North Coast Birding with Sue

Monday August 24
It must be three months since we took Sue birding, she's been busy sorting out elderly parents. No problem with regard to where to bird then, the north coast was a must.
We started at Redwell marsh where the good water level has been productive - until to-day. just a gang of eclipse Mallard and two Black-tailed Godwit.
Gore Point at high tide for the second time running but with many more waders. Thousands of waders, mostly Knot, swirled in a restless cloud above the shoreline, disturbed by beach walkers. By the time we arrived they'd settled around the point towards Hunstanton but there was a good variety at the creek mouth. Nothing unusual but lovely to scan. A large group of moulting Sanderling hopped a considerable distance on one leg ! Why ? One Pom Skua and a single Gannet, 6 Common Scoter, 8 Eider and 4 R B Mergansers flew offshore, At least 4 GC Grebes fished close in. Most enjoyable. Coffee at the NOA car park hide, watching two Wood Sandpipers. Scanning for raptors, I called two Common Cranes spiralling upwards in the thermals before heading off east, a real surprise.
Titchwell Island Hide was hard work, the waders very distant beyond an extensive area of mud. Pam spotted a Curlew Sandpiper in the heat haze, a single Spotted Redshank, a large flock of Golden Plover and a handful of Avocets amongst the eclipse duck. A final scan through the ducks founf three Red-crested Pochards preening near the distant 'round island' on the right. Much excitement when I called them - quietly I thought - they were a lifer for Sue and for some of the men present.
Last call was Daukes Hide at Cley where a Green and a Common Sandpiper completed the Piper list. A ring-tail Hen Harrier hunting the reedbed was another surprise sighting. A fright of waders and gulls off North Scrape brought our attention to 5 Spoonbills flying at the top of the mass. They flew off and settled in the reed marsh out of sight twice before finally flying off east. A hubbub proved to be a juvenile female or female Pied Flycatcher in the group of trees just outside the hide. A lovely and very successful day. Didn't do a list but added up between 80 and 90 birds in a rough count on the way home.
Moth trapping again to-night. I've done a separate Blog for the photos of some of those we've caught and been able to identify http://brintonmoths.blogspot.com