New Year's Day Wild Goose Chase

Awoke reasonably early at dawn (considering the few drinks I'd had the night before) and noted the first birds of the year in my parent's garden in Claxton as: Pheasant, Blackbird, and Jay. Started the day birding at Buckenham Marshes. It's only a mile away as the Bean Goose flies, but is a fifteen mile trip by car due to it being on the other side of the river Yare.

Pink-footed Goose was the first of the Geese I saw, followed by Greylags, Canada Goose, White-fronted Goose, and eventually, after a couple of hours of searching, and a long walk, two Bean, Not much else apart from the usual Ducks such as Wigeon, and a couple of Peregrines, but I did manage to get views of a Cetti's Warbler. Nice to get this one out the way as I didn't actually see one last year!

At around midday I left to head for the coast. I decided upon Winterton as it was the nearest and there was only a few hours of daylight remaining. A mistake. It was packed full of New Year's Day walkers, dog-walkers, and Grey Seal watchers. I walked as far as Horsey where a Swallow (didn't see it) was present, but that was equally as busy. Best bird was a close in Grey-throated Diver.


 
 

Buckenham Marsh
01 January 2016 09:09 - 12:13
Clear 7C 7E
Mute Swan, Bean Goose, Pink-footed Goose, White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Pheasant, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Moorhen, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Skylark (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Robin, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Chinese Water Deer
Winterton
01 January 2016 13:00 - 16:02
Patchy cloud 9C 8E
Pink-footed Goose, Fulmar, Pheasant, Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Cormorant, Little Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Guillemot, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Stonechat, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Rabbit, Grey Seal