NORTH NORFOLK

I spent this years holidays on the North Norfolk coast where nearby there were two RSPB reserves.

TITCHWELL.......

This reserve is well known and played host to Springwatch a couple of years back. 
I first walked down the East side of the reserve where there were lots of reed beds, a small lake and scrubby bushy areas where there were lots of common passerine species. The lake hosted quite a few water birds including Moorhen and Coots, Mallard, Gadwall and Pochard as well as Great crested and Little Grebes. The photo opportunities were though few and far between, as the bushes were thick with leaves and although I saw Reed warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Willow warbler, Cetti's warbler and quite a few others trying to get close to them for a decent picture was almost impossible. On the lake the duck species were to far away and although I suppose it's a good thing to stop to much disturbance it was very frustrating trying to photograph them.

lake with distant ducks

 Then my mood suddenly changed as this beauty flew over the reed bed.

Yes a Marsh Harrier a female, she circled above me them flew back over the reed bed.

female marsh harrier

 I walked back towards the main hides on the Western side of the reserve a happy man.

As you walk towards the main hides there is on your left a huge expanse of wet muddy grassy flatlands where I saw this solitary Grey Plover.

grey plover

There were also a few Curlew.

curlew

In the hides there was lots to see and photograph.

waders out on the scrapes

spoonbill

ruff

juvenile shellduck

lapwing

avocet

a heavily cropped pic of my first bearded tits

All the birds went up at one point when a Hobby flew over trying I expect to catch it's dinner.

After the hides you can walk down towards the sea shore where there are two lagoons on one of them I saw another first.

A Turnstone there were about five of them and this one was still in it's breeding plumage.

So an excellent day spent at Titchwell and the highlight had to be that Marsh Harrier.

marsh harrier

I'll bring you my day at the other reserve I visited in my next blog.