My mum, dad, brother and I had arrived in Cley the previous night, and were staying in a little cottage. It was 5am, and I was heading off to RSPB Snettisham as usual. But this time it wasn't for the waders, but for the myriads of Pinkfeet that fly into Britain for the winter, from Scandinavian Countries such as Iceland. It was magical to see them in such vast numbers, flying to the nearby reservoirs at Snettisham to be fed. In one of the flocks my brother spotting an odd-looking goose, which turned out to be a Snow Goose!
Pinkfeet flying at sunrise
Pinkfeet
More Pinkfeet
I then went to RSPB Titchwell Marsh, where after having breakfast in the cafe, walked hurriedly along the sea wall, desperate to seawatch. The main lake was unusually absent of its huge congregations of wildfowl, but fortunately there were plenty of waders.
Pheasant
Brent Geese in Thornham Marsh, opposite the reserve
A Redshank on the mudflats
Black-tailed Godwit
I seawatched from the beach at Titchwell, and there were quite a few Goldeneye, Golden Plover and Brent Geese, but I also saw three lifers: a Red-necked Grebe, male and female Red-breasted Merganser and a stunning male Eider!
A male Eider
Male Eider
Distant Goldeneye
Red-breasted Mergansers
Redshank
Water Rail!
I briefly visited Holkham, where there were very few Pinkfeet and only a few Wigeon grazing. Then the wind blew my scope over and it started pouring with rain, so I couldn't do any more birding that day!
Wigeon grazing
15th December 2018
Before heading back to London, I visited Cley Marshes, where on Cley Beach, I saw three Red-throated Divers (how many 'red-' species did I see??), plenty of Goldeneye and a lone Brent Goose. At the main reserve, I walked through the endless forests of reedbeds, and at the Bishop's Hide, there was ANOTHER WATER RAIL!
The beautiful reedbeds
A preening Shelduck
Water Rail
Flock of gulls
Chaffinch
This has been an amazing trip, and I have found that seawtaching can be rewarding!
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