Strumpshaw Fen is such a great place in the autumn with hips and other berries all over, the light on the waters and the leaf changing colour. Arriving about 8:00 everything was very quite and the sun was warming the fen nicely.
Bearded Tits were very active in the reeds and popped up to view every 5 or 10 minutes, a single Marsh Harrier disturbed gatherings of Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall and Mallard on the waters. A single Grey Herron stalked in some shallow water and a Kingfisher sped across the broad. Over we also saw flocks of Greylag Geese and Canada Geese heading for daytime feeding grounds. 
We then headed north to Horsey Gap and walking from the car park found a family of Stonechat and a hopeful Kestrel hovering. On the way back, the same ground, produced Northern Wheatear, Meadow Pipit and Skylark. Off shore there was a gathering of 20+ Red-throated Divers all still in summer plumage and distant Gannets.
After lunch it was a move up the coast to Cart Gap for a more sea-watching. This produced Fulmar and Black-throated Diver, with Oystercatcher and Turnstone on the beach.
Finally we ended the evening at the Stub Mill watch point, to find a Great Grey Shrike distant before the light wavered. Once dusk started to fall and to a background of large flocks of Pink-footed Geese returning from the days feeding we saw Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl, Hen Harrier, 8+ Marsh Harrier and 17 Cranes.
Life bird count: 376 Year bird count: 263 Month bird count: 65
We then headed north to Horsey Gap and walking from the car park found a family of Stonechat and a hopeful Kestrel hovering. On the way back, the same ground, produced Northern Wheatear, Meadow Pipit and Skylark. Off shore there was a gathering of 20+ Red-throated Divers all still in summer plumage and distant Gannets.
After lunch it was a move up the coast to Cart Gap for a more sea-watching. This produced Fulmar and Black-throated Diver, with Oystercatcher and Turnstone on the beach.
Finally we ended the evening at the Stub Mill watch point, to find a Great Grey Shrike distant before the light wavered. Once dusk started to fall and to a background of large flocks of Pink-footed Geese returning from the days feeding we saw Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl, Hen Harrier, 8+ Marsh Harrier and 17 Cranes.
Life bird count: 376 Year bird count: 263 Month bird count: 65
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