Burnham Overy Dunes and Titchwell RSPB!

Strong winds and rain as I headed to the coast. Met up with buyers at the family home at Holme, to sell the last armchair first thing this morning. Still need to sell the Hayter lawnmower and then only small items left for a Boot Sale, if I ever get round to doing one. Every time I visit our home, there are more flowers appearing – today the Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) plant is out and in flower – mother loved this plant. A Sparrowhawk landed on the telegraph pole outside the house.

The wind was incredibly strong and when I stopped in Hunstanton briefly to buy something, I could hardly hold the car door open! Visited "Moulham & Horn" at Heacham to top up my bird food supplies and chatted to the owner, who used to deliver bird food by the sack to my mother – he recalled how fit my mother had been, when he regularly saw her cycling to Hunstanton and back to Holme – we reminisced for a good while about my mother and father.

Sat and had lunch at the top of the road next to the reservoir, that runs south just after the Farm shop at Thornham – a wonderful view of Holme Reserves from here. Headed to Titchwell RSPB car park to look for the Turtle Dove, but no luck – hardly surprising really in these strong winds! Met a couple of birders who said that the Alpine Swift had been sighted at Sheringham yesterday a long time (as in several hours) before it came out on the pager in the evening and that it was known where it had roosted that evening. I don't understand why news is not shared promptly?! Also rare bird news coming out several days after they have been seen – don't understand this either! I get and understand that when a rarity is found on a private site, that no one else can see it, that's fine, but getting the news out at the time gives people (especially those that are working) an idea of what is around and helps us to decide if its worth going out birding after work or not – putting news out days later is no use to anyone!

Walked to Burnham Overy Dunes – a very difficult walk as the wind was so strong, it was a job to stay upright! No sign of the Purple Heron or anything else much to be honest in these conditions! Saw a few House Martins over the pool east of the main track and geese on the marshes, but that was about it.

Returned to Titchwell RSPB – there wasn't a single car in the car park! I sat patiently in my car hoping to hear or see the reported Turtle Dove – I got lucky! At 7.05pm I clearly heard the wonderful purring of a Turtle Dove!!! It didn't put in an appearance though. Lots of Woodpigeons, Blackbirds and Robins feeding around the car parks. I could also hear a Willow Warbler and a Blackcap singing, just before I drove home.