What a difference a day makes, we woke this morning to overcast conditions and a brisk northerly breeze that had temperatures struggling to get into double figures. Looking at the forecast there was also a very high probability that we would have heavy rain through the late morning into the early afternoon. Fortunately we had planned to spend the morning at the RSPB reserve at Titchwell Marsh, there were hides there and these would be usefull to see out any bad weather.
The car park was partly empty when we arrived, the previous day a Great Reed Warbler had been reported and I did wonder if the reserve would be busy this morning, but the weather had probably put people off and as it turned out the warbler had left anyway.
Walking down the main path towards the lagoons we felt the full force of a very strong northerly wind, it was difficult to believe that it was actually the middle of May, it felt a lot more like February.
On the freshwater lagoon there were good numbers of Black-headed Gulls on the island accompanied by Common and Sandwich Terns. On the water were Gadwall, Mallard and several drake Pochard. These are always difficult to photograph due to the contrasting grey plumage and deep red head. This one was close enough though to allow for the right exposure.
The main hide, the Parrinder Hide is accessed along a path with raised sides so that the birds on the marsh are not disturbed, today though it was a welcome break from the cold north wind that was blowing.
The hide is a good one, no drafty cracks in the walls and solid windows that open with a wide view across the marsh, fortunately we were looking south and the windows could be open, it would have been bad had the hide looked north, but then in this hide when the sun is out it is almost impossible to see.
A quick scan of the marsh produced a Spoonbill out on one of the islands.
It looked quite dirty, probably a mixture of mud and adult breeding plumage which emerges as a golden colour on the white plumage, there were signs of colour on the throat and a bright orange tip to the bill so we have to assume this was an adult bird, but a very dirty one!
I mentioned earlier that there were both Common and Sandwich Terns mixed in with the Black-headed Gulls, there was also a couple of Mediterranean Gulls. The terns could be seen every so often flying in the wind around the furthest lagoon.
There were plenty of waders around the marsh, the commonest of which was the Avocet. Paired up they were everywhere, this one close to the hide.
A Spoonbill appeared closer to the hide, this one was a different bird to the one seen earlier that was safely asleep on its island. Another adult it started to feed.
Out of the water you can see the golden colouring on the crest and neck and the orange tip to the beak. Clearly we can't see all of the extended wings, but these would be all white, an immature bird having black tips to the primaries.
The Spoonbill moved away to the left hand side, following a channel that leads along the dyke separating the saltwater from the freshwater.
The one thing you get with Avocet during the breeding season is activity, the pairs are either mating, fighting other pairs or chasing off possible dangers to them their eggs or young. They do all this will plenty of calls, which will always alert you to something happening. In this case one pair had wandered into another pairs territory and there was a stand off between them.
The dispute was settled quite quickly.
A lone Curlew was a surprise fly past.
There had been reports of Little Gulls around the scrape and I had picked out two second calendar year birds hawking over the far lagoon with the Sandwich and Common Terns. What I wasn't expecting was the presence of a third Little Gull and an adult in its stunning breeding plumage.
The adult possess a full black hood and a pink rosy wash on the breast, with the small black bill this makes the Little Gull look quite dainty.
On the areas of exposed mud there were several summer plumaged Dunlin showing off their black bellies and up to a dozen Ringed Plover, there was also a single Little Ringed Plover, standing our from the bulkier Ringed Plover by its slimmer appearance and the diagnostic yellow eye ring.
All three Little Gulls were feeding on the edge of the pool in front of the hide, moving from side to side but never coming any closer.
One of the two second calendar birds
Adult and second calendar.
The adult and probably the best shot of them all.
What I was waiting for was to catch the adult bird in flight and for it to show off the sooty grey under wing. It was intent on feeding and would only fly a short distance if disturbed by a Black-headed Gull or Gadwall, so I had to be quick, this was the only acceptable shot I managed.
The immature birds were more active.
here showing the "W" markings on the upper wing.
Turning the attention away from the gulls an Avocet close to the hide was performing some yoga.
At the back of the lagoon the Spoonbill seen earlier, the dirty one was now standing alongside another that was almost pure white, an very good advert for a washing powder.
The adult Spoonbill seen earlier then appeared once again in the same spot as before, this time coming a little closer to the hide.
They look very impressive close up.
It seemed to have a pattern it follows, walk off down the channel and work its way back in a circle, however this time it came back across the mud, moving at pace.
Then resumed feeding with the sweeping head movement and then tossing what ever it had caught up in the air to swallow.
They are quite photogenic birds and it was nice to get one in full breeding plumage.
It then took off and flew all the way across the marsh towards the east and out of sight.
The rain had been heavy but now was slowly easing, all I was left with was this Shelduck tucked up on the mud.
With the rain stopped we decided to make our way back to the visitor centre and the cafe for lunch. It might have been dry but the wind was still as strong and the temperature like something you would expect in mid winter, oh well this was the north Norfolk coast.
After lunch we made our way back to the accommodation, stopping at Choseley Barns to look for Dotterel without any luck and dropping in to Norfolk Lavender to browse the gift shops. With the weather as it was there was not much else to do so back in our room we watched a film, but were pleasantly interrupted by a Brown Hare appearing on the lawn in front of us.
It was wet and a little bedraggled and was taking the opportunity to preen and sort itself out on the short grass of the lawn.
I have a love of Hares, not sure why, probably because they have character and at sometimes can behave so unexpectantly and you just can't understand why, only they know, they can also appear to be some ungainly as if there is no control over the moving parts.
Eventually the Hare turned and lolloped through the hedge and away into the next field. We returned to the film and later waited for another Taxi to take us to dinner. We hoped for a better day tomorrow, but to be honest it couldn't be any worse.
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