At last the FOG lifted.

 After 4 or 5 days (the days go from one to the other so quick I can't keep track) of foggy conditions it finally lifted, you could actually see the shoreline from the clifftop! But before that whilst checking trees that were not obscured in a veil of grey, I had been  scanning behind a neighbours garden as I knew they had Siskin and Brambling feeding there, and sure enough even at a bit of a distance I could pick the birds out. Then totally unexpected I found a Hawfinch amongst the branches!

I didn't hesitate and got myself round there and low and behold found 3 of them, and added bonus of a Mealy Redpoll. What great new patch ticks for Trimingham.

Due to the sensitivity of the neighbours houses I didn't put the message out, last thing I wanted was to get anyone annoyed.

 The next morning I checked and found 2 Hawfinches, andthe Mealy Redpoll was still there. As seen the day before, there was a stunning male Brambling (unable to get a photo) with a solid black head in full plumage, the likes of which I hadn't seen before...stunner. And with the weather still closed in I hoped as predicted that it would lift so I could at least get the moth light out for a while.

 Since moving to Trimingham I have been waiting to get the moth light out and start a new garden list. Unusually the weather was as predicted !! and I sat out in the garden for a couple of hours. I clocked up eight species in that short time, including Chestnut/Red Chestnut, Small Quaker, Common Quakers, Early Thorn, Clouded Drabs and Early Greys.

 Sun Sun Sun at last, checking the front early morning I saw my first Wheatear of the year, followed by another shortly after. With Swallows, House Martins all now moving through it was finally happening, another nice bird was a Whimbrel flying overhead, and with the forecast of some nice weather upon us hopefully a lot more to see.

Spring Finally Here in Trimingham!

 Over the last couple of days things have definitely started arriving. First a Chiffchaff in the neighbours garden then on my walk around I found this bird calling continuously in the clifftop wood and upper slope, so nice to hear them again.

 I searched the fields and tracks for a Wheatear but alas none were found. Once again the Glaucous Gull was on the beach off of the wood. The day was topped off with a single Swallow flying past from the back garden.

 This morning I went out with my Dad and after a couple of minutes were listening and watching a couple of male Blackcaps trying to out do one another.

 The Meadow Pipits were display flying along the lower cliff slopes and 4 Swallows were seen today. This Iceland Gull was found on the beach, shortly after it gave a flypast as it headed along towards Mundesley. And with more Bees and Butterflies getting on the wing hopefully there is plenty more to see.

Gulls Gulls Everywhere!!

 Over the last couple of days I had noticed there were hundreds of Gulls along the shoreline and just offshore on the sea, there must of been close to a thousand along the stretch we walk the dogs from the house. Not one for knowing or watching the news, it only annoys me, it wasn't until Sarah and my Dad informed me of the thousands of starfish, crabs, fish being washed up on the shores.....now I knew why the gulls were in such huge numbers. 

 The next day Sarah and I walked the dogs along the same stretch and couldn't believe how many gulls there were dotted along the coast, we sat on the clifftop bench for a while taking it all in and then returned home with the dogs, I decided to grab the camera and head back out to get some shots from the clifftop and check out the gull species. I was glad I did as after a minute or so scanning I picked out a Iceland Gull, my first for the Trimingham Patch.  

ICELAND GULL

 I grabbed as many images as possible as it moved around among the hundreds of gulls feeding, and as the tide changed the gulls started to drift away leaving the Iceland Gull still resting up with a small group of birds having a snooze. It eventually departed towards Mundesley. During this time I had noticed a Kestrel circle and land down infront of where I was, it appeared to have caught a Bank Vole. I then watched it fly to a ridge and hide it away in a grassy tussock, behaviour which I had not seen before. Nearing the time I was going to return home, and with not many gulls left along the front, I picked up on a lone Kittiwake flying in and landing on the sea off of where I was viewing down from, it gave a few passes by along the surf before heading off leaving me very pleased and ready to go and put the kettle on. 

 ICELAND GULL

 ICELAND GULL

  ICELAND GULL

  ICELAND GULL

  ICELAND GULL

  ICELAND GULL

  ICELAND GULL

  ICELAND GULL

 ICELAND GULL

 KITTIWAKE

 KITTIWAKE

 KITTIWAKE

 KITTIWAKE

 KITTIWAKE

 KESTREL with BANK VOLE

KESTREL

A quiet couple of months.

It's been a quiet couple of months, birdwise that is. I have been kept busy sorting out hassles at home after a young idiot crashed into our front garden due to speeding!! With the wall repaired now and spring just around the corner I can once again get back into a routine. My Artwork has been keeping me confined to the studio a lot but with plenty of new pieces sold after completing I am not complaining.

Although I have been adding a few additions to the Trimingham year list, it has been very quiet around, Barn Owl was a lovely tick close to our house, and a Woodcock seen flying around at dusk from the back garden was great to watch on a couple of evenings. The feeders have been emptied very quickly, but no unusual visitors.

This caterpillar must of been disturbed enough to make it move, that or the sunny day had it thinking it was time to emerge, believed to be a Oak Eggar moth.

Then over the last few days the cold easterly weather has hit us square on, and despite looking has turned up nothing new. Normally Trimingham misses the snow and bad weather that everyone else seems to get but not this time, the worse in many years is what the people in the village have been telling me, but it does look magical when walking around.