Just 11 Spoons for me !

I had earmarked today as a birding day, hopefully to go and twitch something, but as most things within reasonable distance had done the off, I decided a day at Cley Marshes sounded like a good bet.
Now a month ago I hadn't even heard of a Polish Swan but on the dyke by the visitor centre a pair of Mutes with a brood of 7 had 2 of this type!
From the three main hides a variety of wading birds could be seen, including Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets, Dunlins, Golden Plovers,still in their summer plumage, Ruff, Lapwings and a few Green Sandpipers.

View from Dawkes Hide of  feeding Black-tailed Godwits.

A couple of Juvenile Marsh Harriers were hunting over the marshes.
 Walking around the reserve I ended up at the North Hide, where many waders could be seen on the scrape. These were mainly Black-tailed Godwits and Dunlin, with a few Redshanks, Ruff and Lapwings. There was apparently 2 Curlew Sandpipers in with the Dunlin , but the heat haze was so bad I was never going to pick them out.
 The best birds on show however were the group of 11 (yes eleven) Spoonbills that were standing on one of the mud islands at the back of the scrape. By far the most I've ever seen together.
 This Swallow had a nest right outside the door of the hide.
Moving on to Arnold's Marsh, more Blackwits and Avocets were seen, along with a lone Spotted Redshank. Then down the East Bank where I had several encounters with Bearded Tits and saw my first Painted Lady of the year.

                                            Painted Lady