Norfolk Tour - Titchwell RSPB Reserve

Overcast day for our visit to Titchwell gave sympathetic lighting for the Sandwich Terns, Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Brent Geese  and Black-Headed Gulls against the water and sky. It also showed off the colours of the Heron, Reed Bunting and Sedge Warbler. Although at a distance it was great to see Grey Plover, Dotterel and Mediterranean Gulls.

 

 

 

 

Morning Visit to Cemlyn Bay

To try and get better light on the Tern colony , we visited Cemlyn the following morning. The Sandwich Terns were busy bringing in fish to the colony where pairs were still displaying even though many chicks have fledged and their parents returned south. Other species - Black-Headed Gull already in winter plumage, Little Egret, Common Tern (black tip to bill), Arctic Tern, Grey Heron, Oyster Catcher and Greenshank.

Cemlyn Bay Ternery and Beach

Cemlyn’s curved bay is unique with its shingle ridge known as Esgair Cemlyn dividing the open sea from a saline coastal lagoon. The bay and surrounding land forms part of the Cemlyn Estate which is owned by the National Trust but the North Wales Wildlife Trust lease the lagoon area  with its extensive tern colony which is deemed nationally important as it is home to the only breeding colony of Sandwich terns in Wales.  The lagoon was created in the 1930s by Captain Vivian Hewitt who built a dam and a weir, changing the saltmarsh area into the lagoon. He had a keen interest in birds and lived on the western side of the bay. Pictures here of the scenery and some Sandwich Terns from an afternoon visit with the family. More pics to follow from morning visit the next day.

Birds Feeding at Snettisham RSPB

At a first glance, the extensive mud flats at Snettisham appear devoid of birds at low tide but looking more closely we found Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover pulling out worms and a Curlew catching a crab. Further along Common Terns were snatching small fish from a creek and taking them back to islands on the gravel pits behind the beach. Most have finished breeding but one male tried to insist a female accepted his gift - in vain. Later an Egret was tossing a small invertebrate of some type.

Common Terns at Clavering Lakes

This common Tern was repeatedly circling round one of the fishing lakes a Clavering. He eventually dived and caught a fish. I have never photographed male Mallard in full moult. The last image was taken with the Olympus OM1mkii and 300 f4 lens that Phil was trying out as opposed to the Fuji kit that I was using.  Difficult decisions ahead!