I'm back in Belgium after a lovely weekend with some old birding friends on the Norfolk broads. The above was taken during our peaceful boat trip on Hickling Broad and shows one of the thatched hides we visited in the middle of the reedbed and which can only be reached by boat, with the obligatory Marsh Harrier floating over. They were everywhere and, at one point, we had six of them in the air together!
The scrape in front of this hide held a nice selection of various waders, including the two Bar-tailed Godwits below. At first, the difference in colouration, size and bill shape made us think the larger one was a Black-tailed Godwit but, as a passing harrier flushed them, the presumed black'wit also revealed a barred tail. Other good birds seen over the weekend were a Fulmar passing low over my head on Great Yarmouth beach, several Red-legged Partridge, a bunch of Dunlin in summer plumage, a dozen or more Whimbrel, Whinchat, a Nightingale seen singing, a party of four Ring Ouzel, plus several Dartford Warblers on Dunwich Heath.
