We set off at 6am with Lakenheath RSPB reserve (actually just in Suffolk) our first stop. We arrived around 8ish and headed down the track. The weather was sunny but pretty bloody breezy. It wasn't long before we heard a booming Bittern and several Bearded Tits. It was a long old walk to the far end of the reserve but I didn't mind as I was surrounded by good birds. Bitterns seemed to be booming everywhere and I recon in total the visit probably totalled around 5 booming birds!
We approached the area of poplars where Dave had previously seen/heard Golden Oriole. The last time I visited the reserve it was very different with the RSPB not long having purchased the place. Back then the Orioles were in the poplars closest to the now visitor centre. Now however, they were right towards the end of the reserve. It wasn't long before we were hearing 1, possibly 2 male Golden Orioles in song. I happened to turn around to see a Bittern in flight behing us, excellent. We headed on to the viewpoint and enjoyed good views of excellent numbers of Marsh Harriers and Bearded Tits, as well as a Barn Owl hunting by the river, bringing a vole back to a small brick hut not too far from the path.
We then headed back to the poplars and enjoyed 2, possibly 3 male Golden Orioles singing away. They were, as they always are, very illusive. One bird was singing very close and I managed to see it flit from tree to tree for less than a second. Dave then had it towards the top of one of the trees. But it moved before I had the chance to get my scope on it....dam it!! We then began to head back to the car, enjoying good views of a Cuckoo, 1-2 Hobbies over head and another illusive Golden Oriole in song.
We then headed for North Norfolk. The fish & Chip shop queue in Wells was rediculous so we held off on food and met up with Dave's mate Kieran at Burnham Overy. We had a look around with nothing too unusual on show with several Egyptian Geese, Avocet, Redshank, Marsh Harrier & Little Egret. We then went to grab some lunch before hearing of a site for Montagu's Harrier. After grabbing food we headed for the site. A short while later we parked up the site and started scanning the small, tree-lined valley surrounded by farmland. It was wasn't long before a Hobby flew through, there were several Buzzards circling and both Red Legged & Grey Partridges were close by. While half way through my scotch egg Dave saw a harrier rise up from the trees, female Montagu's Harrier! Get in! It circled around before gaining real height. This went on for around 10-15 minutes before it came down and gave a right good aerobatics display, swooping and diving about. It then headed back to the trees. Fan-bloody-tastic!
Next stop was the Choseley Barns area in search of singing Quail. It was very windy and there was no sign of any Quail, just one or two Corn Bunting on wires. Here Kieran left us and Dave and I went on down to Titchwell. There didn't appear to be much around but we headed down the path all the same. On the freshmarsh there were around 20 Little Gull present, mostly 1st summers, with a couple of 2nd summers with black heads. All smart little chaps! Soon after a Spoonbill flew through without stopping, heading East. The tide was in and therefore several hundred non-breeding Knot and around 50 Bar Tailed Godwit were also on the freshmarsh.
The sea had lots of Little Tern and my first Sandwich Tern of the year heading East. Heading back we had a look form the main hide finding a leucistic Pintail and a female Red Breasted Merganser sitting on one of the islands. The Little Gulls also continued to show well.
We then left to head for our final stop, Dersingham Bog (via an unsuccessful stop off near Snettisham for Turtle Dove!).
The weather on arrival was distinctly average with cloud cover and light rain. Dave had been given directions for seeing some Nightjar so off we went into bog. Not gunna lie, we got a bit lost, culminating with one of his Norfolk birding mates setting us on the right track. It wasn't long before we had several Woodcock roding away around us, getting pretty bloody close at times! The weather had improved very slightly and aroun half 9 we had our first churring Nightjar. I then saw presumably the same bird in flight and 30 seconds later we had it fly really close...both great views! A Grasshopper Warbler was also singing distantly too. But after this the weather began to close in again and the activity ceased, other than 1 or 2 hardy Woodcock. Great end though to a great days birding.
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