A wet start to 2014

After checking the weather I abandoned my plans to head down to Devon this morning, the wind the rain and the distance all factors along with the only part of the UK promising a dry morning being Norfolk.
So I collected the Jims and we headed up the A10 towards Titchwell for our first day listing for 2014.

On the way up the A10 we connected with three Barn Owls thus for the third year running it has been our first bird of the year. At Titchwell we headed along the footpath towards the sea ticking at a good rate as we walked. On the beach we located  several waders whilst the sea held Common Scoter, Goldeneye and Red-throated Diver. After Titchwell we moved on to Brancaster Staithe before the rain started to fall and proceeded to get heavier and heavier in wind that got stronger and stronger. We headed for cover at Sculthorpe Moor and located several good woodland ticks including a nice Tawny Owl sitting on top of it's nest box by Fen hide. I also found a Treecreeper here which pleased me as last year it proved a little difficult to find my first one. Our last call was to visit Edgefield where a Glaucous Gull and Parrot Crossbill had been seen today but we failed to connect with either bird due to our late arrival and the appalling weather but I did have Common Crossbill fly over whilst at the Parrot site. So I've kicked off the year with 81 birds seen today which in the conditions is not too shabby a start but I'll be out again at the weekend trying to push it through the 100 mark quick time and hoping the weather is a little kinder.