2020 off to a strong start

Another exciting day one in Norfolk with a decent count of 96 which included some good birds.
Great to spend another day birding with Jim and Dad with some good laughs along the way and I look forward to many more in this new year and decade we find ourselves in.

Today we headed first for Sedgeford and just after first light we had found the Alaskan Blue headed Eastern Yellow Wagtail on the muck heaps that it's spent the last few days on then on the way through Docking we found a Ringtail Hen Harrier and a couple of Red Kites.

Distant shot of the Alaskan bird

We then headed to Wells for the Rough-legged Buzzard stopping on route at Brancaster Staithe for a few firsts for the day, year and decade. After Brancaster we stopped at Burnham and found three Cattle Egrets and some White-fronted Geese. At Wells we quickly found the Rough -leg for the small crowd that had at that point missed it although with it sat on top of a bush by the sheds I couldn't really understand why they were struggling.

Brancaster Staithe

Following this run of success we made our way to Holkham where we added Great White Egret, Shorelarks, Snow Buntings, Velvet Scoter and Slav Grebe to name a few.

One of the five Shorelarks present

Upwards of fifty Snow Buntings

Just a couple of Velvets in with the hundreds of Common Scoters

At Choseley we found two Tundra Bean Geese with the Pinkies and a walk to the beach at Titchwell added a few more ticks with the pick of the bunch a smart Spotted Redshank and another Slav Grebe.

Grey Partridges

Grey Partridge at Holkham

Finally as the light started to fade we visited Thornham and Hunstanton adding Twite and Fulmar.

Year list now 96
Life list now 410

Let the games begin!