The Shorelarks put on a superb show this morning on the west side of Holkham Gap.
News materialised on my Bird Guide App that the Shorelarks had returned to Holkham Gap, this time on the west side, but finding the birds was not going to be easy. I did get some ideas from a couple of birders I passed by the reserve entrance, but the beach itself is a big area, but thankfully, there were many birders present this morning to give a helping hand. The drive there was looking miserable with a big bank of dark clouds coming in and by the time I got to Lady Anne's Drive, drizzle had begun to fall.
A Curlew feeding in the fields to the east of the Drive.
Spot the Meadow Pipit? This Grey Lag Goose and Lapwing are looking the wrong way!
The rain did not bode well, but it didn't last long as I quickly checked the fields of anything I could take photos of. There were some obliging Curlew, Oystercatchers, Lapwing and Wigeon to pose for me and good numbers of Meadow Pipits were also within the field. Good numbers of both Geese and wildfowl were within the fields again as well as large numbers of Lapwing, with a sprinkling of Redshank enjoying the small pools. A few Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzards were seen over the fields, but no Red Kites were seen this morning. On the east side, the Chinese Water Deer was grazing in the same place as yesterday and on the west side, at least one Hare was seen.
More photos of the delightful Shorelarks.
Walking along the footpath leading to the Hides, I took the boardwalk to the beach and was a little dismayed to see a couple of guys with three large dogs off their leads heading the same way. Thankfully, they branched off right as I made my way to the beach. Now, where were the Larks? A pair of Skylarks flew overhead and as I rounded one large Sand dune, I realised that I was looking in the wrong place. I needed to be walking further west along the beach and eventually, I picked up a couple of birders in the distance checking out something on the sand. Another birder walking his dog, kindly told me that the Shorelarks were just a little further to the west and so joining the other birders, I finally caught up with the four gorgeous Shorelarks.
The Shorelarks on the beach on Holkham Gap this morning.
They soon flew off, but thankfully, they flew right past me and landed some 50 yards away behind me and so retracing my steps, I got as close as I dared and managed to grab quite a few reasonable photos of the birds. There was a young chap, armed with a long lens camera laying on his front in the sand earlier and now was soaking from the wet sand. Out of politeness, he asked me if he could get close to the birds again to take some awesome photos. How could I refuse? I am glad he moved carefully and slowly and got into position laying on his front and photographed the birds to his heart's content!
The two Grey Partridge with a Red-legged Partridge checking out the Wigeon.
This Little Grebe was with two others on a small pool by the footpath through the woodland.
I decided to make my way back to the car, so I rounded the birds and took a few more photos. With that, I heard something calling close to my feet and it was a pair of Sanderling some five feet away from me! I know that they can be confiding, but this close? I was just about to take a photo, but they flew off. Grumble! When I reached the boardwalk, I heard the distinctive call of a Snow Buntings and sure enough, a flock of at least 9 birds flew over the beach and down onto the Salt marsh. Well, that rounded off a good trip here to the beach.
I couldn't resist a photo of the shells on the beach at Holkham. Thousands of Razor Shells, Whelks, Cockles and Clams could be found on the sand.
The Boardwalk leading to the beach.
Back at the Centre and main entrance, the pair of Grey Partridge that were present yesterday, were now joined by a Red-legged Partridge, of which attracted an appreciative crowd of onlookers. A Great White Egret flapped ever so slowly across the fields and eventually landed well to the east. There was a report of 4 Spoonbills in front of the Joe Jordan Hide, but despite a good search over the fields to the east, there was no sign of the birds. The Shorelarks now put me on 140 species for the year and seeing it is still early February, could I be in for a bumper year? We shall see. The American Robin was showing well again this morning and I did see some film footage of the bird on WhatsApp this afternoon and it looks quite stunning.
The beach at Holkham Gap looking east.
Later this afternoon, Becky and I took a drive into Holt again and on the way there, a Cattle Egret was seen flying high over the main road near Letheringsett.
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