however as I approached the first pool I heard some reed warblers and soon they were showing well. The reed birds at tichwell are much bolder than at cley or many other places. I managed to get some shots but I forgot that the camera was on super fast shutter speed and so, because the light was already poor, the photos came out black.
As I left the first pool I heard a bird call. But this was no ordinary bird call, it was so explosive I though my ear drum had burst. Somebody behind me had also heard it but didn't bother looking, so I didn't ask him what it was. Then it called again and to be honest, it hurt. Then I spotted movement in the back of the bush. It came closer. I saw it perched and noticed the eye stripe-a wren was my though. Then I saw its tail and the red on it and it became clear that it was a cettis warbler. it was just sitting there and it allowed me to get some shots. it is really a pretty bird and a great tick.
Eventually the bird flew into the bushes and I carried on. at the first pool I spotted a ruddy duck. This bird has a special place in my heart because of the cull. I was in year 8 when it was announced and I ran a campaign to get it canceled. I wrote to the RSPB and Tony Blair about it and collected signitures and did all I could. It still went ahead but now that its been stopped Its great to see that some have survived.
HOORAY FOR RUDDY DUCKS!!!
-record shot-
as I approached the first hide I got my record shot of sedge warbler which was singing at the top of a reed stem. I managed to get really close and It just carried on singing.
as I approached the first hide I got my record shot of sedge warbler which was singing at the top of a reed stem. I managed to get really close and It just carried on singing.
At the first hide I spotted a common tern perched on a post in the water plus some avocets and godwits and knots in the background. A machine of a birdwatcher was in the hide. One of those that seems to have a sonar for birds. He was showing somebody something through his scope and as soon as the other guy got to have a look he had found some bearded tits. I don't know much about those people but to be able to do that must be a real skill.
Eventually I made my way to the beach. By this time it was really raining and the scope was soaked. I Had seen a little egret on the saltmarsh plus a redshank on the last pool. I set up the scope to try some sea watching-Norfolk is as good a place as any-but got bored after 10 mins having only seen some eiders. still eiders are nice birds but I had also found some dunlin along the sea. I left the scope and chased after them. It was easy to get close to them but I'm sure a longer lens would have been more useful.
as I made my way back for the beach I spotted a dog on the saltmarsh. through the bins though it became apparent that It was not a dog but a Chinese water deer, another tick. You can really see the fangs through the bins but you may have to look harder through the photos. It was not bothered in the least by my presence.
As I walked back to the hide I spotted somebody watching something. I asked him what he was watching and he said that he was just looking. Then he asked if I had a pager. "No" I replied "why?". his reply came as a shock to me "oh, because there is a trumpeter finch at cley"
-stunned silence-
Thanks I replied and then he left. A trumpeter finch, a TRUMPETER finch. Then I spotted my parents. "please can we go to cley this afternoon" I asked. "No" said my dad, and my pleading didn't help. so no cley today and therefore no finch. filled with disappointment I wandered into the hide. Sadly I browsed through the scope and spotted a black bird with red legs!! No way!
tick no. 3-spotted redshank. I dashed out of the hide to go and try and find it again amongst the godwits only a little closer. I failed possibly for this reason, lots of the godwits and knots were leaving.
Then, right in-front of me I spotted tick no.4-red crested pochard. Later I was informed that this was indeed a wild bird that had come over from Holland some time ago. That's four ticks. unfortunately the record shot for red crested pochard is less than adequate but still, what a bird.
the by the time I had finished looking for the redshank it was time for lunch. I spotted this reed warbler and took some snaps on the way back.
In the car my parents said that they had come up with some ideas (uh-oh) and that I could either go to cley that evening with them or get a bus there. A bus sounded great but unfortunately The man had been very vague and so I had little idea of where the bird actually was. When I asked at the visitor center at tichwell I was told "the north end of the east bar" which suggests that the guy though I was a local.
Eventually and reluctantly I caught a bus but luckily I was very lucky in getting a nice bus driver. He said that he was from southowram and so he would be nice to me. He though that we were getting off at the shingle bar, not where the bird was, but when I got to where he though was best we had a quick word about where the bird might be and he said "oh right, I know where you mean" and he did because there were loads of cars where he knew. Talk about luck.
It was the most nerve wracking bus journey ever.
when I got off I asked the first person i saw if it was still about "oh yes" he replied "and showing well" showing well!!. I raced up to the spot where it was and could see the people gathered in front of me. ohhhhh getting closer and closer and then I was told that it had done a runner. %mins earlier and I would have seen my first mega, I could not believe it. I waited 2 hours for it to come back but it did not turn up. no luck at all.
Gutted!
My parents picked me up from cley and I told them how disappointing it had been.
That evening we went down to wells to have a look at the harbour. luckily there were common and sandwhich terns fishing in the harbour to compensate for my dipping out success.
a nice ending to the day at least
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