Spoonbills over Titchwell RSPB Reserve.

Thursday 10th February 2022.

The pair of Spoonbills flying west over the reserve.

It's the penultimate day of our trip to North Norfolk and where else than to take a drive to Titchwell RSPB Reserve, the flagship of the RSPB, to virtually round off an excellent week's birding. I even rounded the trip off with another ‘year-tick’ when I spotted a pair of Spoonbills flying high over the reserve, heading west. I really didn't think it was about spotting as many ‘year- ticks’ today, but more of really enjoying being at a wonderful place enjoying the thing I love most in life. With a really bright day with lots of sunshine, I really made the most of  the following three hours there.

This male Goldcrest was just a few feet from where I stood in the small stretch of woodland.

Snowdrops brightening up the woodland floor.

Sometimes, when i spot something really good, I do like to show people what I have found and when I just happened to turn round to view the reserve from the Beach, I saw the two Spoonbills flying over and told the nearest birders to me that such a superb bird should be making their way across the reserve. They even gave me a thumbs up to say they saw the birds, which really made my day. Then I got chatting to a single lady, sitting on a bench out of the wind, overlooking the reserve. She said, though there were few birds currently showing, she just enjoyed waiting for birds to arrive, rather than go looking for them. She even offered me a seat next to her, but I told her that I was making my way back home, but we had a nice chat nonetheless. If I had the time, I most certainly would've spent some time on that bench. She was a bit of a novice, but I was willing to help identify the birds for her; but time was against me and so I said my goodbyes.

Grey Lag Geese flying over the Salt Marsh to the west of the reserve.  

I was again just a few feet away from this exploring Wren in the small woodland.

The reserve has changed a bit from the last time I was here a few years back. More Marsh management has taken place here for the benefit of the birds and even the front entrance of the reserve has had a bit of a face lift, with a reception area to show your membership card to access the reserve, instead of leaving your card on your dashboard within your car. Good PR? I'll let you decide that. The cafeteria is still there, offering some lovely hot food and drink at quite high prices, but the money goes towards looking after the reserve. Then it's worth it. Remember though, the RSPB, though doing some fantastic work, is a Business and businesses have to make money to survive.

The Island Hide in the foreground and the Parinder Hide in the background.

Bar-tailed Godwit and Oystercatchers on the Fresh Marsh.  

Looking south towards the Island Hide.

Back to the birds and my sightings. The bit of woodland through the car park towards the Shop held some very obliging Goldcrests and Wrens, showing down to just a few feet and with small numbers of Long-tailed Tits balancing on tiny twigs above me, there is always something to look at here. No Redpolls, a species I was hoping might be in the Alders above me, were seen, but plenty of Chaffinches, with some singing birds too.

Several Redshank showed well close to the main footpath.

A pair of Reed Buntings by the main footpath.

There were also plenty of Geese on the reserve, that included Brent, Grey Lag and a few Egyptian and wildfowl present included Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler and a few Pintail. Large numbers of Wigeon were at the east end of the reserve with many more out in the fresh marsh to the west. Waders were roosting out on the fresh marsh that included large numbers of Bar-tailed Godwit, with smaller numbers of Redshank, Dunlin and Avocet and though I did not venture into the superb Hides today, I enjoyed taking a slow ramble along the main footpath to the beach. The reedbeds were patrolled by at least 5 different Marsh Harriers, with several more flying over the Salt marsh to the west, but I could not find any Hen-harriers today. A pair of Reed Buntings showed well by the footpath as did several Meadow Pipits, but little else of note there. 

Bar-tailed Godwit and Oystercatcher on the Fresh Marsh.

From the beach, the sea held at least 8 Eiders, including 7 drakes and a female; 4+ Great Crested Grebes and a pair of Goldeneye on the choppy water. Sadly, not a great deal else apart from Oystercatchers, Sanderling and a few Barwits flying through. The Spoonbills were a real bonus today, always great to see something unexpected, but though the reserve was fairly quiet, it was delightful to be here again.

The view from the beach. The Wind farm way out in the North Sea was clearly visible as was the 'Helter Skelter' at Skegness, Lincolnshire through my scope, which was just left of the Wind farm! 

I dropped into Cley Spy to drop off my telescope to be mended, which I am looking to be without for at least 8 weeks. I got back to the Cottage and then watched a beautiful Red Kite sail low over the houses to the east. Wow! The light was superb, lighting up all the birds colourful plumage as it twisted its wings and tail to guide itself south over the countryside. Then a pair of Yellowhammers flew over to round off my day's birding. Tonight, Becky and I went to dinner in Holt and on the way there, not only a Hare ran across the road and into a neigbouring field (thank God our car has good brakes!), but a Barn Owl was seen briefly hunting by the roadside.