And a male golden pheasant at Wolferton Triangle yesterday evening, 18th November 2010. Now are these true golden pheasant or is there some doubt over their purity. This male walked out in front of me, then flew over the road before disappearing under the rhododendrons. First time I've seen one fly; tail streamers streaming in the air. Can anyone say whether I can count it on the year list please?
The day had started at Santon Downham looking for lesser spotted woodpeckers and then looking for woodlark. Neither seen and if anyone can point me in the direction of either I'd be grateful. Only thing of note on tyhe Brecks was a very close muntjac.
Lynford Arboretum and 2 hours spent looking for the firecrest that had been reported a couple of days previously. Had stopped for some lunch, sitting at a picnic bench next to the archways when the treecreeper and the goldcrest I'd seen a few times whilst searching came onto a tree in the dell nearby. Went over and pished the evergreen shrubs there and out came the firecrest. Brilliant. One of my favourite birds and this one was a bright one. well appreciated and another for the year list. 8 to go to beat the record.
Cycled from here to Snettisham; after buying a cable for the iphone charger and saw the pink-footed geese flocks arriving for their roost; thousands of them.
Met two birders at this time, one of whom, Paul Searle has a great blog
http://www.chatterbirds.com/
Slept in the hide here. Actually had a very long sleep, 12 hours.
Friday 19th November
Woke around 6.00am and looking out of the hide window saw a 'half-moon Venus' if you get what I mean. It soon clouded over but not before seeing thousands of pink-footed geese leave their roost on the Wash.
Now I'm pleased to say that I now check every bird and it paid off this time with a close by black brant with a small group of brents.
2 peregrines were seen hunting over the mud and a white-fronted goose was with the greylags on the lagoon, as were around a thousand wigeon, small numbers of goldeneye, gadwall and mallard. 58 egyptian geese were here to and single great-crested grebe, little grebe and kingfisher.
Now I'd lost my last wooly hat somewhere yesterday and cycled back to Wolferton Triangle to search for same. Luckily for my slaphead, there it was, just along the road near the first triangle turning.
In the library at Hunstanton now and will be arriving at Titchwell a couple of days early. Hope they don't mind.
Sorry about the lack of photos but the thieves got the cable to my camera too.
Right, North Norfolk for the next week. Here's hoping.
All the best everyone.
Gary
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