Goodbye Norfolk...

My last visit to Norfolk before dissapearing down to Dungeness...





Sunrise over Ken Hill Wood looking from the challets behind the sea defence just North of the RSPB reserve. Despite regular early morning high tide visits I failed to find the rare wader I was after (knothing in particular, just something rare) If you are wondering why there is naff all reported from the RSPB reserve its because there are bugger all people looking. During my 5 or 6 long visits the total number of birders must have come to no more than a dozen. less than half of those had scopes, and the rest probably wouldnt know an Albatross if it hit them in the face (ouch...) One can only imagine the number of rare waders that must get missed... White rumped and Broad billed Sandpiper must be pretty much annual! Wader highlights invluded 3 Green Sands, 5 Curlew Sands, 6 Spotted Redshank, 36 Greenshank, regular Whimbrels (including 3 over the bungalow) and the first Golden Plovers of the Autumn. The Guillemots seen on the pits would have been the undoubted highlight of the week.... pity they turned out to be Cormorants.

Larus sp Snettisham RSPB As far as im concerned this bird is a Caspian Gull... if anyone knows any reasons why it isnt one then please let me know!

Part of the crowd looking into the garden of number 10 for Norfolks 2nd (but 1st twitchable) Dark eyed Junco. Being at the back of the crowd (where you stood F all chance of seing the bird) gave us a distinct advantage when the garden of no 6 was declared open, allowing us to be some of the first people into the garden offering prime viewing positions.

Not just a picture of any old telegraph pole, but one with a Nightjar on top (right hand wire) Taken at Sandringham opposite the 2nd turning for the Wolferton triangle (if coming from Snetts/Hunstanton.

Roseates

The main attraction... One of three Roseate Terns present on Arnold's Marsh Cley. This was only the third time I have seen Roseate Tern and the first that I have observed in Norfolk, away from breeding areas, this can be a very difficult bird to connect with.





Arctic Tern present alongside Common Tern on Arnold's Marsh (middle bird) - Note the visibly long tail streamers, short legs, dark red, shorter bill, and the overall colour tone lacking the contrast between the white breast and grey wings of Common Tern.

Winter plumaged Curlew Sandpiper Snettisham RSPB. Most of the birds we see are either moulting adults with remnants of bright red summer plumage (July/August) or fresh looking Juveniles (mostly in September). The longer down curved beak, longer legs, larger size and white rump (a key year-round feature only shared by 2 other, much rarer waders (White-rumped and Stilt Sandpipers) can still help you ID the species even when the plumage may be fairly bland.