rayrochesbirdng diary: Norfolk round-up

For the camera,it has not been the most productive of times,but spring in Norfolk has provided good views of the usual suspects -and a few nice surprises.
A HOODED CROW passed me on a quiet sea-watch on 18 April before flying out of sight towards Thornham.Scanning through the large number of Crows still present on Holme Marsh half an hour later, I was able to relocate what I presumed to be the same bird - unless the 2 bird theory applies and it had looped back onto the Marsh without being seen by those viewing from Thornham Bank - This gave me time to alert David and Connor on the bank, and they were able to watch it fly, again in the direction of Thornham when it lifted off the Marsh. A norfolk and a Holme tick and a consolation prize for missing the recent WHITE TAILED EAGLE that had passed through Holme.
Finding 9 Shorelarks by the Golf course on 9th April comfortably beat any previuos numbers I had seen at Holme. A singing Nightingale on 21 April gave brief flight views, and it was possible to enjoy singing Cettis warbler and Calling Cuckoo from the same spot! Other Holme highlights included 2 Bean geese, White Fronted Goose and Pale bellied Brents, Spoonbill, Short Eared owl, Redstarts and Grasshopper warblers -including 1 that posed beatifully for several minutes safe in the knowledge that I did not have my camera with me ! Redwell Marsh again offered outstanding views of Wood Sandpipers - with a supporting cast that included a summer plumaged Spotted Redshank and some very striking Ruff.
A group of 16 Dotterels at Chosely were particularly striking as most were female birds, little Owls showed around Ringstead, and Ringstead Dowsn offered Ring Ouzels, with a supporting cast of Yellowhammer and Corn bunting.
Elsewhere a Dartford Warbler, Goshawk, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Montagues Harrier all made an appearance.