Norfolk impressions - 09/12/09

Just finished our two days in the UK. The long-staying brown shrike at Staines disappeared just before we arrived, which took the pressure off on the twitching front [sadly I got this wrong and the bird was actually still present, a big day would have netted Pacific diver too I suspect... too busy though really, c'est la vie]. Today I drove up to Salthouse to pick up some new field-guides for trips in 2010 and saw a few birds in passing but had no time for a proper session up the coast.

A big flock of brent geese were in the fields near Kelling. From Cley Visitor Centre I also just had time to notice several wintering ruff feeding out on the reserve. Heady stuff for a southern Sweden based birder. Otherwise I noticed the abundance of pied wagtails, dunnocks, starlings and song thrushes - all scarce for me at this stage of the winter back home. Overall though the overwhelming impression is of the lack of birds in the wider countryside in the UK compared to Sweden. Island Britain is in big trouble and no doubt points the way that mainland Europe will ultimately go too. More than a little depressing.