Following yesterday's deluge the morning was clear and bright , although rain clouds appeared and threatened all day. As intended I moved southwards to Norfolk, not terribly logical in some ways but linked to the availability of accommodation. The journey went well and I was there way before lunchtime to be met by sunny conditions.
I'd headed for Cley so that I could make my way back to Hunstanton, where I'm staying. The first bonus was a juvenile Red=backed Shrike at Walsey Hills showing extremely well and obviously hungry with its level of alertness and frequent feeding forays. A Marsh Harrier circled high above and headed off east and a Hobby flashed through eastwards too. Not a bad start.
On to the Centre to call in and see a friend ( Patrick ) and then spent virtually the rest of the day looking at the various scrapes. Eight Spoonbills slept throughout the whole period and, by contrast, a juvenile Red-necked Phalarope fed incessantly with its energy output never seeming to diminish. Waders were present in profusion with Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Little Stint, Knot, and Black-tailed Godwit all giving good views with an accompaniment of the calls of Sandwich Tern feeding off the nearby coast. Across the site numbers of Grey lag Geese fed along with Teal, Mallard, Shelduck and Wigeon. I never did get round all the hides but the forthcoming week awaits.
Stopping off at various points on my way westwards produced nothing extraordinary but I was delighted to see a covey of 12 Grey Partridge nearby to where I am staying. Nice end to the day.
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