Titchwell

Headed up to Titchwell today to help out with a group.  We had a jolly old time seeing plenty of things to keep the girls happy, despite the rain.  We headed out to Parrinder Hide first (or whatever its replacement is called now) and spent a while enjoying the species on offer here, including 13 Avocets and a drake Goldeneye.  Among a large raft of Pochard was a drake Pochard x Tufted Duck hybrid and the Water Pipit appeared briefly before flying off calling.

 

Pochard x Tufted Duck hybrid, Titchwell, 3rd January

We were about to take the opportunity of a break in the rain and head out to the beach but by the time we were out of the hide the rain had started again, so we went in the hide opposite and looked through the various waders on show.  I glanced over the other side where we'd come from and picked up a Bittern in flight low over the reads - one of the group managed to get on it before it pitched in.

When we did eventually head out to the beach a Peregrine was flying around but we couldn't find the Twite that had been on the beach.  

 

Peregrine, Titchwell, 3rd January

Not much on the sea within reasonable viewing distance, but I assured the group that the vague black line just below the horizon was a raft of Common Scoter (they weren't impressed).  There was another Goldeneye out there and 3 Red-breasted Mergansers flew past.

Cold and wet the group didn't fancy staying out here long so we soon returned to the hide where a lady in the hide picked up on 2 Bearded Tits across the water.  As we headed back to the centre another (or the same) Peregrine flew by, and a female Goldeneye was in the pool on the left.