Raven Twitch!

The Saltings, Gore Point, Holme.

I had to do some errands in town after work and the supermarket run afterwards. But after seeing a third message about a RAVEN at Holme and a BLACK KITE seen earlier at Scolt Head Island and Holme, I just had to go! So the supermarket run was scrapped.

Flew home, grabbed birding gear and whizzed along the A149. At the 'corner of Norfolk' as its known locally, which is the very sharp corner at Old Hunstanton by the pitch 'n' putt, I glanced over at the short turf (as I always do here), and spotted a male Ring Ouzel only a few yards from the fence! Magic! There seemed to be several birds on here, but I wanted to see the Raven, so I carried on to Holme to join Sue Bryan and Robert Smith at Gore Point. Both Sophie Barker and Gary Hibbard had seen the Raven earlier, so at least we know it was one! The Raven had been seen distantly over the marsh near a big red barn. Crows and Jackdaws were seen, along with several Marsh Harriers and 2 Sand Martins and a Swallow flew over our heads straight into the sun. 2 Linnets also landed on a sea-buckthorn by the dunes. We could see a single larger corvid with two small ones either side, but as we mused.... this could have been a carrion crow with 2 jackdaws either side of it! Very difficult to tell at that distance – all three were a spec, even in the scope! Time was ticking and so was the light. I left and drove around the Choseley roads to get closer to where this Raven might be – but no luck at all. But found lots of Grey Partridges, Red-legged Partridges, Pied Wagtails and even more Hares!

Fish 'n' chips in Sunny Hunny and did the supermarket run in Tescos, Hunstanton – home!