It's Friday already...

When you've been away and returned home on a Wednesday, Friday seems to arrive very quickly. So - not only is it the end of the working week, but it's also the end of yet another month - scary!

Had a saunter around Bushey Park today, but it was very quiet. The Deer Rut now seems to be over and very few deer and birds to be seen - just the usual culprits.

But at least it was sunny and as the sun slowly sank in the west............
Grey Heron

Ring-necked Parakeet

This male and female (or youngster?) were touching beaks oh so gently.

Greylag Goose

Canada Goose

Back down to earth...

OK then - a great few days away that ended with a crawl along the M25 on Wednesday afternoon - and I was in the section that hadn't had an accident. However, as a result of other goings on, a journey that should have taken about 1hr 20 minutes, lasted 2.5 hours! Nice!

Today, it's been domestic, cold and wet - so reality has set in - boo hoo. But even more, as a result, makes me realise just how lucky we were with the weather we had!

I've been going through the pictures I took and somehow seemed to have overlooked this one of a Turnstone.

I just wonder what it was thinking as it gazed at its reflection in water?

and finally - a Lifer and Whooper Swans

Well - on the basis that all good things must come to an end, today was the day we left Norfolk and headed off homeward bound.

However..... on our way back we stopped at the Ouse Washes as I wanted to see Tree Sparrows and Pete knew where to find them! And find he we did. Unfortunately the bird table which they were coming to was in an area of extremely contrasting light and therefore pictures were difficult. But a kestrel posed obligingly high up on the roof of a barn; some Tree Sparrows sat in a bush and, probably unwelcome visitors, three rats were mopping up the fallen seed.



From there we went to WWT Welney where, at this time of the year, Whooper swans are arriving after their epic journeys.













and a couple of Greylag Geese taking off.

And so a great few days..... The highlights in terms of birds? Has to be the Short-eared Owls quartering the fields. And seeing Tree Sparrows... and seeing a rarity - Grey Phalarope!

Our accommodation was great and I've eaten far too much but - a thoroughly enjoyable few days in great company - Thanks Pete :D

Last full day in Norfolk

Sadly, this has been our last full day in Norfolk as tomorrow we head home. The forecast was for it to be cold today - and it wasn't wrong! The car was cosy but when stepping outside - brrrr. In view of this we decided to head off for Norwich and look at Norwich Cathedral,








Sir Peter Mancroft Church




and the Roman Catholic Cathedral, John the Baptist





Following our morning of churches and cathedrals we visited the local Tesco's and moved on to Salthouse where we ate our sandwiches! Turnstones were wheeling about and landed at various points on the shingle. Not much else about and the wind was cold - to say the least!



And our final destination for the day was Holkham. We'd heard that there was a Short-eared Owl and - lo! and behold!, not one, not two, but three were quartering the field. It was a spell-binding moment just to watch this wonderful bird; particularly as this was a Lifer for me - whey hey! No pictures of mine of the owl regrettably

A male stonechat being kept company by a robin

Female stonechat

And tomorrow? we'll have to wait and see what the weather permits us to visit on the way home!

Another day in Norfolk!

This morning the sun rose in the sky and remained there all day - it was marvellous!!

After breakfast, we headed off for Holkham Woods - a mixture of deciduous and conifers. Not a great deal about in terms of waterfowl but we did see a group of Long-tailed Tits and a Goldcrest to name but a few. Diane and Keith let us know they were also in Holkham so we decided to head off to join them. On the way, we saw a Bird of Prey circling abover us - Sparrowhawk - No, can't be - wrong shape; well Kestrel then? No - it wasn't behaving like a kestrel and wasn't hovering. Then Pete identified it as a juvenile Hobby. Lifer for me!! Whoo hoo!

Our next visit was at Holkham Beach where the tide was well out. Many children about (well - it is half-term after all) but great views. In fact most of my pictures are of landscapes and other subjects today!

After leaving Holkham we went on to Blakeney where we had sandwiches for lunch (crab for me and roast beef for Pete - both very nice!!)

I liked Blakeney and the many black-headed gulls were performing well to have their pictures taken. We also discovered the ruins of Blakeney Guildhall - the remains are the basement of the original building,

On our journey back to Titchwell; having used this route quite a bit, I wanted to stop and photograph a windmill; at this time of day (about 4.00 ish) the sun was setting - wonderful sight!
Another excellent day!

You'll have to take my word for it but this is a juvenile Hobby!

Long-tailed Tits


I like the sculpture of this tree

These ornate chimneys crowned the most ordinary of houses on the estate


A view over the reserve

Down on Holkham beach..




and then off to Blakeney


The basement being the remains of the Guildhall



Black-headed Gulls









Our penultimate stop was St Martins Church at Glandford. There was an amazing amount of wood carving - which I love!







And finally - Windmill in the setting sun