Bee-eater at Cley and Salthouse!!!

Found by Marcus Nash – Congratulations!

I was at work today – the last day before my holiday, I was doing the early hand-over which mean't I started at 7am and finished at 3pm. As I turned my phone on at lunchtime and saw "Norfolk: Bee-eater just west of Cley by A149 on wires by sluice at 10.43am" on the RBA website, my heart raced, especially as there were several more repeated messages saying it was now at Salthouse on wires near the fish 'n' chip shop!!! – I just love them and will travel anywhere in Norfolk to see one. I have only seen one Bee-eater in Norfolk, at Northrepps on telegraph wires in the rain, catching bees. I have missed several over the years including todays! I sat with Caraline (one of my work colleagues) at lunchtime and my exact words were "I bet you anything you like, that when I switch my phone back on again at 3pm, RBA will read 'flew south' – how right I was "NORFOLK, Bee-eater til 2.30pm Salthouse and then flew south" - TYPICAL!!! I crazily drove to Cley anyway, something told me that something else would turn up there and maybe, just maybe the Bee-eater hadn't quite left! My holiday had started and I was off!!!

CRACKING Picture here:
http://www.birdingworld.co.uk/Cley%202012.2.htm

Salthouse Heath – scanned Salthouse's telegraph wires from the heath in the hope that the Bee-eater hadn't left yet. I knew it had, but I just had to try. I was told by others that it had been raining earlier in Cley – it was now sunny. If only the rain had continued just a bit longer earlier I might have had a chance! I then drove to Cley 'Deli' and got a few snacks for later. I was talking on the phone to another birder when I noticed a bright orange handbag was sitting on the ground next to where a car had just left with two ladies in – I noticed quickly that they were just about to turn right out of the carpark – I sprinted to the car with bag in hand and JUST caught them before they left!!! They were very, very lucky!!!

I then decided to go to Walsey Hills, but stopped to chat to several local birders at the bottom of Old Woman's Lane including John F. Had a quick look round Walsey Hills with John. The weather had deteriorated rapidly to grey skies and drizzle. Only birds seen here were a couple of chiffchaffs and a Cettis's Warbler singing. Drove home in preparation for tomorrow!

Sandwiches done – ready for a MEGA day!!! The bad news is that I am working on Sunday's in my holiday!