Bird Watching - Starting them Young

As Autumn has drawn to a close a few birds have appeared in Norfolk but I found myself busy on the days the birds appeared. Although for once I had some time off work while Norwich Beer Festival was on, and on 24th October meet James and Karl for a lunchtime session. Bird related beers (and nature) were at a premium, I started by sampling Jo C's Stout Robin and then People's Raveningham Bitter (it had Raven in the name!). Among a few other beers Three Blind Mice's Milk Worm (almost Silk Worm and their Lonely Snake wasn't on.) and East London's Orchid had enough'nature' about the to tempt me. James and I then went for a walk in Train Woods hoping for a bit of fungi, but the dry weather meant little was about. However the Eyelash fungi Scutellinia sp. was a new type of fungi for me and I learnt quite a lot more about leaf mines from James.

I deciding to put down the DIY tools I took Agnes on a walk around part of the patch to Antingham. Although not two until tomorrow (7th) she is very good at spotting birds already, even if shouting 'Birdie' scares a few of them off. Lots of the expected common birds including a very large mixed tit flock, which also held 2 Goldcrest, Agnes particularly enjoyed the Long-tailed Tits that came within a few feet and also a hovering Kestrel. I enjoyed watching both Marsh and Coal Tit birds I rarely see on this area of the patch. A pleasant couple of hours well spent.

With news of the White-billed Diver moving backwards and forwards along the coast. Before going out for lunch at the weekend I got Laura to stop off at Walcott, an hour of strolling along the wall and a bit of sea watching proved successful, when the White-billed diver was located by another kind birder, i also saw a Great Northern Diver and numerous Red-throated Diver. Gannet drifted past in large numbers, a Little Auk scurried through going west and a Guillemot was surprisingly my first this year in Norfolk. Highlight of the day was not the life tick in White-billed Diver, but Agnes shouting 'Look Turnstone' as we got back into the car, after Laura had pointed them out to her at the beginning of our walk.

Today while making a brief stop near Norwich Airport to collect Birthday presents, Agnes correctly identified a fly-over Pigeon, (I left her off not being specific to Wood Pigeon) and while she pointed out high flying gulls (birdies), I heard the call of a Hawfinch and on turning around 2 few over our heads.