel was on the roof of the reserve building and a female Peregrine made a fly-by. Inside we were greeted by a very friendly staff member, and she explained where to pay, what had been seen and other useful information. As we talked, several Tree Sparrows (a species I have not seen for a while) were feeding on the bird feeders outside of the window. Now that was a good start. Out on the water was a mass of Whooper Swans, with Canada and Greylag Geese mixed in along with several Little Egrets. 

Male Tree Sparrow 

A bridge took us over to the dyke to the waiting bird hide, and immediately it became evident that there was a sheer abundance of wildfowl out on the water. There were some more Whooper Swans close in, adults and juveniles, and a number of the juveniles had been ringed. I noted a variety of sequences ready to send off to see where and when they were ringed, and noted CID, XXV, ZAJ, XKT and several others. Two artificial islands were covered with thousands of Black-tailed Godwits, all huddled together. After scanning through these huge flocks I was able to pick out at least five colour ringed birds. Nestled in amongst them was the odd Dunlin and Lapwing. Mike picked out a distant Cattle Egret in some reeds. The original staff member we spoke to joined us in the hide and we pointed out the different species. It makes such a difference when there is someone who is not only friendly but interested in what we had seen. Wigeon, Common Pochards, Moorhen, Coot, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Common Redshanks, Cormorants and a good number of Ruff were all watched from here

Black-tailed Godwits

Soon we moved on to visit the next hide, where more Black-tailed Godwits were on a patch of exposed mud. They were restless however as both Kestrels and Marsh Harriers were on the prowl, and several times they took flight and swirled around before finally settling back down again. A Cettis Warbler did what they do best - call loudly but remain hidden. We moved onto the final hide listening to a Wren along the way and noticing a few Horse Mushrooms at the side of the track - the usual fun guy comments came from Mike. In the last hide we watched a Little Grebe diving close in and a Grey heron passing through.

Black-tailed Godwits in flight 

This was where the Cattle Egret had been earlier but it had either moved on or was remaining well hidden in the patches of reeds. Meadow Pipits and Stock Doves were seen from the hide, and as we wanted to visit another site, we decided to slowly make our way back. En-route back to the reserve centre we saw 3 Fieldlfares with a single Redwing flying overhead, and a Wren serenaded us on and off. A Common Gull gave us a quick fly-by and a Pied Wagtail called but remained elusive. As we walked back to the reserve I noticed a distant Deer which at first I thought was a Chinese Water Deer but the face was not pretty enough. Muntjac Deer was considered next but it didn't seem quite right. It was a long way off. A reserve staff member when we enquired said that they get Roe Deer out on the reserve and this is what I had spotted - in fact there were six in total.

A colour ringed juvenile Whooper Swan

Our plan had been to visit Snetiisham for the high-tide wader roost, but as we travelled towards Snettisham the heavens opened, and it looked like rain was going to stop play. Neither of us fancied the one mile walk out to the wader roost, and with the rain persisting, it was 'plan b'.  Plan B turned out to be Titchwell, and as we arrived into the car park the rain started to ease off. With thick low cloud it was a little darker than normal, but undeterred we made our way onto the reserve. 270 Bar-tailed Godwits was a nice welcome for us from the first hide, along with 30+ Avocets, Gadwall, Mallards, Shelduck, Cormorants and at least 6 Marsh Harriers quartering the reed beds. The temperature had dropped considerably by now, which became evident when we left this hide to walk towards the sand dunes. People were slowly making their way back to their vehicles, and by the time we reached the dunes we had the reserve to ourselves. The Welsh are made of stern stuff. Prior to reaching the dunes, several Grey Plovers were picked out along with a single Brent Goose in the saltings, a Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Knot, 130+ Oystercatchers, Dunlin, Turnstone and Little Egrets.

Cley Marshes

Devoid of people and birders, we started to scan the beach, and a number of Sanderling ran back and forth as the waves lapped onto the shore. They always remind me of little clockwork toys that someone has let loose. At least forty were counted. The sea was very choppy with distant rain on the horizon slowly making its way towards us. The line of off-shore turbines were all but hidden in the low cloud. Being birders who have experienced all kinds of weather is one thing, but when you are trying to scan out at sea with streaming eyes and the telescope rocking back and forth in the wind, it soon becomes more than a challenge. We persevered a little longer noting a flock of Common Scoters flying right to left, with several adult and juvenile Gannets out at sea. Herring Gulls and the occasional Great Black-backed Gull were noted. I commented on how tough these birds really are, to make a life out at sea and have to battle such conditions. They put us to shame, and soon we headed back to the car. A Muntjac Deer was seen briefly on the way back.

Muntjac Deer trying to hide itself

We made our way to the B+B which is in Blakeney, and had a brief but close view of a Merlin at the roadside en-route, and a small flock of Pink-footed Geese were feeding in a stubble field. We reached our lodgings around 4.30pm and were greeted by our hosts Wendy and Ray Millard - who I have known for some years now having stayed here at least a dozen times, and each stay is warm, comfortable, very clean with everything in the rooms you could need, and made all the more pleasant by the lovely atmosphere and charisma of our hosts, and not to mention the legendary breakfast yet to come. So, after dropping off our bags in our rooms and freshening up, I took my bottle of Mavrodaphne of Patra, a 15% fruity red number over to Mikes room for a glass each before heading down (on foot) to the nearby hotel and restaurant. we both had vegetable lasagne washed down (for me) with a half of San Miguel and for Mike a pint of Guinness.

