We arrived at the reserve at 07:40am with the car Park largely full, wow! It was very clear and the sun was out but it wasn't half cold! We started at the New Fen viewpoint, with the news that the bird was about. We soon had good views of a couple of flyby Bitterns and at least 2 Marsh Harrier.
Walking along the north side of the reserve by the river, Dave picked up a couple of distant Common Crane in flight which we all saw briefly and then the Red Footed Falcon suddenly appeared along the west edge of the west wood, get in there!!! We watched him hunting over a channel and over the reeds, coming back to the trees to perch up. It was clear though that he was favouring the south side very close to the path. After enjoying goods scope views for a bit we made our way around to the south side, seeing a day-flying Barn Owl and navigating a very angry Mute Swan with her cygnets!
News broke of an apparent Savi's Warbler in reeds round on the southern side, however there was no sign. On this side the Red Foot performed amazingly well, hunting insects and perching several times on the edge of west wood, along with 2 or 3 Hobby.
We then moved further east along the path and the views of him just got better and better, seeing him hawking insects low over our heads as little as 15 feet away!
Below are a couple of amazing shots taken by Dave using Jon's camera.
Eventually, we dragged ourselves away to somewhere in Norfolk (not allowed to say where!) to look for a pair of Montagu's Harriers! I'd never seen a male before and I was pretty dam excited. We arrived to be told that the female was in the field and had been seen flying around a bit, with no sign so far of the male. We must have waited a good 45 minutes when eventually I picked up the stunning male Montagu's Harrier flying in with something in his talons, yes! As it flew in, up came the female. Surely they wouldn't...but sure enough they did an incredible food pass, with her dropping it mid air but swooping down to, in the end catch it! Absolutely amazing! Below are a few images Dave managed to capture of the whole thing.
The male flew around quite a bit, even chasing off a fly-by Lesser Black Backed Gull! He then eventually landed on a bare bit of earth and just sat preening for ages and in fact, that's where we left him!
After having a bit of late pub lunch, Dave and I went on to Titchwell. Was hoping to see the Temminck's Stint that was there however for all the time we were there it stayed at the back of one of the islands and failed to show itself. Still, highlights there included a Spoonbill (note how it's sat down on it's knees!), an Eider & female Common Scoter on the sea and several Little & Sandwich Terns. There was also a decent array of waders, many in summ plumage including several Sanderling, c.30 Turnstone, c.50 Bar Tailed Godwits, c.30 Grey Plovers, a Knot, 2 LRP and all the usual commoner species.
The last part of the day was spent at Dersingham Bog, near Kings Lynn to watch Nightjars. Rather suprisingly they were a complete no show, despite it being such a clear, still evening. I guess it was to do with the fact that it was really cold. We did have a roding Woodcock, singing Tree Pipit, a male Stonechat, 1 or 2 Cuckoo and a pretty tame and manky Roe Deer.
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