Titchwell

4th August 2009

Once again I came close to a scarce migrant, a Pec Sand turning up on the 5th! My timing has to improve sooner or later. I had planned to spend a day walking around North Walsham, but the offer of a lift to Titchwell with Cathy and her family swayed me. The pool to the west of the main path held two Ruddy Duck (both female/juvenile types, unless male eclipse looks like that too) and the family of Red-crested Pochard. The new Island Hide looks similar to the old one, with the exception of a full length window pane, which a wheelchair-bound lady soon turfed other birders away from. Common Sandpiper, Golden Plover, Little Ringed Plover and Spotted Redshank were all present.

The Parinder Hide is now a pile of wood, and the pools to the North were almost completely dry, maybe deliberately drained. A bright male Linnet called from the scrub along the path, but we had to wait until the shore for more birds. A Little Tern flew past offshore, and a few Whimbrel were on the edge of the shore. A party of 20+ Eider took a bit of identifying, I'm not familiar with the black-and-white eclipse plumage, made more difficult by the bobbing up and down in wave troughs. A Reed Warbler was the only thing of note from the Fen Hide, although Cathy's mum was befriended by a poet, who proceeded to sell her a book of his poetry. Whilst drinking tea in the picnic area a Marsh Tit flew briefly onto one of the feeders.

Enjoy the pond scum whilst you can...