Another visit to the Norfolk coast on the 2nd was rewarded with good views of a long-billed dowitcher (an American wader) at Salthouse. Another red-throated diver, this one in neat winter plumage, was feeding close to the shore here. A couple of razorbills were also seen on the sea. Moving on to RSPB Titchwell Marsh a single snow bunting was searching for food where the beach met the dunes. I came primarily to search for the male hen harrier that had regularly been seen coming into the marsh harrier roost. It duly obliged and spent several minutes flying around before finally settling.
Long-billed Dowitcher in Flight, Salthouse, 2 November
Red-throated Diver, Salthouse, 2 November
Snow Bunting, Titchwell, 2 November
The following week I spent a couple of days up in North Yorkshire. Whilst I was there, I managed a short visit to Hay-a-Park Lakes (Knaresborough), where I was lucky to see a long staying red-necked grebe, as well as a Tundra bean goose.
'Record Shot' of a Distant, Red-necked Grebe, Hay-a-Park, North Yorkshire, 9 November
We spent a pleasant weekend, with surprisingly good (warm, no rain) weather, in Arundel in West Sussex from the 11th to the 13th. My bird watching highlight was seeing a flock of about 25 cattle egrets in a sheep field, close to the banks of the Arun River. We visited the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve (of course), whilst we were there. I was surprised to see black-necked grebes (including young) in the captive birds' side of the reserve. Are these being bred for release? We enjoyed watching the Dalmatian pelicans here: maybe one day, these birds will be released back into the wild in the UK. A small evening marsh harrier roost had attracted a lot of people to visit the wild side of the reserve. Although smaller than the East Anglian roosts, I guess that this is a bit of a novelty along the South Coast.
Cattle Egret, Arundel, 12 November
Black-necked Grebe (Captive Bird), WWT Arundel, 12 November
My next trip out was on the 18th to Abberton Reservoir where, having failed twice at Grafham Water, I finally saw my first long-tailed duck of the year. Also seen were a Slavonian grebe, at least one great northern diver, a female scaup and 20+ goosander, which appeared to be feeding under the Layer de la Haye causeway.
Long-tailed Duck, Abberton Reservoir, 18 November
Female Goldeneye, Abberton Reservoir, 18 November
An RSPB visit to Lackford Lakes (Suffolk Wildlife Trust) and RSPB Lakenheath Fen on the 20th was enjoyed by all participants, with 72 species (including barn owl, marsh harriers, water rail, marsh tit and kingfisher [at both sites]) recorded. Despite the much cooler weather of late November a few insects were on the wing, including a common darter dragonfly. Some dragonflies can remain active until the first frosts arrive, maybe into December, but this is my latest ever sighting of a dragonfly.
Common Darter Dragonfly, RSPB Lakenheath Fen, 20 November
I ended the month as I had begun it, with another trip to Norfolk on the 25th. In the morning I visited Holkham beach, where three shore larks and a large flock of snow buntings were showing, before moving on to the East Hills saltmarsh, east of Wells, where I waited patiently, with others, to see the pallid harrier which had been reported there regularly for a couple of weeks. At least one 'ringtail' hen harrier was seen regularly, but the pallid harrier refused to show. Many people drifted away as the sun went down and I was about to go as well when the pallid harrier flew in from the south, directly over my head, at 3.55pm. It flew around on the saltmarsh for 2-3 minutes, before appearing to roost. A hunting barn owl, seen on the way back to the car, was a fitting finale to a good day's bird watching.
Snow Buntings, Holkham, 25 November