Egyptian Geese, now officially on the

                British bird list.

                    A choppy North Sea 

Day 2 - Breakfast and skeins.

More Pink-footed Geese 

A good nights sleep was followed by the legendary, superbly cooked (and wholesome) full English which sets you up for the day. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flying over the B+B was added to the trip list. The previous days cold wind had subsided and it was cold but dry. Cley Nature Reserve awaited us where the plan was to do the full square walk around the reserve, stopping off firstly in the hides. It was a little quiet on the lagoons from the hides, but we did see Marsh Harriers, Shelduck, Teal, Wigeon, Mallards and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. As we continued the walk around the perimeter of the reserve, a Kingfisher whizzed past. A distant Cattle Egret flew over the reserve and a Water Rail called from deep within the Phragmities Reeds. A Water Pipit called as it flew over and Collard Doves were near to the houses. 

A sad sight was this dead Guillimot on Cley Beach

Moving on to the East Bank, we noted Skylarks overhead and a pair of Egyptian Geese in with the Greylags on the salt marsh. Long Tailed Tits and Reed Buntings were heard, as was the ever-hidden Cettis, but a familiar call made us look up into the sky. Skeins of Pink-footed Geese with their soft yet far-carrying calls passed in the 'v' formation right over our heads in flocks of hundreds. This is one of natures more lovely sounds, and always evokes a sense of calm and wonder in me. I can see why my friend and local wildlife artist and author James McCallum enjoys sketching so many scenes with geese, and two of his books in particular,  Wild Goose Winter and Wild Skeins and Winter Skies reflect this spectacle of nature. Approaching the beach, Mike picked up the calls of Bearded Tits - I always struggle to pick up the 'pinging' call, and soon enough we had brief glimpses of a pair in the long reeds.A Long Tailed Duck had been reported on the pool to the left of the path, and soon we picked this bird out which was diving a lot, and added this to a growing list.

The sea was much calmer today, but the reported Little Auk was unfortunately no where to be seen. The usual Gannets were criss-crossing the waves and several Razorbills and Guillimots were here and there. Far out at sea and flying right to left were 4 Wigeon with a single Teal mixed in, and 4 Common Scoters made their way quickly past. The ever inquisitive Atlantic Grey Seals made their presence known, as their heads and necks protruded from the waves, only to disappear and reappear quite a few yards away but on the same trajectory. Skeins of Brent Geese also passed overhead and their call is totally different from the Pink-feets. Crunching away through the thick shingle, which was helping to burn off the breakfast, flashes of white appeared over the shingle to our left. Soon we were graced with close to 50 Snow Buntings, and mostly males which were giving off the flashes of white. We both managed only record shots, as a heat haze shimmered around them. Stopping off at various points along the beach to sea watch paid off with several Red-throated Divers seen and one Black-throated Diver which was an added bonus. 

It's a hard life sometimes being a Common Gull

As we walked down the bank back towards the reserve car park, a second Water Pipit was noted, and a small group of Brent Geese were feeding in the field with a single Herring Gull. En-route to the car we watched Golden Plovers, Curlew, Little Egrets, Little Grebes, Kestrels, Coot, Moorhens, Meadow Pipits, Dunlin, Blue Tits, Robin, Rooks, Chaffinches and Linnets. After a cup of tea we made our way over to Salthouse, stopping at the road side pool where several Common Gulls close in were nice to see.

Golden Plovers are always a delight to see

It was late afternoon, so we spent a little time sea watching from the shingle beach at Salthouse. A dead Guillimot was found on the shingle, with no rings or obvious clues as to its demise. The fields behind us and off into the distance had several Pheasants feeding in them and a covey of Red-legged Partridges. Passerines, possibly Skylarks were flying about over the fields, where suddenly out of nowhere, a Merlin dived in and took one of them, and proceeded to pluck its supper in the middle of the field. A few Hares were scurrying about in the fields, and it reminded us just how large they are. Sea watching produced more Guillimots, Razorbills and Gannets, and a Red-throated Diver still in partial summer plumage was riding the waves quite close in. A flock of 10 Wigeon were also riding the waves, and the odd head of a Seal poked up amongst the waves. A Shag on the water soon took off and was added to the list.  We were keeping an eye out as the light was slowly dropping, for possible Barn Owls over the fields and marshes behind us, but we were unlucky here. We decided to take a drive along some of the country lanes above Cley and follow these back down, but again any Owls or even Woodcocks eluded us. red-legged Partridges, two Common Buzzards and a Muntjac Deer showed however.

