Blakeney Point and Cley!

Sunrise, on route to Cley.

A spectacular day! I actually got up early this morning!

On route to Cley I took pictures of the sunrise - have not done that for a long time! Arrived Coastguards at 6.50am to a beautiful sunny, but chilly morning. Still east in the wind!

A lovely surprise of two Green Sandpipers on the Eye Pool at 7am - they called and flew off shortly after I saw them.

My first walk of the year to Blakeney Point. I walked along the incoming tide line for two thirds of the walk to 'Halfway House'. A few oystercatchers were scattered along the shore. Apart from the crashing waves on the shingle, it was blissfully quiet. It was nice to be the first person walking out this morning. I don't normally go down the point this early as I know it produces more later in the day, but I have a terrible habit of walking back in the dark, so decided to go early for a change! I walked over the shingle to walk the last section by the sueda bushes before reaching the house. 2 Sandwich Terns flew west, but no sign of any wheatears or anything much come to that. Sat at 'Halfway House' for nearly an hour and only saw Reed Buntings and Linnets, nothing else at all. I could see distantly by the next dune ridge that there were a large number of Shelduck. I made the very sensible decision of walking back. I decided there was no point in continuing the walk with the lack of birds around. Found a starfish on the way back. Attempted to walk back along the shore, but the tide was coming in and trying to walk on a slope of shingle to avoid getting soaked by the waves gets a bit tiresome after a while, especially when I lost balance when trying to miss a wave!!! So finished the walk on the shingle and sueda. Photographed a Reed Bunting on the way back. Got back to Coastguards at 10am. As I put my stuff away in the car, Richard Porter was then setting out for the point - I wished him good luck but said I hoped for my sake that he didn't find anything good as I didn't want to walk out a second time!

Linnet, Halfway House, Blakeney Point.


Starfish, taken with iphone and then lost my balance!

Reed Bunting, on the way back from Halfway House.

Went to the Cley Visitor Centre and went to add my 2 Green Sandpipers in the sightings book. Sat and had a cup of tea and chat with Eddie M. and Andy J. who had seen a single green sand over 'Billy's Wash'. Andy pointed out 2 Med. gulls that had landed on the pools directly out in front of us. Left here and went to Walsey Hills NOA - it was now 11.20am. Birds seen and heard here were: Cettis' Warbler, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaffs and usual birds around the feeders including hedge sparrows, blue tits, robin, chaffinches etc. The bee flies were on the Alexander along with a Tawney Mining Bee at the end of the bottom path. 2 Grey Herons flew over Snipes' Marsh. Still no adders to be seen and did not see any lizards today either. Walked round the far side of Walsey and sat on the bank overlooking Arnold's Marsh. Photographed a Chaffinch sitting on gorse and there were a couple of Chiffchaffs close to where I was sitting. The view from here is breathtaking and there were tons of birds on the marsh including marsh harriers and little egrets. Also lots of Carrion Crows I noted.

Chaffinch, Walsey Hills NOA.

Grey Heron, flying over Snipe's Marsh, Cley.

I relocated to the pull-in by the Iron Road, opposite Sarbury Hill for my lunch. This was a very good move! After lunch I had a nap in the car for what seemed like ages! Had a coffee to wake up and then walked up to Sarbury Hill. Only a Chiffchaff here, nothing else of note. Walked to the top of the hill to get a phone signal and looked at the RBA website - nothing too much had been added, so no panic! Went back to the car and Pete S. came and joined me. We sat chatting and suddenly Pete said 'quick Pen, camera......' coming towards us along the Iron Road and within seconds was directly up above us, was an awesome Common Crane!!!!! 3.21pm. Pete phoned RBA as I had not got any signal. It was the closest I have ever seen one. I just had to point and shoot - the camera was on the all the wrong settings, but was quite pleased with the results! Definately bird of the day! The Crane headed towards Walsey Hills and ended up on the marsh opposite Coastguards. Shortly after this we saw Tim and Irene Loseby who had kindly stopped to tell us about it.

COMMON CRANE
"Iron Road", Cley NWT.

Went back to Coastguards with Pete and saw the Common Crane take off and it headed west and the last we saw of it was over Friary Hills. Walked to North Scrape. Saw a Wheatear on route, a flock of Linnets, two more Sandwich Terns going west and skylarks. A good number of birds on the scrape including Black tailed godwits, ringed plovers, avocets, redshanks, greylags, cormerant etc. Neither of us had bought a scope, so probably other stuff we couldn't see!

Redshank, near Coastguards Carpark, Cley NWT.

Back to Walsey Hills again. The light here early evening was beautiful. I got some lovely pictures of a bumble bee on the whitethorn, a willow warbler and also chaffinches and greenfinches on the wires.

My attempt at a Bumblebee in flight!

Bumblebee on whitethorn flowers, Walsey Hills NOA.
The above three pictures were taken with the 300mm lens on Macro setting.


Top path, Walsey Hills NOA. (iphone)

Bottom path, Walsey Hills NOA. (iphone)

Chaffinch on the telegraph wire - Walsey Hills NOA.

Willow Warbler, Walsey Hills NOA.

Drove home via the coast road, stopped in a field entrance at the bottom of the rape field adjacent to 'The House on the Hill' at Blakeney and spent ages taking landscape/arty farty pictures, the light here was magical as the sun was going down.

"The House on the Hill", Blakeney.

Sun setting, "The House on the Hill", Blakeney.

Oilseed rape, "House on the Hill" Blakeney.

Continued along coast road watching the sun setting and turned onto the Brancaster/Docking road back to King's Lynn.