A Little Late January Birding

27th January - Wroxham Broad/Filby

The second half was January contained very little birding, mostly on the hoof between doing other things. Needing to call into Roys DIY for a couple of things I first headed to Wroxham Broad. Wildfowl seemed rather thin on the ground, with a few Mallard, Tufted Duck, Greylag Goose and Mute Swan all I saw on arrive. However news that the Slovenian Grebe was present but just out of view kept me there a while. The Slovenian Grebe emerged just as it started to rain but still gave good views before drifting towards the middle of the Broad.

After grabbing my shopping I decided on a detour home, heading to Filby via Ludham, hoping the Red-neck Grebe of previous days would still be on show. Arriving i bumped into David Bryant "No sign of the RNG in hour and half". I stayed for a while seeing Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Pochard and a fly over Marsh Harrier, but the RNG had obviously moved on. At Ludham Airfield a few of the Whooper Swan flock were close to the road, but the returning rain stopped me taking any photos.

28th January - Overstrand

After a meeting in Overstand Mum and I had a coffee in the cafe on the cliff top, where among the gulls passing along the coast a Fulmer lingered offshore, and was a new bird for the year.

2nd February - Sea Palling/Hickling/Potter Heigham

As it was too wet for out planned walk to see the seals at Horsey, Laura and I decided called in at Sea Palling with Agnes. A quick look over the dunes and I located a Purple Sandpiper on the reefs to the west of the gap, before a hot drink and some time in the amusements.

Continuing with my whistle stop birding we stopped at the Pleasure Boat in Hicking where I took all of 30 seconds to locate the male Scaup, with a few Tufted Duck on Hickling Broad. A Hen Harrier was seen over the fields near Catfield and the wild swans were in the field near Ludham Airfield, although we didn't stop.

Final stop was a 10 minute stop at Potter Heigham, here I was directed the the Black Redstart near the boat yard and was heading home to do the food shop in double quick time.

145 - Norfolk Year Total
145 - Britain Year Total