Norfolk Day 1 - My Favourite Walk

A couple of recent days in North Norfolk started with my favourite walk - Cley to Blakeney point on the North Norfolk coast.  Starting at 6.30am (I think I even beat the seawatchers to the car park) I got all the way to the point before seeing another person.  Blakeney Point really is one of the few areas of wilderness left in England.


All the action was on the sea.  Great Skua, Arctic Skua, Red-throated Diver were seen on the way out, although the highlight was the sheer number of Gannets passing East.  During the six hours I was on the point, at least 5,000 - 10,000 must have passed:

A couple of young Seals were resting on the shingle:

There were more people than birds on the point as a boat had just landed for a quick stop.  I headed back with a single Hobby, and Gannets and Skuas passing at regular intervals.

A few Dunlin were on the shingle, and a single Whimbrel was found near Halfway House:

Back at Cley, a distant Grey Phalorope was on the pools.  A Marsh Harrier came over one of the paths at one point just close enough to get a decent shot of a bird that always tends to stay just out of range of my lens:

Later there was time for a quick walk around the Wells end of Holkham, where thousands of newly arrived Pinkfeet were congregating in the fields at sunset: