Horsey Mere 6th May 2016

Horsey Mere 6th May 2016

Today we had to move from our cottage rental in Halesworth to out next cottage in Thornham, near RSPB Titchwell. This turned out to be quite a long drive because, although the distance isn’t great, it takes a long time on the small roads that we prefer to drive on. We broke the journey up with a visit to Horsey Mere where we had previously taken a boat trip courtesy of Ross’s Boat Trips. Our previous experience with Ross was so good that we had to make a return journey.

Just like the last time, this time we were his only passengers so we had his sole attention. He is quite a birder himself so he likes to have birders on board. We told him that birds were our sole interest on the trip so he concentrated on this for us, sometimes running his engine, and at other times punting his boat quietly through the reeds. He even allowed us to stand on the seats with our heads above the canopy of the boat.

We were soon hearing Reed and Sedge Warblers and Marsh Harriers were ever – present, sometimes three at a time. We also got a couple of Kingfishers and, very best of all, after hearing a group of cranes in the distance, we managed to see, first one, then another flying across the sky. Ross has a bee in his bonnet about Hickling Broad trying to poach the Cranes of Horsey Mere, as he describes it, so he told us all about this.

Other highlights were Stonechat, Hobby and Whitethroat, the last in the car park. We had a great time and Ross stretched out our hour by another fifteen minutes. I don’t know what this trip is like with other people but when it is just three birders it is unbeatable.

There was “just” one year tick on the boat trip and that was Common Crane. We got another on our way back to Thornham in the form of Red-legged Partridge.

Year Tick : Common Crane

Bird Sightings : 6th May NT Horsey Mere