Hunstanton & North Norfolk August 1999
by Gordon Hamlett
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PBC Trip Report Hunstanton & North Norfolk August 1999 by Gordon Hamlett |
You know it's going to be a funny sort of day when the first two birds that you see are Golden Pheasant and Helmeted Guineafowl! The former, introduced from China you are allowed to count, the latter, brought over from Africa to provide additional sport for shooters is not tickable.
We had called in at Wolferton en route to Hunstanton, an easy an occasionally worthwhile detour though we only reckon to see the pheasants about one time in ten on a casual drive past.
Arriving at the front at Hunny, it soon became apparent that this was not going to be one of the classic seawatching days with the sea doing a mighty fine impression of a mill pond and what bit of wind there was coming from the south-west rather than the north. Nevertheless, we started to pick up a few birds ranging from Fulmars gliding in front of our faces to a couple of distant Common Scoters and a total of five Gannets flying past.
A few Sandwich Terns were moving and they are always likely to attract the attention of any passing skua. These pirates tend to follow the coast down and fly in to the Wash, only to find that it is a dead end and fly out again. Consequently the person standing on the left hand end of the group has the best chance of picking up birds first. And so it was with Chris Garvey being the first to get on to the only two skuas of the day. The second bird was an Arctic Skua - the commonest skua found in these parts but the first bird was altogether heavier, especially around the chest and had a much more ponderous flight - a much rarer Pomarine Skua.
Don't overlook the use of jizz, especially when seawatching. How a bird flies can often be a useful identification pointer, especially for distant birds or those seen in poor light. Unfortunately, while we discussing the finer points of skua identification, a dog decided to try and scent-mark Malcolm's field guide in the traditional canine manner. It would be unfair to say that Trevor and myself nearly followed suit by laughing too much but it was close.
We moved on to Titchwell and the reserve was alive with birds and we clocked up a total of 20 species of wader including about 6000 Knot, a few Curlew Sandpipers - part of a nation-wide influx - and a dozen Greenshanks. No trip would be complete without an appearance from Sammy the Stilt, now in his sixth year on the reserve. A Little Egret flew over the path and we heard both Bearded Tit and Water Rail.
We moved on to Swanton Novers for lunch. This raptor watchpoint just outside Fakenham is famous for its Honey Buzzards though most of the group had been there several times previously without much success. A Buzzard came up which Trevor, anxious to get away, tried to string as a Honey Buzzard. Fortunately, the real thing came up behind us about five minutes later giving good but distant views of the main identification features including small head, pinched wings and soaring on flat wings unlike the Buzzard which holds its wings in shallow V.
Of course, having seen the genuine article, Trevor was now quick to concede that the first bird was in fact just a Common Buzzard and add it to his day list. How fickle the leading lights of the club can be!
The trip ended there but half the group decided to go back via Holbeach St Matthew where a Spotted Sandpiper had been reported. There was no sign of this American equivalent of our Common Sandpiper but they did report excellent views of Merlin, Peregrine and 100 Whimbrel.
