Monday 27th January 2025: Norfolk Day 1, Welney and Holme

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 We started our Norfolk week at Welney, quickly finding Tree Sparrows on the feeders, mixed with House Sparrows. Tim and Sue spotted a Short-eared Owl, which I possibly flushed, but failed to see! I did however find a Cattle Egret feeding in the grass.

We spent some time at the reserve, where we had excellent views of the regular ducks, and Whooper Swans. On the mudbanks we spotted several Ruff, together with Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwit.

Whooper Swan

After an early lunch, we drove to Holme golf course, where we soon enjoyed great, sustained views of a flock of around thirty Snow Buntings on the beach. Nearby, a group of around 100 Sanderlings scurried across the sand like clockwork mice, then huddled together close to the dunes, bellies looking brilliantly white in the bright sunshine.

In cold, windy conditions, despite the sunshine, we battled up the beach towards Hunstanton, where we soon found a group of five Shore Larks, which gradually wandered towards us, giving excellent close views.

Snow Bunting

Shore Lark

A seal carcass on the beach had been a source of food for a Glaucous Gull, but there was no sign of the bird here. However, a large bird with a pinkish colouration, and lack of black markings on wings or tail flew over, and I wondered if this was our target ‘white gull’. Consultations with others indicated the second year bird did indeed have a pinkish or ‘biscuit’ plumage, but we hoped for a better view later in the week and marked this down as ‘unconfirmed’ for now. 

With five new ticks across the day, it had been a tremendous start to our trip.

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