Back in the East

Saturday 3rd November was my first free day after coming back from Scilly. A walk around the marsh to check the sheep produced little of note birdwise, though my attention was mainly with the sheep. The rams wearing bright red raddle paste have gone in with the ewes so I was checking which ewes were now displaying painted bottoms. I also had to shift 90kg of recalcitrant ram back to his group of girls, not an easy task after he taken more of a liking to a neighbouring group and swum the dyke.
It was only when I was changing inside when I spotted a Sparrowhawk flying across the marsh pursued in familiar fashion by a familiar shape - a late swallow.
Moving the ram had made me let in setting off for the North coast. My plan had been to go to Titchwell to look for seaduck and grebes on the sea and then move on to Cley but on reaching Titchwell it was pouring with rain. The prospect of seawatching on the exposed beach rapidly lost its appeal so I moved straight on to Cley and with the news that Bryan Bland was signing copies of his new book "The Profit of Birding"at 1pm went straight to the Visitor Centre for a cup of tea and cake. I was first in line for a book and had a long chat with Bryan before heading out on to the reserve. The White-rumped Sandpiper was elusive and distant but eventually showed.
I've only read 3 chapters of the book so far but can heartily recommend it.

Today I had the chance to shoot out to see the Waxwings in Great Yarmouth. The pager only mentioned 5 but when I got to Pasteur Road there was a flock of 26 sitting in trees in the grounds of the Perenco factory by the main road in to Yarmouth. It was hardly the most peaceful of birding sites with a continual stream of traffic thundering by just feet away but Waxwings are always worth seeing wherever they are.