Last stop en route from Norfolk to Poole, there was just time to stop at Lakenheath RSPB for the last couple of hours of daylight. Reed Buntings were numerous around the visitor centre feeders. Cranes were apparently present but not seen by me. A few pairs each of Marsh H
arrier and Egyptian Goose were around, and as the light was fading two Barn Owls came into view. This one headed off with its kill to a nest in a derelict building.
An overnight stay in Cromer enabled an early morning visit to West Runton where Lapland Buntings are regular in the clifftop fields. Two birds were present in good light along with Skylarks, Linnets and a lone Ringed Plover.
Titchwell RSPB in summer 2009. I returned today to find it had been replaced by a pretty major structure with sleek rooflines, swish glass windows and funky stools instead of benches. This is all part of the RSPB's response to coastal change in the ar
ea, accepting the inevitability of erosion and rising sea levels and rolling back inland to a new line of defence - a serious piece of engineering.
This apparently injured bird was one of only two Pink-footed Geese I saw on the North Norfolk coast today. Plenty of Brents still around, and resident Greylags, but the many thousands of wintering Pink-feet and White-fronts had presumably headed off to their breeding grounds.
uperb display of garden birds made up for the disappointment of dipping on the Oriental Turtle Dove (see previous post). We have lived in a garden-less house for the last 2 years and our star bird was undoubtedly the Black R
edstart which spent a day outside the kitchen window in our small shared courtyard just after we moved in. 
ker pictured here were the highlights from Chipping Norton. The Brambling was one of about 6, the Bullfinch one of a pair, accompanied by large numbers of commoner garden birds.
eading north to Norfolk today, I reasoned it was a short 'birders detour' via Chipping Norton to take another look at the Oriental Turtle Dove and improve on my awful photos of it without the crowds this time. Observing the pager requests to not p
ark at The Leys or arrive before 07:30, I got there at 07:36 to be ushered in immediately by Steve. He kindly sent me to the front of the small crowd to see the bird which had been present since 07:10. It had just walked out of view unfortunately - and didn't come back. The last sighting that morning was on the chippings which can be seen just behind this fellow (right). There was, however, a happy ending in as much as the bird was present later in the week, so the cat must have gone hungry.
A singing Woodlark at Morden Bog today provided further evidence of spring's arrival. This bird sang from the top of a pine and then came surprisingly close after dropping to the ground. With family waiting in the car I was unable to locate the Great Grey Shrike reported near the Decoy Pond from some distance in a
brief search. A Dartford Warbler was singing, and male Stonechat were also very vocal. We returned to Poole via Knoll Beach, where winter-plumaged Slavonian Grebes, summer-plumaged 
Black-Necked Grebes and a pair of Velvet Scoter were present. Taking the short cut home through Poole Park we saw the Ring-billed Gull close the road and couldn't resist a few more pictures in the evening light.
After this morning's success adding new birds to the list of species I have seen within walking distance of home, I decided to push my luck a bit further and carry on to Hatch Pond.
dge past McDonalds, PC World, the Premier Inn and Lidl. When you smell the sewage treatment works and see the bright lights of Burger King you know you are getting closer.
No car today so a good opportunity to add to my list of birds seen within walking distance of home. Living on Poole Quay, woodland birds are not exactly on the doorstep. Although Upton Country Park is
easily walkable, I realised I hadn't actually done it yet, so headed there first to add Green Woodpecker (right), Nuthatch and Treecreeper to said list.
Finishing work in Charmouth late this afternoon allowed for a quick detour to Lyme Regis before heading home. A Dipper (above) on the River Lym was my first in Dorset, and gave
much better views than the one which treated me to a whirring fly-past in Scotland last week. Down on the Cobb, Herring Gulls were gathering and half a dozen Purple Sandpiper (above) were catching the last few rays of the sun.
