Snowy Owl in North Norfolk March 2018

News of a possible Snowy Owl in Norfolk sort of filtered out during the week, and we sort of got our outfit washed and ready, polished our lens and chose our shoes, but it wasn't until Friday 9th March and pictures of a 1w female Snowy Owl on Scolt Head Island that the Clayheads stirred into action. A quick ring around and the car took an amazing three minutes to fill, and we were all treated to a ride in Lord Lichfield's new car. To say Lord Lichfield's videos have been a success is only half the story. He's now supplying videos to the rich and famous, but obviously I can't divulge who. Anyway, here's Lord Lichfield's new car - top of the range, all singing and dancing..

Anyway, Lord Lichfield, still wearing his tux from one of his celebrity bashes the evening before picked us up at 430am. The crew today consisted of The Angry Man, Lord Lichfield, The Stalker (due to potential legal action) and Grizz. Lord Lichfield did all the driving despite not having slept for three days.

We decided to head for the nearest car park to Scolt Head and wait on news. One member of the team suggested we sat in a hide in Titchwell, but The Angry Man's said "No you xxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx". So we sat in a side road near to Scolt Head and The Angry Man was given his tablets.

Then it happened. The Stalker suddenly blurted out that the SNOWY OWL was on Thornham Point. Lord Lichfield started his motor, and screamed off, wheel spinning as he went, burning rubber and filling the North Norfolk early morning air with diesel fumes. The rest of the birders milling around just stood and stared. For once, we were first with news. 

Unsure of where to go, we decided to head for Thornham Harbour. We were soon following a green car, and obviously it was in possession of the same news as we were. We tried to follow the car, but Lord Lich eased back when we reached 140mph. We later found out we were trying to follow Clayheads favourite North Norfolk female birder pin up babe Penny "'Hot Rod" Clark. 

The green car suddenly screeched to a halt, did a full handbrake-180-Top Gear style spin and headed back to Titchwell. Lord Lich calmly reversed into a side road and headed to Titchwell.

We were soon marching through Titchwell towards the beach, pausing briefly to watch a Woodcock a few feet off the path. The fast walking members of the crew soon reached a boy with a scope. And there was the target bird sat on top of a bush five miles away in the distance. It wasn't even 0800hrs and the Snowy Owl was in the bag. 

We stood on the beach and snapped away at the distant blob. There was small flock of Long-tailed Ducks just offshore along with a few Scaup to keep us amused, but after a while we headed into one of the hides, counting a nice 38 Mediterranean Gulls in the colony.

The Snowy Owl had finally dried out and started to move, so with news reaching us that it was sat on the beach, we went back for seconds. It sat on a post for two hours and then it sat in a bush for two hours and that was it really.

Initial view (copyright Lord Lichfield)

Snowy Owl sat on a post

Snowy Owl sat in a bush

As we walked back, a Snow Bunting was showing well on the beach

Snow Bunting by Lich

We headed round to Thornham Harbour and eventually found the nine Twite. Next stop was Holkham, where nine Shore Larks were showing well about 20 minutes walk out from the boardwalk.

Shore Lark by Lord Lichfield 

We stopped on the main road and a quick glance saw a Barn Owl, GWE, a few Y-fronts and an amazing 59 Egyptian Geese. All in all it was a jolly good day out.

Under a huge Norfolk sky, three Clayheads stroll along

Finally, today's song is dedicated to a recent Westport twitch. I could have chosen another Icelandic export with Bjerk and "Its oh so quiet" but in the end I went for this. Enjoy xxx

2018 - an update

I have been ordered to print the following statement from Mr Hugh J'Arce, the solicitor representing "The Stalker".

Dear Mr C Head,

Since your blog stopped in December 2017, my client, known as "The Stalker" has seen a drop in earnings. "The Stalker" regularly used to be booked to open village halls, asked to attend Christmas Fayres and also make celebrity guest appearances in hides. Now, he is finding it difficult to get a seat in the hide at Aqualate and even strangers walk past him now and don't speak to him. I therefore am requesting you send him the sum of £4-57 as compensation and print this statement on your blog. 

Many thanks Hugh

So there you are folks. In order to save me from going bankrupt and having to give up the doorway in Burslem where I now live, I will have to, against my will, start this stupid, nasty, trouble causing, atmosphere creating blog again. 

So 2018 started on January 1st this year and I went to Westport. I parked my car in the car park and I saw a Coot, some Mallard, a fabulous Black-headed Gull, six Willow Tits in a bush.....argh.....dam

I didn't leave the county at all in January and concentrated on going back to basics and patch birding. I did get to see the brief Great Northern Diver at Chasewater and the Whitemoor Haye Whopper Swans, and managed to add Great White Egret to two site lists.

Hawfinches also showed well at Kingsley. Video below taken by Lord Lichfield

February again was a struggle with local patches being very quiet. It wasn't until 25th February that I finally left the county and went on a trip down to Weymouth with Grizz to see the Ross's Gull. The trip started off perfectly at Lodmoor as we arrived just as the adult Ross's Gull flew in. We had decent views but it soon flew off and it was all over so briefly. We considered heading off to see the STILT SANDPIPER, but we decided we wanted better views and so we camped out in the Radipole car park and waited. It was at the height of the beast from the east wind, and we just sat in the car and watched the crowd. It was unbelievably bitterly cold. But eventually it flew back in and performed well. Can't beat a good Ross's Gull...this being my fifth in Britain, one of which was within 40 miles of Staffordshire.