EAST NORFOLK: Spring Waxham walk

Mid April 2024

Over Easter, Adam & I went for a walk at Waxham. There was little in the way of migrant birds, although a random Brent Goose standing in a field, a couple of Swallows and my first singing Willow Warblers of the year were of note. Walking back along the beach we got good views of the seals and I saw my first Sea Gooseberry in many years. On the beach I noticed a groundbug that turned out to be Peritrechus geniculatus, a new one for me. Crossing back a sunny wooden set of steps turned out to be brilliant for insects, including Plane Tree Bug and the beetle Thanatophilus sinuatus. A Common Lizard was basking on one of the bits of fencing and allowed me to take my best ever photos of the species.

EAST NORFOLK: Roe Deer & Hoopoe

Mid-April 2019

Adam & I met up in North Walsham for a look around a few sites in East Norfolk. We started by heading for a lake that sometimes attracts Ospreys on passage - no luck this time but we did see a pair of Marsh Harriers. The winds had been stifling the arrival of migrants, and a walk along the dune scub at Waxham turned up nothing better than a Blackcap, although we did see the two Ring Ouzels that had been present in that area for a while. Good views of a Roe Deer were the highlight of the visit.

Neither of us had seen a Hoopoe for several years, so we decided to head to Winterton, stopping briefly on the Horsey straight to see the Tundra Bean Goose and Great White Egret. At Winterton we walked quite a way down the south dunes, seeing only a pair of Stonechat and some Skylarks, before hearing that the Hoopoe had last been seen near the toilet block. Deciding to check the north dunes we were on the verge of giving up when someone gave us a thumbs up and pointed in the direction they had come from. A few more minutes searching and we located the Hoopoe, which showed well until accidentally flushed by some walkers.

On the way back we called in at a site that used to hold Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers on the off-chance, but there was no sign of any, albeit by then it was mid afternoon so this wasn't a surprise.

EAST NORFOLK: Return to Shangri-La

13th January 2017

Having failed to see the Hume's Warbler at Waxham on the previous weekend, I was keen to revisit and give it another look. Adam had also been unsuccessful, so I agreed to head back to North Walsham on Saturday morning to pick him up then head to Waxham. I had a quick poke about in his garden before we set off, noting Stigmella anomalella mines in a Rose sp and more interestingly feeding signs of a Psychoides moth sp on Polypody ferns.

At Waxham we noticed a small group of birders looking into the Shangri-La garden. The Hume's Warbler had been seen there earlier in the morning, but there was no sign of it now. Deja vu began to creep in. Some people on Twitter had given me up-to-date information, which suggested that it was mostly favouring the area south of the garden, was calling very infrequently and was feeding low down, so we decided to search the areas of Alexanders along the coast footpath just south of Shangi-La.

After about 45 minutes with no sight or sound of the Hume's Warbler we retraced our steps and decided to try a bit to the north. A small group were looking intently into the ivy covered trees in a way that suggested they might have seen it, but they hadn't. After searching theare just north of the chalet we turned round and returned to head back to the area we started at. This time we got lucky, as a tour group had located the Hume's Warbler. It called and flew past us, and after a quick move along the path we got nice close views of it in some Alexanders before it flew up into the trees. Another call and some more good but brief views and it then vanished again.

Leaving Waxham we decided to call in at Happisburgh where a flock of Shorelarks have been frequenting the area around the lighthouse. The large field seemed to hold hardly any birds, although a Meadow Pipit was new for the year for me. Whilst Adam scanned the field I looked out to see, seeing two Red-throated Divers flying south. Further along we met Gary & Alysia, who also hadn't seen the Shorelark. After a catch up we continued on, seeing some Skylarks and a Stonechat. On the way back I noticed four Snow Buntings on the beach, suggesting that the Shorelark might have also been somewhere out of sight along the shore.

On the way home we saw drive-by Turnstones at Walcott and a Sparrowhawk over the road between Edingthorpe and North Walsham.

EAST NORFOLK: Waxham

7th January 2018

Having a free morning I decided to head over to East Norfolk where a Hume's Warbler had been found recently.

Cathy: "Where is it then?"

Me: Shangri-La

Cathy: "Does it have a fountain of eternal youth, and is it guarded by Yeti?"*

Me: "No, this is the Norfolk Shangri-La. It has some stunted trees and is guarded on one side by Seals".

Cathy: "It sounds miss-named"

Me: "You might have a point".

Driving out a flock of Pink-footed Geese flew over just after Salhouse and a big flock of Rooks were in the fields near Ingham. Knowing that there wasn't much parking available at Waxham I headed for Sea Palling. I intended to park in the small charity car park but it was shut - that made me remember I hadn't been here for years. I ended up parking in the pay and display car park, although judging from the multiple cars parked on double yellow lines on the road into the village perhaps normal parking procedures don't apply here.

As I started off on the coast path to Waxham a birder asked if I'd seen the Hume's Warbler yet, telling me that it had showed early morning but was still mobile. I hurried along to the Shangri-La garden, where I had missed the bird by about ten minutes. There were quite a few birders on site, but they kept coming and going. I was never sure if they were just checking the trees nearby or were watching it somewhere else. Eventually I gave up and headed back to the car. I knew I would probably see it if I put in enough time, but I'd said I'd be back at lunchtime and as gambling adverts tell you, if the fun stops, stop.

* people who have read the James Hilton novel might not recognise this description, but Shangri-La is guarded by Yetis in the critically slated film The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.