MEGA DAY!!!!! BOOTED WARBLER AND LAPLAND BUNTING Etc!!!!!!!

MEGA DAY

I eventually arrived mid morning(ish) at Walsey Hills which was perfect timing (thanks John!). Up on the pager Icterine Warbler and Pied Flycatcher, both of which I saw 11.45am - thanks Eddie for allowing me to look through your scope! Nice little party of birders including Eddie M., Andy J., Dave H., Robin A. and of course John F. to name but a few, all standing from a sensible distance and much too far for me to get a photograph.

Watching the Icterine Warbler and Pied Flycatcher at NOA Walsey Hills.

Had a good look round Walsey and didn't find anything else of note.

Went to the visitor centre to remove thermal top - much too hot I decided to be wearing for 'The Point'! Whilst I was there I bought a buttered cheese scone to take away.

Parked at Coast Guards and started walking Blakeney Point at around 1.20pm. All I had was loads of Reed Buntings and a few Meadow Pipits up to Halfway House. Sat on the seat next the house and watched 3 Wheatears on the grassy area. Walked all round the sueda bushes and had lovely views of a Whinchat. Also had 2 Willow Warblers in exactly the same sueda bushes as Connor, his dad and I had the Icterine Warbler! You know when you are thinking, you wished you hadn't walked the point! I went through so many sueda bushes in hope of finding something good!

Reed Bunting.

Whinchat at Halfway House.

Continued on, half thinking about walking back, especially when 2 birders coming back said they had had nothing and also no birds in the plantation at all! I am sooooooo glad I didn't, anyway reached the Plantation and sat down having a cup of coffee and cheese scone when James McCallum appeared with another man. James very kindly told me where to find the Lapland Bunting at Long Point. He then got a very exciting phone call. Even before his finished the conversation I started to throw my half cup of coffee away and stuff things in rucksack!

Off we went to Long Hills to see a BOOTED WARBLER! And I did see it too, at 5pm and watched on and off (EXTREMELY ELUSIVE THOUGH) until 6.30pm. And to top it all I got some pictures too!!!!!! Found by Joe Cockram, Paul Nicholls and Eddie Stubbings at 4.30pm. Seriously though my photos won't win any prizes! Joe also got a flight shot (see http://joesbirding.blogspot.com/). Think we were the only ones to get any pictures. Steve G. came along but I dont think he got any shots - I may be wrong though. R.M and Andy S. also arrived later to view the bird.

BOOTED WARBLER

Photos of Booted Warbler are cropped only, not sharpened, edited etc.

Pic 1.

Crop of Pic 1.

Pic 2.

Pic 3.

Pic 4.


Crop of Pic 4.

Pic 5.

Pic 6.

Anyway I then decided to walk back to Long Point to see the Lapland Bunting which with the help of Eddie S. (thank you!) I did and also photographed it drinking from a puddle in the last of the sunshine! at 7.30pm - it then disappeared near a creek.

Juv. Lapland Bunting, Blakeney Point - the earliest Autumn BP record!

Juv. Lapland Bunting, Blakeney Point.

Sat down and had a coffee and a sandwich. I looked at the sun going down and you just know that you're going to be walking back in the dark, so whats the hurry!!!

Started walking at 7.45pm from Long Point and it seemed to go for ever and ever and ever! Also misjudged a few waves and got soaked feet to add to the already soaked feet from crossing creeks earlier to see the Booted Warbler.

7.45pm - just crossed over from Long Point and took this with iphone and the video below.

Got a partial message on pager 'Bluethroat...' Phoned RBA who told me Steve G. had a Bluethroat between the Hood and Halfway House - I smiled to myself and thought would I be that lucky to see that aswell!! On reaching that area, it was dark, so no hope there! Battery on phone almost run out, so had to turn it off for emergencies. Good job it was a full moon! I could just about see the triangle shape of the roof of the hut at Coastguards! It was such a relief to open my car door at 9.20pm!!! The drive home seemed almost as long as the walk back! Got home 10.30pm.

SLEEEEEP!!!!!