Great Reed Warbler at Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park!

GREAT REED WARBLER

Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park

 

 

MONDAY 23rd MAY

 

My back/hip injury ruined the weekend and I had no choice but to rest, do ice treatment, physio exercises twice a day (as given to me previously by a staff physio) and take as much pain relief as I could. I shouldn't have been at work for those three days and now I had to rest, as the pain was still awful. I felt very sad that I was not able to join in with the Golden Oriole festival that was going on, very sad indeed.

 

Lots of young Starlings have suddenly appeared on mass with their parents, demolishing fat blocks, hoovering up seed and splashing all the water out of the bird ponds daily! Managed to do some light weeding in my patio area on Sunday, apart from that, I was very sleepy, due to the medication I was on.

I was sent an invite a few weeks ago, to take part in "The Galleri Trial" (Detecting Cancer Early), which I accepted. This morning I went to my first appointment, which involved a health questionnaire, family history of cancer, a blood test etc and was also given a £10 Sainsbury's voucher! There are two more blood tests within the next 2 years and for each one, you receive another £10 voucher. I did a food shop in Sainsbury's afterwards – at the checkout, I bumped into Andrea (an OT who left our Stroke Rehab Team a while back) – it was lovely to catch up with her.

 

I returned home and had a lovely salad lunch whilst watching the Starlings in the bird baths. I finally got a phone call from my GP (after I contacted them on Friday) who prescribed me a stronger anti-inflammatory called "Meloxicam" – the pharmacy didn't have it in stock, so will pick it up tomorrow after my staff physio appointment, which is early afternoon. My pain felt a quite a bit better today, so I decided to go for a much needed walk.

 

Before going to Ken Hill Marsh at Snettisham, I popped into Moulham & Horn at Heacham to stock up on bird food and was shocked at the increase in price – I may have to cut down the amount I put out daily. I must be the last Norfolk birder to go and see the Great Reed Warbler at Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park, but late to the party isn't always a bad thing. I knew I wouldn't be able to carry my scope as well as bins and camera, so I had to leave it in the car, which wasn't ideal, as you need a scope at Ken Hill Marsh, but something had to be left behind. It was a long and slow walk along the inner sea wall, but it was beautiful and I was serenaded by Turtle Doves, several Cetti's Warblers, Sedge Warblers singing, Cuckoo calling, Blackbirds and a chorus from waders, ducks and gulls on the pools, including lots of Black-headed Gulls.

 

I wasn't sure I was going to be able to walk as far as I did, but I eventually passed the kissing gate and on to the reedbed. I immediately heard the loud and unmistakable song of the fabulous Great Reed Warbler and there it was, perched up in the reeds and I had it all to myself! Only one other birder joined me later on. The Great Reed Warbler sang continuously, but was mostly hunkered down in the reeds, although it did come out on show a bit later on, but still mostly obscurred by reeds. I sat half way down the slope of the sea wall and simply sat and enjoyed listening to this musical master. At one point the GRW flew across the reed bed to chase a Sedge Warbler away and also an intruding Pheasant. If you haven't heard a GRW singing, think of a flamboyant Reed Warbler with a microphone!

 

GREAT REED WARBLER 

Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park

 

Recording of the Great Reed Warbler

Other birds seen: 2 Spoonbills came into to land on the pool just east of where I sat and altogether had at least 4 Turtle Doves, 2 Grey Herons, Black-headed Gulls, Med Gulls, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Redshanks, Little Avocets, Mallards, Gadwall, Teal, Shelducks, Lapwings, Egyptian Geese, Reed Buntings, Long-tailed Tits, Goldfinches and Skylarks. Rain was forecast this evening – black clouds loomed and the wind got up, as I walked back at a quicker pace along the sea wall.

 

Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park

 

The White-tailed Lapwing, which was last seen at Ken Hill Marsh on Sunday 10th April, decided to reappear at Hickling Broad NWT today! I would love to know where it has been since then?! My guess is the private nature reserve just east of Burnham Overy Staithe maybe? Anywhere else, means it has possibly been suppressed! In Norfolk? Never!!!