December 12th 2010

Frustration on Kings Lynn Station when the steam special pulled up short of the buffers leaving everyone with piss poor views of Sir Nigel from the end of the platform. We legged it out of the station and Dave made a dash to a nearby railway crossing where he stayed with the car while I ran the last 500 yards just as she was pulling away.




There wasn’t a lot about in Norfolk so we chose to spend some time watching the marshes around Burnham Overy Staithe but there was no sign of any Rough-legged Buzzards and the possible Northern Harrier had passed through minutes earlier and may have been one of the birds we passed on the other side of the village but could not find somewhere to park so unable to get convincing views. Most open water was frozen but still managed good numbers of duck, 3000 Pink-footed Geese, 4 Barn Owls, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier and a good mixture of waders while the hedgerows were full of Redwing and Fieldfares.
Titchwell was completely frozen but managed a few Pintail, 4 Avocet, 6 Whooper Swan, 500 Pink-footed geese, Siskin, Bearded Tit, 3 Marsh Harrier, 3 Little Egret and 2 Water Pipit while the sea had Great-crested Grebe, 10 Goldeneye, 6 Eider, Red-breasted Merganser and 1000 Common Scoter. A single Rock Pipit on the beach.

I arrived home to news of all sorts of goodies are on my patch today with Pa Phillips finding 7 Waxwing at Cawston among the best so plenty to go for over the next few days.

Richard