Titchwell Disturbance

July 20
None of us enjoy the heat. We arranged to meet A and B at Titchwell - at 7.30. It takes us an hour and a half but the early start was worthwhile.
Walking an empty West Bank, our first bird was a Bittern which flew across the path ahead of us. As we were admiring the close Bearded Tit family being fed by the male, a couple of female wardens carrying petrol strimmers overtook us, ' apologies for the noise they said'. The benches overlooking the Freshmarsh pool have already been removed in preparation for the work due to start next week, we parked ourselves in Island Hide. Just in time to admire the flock of Ruff, four Green Sandpipers, a few Black-tailed Godwits and a single Greenshank before a couple of checklist toting, wellied men appeared in the middle of the pool. Everything fled. The strimmers had disturbed nothing, just served to move the birds to our end of the pool.
We cut our losses and moved on to Holme via Thornham.
Almost at the NOA car park, a singing Grasshopper Warbler brought us to a halt. What's more, we could SEE it on top of a middle distance bush. I took a few shots through Pam's car window before two more cars forced us on. I walked back and it was still visible.



Pam had noticed a Burnet feeding on thistles which I managed to re-locate, a Six Spot this time.



A little early for high tide at Snettisham, we whiled away some time in the NOA hide overlooking the Broadwater. Bridget noticed a Wood Sanpiper on the Gull Island, our first of the year, and a delightful male Ruddy Duck strutted his stuff below us.



Snettisham 'high tide' was a low one but it did bring the thousands of waders nearer. Our first returning Turnstones in summer plumage was the highlight other than the sheer numbers spectacle.
Last port of call, Abbey Farm. Two Little Owls sitting on the back fence, same posts as last time! No, they're not stuffed nor super-glued...... Two Turtle Doves feeding along the edge of the pool delighted us all.
Having said our farewells, we went our seperate ways, us to catch a Grey Wagtail flying across the road in front and Aileen and Bridget to add Tree Sparrow at Harpley and a Grey Wag at Lyng.
Really enjoyed some good birds to-day but the heat was enervating. Gets us acclimatised for Peru on the 30th I suppose.