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Monday 9th February 2026: Hayling Island and West Dean Woods

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 We made the most of a day without rain, and headed to Hayling Island with Bernie and Steve, looking out into the channel from the oyster beds. As we got out of the car we were serenaded by a Song Thrush, a lovely harbinger of Spring. A few Goldfinches twittered and Greenfinches wheezed as we proceeded along the track. We set up our scopes to scan the water, with the tide rising but still some way out. There were plenty of Brent Geese feeding at the edges of the water, and amongst the tidal weed Oystercatchers and Curlew meandered, probing for food. In the deeper water, we found good numbers of Red-breasted Mergansers, with their scruffy heads, some Goldeneye pairs and plenty of Great-crested Grebes, many now in breeding plumage. Amongst these, a female Long-tailed Duck swam fairly close to the shore, its striking white facial pattern showing very well. A male Greater Scaup was another excellent bird, and both were new for 2026. Curlew We walked a little further along the track, pa...
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Wednesday 4th February 2026: Starling murmuration at Whixhall Moss

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 I had a flying visit to Shropshire for grandparenting activities, but we managed to squeeze in a visit to Whixhall Moss to enjoy a spectacular Starling murmuration. We stood on the canal path overlooking Sinkers Pond, strategically positioning ourselves by a gap in the trees. We had not been there long before the first batch of Starlings  arrived, then another, and another, with numbers building rapidly to form a vast flock of birds filling the skies. Back and forth they flew, weaving long, trailing ribbons, graceful curves and pulsating waves as they shifted across the sky above the pond. At times they flew directly above us,  a blanket of silent dark birds pulled across the sky, completely silent, save for the rapid whirring of thousands of wings. As dusk drew closer, they gradually clenched tightly together as they drifted and danced in ever lower swirls, before chattering noisily as they swooped into the reedbed to roost, a low bush at the edge was dripping with ...
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Sunday 1st February: Sea Palling and Great Yarmouth

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 This morning we returned to Sea Palling, and this time had success in locating the Iceland Gull, which spent some time splashing about in the shallow surf, before striding out onto the beach, where it continued to preen its feathers, before eventually settling to rest, enabling Tim to get some photos. Iceland Gull The bird was a juvenile, with darker breast feathers than we are used to seeing, but the white primary feathers were clearly visible, making it easy to identify, even for non-experts such as us! Again, there were plenty of Sanderlings and Turnstones busy foraging here, always a delight with their frantic movements, and endless activity. A few Oystercatchers were notably more sedate as they fed alongside. There were plenty of Herring and Black Backed Gulls, but amongst them a couple of Caspian Gulls stood out, with long legs and upright stature, pale heads and dark eyes. Caspian Gull Our next stop was at Great Yarmouth where two Shore Lark had been reported on the beach. ...
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Saturday 31st January 2026: Off to the Norfolk Broads

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 We had booked an extra night’s accommodation in the Norfolk Broads, with a primary goal of seeking out the Black-winged Kite, a rare UK species, although one we have seen overseas. However, we made several stops en route, to try to maximise our Norfolk tally. We took the road towards Fakenham, stopping by a field of geese, reported to contain some Bean Geese. However, the light was atrocious, the angle was difficult due to another car already parked, and our scopes were in the boot, so scanning would be difficult and we did not want top flush the entire flock! With some distance to travel, and having already seen Bean Geese at Abberton on Monday, w decided to press on. It really had been a wild goose chase! With news of a flock of Twite at Blakeney headed towards Cley, we decided to divert to the beach road at Cley, where we could scan the marsh from the sea wall. We had seen birds here on a previous year, and with no sightings on this visit, we wanted to give it a try. Other bird...
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Friday 30th January 2026: Titchwell and Sculthorpe Moor

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 This morning proved to be bitterly cold, with an easterly element to the wind, but at least it was drier than forecast. We started our day at Titchwell, but this was rather disappointing in comparison to previous years. The Tawny Owl roosting in its regular tree showed reasonably well, and was a useful annual tick for us all. Elsewhere on the reserve were many of the regular duck species and a decent showing of Pintail at last, but nothing unusual, and unfortunately no sign of the Greater Scaup being regularly reported. The bunds were also bereft of birds, with a couple of Dunlin, Redshank and Curlew all we could find here. The lack of any Greenshank struck as unusual. At the beach, in freezing wind, some other birders got us onto two Snow Buntings, our only ones of the trip, and in short supply around the area this year. A few waders were on the shoreline, but the tide was a long way out, and a quick scan of the sea proved fruitless. It was very frustrating. Returning to the visi...
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Thursday 29th January 2026: Norfolk coastal tour

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 Today was cold and grey, but largely dry, save for a few spits which did not interfere with our birding. We started early, with a trip to Titchwell at 6.30am in search of Woodcock dropping in to roost. Although there was some movement in the semi darkness, we were not able to clearly identify any shapes as a Woodcock. An early morning Blackbird and Robin serenaded us from close range, and a Song Thrush perched high on a tree branch, beak agape as it poured forth its magnificent song to greet the morning. After breakfast, we set off for a long drive to Sheringham, in search of an Eastern Black Redstart, a subspecies, with notably differing plumage. A kind non-birder saw us looking and pointed out the bird sat on a nearby roof, where Sue and Tim both took some photos. Then it flew over to the ornamental gardens, where it paused on a bench, before foraging in and around the bushes nearby, giving excellent and sustained views. Eastern Black Redstart Feeling uplifted by this beautiful ...
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Wednesday 28th January 2026: Holme to Hunstanton and Burnham Overy Staithe

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 We woke to clear skies and sunshine, and with a Redwing from our room and a Barn Owl over breakfast, we were set fair for a good day’s birding. Barn Owl We started by the golf course at Holme, walking across to the saltmarsh where we soon found Stonechat, Rock Pipit and Skylark flitting about the vegetation. Walking towards the beach to scan for Snow Bunting without success, we scoped Sanderling, Dunlin and Oystercatcher on the shoreline. Heading towards Hunstanton, we followed the track by the marsh. In the channel we found plenty of Redshank, a few Wigeon, a single Curlew and a Kingfisher, perched on a stone wall, before it sped off round the corner. A Little egret was new here too, then a Black-tailed Godwit landed just feet away from us and a flock of Goldfinch circled round before settling on the saltmarsh nearby.  Black-tailed Godwit We crossed the channel and scanned the beach, noting a large troop of Oystercatchers, but no new species. We decided to return along the d...
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