Barred Warbler at Holme followed by SANDHILL CRANE and a Raspberry & Coconut Slice to finish!

BARRED WARBLER
Holme NOA Carpark.
Found by Mark and Tracey Bradberry

Arrived at Holme to seawatch for the possible Sandhill Crane, last seen in Lincolnshire at 12pm yesterday, but not reported to RBA until 8.10pm Saturday evening! It would have been SERIOUSLY helpful to have known this AT 12pm on the Saturday!!!

We were delayed seawatching, by news of a BARRED WARBLER found by Mark and Tracey Bradberry!!! It was showing beautifully in the brambles by the NOA carpark at 9.47am, feasting on blackberries, but not clearly viewable for my camera! I got several sections of the bird on my camera! It then moved a bit further away to another bush with the sun directly behind it (see picture). Best shot I could get I am afraid! With news out to RBA, this resulted in lots of birders coming to enjoy this showy Barred Warbler!!! Fabulous to see both the NWT and NOA car parks being filled with birders cars, rather than extremely annoying beach dudes, out of control children and bounding dogs. Yes, I know it all makes money, but I think it is very sad that these carparks are being used by non-birders. What if (as Eddie said) the Sandhill Crane had landed in the middle of Holme marsh and NOA and NWT members, who have paid their membership could not park because of beach people parked in THEIR carparks that they have already paid to use through membership - there would be carnage!!! I realise its difficult to get the balance right, but this situation has got worse and worse in recent years. Its only going to take one MEGA bird on a hot, sunny weekend to create a serious problem at Holme!

Anyway, back to seawatching! After enjoying views of the Barred Warbler, we crossed over to the dunes for a seawatch. High Tide was 10.20am. Very hot weather now! Several great crested grebe on the sea. A Red-necked Grebe sat on the sea (ETM). A Black throated Diver flew west at 10.46am (ETM). Sisken flew over calling (ETM again!) After putting some of this news out to RBA a few birders came and joined us including Mark and Tracey who found the B.W. 10 Brent Geese flew east, 2 Gannets east, 36 Oystercatchers east, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers (ETM), 2 Arctic Skuas east 10.52am. Red throated Diver west, Guillemot 11.30am on sea. A razorbill was also seen, but I didn't!

We walked back to the NOA carpark to have lunch and a cup of tea. Lots of birders in the carpark now watching the Barred Warbler and Sophie was taking permits on the carpark and directing!

News came through that the Sandhill Crane was at North Warren RSPB, Suffolk at 11.43am!!!! We decided to go and see it, but a couple of messages later it said that it had flown south. We changed our minds and sat and finished our lunch. It carried on going south through Kessingland, Aldeburgh, Sudbourne and finally to Boyton. Messages then came through that looked promising 'in ploughed field'...... so off we went!

See next post for Sandhill Crane Twitch!