Coast Hopping!!

Rite off we go!! SUN!!!Still searching for the Glaucus Gull, heard news there were three at Sea Palling, heading North we passed through Horsey with its stately Mill, many a calender photo been taken of that landmark, lovely walking paths round there, through reed beds over floating fields, Swallowtail butterflies in Summer if you are lucky, a very atmospheric view of a broken down old Mill along an embankment path.Very sad looking.Past Horsey there is Waxham , with the huge barn another tourist attraction, Sea Palling is a bit further on, in the Summer it is heaving with people but if you head farther away from the boys with their toys, ie kite surfers and jet skis, it is lovely and peaceful, loads of little wooden shanty type houses nestled at the base of the dunes, in one of these gardens we saw a Black Redstart,later in the day, behind the dunes was lovely and balmy out of the wind, but clambering up the steep sandy slope venturing over the crest of the dune, the wind was bitter.we paused to take in the view, Gulls everywhere, the stormy seas had stirred up plenty of food for them.We sat for a while with our backs to the big old curve of the sea wall,There were Greater Black back gulls, Common Gulls, Black Headed  Gulls, Herring Gulls, if you know Sea Palling, you will know there are rock reefs just off the beach

On these reefs were loads of little waders , we had heard that there was a Purple Sandpiper but didnt see it , but there were Turnstones, Ringed Plovers, Grey Plovers, on the beach were Oyster Catchers with their lovely distinctive whistling, the sound I love whenever out on the coast at Blakeney, Cley or Morston.Suddenly all thee Gulls took off, spooked by something, and lo and behold left on the beach was the Glaucus Gull, a youngster but still very big, a distinctive biscuity colour pale wing tips, a pinkish bill, another bird to add to my list great stuff, it took off and headed towards the fields inland.

Time was drawing on so we carried on up the coast to Eccles and Happisburgh and Lessingham,funny little villages like chalk and cheese, Eccles having tiny little wooden houses, and brick houses no road surface at all and no street lighting, I hope they dont have to pay council tax it is a strange little place, Lessingham on the other hand is full of beautiful quaint cottages, some thatched, and Happisburgh has the famous red and white striped light house and the cliffs there are always on the news due to erosion.