Hunstanton Cliffs and Holme

Starling on 'The Green' - Hunstanton.

Hunstanton Cliffs

Decided to stay fairly local today and started off at Hunstanton Cliffs. NE and another dull day and no sun at all.

Loads of Turnstones and Starlings feeding on the grass slopes next to the main Arcade opposite the Golden Lion Hotel. Also turnstones and gulls on the roof of the Arcade!

Parked the car by the Remains of St Edmund's Chapel and walked over to the Lighthouse garden which is very sheltered and a good migrant spot - only robins and hedgesparrows here though.

BIT OF HISTORY HERE! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Hunstanton_Lighthouse

"The present lighthouse was built in 1840 although there has been a Lighthouse on the site since 1665. This first lighthouse was built of wood with an iron basket of burning coals as a light. Hunstanton lighthouse had the world's first parabolic reflector which was built here in 1776. The present lighthouse ceased operations in 1922"

Detailed stone work/emblem on side of lighthouse.


Greenfinch, chalet gardens, Old Hunstanton.

Continued walking along the cliff top - tons of gulls, mostly black headed gulls sitting on the pitch 'n' putt. At end far end of the cliff top carpark I continued on the coastal path through bushes and the copse of pine trees to right-hand side and past the Le strange Arms Hotel garden (another potentially good migrant spot) and past the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Instituation) to the area of bushes/pines and chalet gardens that start just before Old Hunstanton Gold Course. A telegraph wire runs along the top of the gardens and I always imagine a shrike, roller or bee-eater sitting there! Several birds here including greenfinches, goldfinches, wrens, blue, great and long tailed tits, redwings, song thrushes, blackbirds and robins. Walked back to car and drove to the fish 'n' chip shop and shared my lunch with the gulls on the cliff top near the bowling green. Feeling glum now and wished I had gone for another Pallas's fix at Burnham Overy. As a friend of mine said, I have been spoilt the last few days, well why not? This autumn should be awesome, last autumn was absolutely crap in Norfolk! Photographed Starlings by the Golden Lion Hotel with the car positioned on the wrong side of the road, although I was indicating - but the "Land Train" driver was not impressed with where I was parked so I was forced to move.

This Black headed Gull shared my fish 'n' chips.

Starlings on 'The Green' at Hunstanton.

Holme - Redwell Marsh NOA and River Hun

A Cettis Warbler was singing by the bridge. From the hide at least 175 Teal! 50+ Wigeon, 8 Black tailed Godwits, 2 Snipe and usual mallards, black headed gulls etc. A white racing pigeon landed momentarily. I left here and walked west, past the hide following the footpath alongside the River Hun to the bridge, then crossing the road and continued on the footpath, again following the river past the caravans. I disturbed a green woodpecker near the caravans and loads of blackbirds, song thrushes and redwings in the caravan park. Several chiffchaffs and long tailed tits here also. Walked back to the hide and walked east along the path up to the the large sycamore tree by the mobile home opposite Sandy Ridge just before the NWT pay hut. Along here I saw at least 3 Garden Warblers and same again of Blackcaps, both male and female and several goldcrests. The sycamore held lots of goldcrests flicking about amongst the leaves in a feeding frenzie - I studied every one, hoping for a Pallas's or yellow browed warbler, but no luck. Several mallards in the river and tons of redwings, song thrushes and blackbirds in the thick hedge that runs from the bridge by the pay hut across Redwell Marsh. Sat on the seat near the bridge for a few minutes, when Jed Andrews (NOA warden) came past and spoke briefly - "we've got weather stuck in Sweden" he said, "thats why nothing much is coming through now". "When's the next good day then" I said - "Sunday" he replied. Sunday it is then! Spent some time photographing leaves and feathers etc floating on the water.

River Hun, Holme -next-Sea.

Mallard - The River Hun, Holme.

Snipe on the scrape - Redwell Marsh.

Tons of Teal etc and a snipe in the middle of them - Redwell Marsh.

Long Tailed Tit by along The River Hun, Holme.

Arty Farty, Autumnal pictures!

Foal in the paddock near The Hun bridge, Holme.

Went back to King's Lynn as I had a hair appointment at 5pm - just made it! So pleased, had my fringe cut back in, fed up with hair getting in my eyes when I am trying to photograph stuff, might see a few more birds now aswell!!!