Another family visit to Norfolk so managed to find a couple of hours to visit Titchwell Marsh. Quite a lot of waders present, but sadly mostly confined to the middle of the fresh-marsh. In the Island Hide the only birds that were close enough for photos were a few juvenile Shelducks sifting through the mud.
Even along the track to the beach was different as there are normally many waders close to the path, but today there were virtually none with just single Redshank, Lapwing and Little Ringed Plover.
As is normally the case Avocets were everywhere, although not too many chicks.
Avocets are amazingly courageous and will take on birds must larger than themeselves to keep them away from their chicks, such as this Shelduck and Black-tailed Godwit.
It is interesting to note that the chicks very quickly learn to sit down on their knees just like the adults.
In the Parinder Hide a few Black-tailed Godwits were strutting their stuff with some still sporting their summer plumage.
There was also a lone Golden Plover, possibly the first to retun for the winter.
About ten years ago it was a case of who could find a Mediterranean Gull on the fresh-marsh, but today it is more like how many can you count.
Similarly with Spoonbills which years ago were a rare bird at Titchwell but today are now common-place, and once again more a case of how many you can count.
But at that point everything on the fresh-maesh went up and eyes were sky-ward looking for the bird that had spooked them. It was a female Marsh Harrier that was now flying over the hide, so I just grabbed my camera and ran outside. A little bit late for the best photos, but I did manage to get a few.
But the stars of the show today were the male Ruffs which were indeed looking a bit rough as they moulted from their exotic summer plumage into their more dowdy winter plumage.
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