Winter Wildlife Spectacular

In the first of her monthly articles, Ruth Miller declares her love of watching geese on the move on the north Norfolk coast

- Ruth Miller

There’s something very special about dawn on the north Norfolk coast. Was it the lure of wide, open skies infused with a pre-dawn purple blush? Or perhaps the call of the ever-changing tide as it ebbed and flowed across the marshes? Or maybe it was the potential to witness thousands of birds on the move that encouraged me out of bed and onto the windswept seawall, for a bracing walk before breakfast.

The coastal path at Burnham Overy Staithe was the perfect place to start my Norfolk day. The raised footpath was easy to follow, so I could concentrate on the sights and sounds around me. The extra height of the path provided a great vantage point for birdwatching, but I was now at the highest point in the area and the sharp wind sliced straight through me. My warm bed quickly became a distant memory.

On one side was the tidal River Burn. It was low tide, the water a mere strip leaving the wooden dinghies stranded at odd angles on the thick mud. It was perfect for smaller waders, though, as the gloopy mud provided a smorgasbord of invertebrates to eat. In the gloom, a Ringed Plover all but blended into the muddy background, but its run-stop movement in search of food gave the game away.

A Redshank, that nervous ‘warden of the marshes’ was startled by my unexpected appearance on the path, and piped its warning call as it flew.

Vivid orange sky