Saturday 27 November 2010

Odds and ends from Norfolk

Well, I seem to be apologising quite a bit recently for not keeping up with my blog posts. So, I'm sorry this has taken so long to get here. I think I've fallen off the edge of the blogging world at the moment! Here are some 'odds and ends' photos from my trip to Norfolk back in October. We were staying at a small town called Hunstanton on the North Norfolk coast. This is just about the only place along the coast in this part of the country that has cliffs.
We spent one day birding inland at a place called Sculthorpe. It's a nature reserve run by the Hawk and Owl Trust which has a mix of deciduous woodland and reedbeds.
I didn't get many photos of birds here, but found some other things to point my camera at! Below, some lovely peeling birch bark.
Common Darters are one of the latest flying of our Dragonflies. Here is a male basking in some sunshine on the broadwalk railings.
And the female doing the same not far away.
There are some nice fungi in the wood here. I took a couple of photos of ones I could see from the broadwalk.

From one of the hides, we waited patiently for this shy Water Rail to emerge from the reeds to feed on dropped seeds from the feeders above.
A windmill at Waxham on the east coast side of this large county.
One day we were lucky to be in the right place at the right time to experience a flock of 30 Bohemian Waxwings. It was right at the end of the day though so unfortunately the light was absolutely terrible for photography. However, it was lovely to stand just a few yards away from these beautiful birds as they communicated to one another with their amazing trilling call.

Right towards the end of our holiday, we stopped in at a Farm Shop that we'd passed several times during the week. They had a great selection of Apples and Pears as well as other seasonal vegetables and home made cakes etc.


I'll finish with a sunset at Warham on the coast. This is a great place for roosting raptors and owls. We spent a couple of evenings here watching Hen Harriers, Marsh Harriers, Merlins and Short-eared Owls.
Hope to be back blogging properly sooner or later.....maybe later! (-:

14 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Wonderful post and photos. My favorite is of the Rail. They are usually so secretive. The Waxwings are always a cool sight to see.

Eve said...

I know you're busy Jenny but it was wonderful seeing more posts. I bet you guys had a great time. The pictures look like they could have been taken right here in Alabama...except for the windmill!! It's too cold today for the dragonflies tho..got down to 27 F!!! That's pretty darn cold!!!

Rowan said...

That's a really nice photo of the water rail and I love the sunset one too. Norfolk is one of my favourite counties.

Chris said...

Congrats on the water rail picture. There is one over here at the moment but I failed to see it so far... Hope I'll get it! Congrats on the waxwing too... They are still over here but they move a lot so we really have to look for them!

Anonymous said...

A bonus or two there with the Waxwings and the Rail Jen and probably a Boot full of apples.?
Love the last scene.

Mary said...

Wonderful! YOu got some really interesting shots. I love the fungi and the sunset and the waxwings and the bill of that rail and the windmill. As you can see liked everything :-)

TonyC said...

Great shots Jen. Glad you're back!! I've missed those memories you keep triggering.

Rural Rambler said...

Hi Jen! I think I have fallen off the edge of the world of blogging with you. It is nice to see this post. I love birch, everything about them. It is nice to see dragonflies, missing summer. CH and I just about a week ago watched a large group of waxwings strip a couple of our cedars of the berries. Some Robins helped. Waxwings are just such a beautiful bird and we see them such a short time. It's late, I am off to sleep I hope. Beautiful trees against that gorgeous sunset.

Kelly said...

...Rails are so difficult to photograph--and even see around here, so I really appreciate your Water Rail shot. A beautiful bird.

I had to laugh when I read your first paragraph. I'm falling so far behind too....and too far behind on reading my favorite blogs. It has been ridiculously busy.

cindyzlogic said...

Thank you for sharing your trip! Great photo walk :-)

Quiet Paths said...

Gorgeous sunset and windmill photos, Jenny! I so enjoy your odds and ends..

NatureStop said...

Jenny,
Lovely sunset and thanks for sharing your trip.
We are off on vacation so wish you a Merry Christmas and a lovely New Year!!!

Shantana

Anonymous said...

Wow. You got some excellent photos here. Seems you have an eye for the art of photography.

The Giraffe Head Tree said...

Please do not worry about tardy blogs - this coming from someone who only now is visiting! I love this post so much! "Woodland Hide" and "Fen & Scrape Hides" and "Hawk and Owl Trust" and bohemian waxwings and apples and pears and cakes...oh my! Then to finish with such a miraculous sunset. Oh, my heavens. Literally. Visiting here just makes me gasp each and every time. Merry Christmas, Jens!