RSPB Titchwell Marshes, Norfolk

 Wednesday 22 October

Freshwater pool at Titchwell Marshes

With jenny to the southern end of Lincolnshire for three days so a perfect opportunity to drive over to RSPB Titchwell Marshes in Norfolk for the day, remembering to top up the battery in Kings Lynn on the return journey.  A ix of bright sunshine and broken cloud with a light wind but feeling very cold in the early morning as I arrived at 9.45. Exiting the car in the car park I was surrounded by Chaffinches and Woodpigeon and even a couple of over-flying Carrion Crows. Once dressed off straight away to the Fen Trail and Fen Hide via the feeding station outside the Visitors Centre where a Moorhen was picking up spilt seed along with a nearby Robin.

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

Arriving at the Fen Hide, having observed a handful of Long-tailed Tits in the trees to my left, nothing to be seen so, after a very brief stop, on up to the screen overlooking on Patsy's Reedbed.  Here a couple of Little Grebes plus a pair of Tufted Duck and a handful of Shelduck.  Also present a pair of Coot and a few Black-headed Gulls.  Away in the distance towards the sea and main hide a quartering Marsh Harrier.

Quartering Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus

Making my way back to the main path to the beach via the Meadow Trail I had a couple of Red Kite overhead and a Cetti's Warbler in the reeds to my left. But reaching the path a Pheasant behind the trees in front of me and "Merlin" picked up a calling Yellow-browed Warbler, and although a couple had been seen in the area recently, I was unable to find the bird. Whilst making my way down the path to the Island Hide hundreds of Pink-footed Geese seen and heard overhead as they moved about the immediate area.  And the smaller Reedbed Pool on the right held a few Gadwall, Mallard, and Greylag Geese.

Pink-footed Geese Anser brachyrhynchus

From the Island Hide lots of water birds to be seen including many Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal and Gadwall plus a few Shoveler and then lots of Lapwing.  Further away many feeding Black-tailed Godwit and then, at the very far end of the freshwater marsh, a single Snipe feeding at the water's edge.  Also present on the edge of the small island to my left a handful of foraging Starling.

Lapwing Vanellus vanellus

From here it was a walk on down to the shore but first a stop to take a look at the Volunteer Marsh where I found a few Dunlin and a number of Redshank plus both a Little Egret and another Curlew.  The first Curlew, plus a few Redshank and Wigeon, had been found on the marsh to the left of the sea wall path.  More Redshank were found in the Tidal Marsh which was now at low tide along with a couple of  Herring Gull.  So on to the shore itself with lots of exposed sand.  Here scores of both Oystercatcher and Brent Geese plus a single Whimbrel.

Curlew Numenius arquata

Making my way inland to pay a visit the the main hides I came cross a Stonechat plus more Little Egrets and Curlew on the marshes to the right. Once at the Parrinder Hide (south) I was able to take a closer look at the birds occupying the freshwater pool.  So many Teal and Wigeon and then, looking to the far end, over 500 roosting Golden Plover on a long, thin island.  Immediately in front of me a Reed Bunting dropped into the reeds and as I looked across the far bank a flight of Avocet dropped into the water in front of the Island hide. A closer check to the far end also produced a Cormorant in the water and the separating strip in front of me with its low bushes produced some smaller birds.  First a couple of Pied Wagtails then a handful of Linnet in and around the vegetation. Meanwhile, a small group of Meadow Pipits came to bathe in the shallow water to the right of the strip.  Noticing the movement on the bank of the strip I found a foraging Snipe.  Meanwhile, in the shallow water to the left of the strip another Curlew and more Black-tailed Godwits.

Snipe Gallinago gallinago

Time to make my way back to the Visitors Centre for a coffee before starting the return journey home and as I left the path for the Visitors Centre a Magpie in the trees and making use of the feeders many Blue and Great  plus a single Coal Tit.  Leaving the reserve a Dunnock in the hedge at the side of the exit road and to finish the day's birding both Jackdaws and Rooks on an island as I approached Kings Lynn, so giving a final tally of exactly 50 species for the day.

About half of the Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria roosting flock

Birds seen:

Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallard, Shelduck, Teal, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting.

Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus

Little Egret Egretta garzetta

Curlew Numenius arquata

Snipe Gallinago gallinago

Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis

Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa

For the latest news follow the Axarquia Birds and Wildlife Facebook page for more photos and comments and the opportunity to share with the wider birding world.