Return to the Red- breasted Goose

On Monday 1st March, whilst leaving for work, at approx. 8.10am, I saw a Dunnock at the front of the house, just east and by the bushes by the passageway. On Tuesday 2nd March, using my A/L up from work, the weather forecast looked dire with steady rain all day but John H had checked the weather for Cley and sunny intervals were forecast. So 3/4 of the Scottish team were reunited, John H, Tony S and myself as John kindly drove us up to Cley after meeting at 9am. The bird hadn't come up on Bird Guides, so we pulled into the mini parking area by the Babcock field and I could see a load of c150 Brent Geese on the field just south (nearer the sea) most were swimming in the water but at the extreme far left end (north-west end) I immediately spooted the fine Red- breasted Goose perched on a spit. It then walked to the end and started swimming in the pool heading half way over towards us before it swam back. The still conditions meant we often heard the superb double note call that the RBG was constantly calling. After watching the birds for some 25 minutes, without warning the birds all took to flight and flew over to the cereal field just south of the A149 coast road, but they landed much closer to the road, so we took the Attenborough walk and stopped directly opposite. Unfortunately the sun was almost directly behind the flock, the best I could do was position myself to the side a little and take some shots. The bird was in the middle of the flock and slowly walked back and to the left. We then drove to the East Bank and walked out onto the beach initiall failing to see the Iceland Gull, we looked over Arnold's Marsh and it, the 1st winter Iceland Gull, was asleep on an island. Also on the marsh were 2 Grey Plover, a Bar- tailed Godwit.