A bright morning and I am on the coach with the local RSPB group on my way to Titchwell, a RSPB reserve on the North Norfolk Coast. It promises to be a good day as there have been some excellent records during the week.
On arrival, I make my way to the beach. There has been a large flock of sea-duck off-shore including over 100 Velvet Scoter. In the good sunlight, it proves easy to identify them and a flock of 30 or so is soon seen in flight as they move along the coast giving views of the white wing bars which are the key identifying feature. In amongst this flock and some which don’t have wing-bars – Common Scoter. There are also a large group of Long-tailed Ducks. Sadly, the Red-necked and Slavonian Grebes of the previous day were not present (I learnt later that they had moved a few miles down the coast to Holme).
Velvet Scoter. Photo by Tony Morris (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tonymorris/)
Long-Tailed Duck. Photo by Sergey Yeliseev (https://www.flickr.com/photos/yeliseev/)
Having exhausted the sea, I begin to make my way back through the reserve looking at the various lagoons and saltmarsh which stretch out either side of the path. There is a good selection of waders and ducks present.
Golden Plover
Shelduck
Grey Plover and Redshank
Oystercatcher
Brent Geese
Teal
My final stop is the reed-bed and the woodland where a few more species were added. On the way back some of the group found a Water rail in a ditch and we were able to get quick glimpses as it slipped away through the undergrowth and a party of Pink-Footed Geese flew which over on their way to roost.
Robin
Pink-footed Geese
An excellent day with over 60 species seen.
Common Pheasant [sp] (Phasianus colchicus)
Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Brant Goose [sp] (Branta bernicla)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Eurasian Teal [sp] (Anas crecca)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca)
Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra)
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
Common Goldeneye [sp] (Bucephala clangula)
Little Grebe [sp] (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe [sp] (Podiceps cristatus)
Little Egret [sp] (Egretta garzetta)
Western Marsh Harrier [sp] (Circus aeruginosus)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk [sp] (Accipiter nisus)
Common Kestrel [sp] (Falco tinnunculus)
Water Rail [sp] (Rallus aquaticus)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
Grey Plover [sp] (Pluvialis squatarola)
Black-tailed Godwit [sp] (Limosa limosa)
Bar-tailed Godwit [sp] (Limosa lapponica)
Eurasian Curlew [sp] (Numenius arquata)
Common Redshank [sp] (Tringa totanus)
Ruddy Turnstone [sp] (Arenaria interpres)
Red Knot [sp] (Calidris canutus)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
European Herring Gull [sp] (Larus argentatus)
Common Pigeon [sp] (Columba livia)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Eurasian Collared Dove [sp] (Streptopelia decaocto)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Western Jackdaw [sp] (Coloeus monedula)
Rook [sp] (Corvus frugilegus)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Eurasian Skylark [sp] (Alauda arvensis)
Cetti’s Warbler [sp] (Cettia cetti)
Long-tailed Tit [sp] (Aegithalos caudatus)
Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
Song Thrush [sp] (Turdus philomelos)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
Dunnock [sp] (Prunella modularis)
Pied Wagtail [sp] (Motacilla alba)
Common Chaffinch [sp] (Fringilla coelebs)
Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)
European Greenfinch [sp] (Carduelis chloris)
Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus)
Common Linnet [sp] (Carduelis cannabina)
