This last week has seen me in North Norfolk: I was there principally to lead a junior school music project, but I also took some time out for some bird-watching along the wonderful coastline.
I had been asked to lead a three day project with a class of 25 children aged 9 and 10, at Redgate Junior School in Hunstanton. The aim of the project was to compose a short piece of music to celebrate the Norfolk stage of the Tour Of Britain cycle race – which would be passing through Hunstanton on the Thursday. I therefore spent Tuesday and Wednesday (ably assisted on day one by Derek Paice and on day two by Brenda Stewart) creating “Bicycle Serenade” with the children! This was a five-minute piece which utilised, apart from the more familiar glokenspiels and xylophones, one cycle inner tube, one wheel, 2 spanners, 15 bicycle bells, 11 sets of handlebars, various assorted spokes, a cycle chain and one complete upturned bike!!
This was a fun project which culminated, on Thursday morning, with an outdoor performance of the piece on the green in Hunstanton, just before the Tour Of Britain racers came through.
With a little daylight available after finishing at the school on Wednesday, and with quite a lot of the day available on the Thursday I also managed to get visits in to Brancaster and Cley. Cley proved to be very productive, with some of the best views of Bearded Reedling I’ve ever had (I just managed to get this photo of a male), 
and some superb views of the ever-present Marsh Harriers (again with a couple of nice photo-opportunities appearing!). 
Now it’s straight into score learning for the next Ely Sinfonia concert I’m conducting, on October 2nd, which features Rossini, Gershwin and Berlioz (details at www.elysinfonia.co.uk).
Today – sandwiched between the two extremes of packing boxes (we move house in a couple of weeks) and practising for various concerts, including a Mendelssohn Concerto on June 14th (see Concerts) – I awarded myself a day off! The weather in Norfolk was superb and a trip to the RSPB reserve at Snettisham, on the east coast of the Wash, was very enjoyable and resulted in some great photographic opportunities. This evening, just before dusk, we also ventured out into Thetford Forest and had some excellent views of Nightjars, as well as hearing their distinctive whirring call and wing-clapping display flight.
Whitethroat
This Oystercatcher was just returning to its eggs, having initially been disturbed by our arrival.
Just about to settle down.....
Getting comfortable!
Sorted!
So now I’ve got a new ‘blog’ site I feel I ought to do some posts!
I’ve been having a few days off prior to a busy couple of weeks of rehearsals and gigs with the band No-Man.
I had a good visit to the RSPB reserve at Titchwell, on the North Norfolk coast, where I managed to take a few nice photos of waders.
Dunlin at Titchwell
Adult Avocet at Titchwell
Yesterday I visited my local RSPB reserve, Lakenheath Fen. Having walked to the far end of the reserve I was rewarded with excellent views of two cranes, very rare in the UK: But, I hear you say, I saw five JCB’s only the other day! These were, however, the Common Crane (grus grus), which, until last year, had not bred in this area four about 400 years: They’re extremely rare in the UK, with only a handful of breeding records in recent times. They’re also magnificent birds, somewhat larger than the common Grey Heron. My rather distant photo doesn’t do them justice.
Common Cranes at Lakenheath RSPB reserve
Their courtship dance, which I might have seen if I had been visiting the reserve in the spring, involves much jumping about and stretching of the neck: Hence, I assume, the term “craning one’s neck”…
and some superb views of the ever-present Marsh Harriers (again with a couple of nice photo-opportunities appearing!). 
