short eared owl - Thorpe Marshes

short eared owl - Thorpe Marshes

Tuesday 19 April 2011

Wryneck !!!!!

South Dunes
 I started the day in the glorious sunshine with 3x common Buzzards soaring over head for company , as I worked  near Trowse and a singing Chiffchaff  . I checked on my phone to see what was about on the coast and saw a Wryneck come up at Winterton Dunes (a spot that has given me and Yorkie some good migrants before) .I decided to get my head down at work & finish as soon as I could to nip up there asap. I got there in under half an hour&  made my way up Beach road and headed for the South dunes . I was greeted by a number of birders who had not seen it but said they had, had a number of Wheatears though. I continued on and managed to see 6x Wheatears ( always a pleasure) and 3x Kestrels . I had now walked some distance and decided to start walking back , this time along the pathway that runs along the gardens. I got 6x Swallows over head and then as I was scanning the ground I saw a bird fly up to the bottom of an Oak tree. I stepped back and begun to try and pick it up . After a few minutes I finally found what I was looking for ..... Wryneck ! I just stood there fixed on this stunning bird. It's beautiful mottled brown and grey colour looked stunning in the sunlight. As I took a picture it suddenly become startled by a passing dog , which made it stand erect for a moment and started to twist it's head from left to right, which was something I had read about them doing .



Wryneck


Wryneck
 I studied it for around half an hour and decided to leave it on it's own , but as I set off a couple came towards me with binoculars and I pointed it out to there thanks ( always nice to help a fellow birder out ) . I headed back to van with a beaming smile on my face . U just don't know what the coast can throw up this time of the year ay ?!

4 comments:

  1. Always a great bird to see and you even had the satisfaction of re-finding the bird for yourself, nice pics!

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  2. We were that lucky couple who you very kindly
    showed us where the Wryneck was.Hope you got to see the cranes at Heigham Holmes. Thanks again Ricky, great spot.

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  3. Enjoying the blog Ricky! That you get such a kick from ALL birds and not just the rarer ones really shines through. It's very refreshing to read...

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  4. Alright Ricky! I can remember I bumped into you last year at Waxham looking for a Wryneck, glad you managed good views of this one. No doubt see you about on the coast soon,I'll keep an eye on your blog.
    Jim Bradley.

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