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Leader: Chris Stone Report: Steph Plaster RSPB Titchwell Marsh is a well-known bird reserve located on the Northwest Norfolk coast, around five miles east of the seaside town of Hunstanton. The RSPB has managed this important and popular reserve since 1973. The site is around 420 acres and contains a rich and varied range of habitats including a glorious sandy beach, dunes, tidal saltmarsh, freshwater lagoons, reedbeds, damp willow carr woodland, rough grassy zones and dryer wooded areas including apple and cherry trees. Chris Stone was the leader for this field trip and eleven (more coming later) of us met up in the RSPB car park at around 8.30am. We immediately began to look and listen for birds as there are many trees and shrubs in the car park and, sure enough, we saw and heard several birds including Robin, Blue tit, Treecreeper, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Wren and Blackbird.
As we perused the car parks we also heard the ‘chip’ of a Great-spotted woodpecker, another member of the group spotted a Nuthatch and another briefly saw a Sparrowhawk fly over the trees. There were also Goldfinches, House martins, Linnets, a Sedge Warbler and lots of Wood pigeons everywhere we looked, but no sign of any Turtle doves yet! We then walked to the boundary fence to look across the fields where we spotted Jackdaws. Several Swift and a Common tern flew past. We then walked through the Fen Trail to Tank Road where we spotted Whitethroat, Moorhen in a ditch, and a flock of Long-tailed tits flittered from the willows. From the metalled road (old tank road dating back to WWII) we went to check out Patsy’s pool for waterbirds and found several species including, Coot, Little grebe, Gadwall, Shoveler, Pochard, Teal, Mallard, Cormorant and Tufted duck. Flocks of Lapwing flew past, a Grey heron dropped in and a Marsh harrier was present over the reeds.As we were watching Patsy’s pool, a Turtle dove flew across from left to right and disappeared into the trees behind, not everyone managed to get eyes on it though! But at least we’d seen a Turtle dove, plus a Stock dove was also spotted flying over and a lone Magpie disappearing into the trees. We were also rewarded when another Sparrowhawk flew right in front of us all carrying a small bird in its talons. Chris then guided us all back past the Visitor Centre to have a quick check for Spotted Flycatcher that had been seen there recently - but no luck today. A few birds were around the feeders - mainly juvenile Blue and Great tits. Going through the meadow trail towards the West bank Chris spotted a young Jay in the willows and another adult was seen later from the main path. We also met up with Josh who said that he’d seen a Water rail in the damp carr woodland near the main footpath to the beach. Along the West bank path we saw 2 Little Egrets, a Great White was present in the Reedbed pool, we heard Reed Bunting and a Curlew calling and Meadow Pipit too. As Chris wanted to check out the beach first (was a high Spring tide) we only had a cursory look across the Freshwater marsh lagoons but a quick scan gave us 8 Spoonbill, a large flock of Black-tailed godwits, a lone Ruff who dropped in and Little Ringed and Ringed plovers along with a small flock of Dunlin, smart in summer plumage, and several Canada geese on the islands. Close to Parrinder hide we spotted a Yellow wagtail with several adult and juvenile Pied wagtails, a few Redshank, Shelduck and lots of Hirundine, including Sand martins flying over the pools. Further along the West bank we saw several species of butterfly including, a Painted lady, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper and Wall brown, plus Chris saw a Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly. Once we got to the beach we began to scan the sea (below) and shoreline for more birds and quickly spotted a lovely flock of Knot flying past towards Holme direction. There were several passing Sandwich terns, Herring gulls and a few dainty Little terns appeared and flew close to our group so we all got a great view of them - we could clearly see their white foreheads and yellow bill. Other species recorded were Sanderling, Lesser black-backed gull, several Cormorants and Ptolemy picked up a distant Common scoter in his scope, flying in front of a Red-breasted Merganser. A bit later he found 2 Great crested grebes way out on the sea. Flocks of waders flew past and with the sun behind us we had lovely views of passing Turnstone and Knot. A Bar-tailed godwit was spotted on the shoreline along with a distant Great black-backed gull, plus lines of Common scoter could be seen hugging the waves way out towards the wind turbines, looking like distant strings of black ‘Morse code’ dots and dashes. We then headed back to the Centre for lunch, popping into Parrinder Hide on the way where we met up with Ruth, who was lucky enough to have spotted a Whimbrel earlier. From here we also had good views of Avocet, several multi-coloured Ruffs, Greylag, Spoonbill, Starlings, Grey heron, Black-tailed godwits, Black-headed gulls, and a single Common sandpiper and Snipe were also seen. There were a couple of Green sandpiper showing nicely along with several Little ringed plovers. Shaun decided to stay in Parrinder Hide a bit longer and was rewarded by seeing a lovely Golden plover in summer plumage. We could also see flocks of Linnets, and some of the males were very colourful, with lovely scarlet plumage which stood out against the green on the islands. There were also a couple of Mute swans on the Reedbed pool. We then stopped for lunch at the Visitor Centre where a Blackcap was spotted by Cath. Some members then headed home after a great morning’s birding and two more members joined the group. So, all in all, 14 members turned out for the field trip and it was well worthwhile as we saw plenty of birds during the day. After lunch we walked back out along the West Bank path to the beach. On the way a Pheasant squawked, and we spotted a Chinese water deer and Muntjac beside the Freshwater marsh lagoon. Back at the beach we scanned the shoreline and sea as the tide was further out, and the mussel beds and ancient forest remains were now exposed (below). This provided a feeding bounty for the birds. There was Oystercatcher, Spoonbill, Curlew, Black-tailed godwits and a single Bar-tailed godwit was spotted. There were also Sanderling and Cormorants along the tideline and Ruth spotted several distant Carrion crows searching amongst the flotsam and jetsam left by the retreating tide. Several Sandwich tern drifted past and Cormorants could be seen out to sea but not much else was going past that afternoon. We had not seen a Common gull yet and right on cue one floated past and dropped down onto the beach a few feet from us - Tick! We also wanted to try to pick out any seabirds going past and David luckily located a couple of Gannets, one dark juvenile and an adult could be seen weaving their way past the wind turbines on the far horizon which was a very good spot by him. Whilst we were at the beach in the morning, we had been lucky enough to see some very large ‘mechanical birds’ as we were treated to a massive Lancaster bomber flying past Thornham village on the way to the Old Buckenham Air Show in South Norfolk. In the afternoon at the beach we saw the Red Arrows flying back over Thornham and the Wash to their base in Lincolnshire. Scanning around the inland area from the dunes there were a couple of Red Kite seen over Titchwell village and wheat fields behind. During the morning, we spotted a very distant Buzzard circling over Thornham way. Other raptors seen were the resident Marsh Harriers, the obliging Sparrowhawk plus a Hobby was spotted just prior to the reserve from the main road. But we did not see a kestrel. Luckily the weather was good for us although there were lots of ominous dark clouds bubbling up to the northwest now and a shower looked likely. We decided to head back to the Centre, with a quick stop back in Parrinder Hide to see if anything else had turned up, but nothing additional was seen apart from a brief rain shower - so we called it a day. Many thanks to Chris for a brilliant day’s birding, we managed to see 93 species (including 4 we only heard) and everyone really enjoyed the day. A great outdoor field trip and happy birders! The Systematic List - Birds seen and heard. Plus other creatures on the reserve. Little grebe Green Sandpiper Goldfinch Great crested grebe Common sandpiper Linnet Gannet Turnstone Reed bunting Cormorant Knot Chaffinch Great white egret Sanderling Greenfinch Little egret Dunlin Starling Grey heron Ruff Wren Spoonbill Snipe Dunnock Mute swan Black-tailed Godwit Robin Greylag Goose Bar-tailed Godwit Blackbird Canada Goose Whimbrel Goldcrest (H) Shelduck Curlew Black-headed gull Gadwall Redshank Common gull Teal Avocet Herring gull Mallard Water Rail Lesser black-backed gull Shoveler Moorhen Great black-backed gull Pochard Coot Sandwich tern Tufted Duck Meadow pipit Common tern Common Scoter Yellow wagtail Little tern Red-breasted Merganser Pied wagtail Stock dove Red Kite Cetti’s warbler (H) Woodpigeon Marsh Harrier Sedge warbler Turtle dove Sparrowhawk Reed warbler Swift Buzzard Whitethroat Great spotted woodpecker (H) (Hobby)* Blackcap Sand martin Pheasant (H) Chiffchaff Swallow Oystercatcher Long-tailed tit House Martin Lapwing Blue tit Jay Little ringed plover Great tit Magpie Ringed plover Nuthatch Jackdaw Golden plover Treecreeper Carrion Crow * (Hobby seen just prior to Titchwell reserve, but probably flew from there)! Large White Red Admiral Painted Lady Gatekeeper Wall brown Broad-bodied Chaser Chinese Water deer Muntjac deer The Red Arrows A Lancaster Bomber Hopefully all birds seen and heard on the trip are recorded here!
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