White- tailed Plover in Norfolk

On Sunday 10th April, I joined John H on a trip to Wild Ken Hill in North- west Norfolk, which is between Snettisham and Heacham, we parked at Snettisham car park (first time in 43 years!) observing both a singing Chiff- Chaff and Linnet. We walked out along a bund for 1.2 km, a fine Barn Owl was hunting out in the full sunshine and a pair of Avocets were asleep on an island behind us. We looked out over flooded fields looking towards the now famous Wild Ken Hill. The fine White- tailed Plover was distant and right at the back. Initially seen right in front of a Muntjac Deer, it spent its entire time feeding. Eventually we saw it fly showing the tripartitite colouration of the wing in flight a little bit like a Sabine's Gull with mousey brwon/ white and black giving a very striking look. Meanwhile fairly high up in the sky a fine Spoonbill flew right.

PGP again

On Saturday 10th April, on an initially sunny evening I walked down to Peto's Marsh again at Carlton Marshes, I could see 116 Golden Plovers at the back of Turnpike Marsh and walking around I joined Rob H who just refound/ relocated the splendid Pacific Golden Plover in amongst the flock. Typically quite diminute appearing more slender and around 2/3 the size of the larger plumper Golden Plovers. It had a longer leg length particularly above the knee. It had a more spangly back with more white dots sprinkled around its back. The head showed a golden yellow supercilia curling around the back of the ear coverts and a black splodge at the rear of the ear coverts. It showed more black on its breast subdivided by a whiter margin around that and the back. It was bang in the middle of the Golden Plover flock with several in full summer plumage finery. After cloud blanked out the sun the flock flew a lot closer in front of the water and showed reasonably well albeit in poor light. Pintails and Wigeon were again seen plus a wonderful Swallow, my first of the year flying left. It was nice to get a few record shots of the PGP finally.

Red Kite flying west

On Tuesday 5th April, at 5.20pm, whilst travelling home driving south along the A47 (A12) just north of Wootton's nursery, a Red Kite flew west.

Carlton fit: an ultimately exhausting session

On Sunday 3rd April, early afternoon, I walked up to Peto's, no sign of the Garganey on the old scrape but I did see the Glossy Ibis again on the grass close in between Turnpike Marsh and the SW corner of Peto's plus a White wagtail seen again. From North hide, I saw first a female Garganey and the male Garganey swam out although the light was poor I tried to get a few shots of both birds. seeing Stuart R we watched the birds for a while, occasionally the sun would break through the clouds but that didn't seem to help very much. Walking back at Turnpike Marsh I saw another male Garganey mid distance on the pool and a distant Little- ringed Plover seen in front of metal gate. I walked over to the Old scrape, Share Marsh side and failed to see anything here. Utterly exhausted, I drove home and I was about eat my evening meal when a tweet from Andrew having found a PGP and sans camera (just couldn't lu>g it around again!) I went back to Carlton Marshes, Carl arrived after me but was already ahead of me but almost kept pace with him & I arrived only 2 minutes behind Carl and Andrew kindly let me see the magnificent Pacific Golden Plover in amongst a small flock of around 15 Golden Plover. The PGP was more slender bird (compared with the Golden Plovers) and about 2/3 the size of the Goldies with a golden spangled back a few black blotches on the breast with proportionately longer legs with noticable leg length above the knee. It showed a dense spangled cap a golden white flared supercilia and when it flew, it showed significantly grey under arm auxillaries. In flight the legs seen to trail behind the tail. The bird started to come nearer and nearer and I was regretting not taking the camera (but it would have been just too much having lugged the camera around the whole reserve just an hour earlier). Andrew spotted a fine adult Caspian Gull at the back and Carl spotted the male Garganey in the pool at the back too.

Carlton stars Garganey & Ibis

On Saturday 2nd April, walking down to Peto's it was especially nice have nice weather (a rarity on my days off recently) to bump into both Will P (who I haven't seen for several years) and Paul & Jane F (back from their hols), after a catch-up I joined the some birders looking over the old scrape, it was wonderful to see 3 Garganey (2 males and 1 female). Later saw Andrew E too. They were swimming right over and nearer to us on the scrape, being about a third of the way out. Just past the Kissing Gate, I saw 2 fine Little Grebes (approaching summer plumage). Reaching the river path, lots of ducks included around 20 Wigeon, 5 Pintail (3 males, 2 females) and 5 Pochard (3 males, 2 females), plus a female White Wagtail feeding around the water margin. Walking over to North Marsh, a female Marsh Harrier seen quartering the marsh at the back. Suddenly, the Glossy Ibis appeared from nowhere and flew right and appeared to land on Turnpike Marsh. Walking back, the Glossy Ibis was indeed on the marsh on an island half way back but the bird walked and flew closer ultimately appearing on the grass just beyond the dyke in front of me, Rob H rather fortuitously joined me at exactly the right time and we had superb views of this bird in full sunlight feeding close by us, great for photography! Finally, after lots of constant feeding the Ibis flew to the back of the marsh. Walking back, great to see Steve B and Ivan L, where I put them onto the Garganey which were still on the old scrape but much closer, close to the grassy edge so often out of view but occasional glimpses of a fine male Garganey, a female Garganey and finally all3 Garganey (2 males & 1 female) which flew up and to the back western edge of the old scrape. A great trip out.