A Spring Visit to Titchwell Marsh

5th April 2019

As I was in Norfolk on a family visit time for a quick tour of Titchwell to see if there were any signs of Spring. The resident Water Rail was showing well in the ditch by the visitors centre, but difficult to photograph as it was mostly in deep shade and frequently obscured by branches. However with a little perseverance I did manage to get one shot when it stepped into the single ray of sunlight.

Brent Geese were still present in good numbers and there is still some time before they depart for their Summer quarters. There was quite a bit of movement between the saltmarsh and the fresh-marsh.

Along the track from the Island Hide to the Parinder Hide the usual suspects were showing well quite close to the path. The high water levels had pushed most of the Teal towards the bank so that they could dabble in the shallower water.

On Volunteer Marsh the tide was out so plenty of mud to attract Black-tailed Godwits, Curlew and Redshank.

In the deeper channels the Avocets were sweeping the water with their upcurved bills, waiting for the water levels to drop so that they could start nesting.

In the Parinder Hide there was a surprise waiting. I have often seen plenty of Sandwich Terns flying over the sea and sometimes 3-4 birds settled on the fresh-marsh, but today there were 60+ birds present.

Further along the track towards the beach a couple of Linnets were feeding on the Sueda bushes and were very cooperative for the camera.

And on the saline lagoon behind the sand dunes another surprise - a pair of Red-crested Pochards. I have often seen them in the reed bed pools south of the Island Hide, but never at this end of the reserve on salt water.

So finally on to the beach which was absolutely dead. The tide was still a fair way out but on its way in, and the only birds present were a dozen or so Oystercatchers on the last bit of oyster bed holding its head above water. I set up the tripod and was able to get a reasonable set of shots.

But then for no apparent reason they all started to fly along the coast. I looked round and behind me was a lady and a young chap with a long lens hung over his shoulder walking along the beach towards Brancaster. Unfortunately they were very close to the shoreline and not only scared the birds which I was quite obviously photographing, but all the other birds up towards Brancaster.

Although rather annoying I wasn't too bothered as I had already taken enough shots so I started walking back to the sand dunes. About half way I met another photographer with a long lens walking down to where I had been.

I told him not to bother as the woman and the young man had walked far too close to the shoreline and had flushed all the birds. At this point he held up his hand and said " You don't have to say anymore. I saw the whole thing and it was disgraceful. That is my wife and when I catch her up she is going to get one hell of a bollocking".

Made my day !!