New Beginnings

What an amazing day.  It started with a visit from the Gamekeeper.  A very nice young lady who told me all about the woods surrounding our house and the animals and birds on them.  I am allowed to walk through the woods so long as I keep to the paths and don't disturb the Pheasants.  Result!

So I went for my first stroll in MY woods!  It was a gorgeous summers day and there were birds singing everywhere, not that I could spot any of them hiding in the trees, woodland birding has never been my strong point!  There are some nice paths and one point where you get a limited and distant view of The Broad.  What I had hoped for was somewhere I could set up my scope and sit and scan for a while.  Never mind.

The Mallards are back again today. There was just the pair this morning but tonight there are three males and Esmerelda the female.  Poor girl is going to be harrassed again I fear.  They now come up to my kitchen window and create a racket wanting food whenever they see me.  I will have to get over to Lathams again tomorrow and buy some more seed for them.  They seem to like it and it has to be better for them than sliced white.

We went over to Horsey today for the first time.  We were driving along and I saw some suspicious shapes in the field.  I tried to say 'could you try and stop a moment please' in a quiet calm voice to hubby so as not to make him think there was an emergency.  Sadly I did not manage this and was not terribly popular.  Never mind I was able to get out at the next layby and get my bins onto two lovely Common Cranes.  The first for me this year and the first I have found on my own.  Was I excited?  Yes you bet!

Then on to Horsey Gap where we took the little dog on her first ever visit to the beach.  Poor dog is 7 years old and has never seen the sea before.  She took it all in her stride and was not scared of the sea which I thought she might be.  There were loads of seals in the sea, sitting really close in watching us, three even looked as if they were going to get out of the water but in the end they just paced us along the shoreline about three feet out.

Another thing which caused me great excitement (yes and jumping up and down and generally showing myself up!) was my first swallow of the year.  Flying over the dunes full of the joys of spring.  I love all those firsts of the year and the swallow has to be one of the best.  Also on the beach were a couple of Turnstone and Ringed Plover.  I read on a noticeboard that Ringed Plover nest on the beach so I will have to keep an eye out later on.

Then home for more excitement!  I year ticked my first Reed Warbler IN MY GARDEN!  How cool is that???  It was climbing up and down the bog grass at the bottom of the garden.  I had to think twice about what it was because of where I was seeing it!  Madness, Reed Warbler garden ticked!

Butterfly the squirrel is still on the rampage trying to empty my feeders.  He has only trashed one so far but his favourite trick is to knock the nut feeders down and roll them about till the nuts come out.  I just think that he could become very expensive later on.  The gamekeeper said if he becomes a nuisance she will shoot him for me but thats not really on my agenda!  Mind you the Landlady of our local pub tells me they have lovely sweet meat. 

So an exciting day in Norfolk today.  I am hoping the weather is reasonable tomorrow so I can get out and about to Hickling.  It will be my first chance for some proper birding.  If its bucketing I will have to go and investigate Yarmouth shopping centre instead.  Not really the same.....