Yare Valley Geese, Posing Fieldfares and a Sawbill Influx, 7 February 2012

I ventured out into the elements this afternoon and headed for the Cantley Marshes in the Yare Valley. Scanning the marsh from the footpath off Burnthouse Lane the Taiga Bean Goose flock was soon found and after some scanning back and forth the long staying Lesser White-fronted Goose was also picked out. Detailed scrutinisation of all the scattered geese revealed a single Tundra Bean Goose and totals of c80 Taiga Bean Geese and c240 White-fronted Geese. A ringtail Hen Harrier also moved through before I sought the warmth of the car again!

Driving into Pulham Market in the south of the county later in the afternoon my eye was caught by a large group of Fieldfares (c120)  feeding in a roadside tree laden with berries. A quick u-turn and grab of the camera followed and I was able to get really close to them for some nice action shots.

I followed that by a short drive just over the border to Weybread Gravel Pits in Suffolk and despite the ever dropping temperatures I managed to eventually locate a redhead Smew and 15 Goosander (a great site count) amongst the large numbers of commoner ducks, Cormorants and Great Crested Grebes.

Having birded in laying snow with tempratures ranging from -1 to -4 today I'm glad we're off to sunnier climes in Goa tomorrow!