Notes from the valley

After a frenetic Saturday's birding, I felt justifiably guilty having not been to Surlingham for over 2 weeks. I therefore made an early start on Sunday and began at Langley, the sun still low in the sky making for a beautiful morning. Plenty of Geese over the river at Buckenham, some of these possibly the reported returning White-fronts and Beans. Underneath a gathering of Cormorants was a male Peregrine, perched and ready. There seemed to be plenty of birds about today and I was picking up Bullfinch, Pied Wagtail and Green Sandpiper overhead. Onto Surlingham, and although the lagoon now appears devoid of quality for the Winter (the Teal are looking smart, though) the rest of the reserve is really showing its colours. The churchyard was an epicentre of activity, with a roving Tit flock that comprised at least 5 Goldcrest (no fire, yet) Marsh, Coal and Long-tailed Tit. Still by the church, a Brambling wheezed unseen, my first of the year here amazingly! Elsewhere, Redpoll passed

Good job I checked the bird news today! I had planned to do the patch mid-afternoon, but on hearing about a juvenile Surf Scoter at Sheringham I quickly changed plans. Luck was certainly with me today, for on arrival James and co recommended I avoided the long cliff-top slog and approached the cliffs from the west of Sheringham; sound advice. I had however heard a Richard's Pipit on the golf course and later discovered 2 birds were probably present. Walking the footpath I saw Barn Owl hunting the scrub next to Dead Man's Wood (dare I ask?) and a small group of birders were looking out to sea. Before long I was watching a bird I had never seen before, a Surf Scoter! The profile view allowed a look at 'that' bill and the double cheek-flash was evident when the bird wasn't diving or looking the other way. Thrilled with that, I knew Ricky was on route so I spent some more time on the cliffs. I picked up a Red-necked Grebe, a nice self-find (although when I told one co

Despite missing the Great Thrush Fall of 2012 (and anything else decent for that matter) there has to be life in this Autumn yet for me. It is a wonderful, restless time of year. I enjoyed a blustery walk round Surlingham yesterday afternoon, the first visit post-holiday. Church Marsh lagoon was devoid of Duck, but I was able to watch a Kestrel hovering over the marsh. The marsh adjacent to Coldham Hall was more lively however. I caught up with the escaped Harris Hawk, complete with Jesses, and what a fine looking individual s/he is. Desperate to get a photo, I headed to the marina but the bird was chased away by a pair of angry Rooks. A flock of 60+ Golden Plover over and passing Cormorants reminded me this was in fact British birding in Autumn. So, Rome. The headline news on this ere blog is that Debs and I are now engaged to be married, so Rome turned into a kind of engagement-honeymoon. We packed in the expected sight-seeing in our short stay, overwhelmed by archaeology on such a