Monday Evening Extravaganza!

HOLME BEACH

After a particularly crazy day at work, I could have easily fallen asleep when I got home, but decided I needed to escape to make up for my boring weekend. It was a beautiful sunny evening and I had a jam packed evening to say the least! Put all the birding gear in the car and then headed to my WW group and was very pleased to have lost another 2lbs in weight this week – stayed to the group meeting, which I don't often do and then headed to Hunstanton.

Hunstanton along the Promenade

Bought fish 'n' chips from 'Fishers' in Hunstanton and then parked up on the cliff top to enjoy my tea. It was a very high tide at 7.30pm and it was so lovely sitting here in the sunshine by the cliffs. Gulls waited close by, impatiently waiting for scraps – a mass hysteria of flapping wings ensued, when I emptied out the remains of my fish and chip box! Re-parked the car by Thomas's Showboat Family Leisure Centre and walked across the car park to the seafront in search of my dessert! I was SO pleased to find the doughnut stall sold Mr Whippy '99' ice-creams! One delicious ice-cream with flake was enjoyed, whilst watching the waves lapping against the sea wall. There were quite a few people walking along the promenade and several people enjoying drinks and meals on the veranda of the Waterside Bar next to Johnson's Gift Shop. So many happy memories walking along here with my grandmother Hester (my father's mother) and Lucy (Vivien was too little) to the fairground and going on the Helter Skelter for 8p a ride with several free rides thrown in, because my grandmother knew the man that operated the Helter Skelter – I can remember sliding down that on the round cornered coir mats like it was yesterday and oh how we loved to go in Johnson's Gift Shop to buy some trinkets –  I recall a pink and white plastic tambourine I bought with my pocket money – happy days. I also recall a very rare and special day, spent with my mother and sisters in a little motor boat on the boating lake (that is no more) and I'm really going back in time now!

Holme Beach

Whelk's Egg Case, Holme Beach

The Broadwater, Holme Bird Observatory

I left here and headed east, it was toss up between Holme beach and Titchwell RSPB. I opted for Holme and it was now about 8pm and the tide had already peaked at 7.30pm and I fancied a stroll on the beach. It would be too late to walk the 3/4 mile to the beach at Titchwell. Drove along the Firs Road, opening and closing the 5-bar gate (which is closed at 5pm to everyone unless you are a NOA member) and cruised very slowly along the road. The field adjacent to the road was partly flooded because of all the rain we have head and this held Lapwings + fluffy offspring running round, 2 Oystercatchers and some Mallards. Cracking views of a juv Stonechat sitting on one of the new metal speed barriers – stopped to take a picture through my car window, but the Stonechat nipped off to the Forestry!

Holme Beach

Sunset – Firs Road at Holme

Parked up on the NOA car park and walked straight across to the dunes and beach. I had made the right choice – there wasn't a soul here, not a person, not a dog, no screaming children, nothing but the sea tumbling on the white sands, the birds and me – pure magic! I ambled along the beach and searched the tide line for any interesting flotsam and jetsam – I found a dead Dog Fish (possibly) amongst the seaweed, but nothing else of note. I couldn't believe I had the entire beach to myself! I sat on the sand for a while and thought about my parents. As I continued my walk, I suddenly realised I could hear a Whitethroat singing – a quick scan with the bins discovered a Whitethroat singing away in a dead pine tree on the beach! A Sandwich Tern flew past along the sea and there were a couple of Oystercatchers distantly with loads of gulls. I headed south over the dunes and come out at Post 10 (the old NOA nature trail that is no more), which is where the curved seat is along the boardwalk, that overlooks the Broadwater. I then walked west and to Holme Bird Observatory to sit in my father's seat and sat a while to reminisce. I was serenaded by a wonderful chorus of Natterjacks across the marsh – it sounded like a musical concert! The spectacular tamarisk has now lost its vivid display of pink flowers, but there were several clumps of beautiful blue borage plant around – this plant is particular loved by bees. Walked back to the NOA car park past the NWT Firs House.

Sunset from the garden of our family home at Holme, looking across the horse meadow

Stopped at my parent's house briefly to see if the Monday bin collection had been done. This is the third week, the refuse lorry has left the bins full. It is so annoying, that my sisters and I have to pay full council tax for an empty house, but the council is not providing a full service for us – Vivien is going to ring them this week to have a moan about this. Took a lovely sunset picture from the garden, looking across the horse meadow. On route back to King's Lynn, via Ringstead, I had bird of the evening!!! A Little Owl was on the long stretch of road between Ringstead and Heacham – what a cracking find! Too late in the evening at 10pm for photography though!