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Spring
The summer migrants start to arrive in March, before the last of the winter
visitors have left. By April, Stone Curlew and Wheatear have arrived and the sound of birdsong
grows daily among the trees stiring to life. April heralds the arrival of most of our summer
visitors, including Swallows and Cuckoos, while Willow Warblers are everywhere.
This is the time, too, when rarer birds such as Kentish Plover or Ring Ouzel might be glimpsed.
Other comparative rarities such as the diminutive Temminck Stint, Black Tern, Bluethroat,
Red-backed Shrike and Dotterel wait until early May to make their entrance. Indeed, this time of
year is without equal in terms of the numbers of species encountered.
Summer
June is an excellent time to learn to identify birds by their song, as they sing
long into the evenings. The hectic activity generated by the breeding season provides a chance
to catch sight of otherwise difficult-to-see birds like Nightjar, Bearded Tit and Bittern.
By early July, however, most birds have finished breeding and have begun their
annual moult. This is accompanied by a general reduction in birdsong, although Nightjars
and Grasshopper Warblers are still to be heard, as is the night call of the Long-eared Owl.
By the end of the month most waders have begun their migration and Wood and Green Sandpipers
usually arrive in good numbers.
Autumn
In August, the migrants who brought us the sound of summer birdsong begin to head
south to their winter quarters. Vast numbers of waders are to be seen and, from late August
through September and into October, the Norfolk coastline bustles with activity as thousands of birds
use it as a last chance to refuel and build up their strength before undertaking the crossing of the
North Sea to mainland Europe and beyond.
Easterly winds at this time are a cause of great anticipation among birdwatchers
as they generally signify a 'fall' of migrants along our coastline. Quite simply, over a very few
hours we can become inundated by vast numbers of Redstarts, Wheatears, Pied Flycatchers and many
more, making their way south for the winter and, to our great benefit, briefly blown off course.
Winter
October sees another southerly migration as our winter birds fly in from Scandinavia.
Fieldfares, Redwings and Blackbirds arrive from the north along with large numbers of Song and
Mistle Thrush, while the fields are covered with flocks of Lapwing and increasing numbers of
Golden Plover. Twite and Linnet, too, return and among them Lapland Buntings are to be seen once
more at their regular haunts along the coast. One or two Shore Larks appear and the first of the
returning Snow Buntings begin to arrive.
The Pink-footed Geese join us in October and November from their Arctic breeding
grounds, followed in December by smaller numbers of White-fronted and Bean Geese. Every day sees
huge numbers of waders along the shore, together with Divers, Sea duck and Grebes.
The harsh weather and snow of January and February cause a flurry of activity as birds
seek more favourable conditions.
Hawfinches and Bramblings search for food beneath Hornbeam and Beech, but milder
weather towards the end of February brings the sound of birdsong once again as the whole cycle
starts over.
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