I AM a Norfolk Birder!

This morning I went off to Horsey Gap to see what I could find.  I had only been there for 10 minutes when a Ring Tail came gliding over the dunes right in front of me.  It was one of those 'just me and the bird' moments.  As if the rest of the world had slipped away and it was just me and her left.  I watched for ages, there was something really special about the way she was moving.  It did cross my mind was it a Monty's but after checking my guide I decided that there was not a black bar on the wing so it was a Hen Harrier.  The bird was wing tagged, green on the right and yellow on the left which should really have rung more alarm bells than it did.  Typically about an hour later another birder asked me 'did you see the Monty's'  Grrrr one day I will get the hang of Harriers!

I really liked it at Horsey Gap but had to get home as I had someone coming to quote me for a carpet.  I was hoping to go back later in the afternoon and have another look around, especially for the Ring Ouzel someone said they had seen.  That was until I looked on Birdguides and saw that there was Woodchat Shrike at Winterton!  A bird I have never been able to even go for let alone see.  The timing was always wrong until now!  I was out of that door just as soon as the carpet lady had gone and totally overexcited.  My first Norfolk twitch.  To be honest I was so happy to be going on a proper twitch I didn't even really care if I got the bird or not.  No actually that's a lie because I would have been gutted if it had gone! 

I got onto the bird really quickly after reaching the spot and was well happy, it was really smart.  Then I got talking to a couple of Norfolk birders.  Until today I was seriously doubting if they actually existed.  I am proud to say that the asked me to join the Great Yarmouth Bird Club and told me I am now accepted as a Norfolk Birder.  I think it was all said tongue in cheek.  Well I hope it was!  I was able to ask all those daft questions you have about an area that only a local birder can tell you.  I learnt more in half an hour than I have in the whole time I have lived here!

While watching the Shrike it came on someones pager that there was Whinchat a little further along the dunes so I set off in search of a nice year tick.  While searching for that I met up with another bunch of local birders who put me onto a Ring Ouzel.  We never did find the Whinchat but the Ring Ouzel was enough to make me happy, I will save the other bird for tomorrow ;o) 

So a very successful day.  One right out of a lovely daydream.  I would love to imagine all the birds tomorrow will bring but I know I will be spending the day putting the furniture back into our newly painted study.  Bo-ring!!