Swanton Novers and Great Ryburgh used to be the places in Norfolk to watch Honey Buzzard but they've been absent for years now probably a decade or more so when four birds were reported at Swanton Novers a couple of days ago and me having a particular passion for HB's I decided if I could get a day out this week it would be at Swanton Novers.
Tuesday was my only window and with little interest from others I was left to go it alone all be it at late notice. I set off early to avoid traffic and to get the most from my time off. I guessed the HB's wouldn't be out and about until mid morning so made a stop at Snettisham to casually twitch and year tick the Great Reed Warbler. This involved a mile walk along the embankment to the kissing gate where the bird could be heard and with a little patience seen low down in the reeds on the side of the river. Along the walk I encountered at least nine Turtle Dove and I'm told the reserve holds eight breeding pairs which is great news. A Kingfisher was watched and the Swifts were really entertaining hunting low along the river. Oh and I'd seen Barn Owl on the journey up remarkably only my second of the year.
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| A singing Goldfinch |
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| Record shot of the extremely vocal Great Reed Warbler |
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| Swift |
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| The kissing gate.....GRW in the reeds just below the gate and loyal to that spot |
On the sea I had lot's of Sandwich and Common Tern. Shelduck moved in large numbers and I picked up a year tick with a single drake Eider. Curlew and Oystercatcher flew by and Avocets were busy out on Ken Hill marsh.
On the route up my phone had died so I firstly had to find Snettisham without satnav which was straight forward but now I had to do the twenty miles to Swanton Novers by memory which I managed to my relief arriving at 9am. The car park was already full with around thirty birders ready to hoping to enjoy seeing these birds back in Norfolk after such a long period without them at the site. We didn't have to wait long when a male came into view and flew along the tree line before turning and heading towards us. Fantastic! Then the views kept coming with three birds in the air at one time plenty of "wing clapping" display some interaction with a Goshawk lot's of Common Buzzard and a few Red Kites. As things slowed I left early afternoon.
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| Honey Buzzard |
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| Honey Buzzard flying over the tree line (views much better through the scope) |
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| Another Honey Buzzard |
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| The view from the car park |
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| The car park and the crowd |
On the way home I stopped firstly at Cranwich heath where I enjoyed my first Tree Pipits of 2022 and then a quick stop at Weeting Heath gave me my first Stone Curlew of the year. My scope came in handy as with only one Stone Curlew on view and that being just a head poking up from the distant gravel the other occupants in the hide had all but given up on seeing one with just binoculars to help them until I arrived with scope in hand. I couldn't find any Spotted Flycatchers although they have been reported by others this year.
I made the journey home without drama and without my phone.
An expensive solo run which I'll probably end up doing again in some fashion to help the Jims get on some of the these birds for year ticks but it was without doubt the most productive HB watching I've experienced, not the closest I've had but the most in terms of volume of sightings and by far the most display I've ever witnessed. Welcome back!
Year list now 221
Now how do I get the time and money to get to Bempton for that Shrike with the red tail?
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