A week in North Norfolk.
01st November 2024
Susan and I have just arrived back from a week in North Norfolk where we visited some of our old haunts. The scale of new house building in these coastal villages is undiminished since our last visit a few years ago. These villages once occupied by fishermen and boat builders have been invaded by obviously rich retired people or extremely rich ‘second home’ Londoners. Multi-million pound dwellings designed no doubt by expensive architects are mushrooming throughout. Bespoke tradesmen using only the best materials can be seen working on these constructions. Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari, Bentley and many other expensive vehicles adorn the driveways of the already built houses. If anyone wants to see how the other half live then this is a place to do it.
Thankfully the marshes remain and for now wildlife can still be found. We did a lot of walking around these marshes and along mostly very quiet beaches.
Give me a beach in winter anytime!
The geese were there in large numbers and it’s lovely to see ‘V’ shaped skeins of these birds flying across big open skies while uttering their haunting calls.
Pink-footed Goose.
Brent Goose
However, November is late and water levels in the bird reserves are high and wader populations as a consequence are low, just the usual Redshank, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit and the odd Common Snipe to be found.
Redshank
Curlew
Black-tailed Godwit
Bearded Tits have all but disappeared until next spring when their ‘Pinging’ calls will again rejuvenate the reedbeds.
Bearded Tit
Different birds arrive for the winter, Divers and Grebes occupy the sea.
Snow Buntings can be seen in small numbers foraging on the tideline.
Snow Bunting
Elusive Shore Larks spend the winter in coastal margins.
Shore Lark
and Twite, a sparse breeding bird in the UK
It was a very relaxing and therapeutic time and it’s so good to have a change of scenery and habitat.
Back home now and another year is rapidly coming to an end and before long the festive season will be upon us. Let’s hope for some more traditional winter-like weather over the next few months instead of horrible wet and windy spells……..
Thankfully the marshes remain and for now wildlife can still be found. We did a lot of walking around these marshes and along mostly very quiet beaches.
Give me a beach in winter anytime!
The geese were there in large numbers and it’s lovely to see ‘V’ shaped skeins of these birds flying across big open skies while uttering their haunting calls.
Pink-footed Goose.
Brent Goose
However, November is late and water levels in the bird reserves are high and wader populations as a consequence are low, just the usual Redshank, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit and the odd Common Snipe to be found.
Redshank
Curlew
Black-tailed Godwit
Bearded Tits have all but disappeared until next spring when their ‘Pinging’ calls will again rejuvenate the reedbeds.
Bearded Tit
Different birds arrive for the winter, Divers and Grebes occupy the sea.
Snow Buntings can be seen in small numbers foraging on the tideline.
Snow Bunting
Elusive Shore Larks spend the winter in coastal margins.
Shore Lark
and Twite, a sparse breeding bird in the UK
It was a very relaxing and therapeutic time and it’s so good to have a change of scenery and habitat.
Back home now and another year is rapidly coming to an end and before long the festive season will be upon us. Let’s hope for some more traditional winter-like weather over the next few months instead of horrible wet and windy spells……..