The intermittent Iceland Gull within the Cley area recently, has been damn difficult to see. We were stood in the ‘beach hotel’ at the NWT Car Park when it flew east just offshore at nothing less than warp eight speed. “Our engines canny take any more Jim” It couldn’t have flown faster had it been designed by Sir Frank Whittle.
Too quick for some to see … apparently.
Some wonderful terns nesting in Blakeney Point this year including several pairs of Little Tern. Viewed and photographed from a safe distance aboard ‘Temples Boats’.
I’m leaving for a while. I’ll be back though. At the end of the month. By necessity I have to cease posting on Letter from Norfolk and Facebook until then. All will become apparent towards the end of January. In the meantime I’ll leave you with a sort of clue. See you at the end of the month … with a slightly different format.
The end of another year is almost upon us. Goodbye 2016 and hello 2017. Thinking back through the last twelve months there’s been so many good sightings; so many good times. It really has been a good year.
The Geese and Goosanders on the Solway Tour performed for us as did all the specialities on the April Scotland Tour. The Mull tour was spectacular; eagles, whales and more. Canada leaves Humpbacks breaching through my memories for many years to come. Scilly was a classic. Orchids, butterflies and Nightjars all played a part during the year. So many sightings, so many places.
If I was to choose one moment; one sighting above all others, it would have to be seeing Cuvier’s Beaked Whales in the bay of Biscay. Beautiful, enigmatic, specialised life forms that we can only peek at through tiny keyholes in time before they descend once more to the depths.
Happy New Year… have a good one.
Yellow browed Warblers have been quiet this year. Not one I’ve seen has been particularly vociferous. However, this Humes Yellow browed at Wells the other day was rather ‘shouty’… at least on the first visit we made.
Just a few photos taken on this years East Coast Seabird Tour. Bookings now being taken for next years tour. See the website here for itinerary and prices.
Over the past week or so the northerlies have raised the waves and poured them over the beaches. Thrown up onto the shore were many thousands of Starfish attracting clouds of gulls. Among them were Icelands and Glaoucous’.
As we drove along the north coast road we called in at Salthouse where a Glaucous Gull was being watched. It was distant. Crouching on a distant island it was resting seemingly disinterested in anything and anybody. I decided to try and coax it a little nearer.
I thought a morsel of bread might do the trick, homemade I’ll add, no additives here. Not that a self-respecting Glaucous Gull would ever condescend to bread. The raucous gathering of feeding gulls however attracted its attention … and it flew over. Now more than just a blob in the distance it showed its features to all.
