Best ever DAY ONE count

With the better weather forecast for Norfolk that was our destination for the day one count.

Starting with Barn Owl and ending wit a lovely Grey Male Hen Harrier we had a cracking day.

Shore Lark at Holkham, Twite at Thornham, Snow Buntings at Salthouse and Cattle Egret at Stiffkey were the four main targets and all were achieved without drama. Sandwiched between all this was a trip to Brancaster Staithe where Water Rail proved the best bird. A sizeable crowd gathered at Titchwell for a Sea Watch and here we managed close views of Long-tailed Duck, Mergansers, Razorbill and Great Northern Diver along with fly through Red-throated Diver, Guillemot and Little Gull .The large selection of waders here added to the days list and I picked out a couple of Water Pipit and a single Rock Pipit before we headed to Cley.

As we passed Holkham a male Merlin was spotted sitting close to the road and at Cley we located the Snow Buntings without difficulty from the end of Beach Road. On the way back to Stiffkey we located the two Cattle Egrets on the flooded fields and then the finale came as we watched the salt marsh and found the Male Hen Harrier going to roost.

So my best ever total for day one with 104 species seen giving 2018 a chance from the get go.

Life list now 392
Year list 104

Titchwell shoreline

Sanderling and Knot

Turnstone

Treecreeper

Snow Buntings

Little Grebe