Hard Work Provides Some Dividends!

Continuing my daily visits had become hard, but some 'resident' birds, along with 'new arrivals' today made the week worth while. An inexplicable wrong turning had me arriving from an unusual direction, but to great benefit as an obliging Little Owl sat in an overhead tree, allowing me to turn the car round for better views! Again I changed my thinking, deciding not to stop by the bridge as planned, but continued to the FF Entrance, where 2 Grey Partridge quickly disappeared into the fields. A 'new' Sedge Warbler was singing and the local Barn Owl was 'roosting'.On Holkham Lake a chance encounter with a quiet Common Sandpiper was a bonus, along with a Snipe and 3 Lapwing over. A wonderfully large female Sparrowhawk had me going for a while(!) A Kingfisher at a possible nest site was pleasing.
All this takes the Year List total in the Swanton Morley area to a neat 100!

Sparham was as quiet as usual, with only an unshowy Sedge Warbler new. A Nuthatch called (becoming scarce) and a pair of Marsh Tit showed well. The Terrapins increased to 4!
Nearby, the Little Ringed Plover was still on its lonely vigil - but worryingly a couple were on the grounds with their car parked on the gravel and two dogs sniffing around.
Green Woodpeckers and Jays are both particularly obvious at the moment.
At Guist the pair of Marsh Harriers continued to protest at the Harris Hawks presence. 4+ Buzzards, 2 Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk were present along with 2 Little Egret, again overhead. A brief calling Cuckoo and non-singing Whitethroat added to the fun.
A pop to Pensthorpe produced the male hybrid Lady Amherst's / Golden Pheasant and a female.

Friday and Saturday had been quiet, but sightings included Redshank with the Little Ringed Plover (where 38 Tufted Duck were counted). Shelduck and calling Tawny Owl were at Sparham and 2 Sedge Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat and a singing and seen Cetti's Warbler. Barn Owl and Buzzard were seen.

Norfolk Bird Info to:
E-mail: ruralchill@live.co.uk
Mobile: 07749779149

Norfolk 376 UK400, 364 BOU, Year 179, Route 128, Sp 92, SM 100, SF 48