7th March - Mostly hazy sunshine, light-mod SE, 16C

Shawell Sandpit/landfill area; afternoon

A moderate number of Gulls around, but  nothing scarce.  The usual water birds including four Wigeon and two (pr) Oystercatchers feeding around the south pool.

Shawell A5 Lagoon pool

50 Lapwings resting on the exposed ashore, two cormorants fishi8ng.  A pair of Teal, 11 Tufted, four Coot and two Moorhens.  Three Mute Swans.

6th March - touch ground frost last night. Sunnymorning, cloud increasing and light SW becoming fresh for awhile mid-afternoon. 16C

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

Little Egret and Grey heron on the dam.  A great White Egret in Blowers bay near the point.

II Goldeneye - 9 females and 2 males.  Shoveler pair near dam.  Wigeon numbers looked down on recent visits.

A Red Kite and Fieldfare over.  A few Common, Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls dropped in.

5th March - frost -1C last night. Mostly sunny, light SW, 14C

Lilbourne Meadows; late afternoon

Still plenty of Wigeon, c200, plus Shoveler, Teal and Gadwall.  Only four Lapwings present, possibly these will stay and breed.

On the adjacent arable fields was 47 Fieldfares, c20 Redwings and c100 Starlings.

4th March - frost -1C last night. Sunny, gently SW, 13C

Willey;

First thing a mixed flock, 20 Fieldfares, 2 redwings and c30 Starlings feeding on the barn field pasture.

1530h, four Mistle Thrushes feeding in similar area.

Shawell Sand Quarry/landfill; afternoon.

Plenty of Gulls in, but no scarce species.

An Egyptian Goose and Oystercatcher pair present.

Nine Gadwall, three Wigeon, plus Teal, Tufted and mallard.  Two Mute Swans and six Little Grebes.

12 Red Kites, and all the Corvids. c1000 Starlings present, often murmurating over the landfill.  Possibly a peregrine had put them up and the Gulls were alarmed too.

3rd March - frost -1C last night. Sunny, light WNW, 11C

Willey

I spotted a Brimstone flying in the garden at lunch time, another year first. . The same or another an hour later in the vegetable garden

2nd March - frost -2C last night. Sunny, light SW, 10C

Norfolk for the day, here's a few highlights.

North Point pools were a little quiet, just the usual regulars, with a Snipe showing well, plus Black-tailed Godwits, Curlew, and Avocet, a Male Marsh Harrier.  A Chiffchaff was in the driveway hedgerow.

At the Stiffkey floods seven Lesser White-fronted Geese were showing well.  Five adults and two first winters from the Swedish re-introduction program. Another nice selection of birds was present on the flooded meadows. 

Holkham gap held seven Shore Larks in the roped off area.  Distantly, off-shore a good sized Common Scoter flock, with Great-crested Grebes and a unidentified Diver flew by.  A couple of Sanderling were along the shore line.

Holkham meadows from Lady Anne's Drive, a good number of Pink-footed Geese and one Barnacle with them.  Four Red Kites over head.

Thornham Harbour at the end of the day was interesting with  a male Hen Harrier showing well, plus Short-eared and Barn Owls, and a Merlin over the marsh.

1st March - Frost -3C last night. Mostly sunny, 10C, light W

Meteorological Spring has arrived - and so has good weather - at last.

Shawell Sand Quarry/Landfill

A check here this morning, but as no tipping at the landfill Gulls were few, mostly Common and Black-headed - with Large Gulls not hanging around.

Shoveler 11, Teal 31, Gadwall 10, Coot 52, Tufted 25.

Green Sandpiper feeding.Six Little Grebes - lots of 'trilling'

Only 3 Red Kites and a Buzzard.

Song Thrush singing.

Bittesby Country Park; early afternoon.

A check over the meadows for Stonechats, I only found one male today.

A Reeve's Muntjac was in the new orchard.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Nothing new, just the usual birds, although I had just missed two Oystercatchers another observer informed me.

I did spot my first Spring Butterfly, a Peacock, on the wing.

A Roe deer was standing out on a path and a small group of Meadow Pipits were nearby.