A day out in Norfolk with JP – to Roydon first, where curlews flew startled out of the heathland scrub very close to us, calling their wistful call, giving us beautiful views of the downcurved beak and elegant wings and white back in flight – and a young shaggy inkcap fungus where new heather was sprouting
On to the coast, to Holme, where pink-footed geese were flying, and sea-purslane still in flower on the last day in October
we saw egrets, more curlews, grey plover, redshank, brent geese, a bar-tailed godwit, linnets – and a kestrel having a barny with a crow, and a variety of ducks –
– and in the dunes, a sinister-looking agaric (?) mushroom
– and then the highlight of the day: a small flock of about 8 snow buntings flew in and landed on the shore, and started to feed – one flew towards us and landed in the next dune – giving us a perfect close-up of its pearl-white front, white streak on the wings and handsome black and white primaries, the stubby beak – buntings are chubby little birds, always seem to be cheerful-looking
Sea holly and sea buckthorn were growing in the dunes among the grasses
– and a late harebell shivering in the evening wind
Our life, like a bird, has escaped the snare of the fowler
Psalm 123
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