Titchwell all to myself

As I'm staying pretty much on the reserve I'm on site for sun rise this morning and have the whole reserve all to myself which is fantastic.

I walk to the first hide and stop to see what's about. Four Spoonbill on Freshmarsh and the light is golden as the sun rises across the marsh.

Sunrise over Freshmarsh

Dunlin, Blacktailed Godwit, Knot, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Avocet, Snipe, Ruff and Redshank all feed infront of the hide along with an assortment of ducks. Five Egyptian geese fly over and Egrets are also on the move. There's a large flock of gulls coming and going and a male Marsh Harrier hunts the reed bed.
The whole place is lit up Gold by the rising sun.



Gold

I leave the hide intent on being on the beach nice and early but as I get to the next lagoon seven more Spoonbill take flight from close in and I grab a record shot as they depart. Wish I'd known they were there as I'd have crept up to watch them feed for a while.
Great birds to see and great to think they now breed in Norfolk too.



Spoonbills

Further along I see a nice Spotted Redshank feeding. Mipits and Linnets are very active too.
I reach the beach and the tides is right out so I walk to the shore line across the sand.
Here I see Sandling, Oyster Catcher, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Godwits, Knot, lot's of gulls and Gannets are everywhere. I pick out three Arctic Skua flying by and a possible Manx Shearwater at a distance.
Lot's of waders are coming in off the sea in small clouds.

As I walk back I hear Snipe and look up to see seven flying over head.

Back in the hide and with the sun now a little higher I hope to catch a couple of shots of the birds as they feed. As I scan I find a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper feeding with the Dunlin.

A very nice three hours birding now it's 9am and time for breakfast....luckily I'm only two minutes from home.

Black Tailed Godwit Titchwell