Thursday 22nd September (Titchwell; Wager on a Wader and a Wren in the Fen)


Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window into a betting booth. Now Mr. Kite was not going to have a bet today but he was about to wager on a wader at Titchwell. So with The Beast packed Mr. Kite cycled the eighteen miles to Titchwell.

With nearly as many people at Titchwell as birds Mr. Kite started to watch birds. Firstly tree sparrows and greenfinches on the feeders. A solitary wren in The Fen Hide; wren in the fen. From the main hides Mr. Kites wager on the waders paid off and lots of redshank, a few little stints and a lone grey plover waded in the shallow water.

On this pleasant day Mr. Kite headed to the sea at the end of the walkway passing flocks of tieticks and linnets flitting around in the autumnal air. The sea was calm and the tide ebbing; along the waters edge a line of sanderling ran quickly avoiding the lapping water as they fed. In The Wash the feeding sandwich terns and gannets was more dramatic; this was not dainty feeding but head first diving into the water. The terns were enjoying their last days in Blighty before returning to warmer climates and the mixed aged gannets just practiced their trade; diving onto fish.

Now the view out to sea was better than watching an episode of David Attenborough's life on earth on the television. Mr. Kite looked out onto a changing vista where birds flew across the skyline; over the horizon; from left to right skimming over the sea; right to left skimming over the sea; and just flying.

Talking to himself, so as not to appear bonkers to the other birders, Mr. Kite whispered, 'Gannets, sandwich tern, herring gull, dunlin, sanderling; blimey four red-throated divers; wow'. With wings beating quickly showing white diamonds the four divers flew from right to left and out of sight.

With eighteen miles to cycle Mr. Kite packed his bags and set course for Fakenham and The Joint. Two hours later Mr. Kite was celebrating a good day with a few Courage Best Bitters. Cheers from a saddle sore Mr. Kite.