Tuesday 27 September 2011

Norfolk Day 1

Day one proper began with blue skies after an awesome English breakfast, giving my cholesterol levels naseriosu boost!

I popped into Bishop's hide at Cley, expecting to be in and out. The scrape was simply heaving with birds - I stayed!

Quie a few Pink-footed Geese were on the move and small groups dropped in from time to time....








They didn't stay long!






Plenty of wildfowl too: Common Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall, Pintail and this obliging but rather inactive Shoveler...



At least 30-40 Dunlin, again quite mobile and with a couple of Little Stints tagging along with them. Spot the Stint!



Two inthis shot



Good size comparison with a Dunlin and Ruff.....



Speaking of Ruff, this white headed male was obligingly close....









A 'normal' one and the closest shot of the day!



Later in the day, after failing miserably to make lens contact with the pinging Beardies, I caught up with some Blackwits busily feeding up!

The poser....






Admiring his own reflection...



The, after watchinhg them feed, I tried to capture the moment when the bill full of mud is ejected from the bill after drilling the muddy bottom!

Not as easy as you might think!







My favourite and finally a good dollop oozing out....






All good things come to an end....



My insect year isn't over yet either! Had it not been so hot, I might have poured my bottle of water over this pair of Migrant Hawkers!



By Mid afternoon, I was in need of a change of scenery and drove over to Sculthorpe Moor. I was tempted to try and get some images of just about the finest example of garish birdlife to be found in these parts!

After an hour or so, I finally connected - the unmistakable head of a male Golden Pheasant skulking in the undergrowth!



I got one very brief view as the whole bird ambled into view and then seconds later it was gone!



With the light fading fast, a dash to Blakeney Harbour where I though a nice sunset may be in the offing - boats etc? Everyone was doing it!!