Christmas shopping for Beans

Sea Palling - 24th November

On Saturday we visited a Christmas Fayre in Martham and Hicklong. We came back via Waxham and Sea Palling allowing me to look for the Tundra Bean Geese in the area. Luckily they were on the edge of the larger goose flock and not far from the road so only took a brief 10 minute stop between Fayres.

Wroxham/Buckenham - 29th November

By 9.30am on Thursday I had dropped Agnes at nursery, done a quick Lidl shop and brought some Christmas presents in Wroxham. I decided to check out Wroxham Broad, a few Tufties, Little and Great Crested Grebe were a litle disappointing. With plenty of time I decided to call in at Buckenham to look at the recently returned Taiga Bean Geese. Upon arrival the wind had whippied up something rotten and standing by the gate my scope was rocking. Luckily the small clump of bushes on the track gave enough shelter to scan the grazing marsh towards Cantley. 6 Pinkfeet initially excited me and 5 Barnacle geese were with the large flock of Canada Geese. However at the back of the marsh I spotted a dark head appear followed by a second. Eventally 7 Taiga Bean Geese appeared from behind a bank/grassy hollow, distant but distinct.

Sheringham - 3rd December

Today I headed for Sheringham after the Nursery run for a couple more presents, but as most shops opened at 9.30 I had almost an hour sea watching. The sea was quite calm, good for viability but not good for close in birds. I managed c25 Red-throated Diver, 1 Great Northern Diver, 3 Brent Geese and a decent number of auks. Many where distant and mainly Guillemots, but at least 2 Razorbill could be IDed and a surprise Puffin briefly landed just beyond the pots. Also a delight to see was the returning Black Redstart, wintering again by the old hotel. While I was there it spent most of its time on the railings and hopping about on the prom at times only a few meters away as I sea watched.