I'm not an early riser, indeed some birders I know consider 9am to be almost mid-afternoon! However, I'm standing on the Dam wall at Rutland Water on a cold misty Saturday morning in February watching three Great Northern Divers do their stuff only yards away from me. A little earlier Dave had suggested a brief detour of 15minutes maximum and we would be on our way again but there was no chance of that now as the three of us watched spellbound as these unusual birds performed. Dressed up in their winter plumage the guide books suggest confusion with Cormorant but these weren't poor views and there was no mistake. Occasionally one would disappear from view, only to pop up next to its companions what appeared to be several minutes later. Later, another would almost stand in the water flapping both its wings in characteristic pose.

A quick scan of the lake also revealed assorted waterfowl including Great Crested Grebes, Wigeon, Goldeneye and Cormorants doing poor impressions of Great Northern Divers!

Several Pied Wagtails on the Dam wall prompted the question why they were so common on Tarmac, in car parks and the like. Rick suggested it may be something due to temperature. Whatever the reason I've always found them a cheerful part of the birding scene.

Reluctantly, we decide to leave Rutland Water and with the sun at last making an appearance we headed east towards Norfolk to search for the so-called Black Eared Kite.

It has always irritated me enormously at the way the birding world can never seem to agree about the names of birds. In addition species are endlessly split into new ones. Wikipedia had suggested the Black Eared Kite simply to be a subspecies of Black Kite.

Whatever it's called we're on our way to see it, and an hour or so later finds us debating with a knowledgeable local birder outside the breakfast trailer near Snettisham. Having been told it had recently been seen a short distance from the trailer, Dave and Rick consume their huge breakfast Cobs within seconds and make me feel ashamed of my inability to perform the same impressive feat! A few minutes later and we're standing amongst open farmland as a likely contender rises into the sky over a distant copse. Dave calls Kite, then Buzzard then Kite again as the features on the bird slowly reveal themselves. For me, it's the slightly forked tail that was diagnostic as it eventually disappeared from view. It was a good moment. As we trudged satisfied back to the car, I reflected how I'd have missed seeing it were it not for the Gannett-like appetite of my companions!

We decide to explore Snettisham. Driving through the puddles on way to the reserve, I managed to disguise the car in mud. It was suggested we might get mistaken for professional twitchers at this rate! It's a sort of compliment although I don't think any of us are true twitchers.
Snettisham beach can for me be very bleak and grey and with the tide out has acres of mud extending vast distances into the wash. Nevertheless it's also an atmospheric place with lots of birds to be seen on the distant mud including Dunlin, Shelduck, Redshank, Shelduck, Knot and yet more Shelduck! We watch for a while and walk up the shingle, patiently pausing to take pictures of Goldfinches on Teasel until they were scared away by the only other people for miles on this lonely stretch of beach. We meet a birder who had been watching the Kite from Snettisham at the same time as us and he had noticed three suspicious looking characters in a field in the distance doing the same!

It's time to move on again, return to the car and head towards Titchwell, briefly stopping to look for Golden Pheasant in the woods near Wolferton station but to no avail.

For those that have not been, Titchwell is a sort of birders Mecca. A Blackpool pleasure beach for birders and today didn't let us down. No rarities but as usual good birds everywhere! Pintail in beautiful condition, Ruff, Spotted Redshank Little Egret and a flock of 20 or so Avocet, the list goes on! Periodically, swirling clouds of Lapwing, Golden Plover and Brent Geese made an appearance. I always feel privileged to be watching such sights.

It was windy and cold on the beach which is always strangely full of Razor shells! Good views of a pair of Eiders flying low over the choppy water. Grey Plover stood a few yards away. Dave gave some advice on the winter differences between Black Tailed and Bar Tailed Godwit. Lots more to see but aware of time we turn towards the hides only to be accosted by a group member and his friends out for the day. They had gone to Cley to look for a Glaucous Gull known to be feeding upon a dead seal on Cley beach but had no luck.

The hides gave us a chance to relax and enjoy the scene. Plenty more common birds like Mallard, Gadwall, Coot and Shoveller. Another chance to see the Golden Plover, this time they're sitting on the mud making their piping calls. Also, more food for Dave and Rick though I note this afternoon's meal takes several minutes compared with the seconds taken to consume this mornings enormous breakfast cobs!

We decide to call it a day and walk slowly back to the visitor centre. It's a final chance to scan the seemingly endless but beautiful marsh and pools to our right I eat a very welcome Cherry Bakewell Flapjack and hot chocolate from the tea bar!

On the way home we have one final attempt to see the golden Pheasant. We turn off near Wolferton. No such luck with the Pheasant but are amazed to see a Munjac deer grazing by the side of the road. We are even more amazed to find two more nearby.

I think it's fair to say we'd had a good day!