Titchwell

Finally Chris and I managed to find time for a visit to the Norfolk coast in perfect spring weather with scarcely a hint of a breeze. I didn't even wear a jacket - almost unheard of in March - though on the few occasions when the sun went in, it was a bit nippy. The coast was remarkably hazy, a consequence of very high pollution levels over East Anglia which also produced some interesting cloud effects (see extra).

The number of birds at Titchwell wasn't as high as usual, probably because some of the wintering species had already left. But I added plenty of coastal species to my year list including Grey Plover, Sanderling, Bar and Black-tailed Godwits, Knot, Avocet and Sanderling. However, the two avian highlights of the visit were much smaller. 

A flock of Brambling (see extra) were visiting the feeders near the visitor centre. These brightly coloured finches are quite a rarity around Peterborough, usually cropping up as individual birds in people's gardens. My last encounter with a flock of them was at Holme Fen NR in 2013! They spend the summer nesting in the forests of northern Europe and Asia, though pairs occasionally nest further south, including in northern Britain. At the end of the breeding season, they move south in huge flocks, looking for seeds and particularly beech mast to feed on. 


But the jewel in the crown was finding a small group of Bearded Reedling feeding close to the path. These attractive birds are a nightmare to photograph as they are usually hidden among the reeds, and virtually never stop moving. Most of the time they were fairly distant (hence this heavily cropped image) but they did briefly come closer, though that didn't make it any easier to get a clear shot! Titchwell is still the only place I've ever seen these handsome and elusive birds, though I have heard them calling at Woodwalton Fen. 


On our way home we dropped into Hunstanton to check that the nesting Fulmars were back, and then drove home in daylight. The setting sun became an eerily red ball in the pollution haze - as Chris was driving I only managed to capture a few impressionistic shots with my phone!