#nature watcher

Grey Heron @ Titchwell Norfolk RSPB by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
Herons are often seen stood as still as a statue on their long thin legs in shallow waters of ponds and lakes patiently waiting for their next meal to swim by. These tall birds spend most of their time alone feeding mainly on fish but can be tempted by the occasional tasty mole! When feeling particularly lazy the heron will visit gardens with ponds for a quick and easy snack.

Turnstone in Summer Plumage.. by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
Tidal creek at Brancaster Staithe on North Norfolk coast ..The Turnstone can be spotted fluttering around large stones on rocky and gravelly shores, flipping them over to look for prey. It can even lift rocks as big as its own body! Although a migrant to the UK, it can be seen all year-round as different populations arrive throughout the seasons.

Morston Salt Marshes..Norfolk Coast. by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
Norfolk Walk Morston Salt Marshes from Morston Quay This short route explores parts of the Mortson Salt Marshes that are accessible on foot. The route starts from the visitor centre (Grid ref. TG006442) which is signed from the A149 Cromer to Hunstanton road in the centre of Morston village. The walk is subject to tides and maybe wet underfoot. Times of tides are available locally and the walk not attempted on a rising tide as there is a danger that you may be cut off or stranded. It must also be stressed that this walk should not be attempted in mist or poor visibility as the lack of landmarks on the marshes can be disorientating

Morston Salt Marshes..Norfolk Coast. by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
Norfolk Walk Morston Salt Marshes from Morston Quay This short route explores parts of the Mortson Salt Marshes that are accessible on foot. The route starts from the visitor centre (Grid ref. TG006442) which is signed from the A149 Cromer to Hunstanton road in the centre of Morston village. The walk is subject to tides and maybe wet underfoot. Times of tides are available locally and the walk not attempted on a rising tide as there is a danger that you may be cut off or stranded. It must also be stressed that this walk should not be attempted in mist or poor visibility as the lack of landmarks on the marshes can be disorientating

Morston Salt Marshes Norfolk by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
Morston lies within Blakeney National Nature Reserve, which also includes Blakeney Point and Stiffkey Marshes. With its big skies, haunting marshes, meandering tidal creeks and wide open sandy beaches, it is one of the largest areas of undeveloped coastal habitats of its type in Europe.

Blakeney Harbour North Norfolk by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
Morston Quay National Trust… Blakeney National Nature Reserve.

RSPB Titchwell Marsh..Avocet..Norfolk by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
RSPB Titchwell Marsh sits on a beautiful stretch of beach along the north Norfolk coastline. Inland, saline and freshwater lagoons are full of wildlife throughout the year. Swathes of reedbeds are home to diminutive birds and majestic raptors while nearby woodlands fill the air with birdsong. Titchwell is the perfect place to retreat from the hustle and bustle of life, enjoy quiet walks, relax in unspoilt landscapes and experience wildlife up close.

RSPB Titchwell North Norfolk by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
Lovely Avocet a beautiful wader on the Norfolk Coast..

Common whitethroat @ Snettisham RSPB Norfolk by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
A summer visitor with a scratchy song. Around one million of these birds head to the UK each year to breed..like this one on the Norfolk Coast AONB

Sanderling on the Beach @ Titchwell Norfolk by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
Sanderlings breed in the Arctic, visiting the UK in the winter and passing through on migration during spring and autumn. The distance they travel varies, but individuals have been known to make 32,000 km annual round-trips to their breeding and wintering grounds.

River Nar @ Castle Acre West Norfolk by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
The five projects together restored over 1.7km of the river that had been historically dredged. Where the new channels have been constructed at Emmanuel’s & Castle Acre Commons the redundant channels have been left as backwater habitats and fish refuges. The borrow pits used for the site won gravels had turves reinstated to form wetland habitat. The berm creation, large woody material combined with the bed raising restored the river to a more sinuous channel with an increase in floodplain habitat diversity

Common linnet Norfolk by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
The common linnet is a small passerine bird of the finch family, Fringillidae. It derives its common name and the scientific name, Linaria, from its fondness for hemp seeds and flax seeds—flax being the English name of the plant from which linen is made

Duckling Duo ..Little Mallards by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
RSPB at Titchwell North Norfolk Coastal Reserve…

Mallard Duckling @Ttchwell RSPB Norfolk by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
Titchwell Marsh..Located on the north coast of Norfolk, between the villages of Titchwell and Thornham, Titchwell Marsh is blessed with diverse habitats that include reedbeds, saltmarsh and freshwater lagoons where avocets, bearded tits and marsh harriers nest. There’s also a wide sandy beach here, which offers extensive views across The Wash.

Sedge warbler..West Norfolk by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
In summer, the sedge warbler can be spotted singing from a reed or willow perch in wetlands across the UK. Males never sing the same song twice,

Gregarious, graceful and grumpy!..The Avocet. by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
With their distinctive black and white pattern, sweeping up-turned bills, and long blue legs, these unusual-looking, but beautiful birds, are fascinating to watch. They provide a spectacular show …

Blakeney National Nature Reserve Norfolk.. by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
River Glaven..The River Glaven flows for 17 km through one of the most beautiful valleys in England. Rising from tiny headwaters in lower Bodham and Baconsthorpe, the main river begins just below Selbrigg Pond where three streams combine at the outfall. Thereafter, it descends through wooded hills of glacial debris and passes through lush countryside and picturesque flint villages. Finally, the river meets the sea behind Blakeney Point. The Glaven is surrounded by arable land, coniferous plantations, grazing meadows and wetlands. The river is a haven for wildlife.

RSPB Titchwell Marsh..Avocet Norfolk. by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
Avocets are such beautiful waders always a delight to see..

Sanderling Scientific name: Calidris alba by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
Typically associated with sandy beaches, but also mudflats and coastal pools. Usually seen in its rather smart grey, black and white winter plumage, often showing distinctive black ‘shoulder’ markings. On beaches, has characteristic feeding habit of running back and forth with the surf…The Sanderling scampers about the waves looking for marine crustaceans, fish and even jellyfish to eat. It visits the UK in winter from its Arctic breeding grounds, but can also be seen as it passes through on migration during spring and autumn

Bullfinch Norfolk Woodland..Pyrrhula pyrrhula by Adam Swaine
Via Flickr:
Shy but striking. Bullfinches bring a brilliant burst of colour to the UK’s woods. The species depends on trees for much of its food, feeding on seeds and buds.