Helping My 'Family', Shopping & Birding!

I was so tired from my egg delivery runs last night and generally from work last week, that I didn't get up as early as I wanted to. Oh well! It was a beautiful sunny day with east winds. I feared that Norfolk would be jam-packed with day trippers today and indeed it was, I discovered later on.

I headed to Heacham, to "Moulham and Horn" to buy some much needed bird food and got a good selection to keep the birds happy over the next few weeks. They close at 12.30pm and I only just made it in time! I kept my visit as brief as I could and then left. I then phoned my very good 'family' friends M. and E. who live in Heacham, to ask if they were ok and if they need anything. I felt quite sad when they said I was the only person to have rung, to see if they were ok. They really wanted some bread flour, yeast and white granulated sugar, so I said I would see what I could do. I drove round to their house and chatted to them from the road at a good distance away over their garden fence. It was lovely to catch up, as I had not seen them both for a while.

Headed to the local supermarkets to see what I could find for them. Tescos at Hunstanton had none of the products they wanted and very little else either, lots of empty shelves, no loo rolls, no flour, no yeast, no sugar, no potatoes etc etc. I have not been able to find any hand sanitiser anywhere, so currently using Dettol hard surface wipes to clean my steering wheel etc and my hands (which are getting sore now). I had a lovely moment in the Tesco car park – at the back there are lots of bushes growing on a sloped bank, it was full of loads of chirping House Sparrows, the volume was so loud! I felt very much aware that there was no air traffic – the skies were silent, blue and clear, it was quite weird, very weird. I also saw a Comma Butterfly feeding on Alexander leaves by my feet – a lovely moment and brought a smile to my face for a short while. I didn't bother going to the much smaller Sainsbury's store, there would be no point.

I was shocked at the scenes in Hunstanton as I left Tescos to drive along the cliff top on route to Old Hunstanton shop. There were people EVERYWHERE, I couldn't believe what I saw! People sitting on picnic tables eating their fish 'n' chips outside a fish 'n' chip shop (I thought they had to close?!), all sitting closely together and no one social distancing at all. People walking along the seafront in groups, loads of bikers parked up by the entertainment centre – the entire scene looked like a typical Bank Holiday Monday weekend. Are people not aware of what is going to hit us?! As Steve Trewhella wrote on Twitter "It’s a world wide pandemic not a fucking bank holiday you twats"

The cliff top itself was jam-packed, in fact I have never seen it that full! The cars were parked from beginning to end with no gaps. I left this mayhem and headed to the shop on the main road at Old Hunstanton. I managed to find one of the products in here and bought two small bags of white granulated sugar. I then headed to Ringstead stores, but didn't find anything else there that M. and E. wanted. But, I did find one bag of Wholemeal bread flour for me – there was one bag left after that, which I'm sure got sold quickly.

Headed to the Thornham Farm Shop. No flour or yeast there either, but they did have bread, so brought M. and E. a sliced white loaf of local bread (they can't eat wholemeal). There was plenty of eggs here too and a few veg left. I bought for myself a bunch of bananas (almost run out at home) and some proper earth covered potatoes! No sacks being sold here now, a limit of 3kg per person. Tomorrow I am going to the NHS Staff only hour at Tescos, so hopefully will get some white bread flour and yeast for my friends and then deliver to them tomorrow, although I don't think I will get either to be honest. The owner at Ringstead shop told me that yeast is 'like gold right now'.

Now it was time for my fresh air, a bit of birding and relaxation, which I have needed so much after being at work all week. If the car park at Titchwell RSPB had been packed out, I wasn't stopping, but thankfully there were hardly any cars there at all. But, there were three huge campervans in the far car park, no doubt planning to spend the night there when they shouldn't be! The toilets were open, but there was no loo roll left – am guessing because no staff are there to top it up or had it been stolen?! I sat and had my late lunch, which was a sandwich made with my home-made granary bread, cheese and cucumber. It was now late afternoon and very cold and I regretted not getting here earlier, but I was determined to get a walk in.

Ambled around the Fen Trail and only passed one couple with a little girl on route to Patsy's Pool. I didn't see that much, plus my mind wasn't on birding if I'm honest, too many thoughts racing through my mind, but it was very therapeutic to be out amongst nature. The best thing I was saw was a pair of Tufted Duck on the pool! Not seen any Tufted Ducks for ages! Four Marsh Harriers were coming in to roost, there were several Cormorants and a couple of Little Egrets. I didn't see or hear any other birds here apart from a Great Tit.

I walked to the main path and all the way along to the beach. The hides were open still, with recommended social distancing notices etc, but I personally think they should be closed, as Cley NWT have done. Hides are confirmed spaces and you can't really keep a few metres apart in a small space! I certainly didn't and won't be going in any hides. There were big numbers of gulls roosting on the freshmarsh, along with Avocets, Oystercatchers, Shelduck, Teal, Med Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, Redshanks etc. It was so cold now, I nearly turned back, but I was so glad I carried on to the beach as it was a very high tide! I only passed one couple on route to the beach and we both gave each other space by the path/Island Hide as we passed each other. The beach was dramatic and beautiful. Lots of Oystercatchers feeding along the tide line, nothing else seen. One couple walking back from Thornham Point, otherwise devoid of people and dogs. I stood for a while, watching the waves crashing on the shore and pondered. Where will we all be in a few months time? Sadly and scarily, some of us won't be here!

Walked briskly back to my car with hat on and both hoods of my two coats pulled up! Went to Heacham to deliver the sugar and bread to M. and E. Returned to King's Lynn and fell asleep on the sofa! I don't think I have ever sent so many tweets on Twitter as I have today, nearly all about Covid-19!