Unpacked! Plus Birding!

I was up early, ploughing through all the boxes and eventually finished by mid-afternoon – hurrah! Although an hour and a half was spent sorting something out for Mother, which she had got all in a massive 'tizz' over – long story, won't go into it all, too tired as I type at 23.39! I had a very exciting phone call from Sam at the Skoda garage to inform me, that as from yesterday the 4.9% APR is now  0% APR with their Solutions Personal Contract Plan !!! Excellent, roll on Thursday! I have made my appointment early as there could be rares to find and see!

Flew down town to get some urgent items... printer ink (almost run out), stuff for Mother, then a supermarket run. Flew home and out again to Titchwell RSPB for the evening. As I approached Bircham, there was a police accident sign on the road and staggered cones. There was a massive tree that had fallen across the road and there were vehicles dealing with it – the road was impassable – I hope no one got hurt. I did a detour, got lost and ended up back in the same bl**dy place – how blonde is that!!! Can you believe I had to get the sat nav out to find Titchwell!!! I shouldn't really confess to that, but I had to if I wanted to see the Red-necked Pharalope before dark! I drove along some fabulous back roads I have never driven on before!

I parked up at Titchwell RSPB in Paul's spot (naughty me, slapped wrists). Well, no one knew, there was nobody else there! The wind was still pretty strong, but not cold at all. I walked up to Island Hide and had the entire hide, in fact reserve to myself! I was hoping the Red-necked Pharalope would be close to the hide, but this was not the case! I found it eventually, distantly, what a cracking bird! Always lovely to watch, as they whirl around in a feeding frenzy! There were loads of Avocets and even more Black-tailed Godwits (Warden Paul Eele reports 280 today!) – it was late now, but I was still watching the Red-necked Pharalope at 9.15pm! I was just leaving the hide when two birders walked towards me – it was Malcolm Ware, County Recorder for Fife, Scotland and a friend! They are staying in Norfolk for five day's birding. They had not yet seen the phalarope, so I went back in the hide to point it out to them. We were chatting about all kinds of things and they told me that I have alot of blog followers in Scotland, so HELLO to you all up north! It was really nice to meet them, but I had to go – it was now 9.40pm, crazy! Heard a Cuckoo at 9.45pm! Dropped in some shopping and stuff for Mother and then went back to Lynn. Filled the car up with fuel ready for all the twitching etc I will be doing over the next few days, hopefully!

Talking of Pharalopes – look at this stunning Female Grey Phalarope and here!!! Information and discussion here.

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE

Distantly at Titchwell RSPB
Phone-scoped video with iphone 5s & Swarosvski ATS 65mm HD & 25-50xW Zoom Eyepiece
The background noise you can hear is the hide flaps rattling in the wind!