A trip along the coast today started at Cley where my first Black Tern of the year was watched feeding along the ditches around the east bank car park, a Curlew Sandpiper, also my first of the year, was on Arnolds and 10+ Lapland Buntings were along the shingle bank there with 2 very confiding birds on the deck and a number seen in flight too.
A walk down to Stiffkey Fen revealed that all the birds in Blakeney Harbour had just been spooked so I busily scanned around for what I presumed was going to be a Peregrine, but instead to my delight picked up an Osprey tusseling with the local Marsh Harriers! It was then watched hovering high up over the harbour whereupon it dived down into the water making a successful strike and then flew off low steadily north west with what looked like a flatfish in its talons heading to the trees on East Hills to devour its catch. On the fen itself was a Spoonbill, Wood Sandpiper, 2 Curlew Sands and a Black Tern. Finally a visit to Holme again produced good views of the Arctic Warbler as it performed well to its small crowd of admirers.
