Burnham Norton and Holme

 Burnham Overy Staithe Windmill.

A moody day, with black clouds one minute and brilliant sunshine the next. It was very chilly with the north winds.

Whilst ironing this morning (exciting stuff) I was trying to decide where to go birding this afternoon – I wanted to go somewhere different and decided that Burnham Norton would be quite nice. This area is good for yellow wags if there are cattle on the marshes and it would be a change from my usual haunts. Also there hasn't been any news out from here for ages. Just before I left home, news came on the pager for a male Montagu's Harrier between Burnham Norton and Burnham Overy!

 Jackdaw nesting in the chimney pots of the cottage by the carpark.

It was a beautiful drive on route and as I pulled up into the carpark at Burnham Norton there was a birder looking for the Montagu's Harrier. 2 mistle thrushes on the marsh and lots of hirundines whizzing about. I walked the whole circular walk along the marshes and then up onto the sea bank and back to the car. Heard a sedge warbler and cettis's warbler singing. Saw a Whitethroat which I attempted to photograph with poor shots. At least 20+ avocets on the pools, along with shoveler, shelducks, teal, mallard, black-tailed godwits, redshanks, oystercatchers, canada geese, greylags, and a few pied wagtails. A few marsh harriers were floating around and at least 3 little egrets and 1 grey heron. A reed bunting bombed over the path towards the end of my walk. Jackdaws nesting in the chimney pots of the stone cottage adjacent to the carpark. I had the briefest view of what looked good for a Montagu's Harrier just before I left. The bird was over the fields along the back road that I was just about to drive along – I searched in vain. Parked the car up in a field entrance and waited for the harrier to appear again, but only saw a kestrel, lapwings, 2 grey partridges, pheasants and hares boxing.

 Common Whitethroat at Burnham Norton.

Water Dock at Burnham Norton.

Holme Marsh Reserve – Very little seen: little grebe, greylags, cettis's warbler heard, teal, mallard, gadwall, chaffinch. That was about it really. Went to visit my parents before going home.