Norfolk birding

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 When my sister visits it always provides an opportunity to go birding a bit further afield and this time we decided to visit the North Norfolk coast and Lynford Arboretum in the hope of seeing a few new birds for this year.

Leaving early (6.30am) we reached Titchwell just before the visitor centre opened so made our way straight onto the reserve and the walk down towards the shore.  I was pleased to see a curlew,  scoters (black specks on the sea which we were reliably informed were scoters by someone with a 'scope.  black tailed godwits, a flock of brent geese which few in, ruff and bearded tits.

Along the coast we stopped off at Holkham Gap where we had heard there were some shorelarks still present which we eventually found in the roped off area after a tip off from another birder. 

We then arrived at Cley Marshes where we managed somewhat distant views of a Long Billed 
Dowitcher, only visible as pointed out by a lot of other birders present in the hide.

Our final destination of the day was to Blakeney Point where we had managed to book a last minute seal trip.  The spit had apparently changed a lot over the winter due to the violent storms and a lot of the previous sandbanks had been washed away. However we did  manage to see 50 or so seals laying up on the sandbanks as they moulted into their new plumage.  We were shown a peregrine falcon sitting up on the shingle very clear to see, apparently this was a favourite spot for him as well as numerous oyster catchers gathered for the night time roost.  

The next day we  made for Lynford Arboretum after a brief visit to Weeting where we had hoped to spot a shrike  but frustratingly it had just flown off and didn't reappear whilst we were there.  However, we did see a Goshawk flying near to a buzzard and could see the different flight shapes and afterwards a kestrel and a sparrowhawk so quite a falcon fest! 

At Lynford we kept a look out for firecrests but none were visible but we were treated to views of a hawfinch, siskin, bramblings, marsh tit and yellow hammer and later on a nuthatch, most of which were new ticks for the year.

So all in all a good couple of days yielding 20 new ticks for me including 5 lifers 


avocet

curlew

Brent geese

Shore larks



Great white egret and grey heron

black tailed godwit


Seal boat trip






hawfinch

yellowhammer

brambling

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