112 Shags at Hunstanton Cliffs!!!

A NEW NORFOLK RECORD!!!

A dull, rainy and uninspiring day. I started off at Hunstanton Cliffs to see if any of the Shags that roosted last night had left the cliffs yet, I could only see three distantly. The incoming tide was lapping the rocks at the base of the cliffs, so it was not possible to walk along the beach. There were good numbers of turnstone feeding along the shore, one fulmar and several blackbirds in the sea buckthorn. Further along the promenade there were 30+ turnstone huddled together on the pebbly beach with a solitary sanderling amongst them at the water's edge. Every time a wave splashed across them they scurried a few inches away to drier ground, re-positioned themselves and then tucked their heads under their wings to settle again. Spent quite a long time here, photographing these magical birds. Walking back along the cliff top gardens I had a surprise of a little egret flying east over the bowling green at 8.45am! A few blackbirds sitting looking cold in bushes and three house sparrows were having a scrap with two pied wagtails on a roof top!

One redwing at Beach Road, Holme. Stopped at Choseley to see if any of the bramblings remained – there were a good number approximately 50+ but nowhere near as many as yesterday. Thousands of pinkfeet filled the skies east of the drying barns.

I then went to a friend's house at Brancaster to view their leucistic female Blackbird. The bird was hopping about in their garden and was very striking indeed! A mostly white bird with hints of black and a yellow beak. It only allowed me a few initially photographs and didn't return again whilst I was there. This was the most exciting bird in my holiday! The blackbird has been in their garden since about Wednesday last week. See HERE for information on leucistic and albino birds.

Titchwell RSPB for lunch. It was pouring with rain and looked set for the rest of the day, so I decided the best thing to do was to sit in a hide somewhere. I spent nearly three hours in the hides at  Holme Marsh Reserve and only saw 2 marsh harriers, 1 little grebe, a pheasant, mallard, teal and blackbirds. I was so bored I almost went home early. I decided I would make the effort to count the shags coming in to roost this evening.

As it was raining, I broke all rules and drove down past the Sailing Club at Hunstanton, along the prom to the furthest point you can drive at the base of the cliffs. Only sailing club members are supposed to drive along that section! I couldn't be bothered to walk all the way down the flights of steps in the rain and it was freezing cold aswell. I sat in my car and could see shags gathering on the sea ready to fly in to roost on the cliffs. I could only count just over 30 initially and at that stage presumed my count would be far less, than the 41 I saw last night. I left the warmth of my car and got ready for the big count. Minutes later more shags appeared and then took off and flew to the east side of the cliffs, I counted 47. I thought this was it, but they kept appearing, some flew in from far out to sea and a whole line of them came from the west!!! I kept counting until I couldn't see any more and the staggering result was 112 Shags flew in to roost on the cliffs!!! I just couldn't believe that I had seen this many! This a record count for Norfolk I have found out this evening, so I am over the moon about this. What a fabulous way to end my holiday!

Main Highlights in Norfolk – RBA
Waxwings at various locations along the coast
Lapland Bunting and 20 Snowbunting at Salthouse
Richard's Pipit at West Runton
60 Snowbuntings at Holme
5 Long-tailed Ducks, 2 Slavonian Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Velvet Scoter at Titchwell
Water Pipit at Strumpshaw
Sooty Shearwater at Cley
Rough-legged Buzzard at North Wootton
112 Shags at Hunstanton Cliffs

Update: 83 Shags at Cromer Pier this evening, see HERE

PICTURES TO BE ADDED