The day didn't start brilliantly. Arrived at Beach Road, Snettisham and parked up to walk along the inner sea wall to Ken Hill Marsh. Clipped my scope into tripod and was just about to set off when the scope fell into a muddy puddle! Much to my annoyance, I realised that I obviously hadn't clipped the scope in properly. It took around 20 minutes to clean all the mud and water off my scope. Luckily it didn't get into either lenses. Then I realised I had come out in my trousers with the massive rip (hole) at the bottom of one leg, which I ripped on my last trip to East Hills (a long time ago) and only use for gardening – oh well, I could live with that for one day.
Things improved quickly when I saw my first Turtle Dove purring away and then a second bird on the telegraph wires by the sea wall! Lovely, but rubbish, distant photo taken! It was a beautiful day, in fact it was too hot! I have not walked along this sea wall since way before lockdown last year and in fact have not been here since the marshes were flooded, so was looking forward to seeing how everything looked now. A cracking Hobby whizzed past me on the seaward side of the bank, but I wasn't quick enough to photograph it. The pools on the marsh were alive with so many birds! Black-headed Gulls, Avocets, Shovelers, Mallards, Shelducks, Lapwings, Oystercatchers, Redshanks, Little Egrets etc and Swallows skimming over the water. Most impressive was a massive flock of Oystercatchers, who all seemed to be having a snooze – there must have been 200+ at least. Cuckoos were calling, Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Cetti's Warblers, Blackbirds and Marsh Harriers were seen.
I didn't see the reported Garganey, as they were at the furthest pool along the sea wall, which I ended up missing out on, when I walked south along the new footpath across the marsh, which heads towards Ken Hill Wood (strictly all dogs on leads here). This was the area where the Grey-headed Wagtails were yesterday, but of course not here today! It was really pretty here and the light was beautiful. I was tempted to carry on south, so after walking through a kissing gate, I then turned right (west) along a tree lined track, when (unknowingly) I should have continued south and straight to the wood. The track right, looked more inviting. Walking along this track produced a cracking male Yellowhammer. Lots of gorse in flower here and very scenic. I sat for a while under the shade of a pine tree and had a marmalade sandwich, whilst looking north to the coastal park.
I continued walking along the track and found some fascinating plants in a field, that backed onto someone's house alongside Beach Road – asking my Twitter friends this evening, it seems to be called "Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem". Saw a Green Woodpecker bounding across to the wood. I passed a big lilac bush on the edge of someone's garden and lots of gorse bushes and then I realised I had made a mistake! I was confronted with a very sturdy square holed wire fence with two strands of barbed wire along the top. I really didn't want to retrace my steps the same way and had planned walking back to my car via Beach Road. Luckily I discovered a small exit point (long story) and stepped out onto Beach Road! Photographed some cute baby ducklings in a dyke by the caravan park entrance on route back to my car.
I then travelled to one of my favourite view points at the top of the long single track road that descends to the A149 and the Thornham Farm Shop complex. From here you can see Holme reserves and the coast – a fabulous view! Got my picnic table and deckchair set up, had lunch in the sunshine and then a siesta!
Later I parked at the bottom of the road and then walked across the A149 and took the footpath through Jamison's Wood, that leads to the coastal footpath at Thornham. There is a plantation at the far end that I have always thought would be good for Golden Orioles. Cuckoo calling, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Common Buzzard and that was about it. Now raining, I retraced my steps to my car.
Headed to The Green at Thornham and walked along the inner narrow footpath (one way system for social distancing) which comes out along Staithe Lane and the boat house at Thornham. This lane is currently closed to vehicles, whist work is done to stop motorhomes filling up the small car park at the end and to stop traffic parking along the lane. I'm told there will be a height barrier to the car park when the work is completed. Two men with a dog obviously couldn't read the very clear no entry signs (x 2) at the other end of the track and had to squeeze past me – I pointed this out and they said 'sorry'. I didn't need an apology, I just needed them to read the signs! Saw a Reed Bunting along here and heard Sedge Warblers singing in the reeds.
Update! Titchwell RSPB Warden Lizzie, kindly sent me a link to what is actually happening at Staithe Lane, Thornham: see HERE.
Crossing Staithe Lane, I climbed up onto the sea wall and scanned around the cattle in the field for wagtails, but none found. Walked along the path as far as the first seat and sat there for a while. At 4.45pm a distant Great White Egret flew over east towards Titchwell RSPB! In the harbour there were Avocets, Black-headed Gulls, Redshanks, a Bar-tailed Godwit and Swallows were skimming over the reedbeds. A Cuckoo flew over east as I walked back along Staithe Lane. There are now fence posts all the way along and either side of the road to stop people parking, but I couldn't see any work being done on the car park yet – maybe they are deliberately taking their time! Walked back along Staithe Lane, then left along Ship Lane, past The Lifeboat Inn and to my car parked at The Green. Headed home via Ringstead and Sedgeford in the rain!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment