A winter trip to my parents in Norfolk will at some point involve a long trudge across Holkham beach to look for Shorelark. This year it was an early morning visit. The sun was just coming up and a cold wind was blowing across a quite unforgiving landscape. It was a biting cold and meant hat, gloves, snood and extra layers were essential. Walking into the wind on the mile or so walk through Holkham gap had me asking the question, what if they're not there? Thankfully we were rewarded, eventually. We had walked past their usual area and so decided to take a look at the sea, where we spotted a few Sanderling running alone the tide line before being chased off by a marauding dog. Grrrrrr!!
Back to the search, and just as the sun lit the sand dunes behind us I saw movement on the ground in front. I think there were about a dozen or so Shorelark heading towards us. So we stopped where we were and set up the scope to watch them go about their business. Fantastic little birds, just so difficult to spot, but spot them we did and it was mission accomplished. I'll make the same trip I've made many times next year, when hopefully I will catch up with them once again.
The walk back, which seemed much shorter, had us watching Brent Geese, Redshank and a couple of Egyptian Geese for good measure.
