Trip reports

Sunny delight- Norfolk shines again.

Sunday, 20 September 2009

As we bypassed Hunstanton and headed down the north Norfolk coastal road,
the air of anticipation in the coach was cranked up a notch. These pilgrims to
Norfolk were not on their way to Walsingham, but to RSPB Titchwell, a haven
for birdwatchers throughout the UK.

The Indian summer smiled upon our group as we explored diverse habitats:
woodland, reedbeds, brackish marsh, a sandy beach and - with the aid of
our telescopes - the open sea. The novices among us reaped the rewards of experienced members' identification skills, as Titchwell's wonderful wading birds can appear confusingly alike to the untrained eye. A group of Little Stints was a 'new tick' for many visitors to the Island Hide. A Ruff also made a welcome appearance. The stirring cries of Curlews delighted all who heard them. The term 'Little' Egret was a misnomer, as the bright white feathers of these graceful birds accentuated their statuesque appearance.

Although Titchwell was bathed in autumnal sunlight all day, skeins of pink-footed geese in the vast Norfolk sky reminded us that winter was not far away. A small group of Snow Buntings on the beach, nicknamed 'sparrows of the ski slopes', proved that at Titchwell there's a chance of seeing almost any bird! Group members who ventured a little further along the shore were rewarded with close-up views of Common Gulls, yet more waders and two charming Eider ducks, clearly 'chilling out' before heading back into the North Sea.

In contrast to the bulk of the reserve, my visits to the Fen Hide in previous years had been a little underwhelming - the sum total of a Jay and a Woodpigeon! Yet on this occasion, a combination of patience and good fortune yielded superb views of a brooding Marsh Harrier in flight, two busy Reed Warblers and Britain's very own babbler, the Bearded Tit.

Each RSPB Wolverhampton visit to Titchwell seems to surpass the previous one. This September's visit was a birdwatching balancing act: a farewell to summer migrants and an engaging preview of winter visitors.

Report by Group Member Victoria Wall.