10th - 12th March

A couple of days birding out east; popped into Grafham Water, late morning on the 10^th where birds included 2 Common Sandpiper on the reservoir edge opposite the lagoons (presumably wintering birds rather than migrants), 2 Avocets also on the shore, a Red Kite, 2 singing Cetti’s Warblers, my first singing Chiffchaff of the spring around the lagoons and a couple of noisy Green Woodpeckers.   

A good morning birding in the Brecks on the 11^th produced the highlights of good views of a pair of Woodlark at Santon Downham with then good but brief flight views of a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker along the river at the now very famous last site in Norfolk after it called several times, getting closer and closer and finally distant views of a Great Grey Shrike near Fincham.   

Started the 12^th at Thornham, where I turned up bang on a super-high tide so everything was underwater but I did have a flyover Twite (a year-tick); I then failed to find the Shorelarks at Holkham (probably again due to the super-high tide) but there was a single Snow Bunting there.   A scan from the main road was then the most productive stop of the day overlooking Holkham Marsh where there were at least 4 Spoonbills with one feeding on the pools and another couple in the trees, thinking about starting to nest; also here were 300+ Avocets, 60+ Black-tailed Godwits, a Ruff, 2 Great White Egrets and thousands of duck, constantly flushed by 9+ Marsh Harriers and 3 Red Kites – a great Norfolk scene!

Woodlark

Stonechat