1st February 2023
I again had the early morning experience of large numbers of Pink-footed Geese flying over Deepdale Camping and Rooms from 7:15 a.m.
From Deepdale Camping and Rooms, I drove to Sculthorpe Moor via an area of farmland between Colkirk and Great Ryburgh just to the south of Fakenham where both Bewick’s Swan and Whooper Swan had been reported regularly prior to my visit.
When I arrived in the area, I was unable to locate any swans but they eventually appeared having been previously hidden in a slight dip in a field. The small group comprised 4 Bewick’s Swan and a single Whooper Swan. Both species were further additions to my 2023 UK year list.
In the same area of farmland, I also recorded a single Red Kite, 2 Meadow Pipits, a single singing Skylark and 5 Brown Hares.
Sculthorpe Moor is owned and managed by the Hawk and Owl Trust and is located in the valley of the River Wensum just west of Fakenham. Its habitats include a rich mosaic of woodland, fens and reedbeds and there are several hides and viewing platforms accessed by a network of trails.
A number of bird feeders provide exceptional views and easy photo opportunities of common garden and woodland species, including some that are difficult to find and see well elsewhere, most notably Bullfinches and Marsh Tits.
As usual, I had an excellent visit, the only disappointment being not seeing any Treecreepers or Lesser Redpolls, both of which would have been additions to my 2023 UK year list.
Additions to my 2023 UK year list: Bullfinch, Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, Brambling, Great White Egret, Red-legged Partridge
Highlights from my visit included the following: Bullfinch (4 males and 4 females), Marsh Tit (2), Coal Tit (2), Brambling (1 male), Nuthatch (4 seen and another heard calling), Siskin (at least 10), Redwing (3), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 heard calling), Tawny Owl (1), Red Kite (2), Common Buzzard (1), Sparrowhawk (1), Red-legged Partridge (1), Water Rail (1), Great White Egret (1), Grey Heron (1), Mallard (4), Moorhen (2), Pheasant (4), Reeves’ Muntjac (5), Grey Squirrel (3)
Other species recorded included the following: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove
Photo: male Bullfinch
Photo: male Bullfinch
Photo: male Chaffinch
Photo: male Chaffinch
Photo: female Chaffinch
Photo: Goldfinches
Photo: Redwing
Photo: Redwing
Photo: Redwing
Photo: male Blackbird
Photo: female Blackbird
Photo: female Blackbird
Photo: Robin
Photo: Robin
Photo: Blue Tit
Photo: Blue Tit
Photo: Blue Tit
Photo: Blue Tit
Photo: Blue Tit
Photo: Great Tit
Photo: Dunnock
Photo: Dunnock
Photo: Dunnock
Photo: Dunnock
Photo: Dunnock
Photo: male House Sparrow
Photo: male House Sparrow
Photo: Water Rail
Photo: Water Rail
Photo: Water Rail
Photo: Great White Egret
Photo: Great White Egret
Photo: Red Kite
Photo: Red Kite
Photo: Red Kite
Photo: female Pheasant
Photo: female Pheasant
Photo: female Pheasant
Photo: Woodpigeon
Photo: Reeves' Muntjac
Photo: Reeves' Muntjac
Photo: Reeves' Muntjac
Photo: Reeves' Muntjac
Photo: Reeves' Muntjac
Photo: Reeves' Muntjac
Photo: Grey Squirrel
Photo: Grey Squirrel
After spending the morning at Sculthorpe Moor, I drove to Hunstanton and, after picking up some lunch in Tescos, parked up at the top of the cliffs. My wait for a Fulmar gliding along the clifftops was eventually rewarded and I had another addition to my 2023 UK year list.
A Black-headed Gull sat alongside my car the whole time I was there, obviously expecting to share my lunch!
Photo: Black-headed Gull
My final visit of the day was to RSPB Titchwell Marsh. Just before
arriving, I saw 2 Red Kites and a single Kestrel along the minor road down to the A149 from Choseley.
RSPB Titchwell Marsh is one of my most visited locations on the north Norfolk coast and it is a very productive site at any time of the year due to the mosaic of habitats including reedbeds, freshwater and saline lagoons, saltmarsh, sandy and shingle foreshore, sand dunes, woodland and grassland. It is an excellent site for breeding birds, passage migrants and winter visitors.
I had a relatively short visit to RSPB Titchwell Marsh and I spent all my time in the first and second hides overlooking the freshmarsh and did not visit the seashore or scan the sea.
Additions to my 2023 UK year list: Merlin, Water Pipit, Turnstone
Highlights from my visit included the following: Pink-footed Goose (+++++ distantly south of the A149), Dark-bellied Brent Goose (c.200), Wigeon (++), Teal (++), Shoveler (+), Shelduck (c.20), Pintail (c.10), Mallard (c.10), Tufted Duck (4), Goldeneye (1 female), Mute Swan (1), Cormorant (3), Lapwing (++), Golden Plover (+), Curlew (9), Common Redshank (10), Ruff (7), Oystercatcher (6), Turnstone (4), Avocet (2), Dunlin (2), Merlin (1), Marsh Harrier (1), Water Pipit (1), Meadow Pipit (2), Brambling (2), Linnet (c.30)
Photo: Avocet
Photo: Avocet
Photo: Dark-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Dark-bellied Brent Geese
Photo: Dark-bellied Brent Geese
Driving back to Deepdale Camping and Rooms after it had gone dark, I had yet another sighting of a Barn Owl between Brancaster and Brancaster Staithe.
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