Pallas's Warblers!!!

PALLAS'S WARBLER

 

Burnham Overy Dunes Arrived at Burnham Overy Staithe and got the last parking spot opposite the track to Gun Hill around 9am. Freezing cold, NE and overcast all day. Met a BF member on route along the track. Bearded Tits calling near the sluice. Loads of hedge sparrows and robins about. When I arrived at the bushes at the end of the board walk, I choose not to join the crowd on the bank and walked down the lower path to join one other birder/artist with sketch book. This definately paid off as I had stunning views of the Pallas's Warbler at 9.40am and half decent pictures within the first 5 minutes!!!

PALLAS'S WARBLER'S

YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY SHOTS OF PALLAS'S!

 

Left the crowds and spent the entire morning around Gun Hill area - tons of goldcrests in every bush, chiffchaffs, meadow pipits, redwings, song thrushes, reed buntings, linnets and two Lesser Whitethroats. Also several wheatears and also noted throughout the day several massive flocks of Starlings all going west. Searched very hard for the RFB! Walked back to the bushes to photograph the Pallas's Warbler again and now there were two!!! More photos. It was lovely to bump into Tim and Irene Loseby who sweetly told me they read my blog - in fact it was quite an odd morning, I had at least 10 different people say more or less the same thing "Are you Penny? I read your blog" etc etc - I didn't realise how many blog followers I had!!! Thank you all! Also bumped into Irene Boston (glad you enjoyed your Mull trip!) and 'Dave the dog' with Ben No 2, Dave and Rob and Anne Gordon. Anyway after a long time enjoying watching these beautiful Pallas's Warblers along with a chiffchaff, male Blackcap, a siskin and numerous goldcrests I headed off towards Holkham pines.

Chiffchaff near Gun Hill.

Reed Bunting near Gun Hill.

News came through of another Red flanked Bluetail at Waxham today along with a Red breasted Flycatcher and a Pallas's Warbler! Long eared Owl at East Hills. Ferruginous Duck at Ranworth Broad and Wilson's Phalarope remains at Welney. Also noted on RBA website - probable Central Asian Lesser Whitethroat (form Halimodendri) at Burnham Overy dunes this evening (may have seen that earlier!) Holkham Pines Complete waste of time really, a boring walk with only a Treecreeper, long tailed tits, goldcrests, jay and a surprise of a pair of bullfinches just before Joe Jordan's hide. Sat/collapsed in Washington hide to eat my last sandwich - I sooooo wished I had bought my flask with me, as it was freezing and my bottle of water was not appealing! No sign of the Pallas's Warbler that somebody had seen from here this morning. A marsh harrier and a barn owl flew past along with a skein of pinkfeet and more starling flocks. Made it to the bus stop at the end of Lady's Anne's Drive with 5 minutes to spare and caught the 6.43pm bus back to my car at Burnham Overy and got home just after 7.30pm after flying into the garage to buy more food supplies for tomorrow's birding! Arriving home at 7.30pm is quite early for me! Sorry to disappoint my blog followers, BUT I am absolutely exhausted and don't have the energy to sort through Pallas's pictures right now, so will add to this post tomorrow - sorry! Having an early night - all this hardcore birding is tougher than going to work! P.S. 'Tim' you can retire for the night now!!!! (re our conversation today!)