15 AUGUST 2024 – SNETTISHAM, NORFOLK

There were recent reports of up to five White-rumped Sandpipers being present on the RSPB Reserve at Snettisham, so with nothing else of note John plumped for that destination after consulting with Mike and me first. Frampton RSPB Reserve in Lincolnshire was the other option, but as it’s a very large reserve, I felt it would be too much for me to undertake, given my recent health problems. Luckily for me Snettisham was the preferred option in the end.

About 30 minutes after we set out, news came through of a possible Great Knot (a very rare vagrant from Asia) being found at Minsmere, Suffolk, and there was debate as to whether we should divert. However, as it wasn’t a confirmed sighting together with the fact that undoubtedly it would attract many birdwatchers, and in any event, we’d probably spend a good proportion of our time waiting to get into the relevant hide, we chose to continue to our original destination. As it happened, towards the end of the day we learned that the record was dud, being a likely summer plumaged Red Knot sighted by an inexperienced birder.

We arrived at the RSPB car park at Snettisham shortly after 10.15 a.m. from where it was an incredibly long walk to the hides, located at the southern end of a long line of pits. The weather was sunny and very warm, with exceptionally strong 30 mph southerly winds. Along the way one could look over the beach and out to The Wash – the tide was well out at the time (although the beach area was still cordoned off to prevent disturbance to ground nesting birds).

Along the pits (which at the beginning straddled a long line of holiday homes) the occasional Little Egret could be seen, with many Egyptian Geese, loose flocks of gulls, and Grey Lag Geese, but nothing exceptional – compared with what can be seen in the winter months. Along the path I found a rather worn Wall Brown butterfly (the first any of us had seen thus far this year), though in essence it was far too windy for butterflies. But once out onto the beach John sighted two adult Turtle Doves (one of our target species) which gave very close views as they fed amongst the beach vegetation. There is a small number of breeding Turtle Doves along the northern coastline at Snettisham, and it was likely that these two were from that group.

Along the beachline and out onto the dry mud where there were narrow ditches and pools, some Avocets could be seen feeding (I’d never previously associated Avocets with Snettisham, so perhaps they are a relatively recent addition to the species present here); with Shelduck; 100 or so Canada Geese and a fairly large flock 17 Barnacle Geese; a couple of Curlews and many gulls, although most were a long way off in the distance.

There were two hides that we used along the route to the main hides, but nothing much was seen. Once at the main hides, accessed along a long, winding boardwalk we entered the first of two hides here, (where there were two Swallows still occupying nests at the entrance) although to be frank there was very little else on show:- at least 17 Spoonbills (at the time mostly sleeping, although they did become a tad more active later in the day); more Grey Lags and a few Egyptian Geese; a few Lapwings and Gull species. Earlier we’d seen a large flock of about 200 or so Common Redshank; a small group of Golden Plover; and sporadic groups of Black-tailed Godwits, but if they were present, they could not be readily seen from these hides. Three Common Sandpipers were also seen, and a small group of Little Egrets. But more importantly no sign of the White-rumped Sandpipers. It appears that they had not actually been seen for several days, because there had been no hide tides to cause wading birds to gather at this location; so were unlikely to get lucky today. We tried the other - much larger – hide nearby, but there was no window seating available, so one had to stand at the large picture windows to views the birds. It seemed to me that this hide might be utilised for school groups because the seating was similar to what one might expect from a university lecture room. We returned to the first hide to consume our lunches, then moved off for the long trundle back to the car.

Nearby, John found two Northern Wheatears, and a male Stonechat, but there was very little else of note on the way back – although John and Mike veered off along the beach (as I continued slowly on) and saw a couple of Sandwich Terns with a Little Tern; a Mediterranean Gull and were shown the carcass of a whale. Back to where we saw the Turtle Doves earlier in the day, one was still present and gave very close views indeed, enabling me to get some excellent photos.

I can’t deny that it had been a somewhat disappointing day bird-wise - the Turtle Doves being the undoubted highlight – but it was good being out along the coast, in lovely coastal surroundings.

SPOONBILLS AND CANADA GEESE etc

TURTLE DOVE

TURTLE DOVE

TURTLE DOVES

WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY

VIPERS BUGLOSS