Martin's Bird Blog & Nature Photos

16th August 2024 – Cley next the Sea

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A glorious day to end our stay in Norfolk: we started the day with a hobby at Cley Marshes and ended with three swallows (that is the Three Swallows pub along the border of Cley next the Sea and Newgate village).

Eurasian hobby

Although we haven’t seen many marsh harriers until yesterday, we made up for it today.

Marsh harrier
Marsh harrier

As we made our way out to the Avocet hide we met a volunteer who warned us that, despite the glorious sunshine , the light was not good in the hides in that area. He was right. We weren’t very good at taking his advice as he told us the scones back at the visitors’ centre were very good, but when we got there, a little later, the smell of the bacon was irresistible. All very good though.

Not terribly good light in the hide either

I’m not sure what this was just in front the hide. Linnet?

When the birds faced the light, as this black-tailed godwit did, we were ok.

Distant cattle egrets

Ringed plovers

Another marsh harrier bringing the breakfast back

… and another settling into the reeds.

Red admiral amongst the nettles

Dunlin from the Bishops’ hide. (Not an ecclesiastical reference; the hide seemed to be named after Mr. and Mrs. Bishop)

Little grebe

Spoonbill amongst the geese

Spoonbill preening

And another spoonbill further back on the sea pool

Norfolk hawker? Well we were in Norfolk!

Sandwich tern from the beach

Redshank on its own in a small pool

Red kite caused mayhem on the ground

After the pub we visited the church at Cley which is certainly not next the sea, but so magnificent that it will probably warrant another blog.

St Margaret, Cley-next-the-Sea

Small white in the church yard enjoying the lavender (I hope as much as we enjoyed the beer and indeed the whole week)

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