First stop was Bintree Mill where a drake Gargany has been present the last few days, luckily with its still drizzling hard I could pull up in the car and scan the flood without getting out of the car. Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Shoveler and a few Teal were all I could see. After checking my route to the next stop I had a second scan, and to my surprise the Gargany had appeared all be it along the reedy back edge of the pool but still a pretty little bird to see. While here a Little Egret came into the dyke only a few meters away, but he spotted me just as I raised my camera.
Next stop was Cockey Cley to look for Willow Tit, now a Norfolk rarity, but thanks to a local birder setting up a feeding station I was hopeful that with a bit of patience I would catch up with one. It started raining heavily again so I was in no hurry to reach the Brecks, this was lucky as I missed my turn off and ambled through the back roads without reception before Google maps came back online. Once back on the main roads I soon found the village and with a grid ref and directions soon found were to park. Walking up track FR110 I soon found the two feeding stations that had been set up, just before that I rather promisingly heard a Willow Tit call. The drizzle was still hard enough to soak me so I hid up under the trees in view of both feeders. Blue Tit and Great Tit came regularly to the tables, but the bird most predominate was Coal Tit which was nice to see. 2 Nuthatch came in along with a few Chaffinch and Robin. After 20 minutes of so a Willow Tit dropped in, grabbing a sunflower seed and disappearing, luckily it soon came back. I topped up the feeders and headed back to the car, also seeing 3 Yellowhammer.
Driving to Lynford I tried a few fields that looked good for Stone Curlew but without any luck. At Lynford although more mizzle than drizzle I still got wet. I walked the area near Lynford Water and got lucky with 2 Woodlark unintentionally flush from close to the path. The pools held a few Tufted Duck, Great Crest Grebe, Greylag Geese and 2 Oystercatcher on the rafts. A Nuthatch was near the car and a Mistle Thrush was nearby, but with another heavy shower I decided not to walk the arboretum.
Parking up by the Railway Crossing a Santon Downham, I had a good look around the nearby pines with no sign of any Crossbill. By the river bridge a Grey Wagtail flew down stream, I too walked down stream seeing 2 Marsh Tit at close quarters before a pair a Mandarin flew over. A further 2 pair of Mandarin, Nuthatch and Treecreeper were seen before reaching the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker site. It was dry now so I hung around for 30 minutes or so, and just before leaving a LSW flew over from the Suffolk side of the river, over my head and over the railway line. Having seen a LSW locally near home I didn't wait around for better views instead heading off to look for Parrot Crossbill. Walking back a Kingfisher whizzed by and I saw my first singing Chiffchaff of the spring. I searched the tracks both side of the railway line and also the clearings opposite the car park with little success. A drive down to St Helen's Picnic Area gave up a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 fly-over Common Crossbill and a small Redwing flock. Driving back up the track a Sparrowhawk flew through. Feeling rather hungry I realised it was almost 2pm and I hadn't had any lunch so headed home, grabbing a sandwich on route.
I always enjoy a visit to the Brecks, with its mixture of habitat very different to North East Norfolk. Today was my first solo visit to the area, with my main bird watching friends now living in Norwich company is sometimes hard to come by, any birders local to North Walsham feel free to email me, an extra pair of eyes always welcome. Sorry about a lack of photos, with the persistent rain I left the camera in the car.
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