Cranes Cranes and more Cranes

[Eastside Urchin]

Friday 22/2/08 visited the East of Norfolk starting at 7.30am in strumshaw fen,then onto Breydon water,Horsey mill and then onto Hicking broad (stubbs Mill)

 

starting at strumshaw we heard all 3 woodpeckers and a treecreeper without any of them showing which was quite a feat seeing as there was 15 of us to look for them.

We also heard Marsh tit but it proved to be just a fleeting look going into some thick bushes,apart from that the highlight was a muntjac running at high speed.

 

Then onto Breydon water where we stood in arctic winds while looking at waders.Snipe,dunlin,knot,black & bar tailed godwits, curlew,oystercatcher,200+ avocet,caspian gull

 

Then onto Horsey for lunch and nothing to see from the car park,plus they close the bogs in the winter so we moved on,got about 1/4 mile down the road and saw 2 common cranes feeding in the field so we stopped for about half hour until they flew towards the sea.

 

Then onto the beach for an hour where all we had were a few gulls,teal and a seal so off to Stubb Mill

 

Marsh Harrier (50plus)

Hen harrier (3)

Barn Owl (4)

Stonechat

Coal Tit

Pipits,skylarks,finches etc

 

Not the best weather for the day but a good day had by all and a quiet journey home as i slept in the car dreaming of curry,i ended up with a chinese though!