Dunlin may be small but they are cute

Just before heading to the B+B, I suggested stopping at a little roadside stop I know where in most years I had been successful with a Barn Owl hunting. We duly arrived and parked up, and within about ten minutes one was seen quartering the fields, and stopping to perch briefly on a fence post before moving off from where it had come. Excellent, we had been hoping to see a Barn Owl. It is always nice to catch up with species not seen for a while. Mike opened his bottle of wine back at the lodgings of which we had a glass each before fish was the order of the day at the usual eating establishment followed by a good nights sleep.

Day three - Garden birds and brekkie.

As we sat eating our breakfast, we are always looking to see what birds could be added to our Norfolk trip list, and a passing Red Kite was duly added along with a pair of Coal Tits. We had the usual pleasant chats with our hosts, and Wendy dug out a few plants for me to take back. The Winter Aconites I had from her on my last visit flourished back home. Some Glistening Ink Caps were growing in their front lawn. We said our good byes and paid the very reasonable rates for our two nights B+B and made our way towards Holkham. We planned to visit Titchwell again as the weather was more favourable, and it was somewhere nice to visit on our route back home out of Norfolk. A quick stop at Holkham didn't produce any geese in the fields so we quickly moved on. Stiffkey Marsh had the usual mix of gulls and ducks present as we drove past, but no signs of any egrets or waders. Arriving at Titchwell we picked up Goldcrest, Dunnock and Bullfinch in the trees for the list, and a Willow had some Blood-staining Bracket fungi growing on it.

Brent Geese feeding at Cley

Being a sunny Sunday morning, the reserve was understandably busy with bird watchers which is fine, plenty of room for everyone. Siskins were flying in and out of the Alder trees by the centre, and I enquired inside to see if the reported Little Bittern was still present. It had been seen only three times the previous day around Patsey's Pool but was proving very elusive. We moved on clocking Robin, Blackbird, Chaffinches and Cettis as we went. In the first hide we could see a mix of birds out on the water again, and scanning through the flock revealed 500+ Golden Plovers - the flecks of gold in the wings and back in particular glistening in the strong low sunlight. There were no other waders mixed in with them, and at one point something had spooked them as they all took flight with a loud 'whoosh' of their wings. They circled and swirled for about three minutes and then re-settled again, this time with a Dunlin that must have been mixed in with them. 83 Avocets were lined up close by roosting with several Common Redshanks, and Lapwing, Mallards, Shoveler and Wigeon were scattered around here and there.

There was no sign of the Little Bittern, but when I looked down from the left corner of the hide into a small open patch of reeds something small caught my eye moving slightly, and then I could see what it was - a tiny Jack Snipe. We were overjoyed at seeing this great little bird, which started to do the characteristic 'bobbing' motion. The smaller bill and golden tramlines all confirmed the identification and the bird was watched and photographed by many in the hide. I think for me this was my favourite bird of the trip. It was literally about ten feet away, and after a while it moved off left and disappeared in the thicker reeds, brilliant. Lesser Black-backed Gulls had the odd Common Gull mixed in out on the water.

This Jack Snipe performed the 'bobbing' action and entertained us for about ten minutes. Probably my favourite bird of the trip!

We made our way up to the beach area noting along the way Starlings, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Linnets, Marsh Harriers and a juvenile Gannet out on the exposed thick mud with a mangled left wing. This signified the end for this majestic bird which was stranded on the mud unable to feed. A sad spectacle to see. Closer in to us was a feeding group of 9 Knot with a single Black-tailed Godwit, and 2 Grey Plovers made a fly-by as did a calling Pied Wagtail.  The tide was low and the sea still calmer, and there was a good number of waders feeding along the water's edge which comprised of a lot of Bar-tailed Godwits, several Black-tailed Godwits, Oystercatchers, Sanderling, D|unlin, Curlew, several Turnstone and Common Redshanks. They were happily feeding away along the surf, with Herring Gulls, Cormorants and Black-headed Gulls passing just offshore.

Out at sea I picked up 2 Long Tailed Ducks flying right to left, and Mike picked out a Red-Breasted Merganser on the sea which unfortunately I missed. Gannets were criss-crossing the horizon again and a few Common Scoters passed. We enjoyed the last Welsh cake each and reminisced on what had been a great weekend away. A Muntjac Deer provided close views as it fed near to the centre and was photographed by many passers by. The staff inside the reserve were pleased to add the Jack Snipe to the day list, but in the car park we told the RSPB lady colleague working there about the snipe and that turned out to be a disaster. Immediately she questioned me on it saying it may have been a Common, and asked me several times why I thought it was a Jack, and even after explaining the differences between the two species and that we had photos she still grilled me. I felt like I was on a quiz show. Her attitude didn't spoil the trip but she was certainly not an ambassador for the RSPB. Shore Larks and Hen Harriers had not been seen on our trip but we were content with 109 species from four different sites and time constraints meant that a few other sites were not visited. Ideas are already swirling around in our heads for a spring or summer trip. So, we headed off early afternoon for the long drive home. My thanks to Mike for using his car and for the company, and to our hosts Wendy and Ray Millard of White Barn B+B, Back lane, Blakeney, NR25 7NP  01263 741359  raymillard@btinternet.com 

The Teal - our smallest yet most colourful duck.

Article written by Neville Davies and pictures copyright of Neville Davies

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