Up on the north Norfolk coast again, thirty miles of endless sand dunes, marshes and reedbeds, bursting with wildlife and yes, very, very big skies.
I was on the hunt for thick lipped mullet, or at least that was the nominal reason for a few days in ( one of ) my favourite places in the world.
Monday I went out at dusk looking for nightjars. I waited, then waited some more, until just on dark thay showed. That weird churring, as the bird sits somewhere in the heathland and then the high pitched, short calls of birds on the wing. It was almost totally dark before a pair flew over me and then disappeared in the blink of an eye. A real buzz.
I walked back to the van through the woodland, torchless, the scent of honeysuckle and pine trees in the nostrils and the sound of muntjaks barking in the distance.
Tuesday I met Waaaak for a pint in a proper pub and then embarked on the long trek to the beach. And what a beach, miles of flat, golden sand, backing on to dunes and creeks and back channels running mosaic like round the marshes.
I missed my only take, but what a place.
In the evening I joined Charlie boi on the beach to record an episode for the podcast. Hadn't seen him for a while, so lots of piss taking ensured and tales were told. The man doesn't give a feck.
Next day, I walked for miles, bins at the ready, looking for mullet. A few showed, not really enough to give a chance of catching, but the lack of angling was compensated by a huge amount of wildlife.
Spoonbills, three types of egret and three species of tern, ringed plovers, reed buntings, stonechats, eider duck, a tree creeper and countless others.
In the marshes I saw Chinese water deer, roe and munjak, hares, a toad ( not Nigel ) and a lizard.
Once again, a great trip in a wild, beautiful area. Lucky to live only a couple of hours away, looking forward to returning already.
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