May 2nd

A blustery north-easterly had picked up overnight and coupled with the low cloud, the temperature had dipped again. I needed my scarf and fleece this morning to fend off the Bank Holiday weekend weather. Scanning the field south of Cart Gap I soon got onto a lone, distant Plover but the obvious white stripes down the sides of it's breast immediately ruled out the species I was hoping for. Still, summer adult Golden Plovers are a smart bird and there won't be many more in Happisburgh until the autumn. I headed north to check the large open field west of the village which proved to be devoid of anything, but I did have a surprise sighting whilst driving along Blacksmiths Lane. And it came in the guise of a colourful male Golden Pheasant. As I wouldn't expect to see one of this introduced species occurring 'naturally' in Happisburgh, I can only assume it was an escapee from a nearby garden. It showed an obvious dark throat so was possibly of the form 'obscurus', some more info and photos of which can be found on the Go Birding website.

Things had quietened down at the paddocks, although a Lesser Whitethroat was singing from the shelter of a Blackthorn hedge, and even the myriad of Dandelions that were in full yellow bloom yesterday had closed their flowers to the cold, grey sky. On the paddock itself a male Yellow Wagtail was flirting with the horses hooves along with four Pieds, all feeding on the flushed insects.