Norfolk Trip

A trip to Norfolk with Ken, Andy and the intrepid Paul. We left Exeter at 11pm on Thursday the 19th, and our first stop was at Stonehenge, where we saw our first bird of the trip, a hunting Barn Owl. An early start the next day , where we saw numerous birds including Brambling, 2 Water Rail and a Muntjac Deer. Our next stop was at Holkham , where we saw 2 Red Kite, a Western Marsh Harrier and a Chinese Water Deer. Also seen at Holkham were 20 plus Snow Bunting, 8 Shore Lark, and 20 plus Common Linnet . Our last stop of the day was at Warham Greens, where we saw another Barn Owl, 2 male and 4 female Hen Harrier and 20 plus European Golden Plover .

Next day a return to Holkham, where we saw a large flock of Greater White Fronted Geese and another large flock of Pink Footed Geese. Also a single Barnacle Goose, 8 Red Legged Partridge and a Great White Egret. We then went to Brancaster, where we saw a superb Hume`s Leaf Warbler . Onto another area near Stanhoe , where we saw a Tundra Bean Goose and 1000 plus Pink Footed Geese.

Blakeney Marshes , where we saw 18 Twite , a bird I was keen to see. At Warham Greens , we saw 2 more Barn Owl and a Red Kite . After missing out yesterday . we connected with a Juvenile Pallid Harrier. A fantastic sight .We finished the day off back at Holkham, with 5 Grey Partridge and a Woodcock..

On our last day, we woke to a Winter Wonderland with an outside temperature of -6.5 !!! We then headed for home with our first stop at Eldernell, Cambridgeshire, where we saw a Tawny Owl sat in a tree, and a very elusive Long Eared Owl. Our last stop of the trip, was at Eye Brook Reservoir in Leicestershire, where we saw 4 male and 1 female Smew, 2 Great White Egret and 2 Little Grebe.

It was  a really good trip with good company . We must do it again .