Last minute decisions!

22/6/08 Sutton Gault - Simeon and James

After dinner we randomly decided to go for the Spotted Crakes that had been calling recently at Sutton Gault. After the half hour drive we arrived just before 9pm and scanned the marsh as the Crakes were sarting to call at around 9:30 apparently. The totals were; 4 Little Egrets, 11 Grey Herons, 1 Kestrel and 1 Barn Owl which landed on a post.

We then positioned ourselves along the road as far away from trees as possible due to the high winds making a very loud noise!

Then we decided to walk along the edge of the field where they had been calling. At about 9:40 we heard both birds and went back along the bank to where about 5 other birders had gathered. After another 5 minutes or so, listening to the crakes calling, we decided to head home. We reached the end of the causeway and quickly walked down the bank a short distance to where one of the crakes was calling. Luckily, a bird flew out of the field and flew riht past us, but unfortunately, we didn't know it was a Spotted crake until it had gone! At least we saw it!

It was a very nice trip and good to get Spotted Crake on the "BOU List"

Lesser Grey Shrike

Continuing with our twitching spree, we went for the Lesser Grey Shrike at Hickling, spurred on mainly by the fact that Connor saw the one at Holkham. It was a very long journey, not aided by a record low in Simeon's navigational skills! On arrival only a few cars were there, and we were surprised to see such a small amount of money in the bucket - presumably we were amongst the minority in not having seen the Holkham bird. Besides getting lost on the journey we also got lost at the site, but used our expert tracking skills to locate the bird (where there's a Lesser Grey Shrike there's twitchers, and where there's twitchers there's footprints. Genius!). It was showing well but distantly, so we had to use the 'eye of faith' to make out the pinkish hue. A very nice bird, though somehow lacking the thrill that most twitches bring. On the other hand, it was another tick and we had clawed back one more from Connor...

Mixed Weather...

14/6/08 Norfolk Coast - Simeon (and Connor)
I got up early and did some ringing at Snettisham Coastal Park. It was nice weather and we caught quite a few birds - female Bullfinch and a family of Long-tailed tits being my favourites! At about 12:00 Ray Roche kindly gave me a lift up to Holme where we met Connor. The sea was fairly dead - 1 female Eider, 7 Gannets and a Fulmar. A Tope shark had been washed up on the beach. Then it started raining so we hid in the obs for a bit. There wasn't much on the marsh but a Tawny Owl was showing very well in the pines. At about 4:00 we headed back towards the car park where we were to be picked up. A female Common Scoter was on the Broadwater along with 3 Ruddy Ducks - 1 male, 1 female and one young bird! Connor then went to the car park to scan the marsh but I went up into the dunes breifly. The winds had been getting stronger throughout the day and I was eager to scan the bushes for any final migrants of spring. 6 Jackdaws "in-off-the-sea" were nice. Then I spotted something very far away. At first I thought it was a massive gull but as it came closer I got my bins onto it. Realising it was a Heron sp. and it had come in off the sea I quickly got my scope onto it. It was an egret which looked very large, so it could have been a Great-White Egret, but unfortunately there wasn't another bird nearby to compare the size so it remains a possible - the one that got away... It dropped onto the marsh not to be seen again despite extansive searching by both Connor and I. Unfortunately I didn't manage any pictures of it because it was flying but I got several other shots during my visit - see gallery...

Insanity!!!

2/6/08 Blakeney Point - James, Simeon and Connor
With news of a Trumpeter Finch on Blakeney released on Sunday, we were gutted at the fact that we were unable to reach it. However, after staying there for two days, we decided we had to go and see it. So as I arrived home from school I quickly got changed, grabbed my gear and left with James at 5:00pm. We then picked up Connor and were at the site by 7:30. The bird was quickly located and we got reasonable views of it feeding. A couple of record shots were had for memory! The bird was rather plain with a pale pink rump and massive red bill. In the fading light, we could just make out the light grey on the head. It was wonderful! Unfortunately, we had to leave within about 15 minutes as the journey back was long and tiring. We made it back to the car in record time as the tide was going out and some hard sand was revealed. James and I finally arrived home at 10:00pm and had a very late dinner! The trip was brilliant but was made even more insane by the fact that Connor and I had exams the next morning! It was a fabulously exciting trip that I'm sure we will never forget, the bird was truly brilliant, and, as it turned out, the French exam went very well indeed!