East Anglia Via Hartlepool.

With a B&B pre booked for 4 nights in Cromer my intention was to leave about 9pm and go to Lakenheath for first light. However, a Thrush Nightingale was on show at Hartlepool and so I left at lunchtime to twitch it.

Thrush Nightingale - a showy bird

After a substandard fish supper in Hartlepool I stopped briefly at Saltholme and had 2 Garganey, and a very distant Pec Sand and 2 Wood Sand. I then headed south and reached Lakenheath about 4am. Very windy and cold and after a bit of a kip I headed out along the river. I heard a Green Woodpecker and had Egyptian Goose but conditions were poor and I huddled in the New Fen shelter watching a common tern:

Joist Fen provided several flight views of Bittern and several Marsh Harrier. After breakfast I went to Weeting Heath and had decent views of 2 Stone Curlew and eventually managed Woodlark:

Stone Curlew

Returning to Lakenheath conditions were better and I had splendid views of the adult male Red Footed Falcon and several Hobby. I tried to get a decent shot of the former but it was always too far away.

Day 2 started at Kelling Heath where I had good views of several singing Woodlark as well as Dartford Warbler and Turtle Dove. Down at Cley, the best bird was a female type Red Backed Shrike. Spent a bit of time with the camera:

Cley Beach

View towards the East Bank from North Scrape

Whispering Reeds

Cley Windmill

Cley Windmill

Lapwing

Lapwing

Shelduck

Red Legged Partridge

A showy Wood Sandpiper was on Arnold's Marsh but was still a bit far for the camera.

Did Holkham in the early evening and it was quiet however I did see 2 Grey Partridges, my first since 2006.

After another substandard fish supper in Wells the light was perfect for attempting the harbour:

I finished the day with a distant Barn Owl at Cley.

Forecast for the next day was for squally showers and strong winds so I thought it better to move inland and the reported Montague's Harrier at Buckenham Marshes seemed like a good idea. I picked it up across the river, only my 2nd ever! I went back for the scope and it obliged again and a bit closer this time. A day hunting Barn Owl was also of note.

At Strumpshaw Fen I had a Marsh Tit for the year list. A single Hobby was perched up despite the wind.

Drake Wigeon from Tower Hide

Moved on to Horsey for the Cranes and had 10 birds. One of the closer ones:

Record Shot

Spent some time at the Waterpump:

Horsey Water Pump

My final full day started at Titchwell in the pouring rain. As the morning wore on the rain stopped but the wind increased making birding a bit of a lottery. Best at Titchwell was Spoonbill and 2 Red Crested Pochard. The saltmarsh held several summer plumage Grey Plover:

Digiscoped Grey Plover

I tried Chosely for Corn Bunting but the conditions were against me. The drive back to Cromer along the coast road provided 2 cracking views of Barn Owl in broad daylight.

Saturday had come too quickly and it was time to head home. However, I stopped for a couple of hours at Frampton Marsh and had several LRP's and 2 Little Gulls. Again failed to connect with Corn Bunting. Still hundreds of Brent Geese.

Avocet

Saw lots during the trip but this was the 1st in sunshine

Purple Heron

Every time I predict what my next British lifer will be, Purple Heron is always top of the list. They always turn up in some far flung corner of England that is too far for me to consider travelling. However, one turned up yesterday in Northumberland and I was out the house at 05:30 am to twitch it:

Purple Heron

Not the greatest shot but you can just about tell what it is. Other notables at East Chevington included Marsh Harrier and Whimbrel. My Warbler list for 2013 was also greatly enhanced with Reed, Sedge, Gropper and Whitethroat.

News of Yellow Wagtail at Cresswell made this the next place to visit and indeed I had at least 3 birds. Also 2 White Wagtail, another singing Grasshopper Warbler and 6 Avocet. Tree Sparrow were common around the farm buildings:

Tree Sparrow

A Great White Egret had flown over East Chevington early morning. I caught up with it at Hauxley:

GW Egret - windy into the sun....usual excuses.

The local Pheasants were a bit more obliging:

I am presuming that this is a lingering overwintering bird. A migrant from Africa would not do this ?

Male Blackcap on the feeders at Hauxley

All in all a rather good day.

Not Like May !

The lateness of Spring was evident today in the woodland at Inversnaid. Normally by this time the woodland would be carpeted in bluebells and the trees well in bud. However, today there was no sign of either. There was little birdsong of note and Willow Warblers were spending time foraging on the ground and indeed this is where I found my first Wood Warbler of the year.

1 or 2 Tree Pipits were in song and I also saw or heard about 5 Pied Flycatcher. There were few people around and this allowed for good views of the feral goats:

The upland part of the reserve was also pretty quiet although Wheatears were common and I also heard 1 or 2 Cuckoos. Bonus was a male Black Grouse albeit a distant one. I tried without success to sneak up on any of the Wheatears so here's one I made earlier as they say and on a far sunnier day:

Spring Male Wheatear

The camera was put to some use today:

Female Pied Wagtail

Ubiquitous Robin

Also had at least 1 Osprey at Lake of Monteith on the way home.