Red Backed Shrike and Long Tailed Skua highlight the last day of my holiday!

juv. Red backed Shrike at Walsey Hills.

When I woke up this morning I could see that I had left the light on and was about to set the alarm to get up to go seawatching - the clock said 8.30am! Obviously I hadn't set the alarm, still felt tired, so went back to sleep!

Arrived at Walsey Hills, late morning for a general look round and had fabulous views of a male bullfinch who posed perfectly on a knotted piece of wood, but not quite long enough for my camera! Sat in the back stubble field for a good half an hour waiting for a good bird to appear from the willows, but nothing apart from a female blackcap and 1 chiffchaff. Pager goes off: Red backed Shrike between Walsey Hills and Salthouse - fabulous to be in the right place at the right time again this week! Flew back to car and relocated to the other end of Walsey where the bird was initially sitting in the hedge line, roadside that leads up to the main part of Walsey Hills, whilst standing there it flew over our heads to the other side of the long hedge that runs up from the roadside which is where I think it remained the rest of the day - got another one of my distant records shots! Left here and went back to Walsey to continue looking round. Someone had found a redstart, but I couldn't see it anywhere. Saw a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Linnets, another chiffchaff and watched Swallows twittering away sitting on a tree at the end of the bottom path.

Elderberries, Walsey Hills.

Went to visitor centre. Wryneck up on the pager at Wareham, Waxham and a Wood Warbler at Holme NOA created silly thoughts about walking [B]Blakeney Point[/B] to find something hot! I then drove to Coastguards and bumped into Pete S. and Richard and Eddie M. M.G on his way to North Hide called me to say a [B] [B]juv. Long Tailed Skua[/B] was flying towards and over the Eye Field[/B]!!! Alerted Eddie, Pete and Richard and we had splendid views of it flying right across us, but only got a picture when it was a bit too far away really!

Juv. Long Tailed Skua flying over the Eye Field, Cley.

Decided to walk the Point - packed rucksack and set off for the Point at 5.30pm! I only got as far as [B]Halfway House [/B]and sensibly decided to come back, bit of a waste of time really, only saw reed buntings, wheatears, meadow pipits, Teal going past on the sea and a single Kittiwake also The Red Arrows Display team flew past!!! Back at Coastguards I wished I had seawatched instead as missed a Pom Skua and 2 Sooty Shearwaters! I sat and had my tea, soup and bread whilst chatting to Eddie M., Simon and James M.


Back to work tomorrow.