NORFOLK - THE COMPLETE TOUR 17TH - 23RD MAY 2009

Our NORFOLK COMPLETE TOUR 17th – 23rd May 2009 was once again a classic with a whole host of excellent birds present. DAY ONE saw the group meet in the evening while DAY TWO provided some splendid birding with highlights being a Collared Pratincole, Temminck’s Stint, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Turtle Dove, Eurasian Hobby and Bearded Tit. DAY THREE and the Collared Pratincole and more Temminck’s Stints were seen, along with a cracking Woodchat Shrike. Corn Bunting, Little Gull, Eurasian Spoonbill, Turtle Dove, Yellow Wagtail, Common Eider, Common Cuckoo, Red Crested Pochard with ten chicks and breeding plumaged Grey Plovers made for another cracking day. On DAY FOUR another superb selection of birds included three Golden Oriole, twenty Eurasian Hobby, a drake Garganey, a booming Great Bittern, Firecrest, Marsh Tit, Stone Curlew, Tree Pipit and Spotted Flycatcher during the day and four Eurasian Nightjar, ten Eurasian Woodcock and a Tawny Owl on a night visit. DAY FIVE was hampered by very poor weather and the only birds of note were trip ticks in the form of Pink-footed Goose, Stonechat and Goldcrest. DAY SIX saw us back on track with a really close view of a displaying male Honey Buzzard, three Montagu’s Harriers, four Red Kites, Common Cuckoo, Eurasian Hobby, Barn Owl and Mediterranean Gull. DAY SEVEN and the tour finished with more Eurasian Hobby, Red Kite, Tree Pipit and four Wood Lark in an amazing total of 137 species for the week.