Gun Hill, Burnham Overy Dunes, Cley & Warham!

RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER

Garden Drove, Warham

Better pictures on yesterday's post!

Another glorious sunny day and not a hint of the rain that I wanted! I arrived at Burnham Overy at just after 8am. Along the main track out to Burnham Overy Dunes and Gun Hill, I saw 7 Redshanks in the channel, a Kestrel hovering and Bearded Tits were pinging in the reed beds. The farmer was driving along the track to check his cattle and stopped to ask me to ID a picture on his phone, that he thought was an egret – it was indeed, the Cattle Egret!!! He had seen it several times, he told me and he had wondered why he had 'seen more birdwatchers than normal here'. I did not see the Cattle Egret at all whilst I was here – I had heard that it was really close at one point – yeah right!!! The cattle which it was with, were way out in the marsh – that's not at all 'close'!!! I wasn't too bothered I didn't see it, I was looking for passerines and something more exciting!

I spent a long time at the bushes at the end of the boardwalk and the well known apple tree, trying to find something good. This paid off in the end with a Ring Ouzel that landed briefly at 10.20am, called and then flew off east. There were also 10 House Sparrows, a male Blackcap, two or three Reed Buntings, 2 Redwings flew east and several Song Thrushes flew over along with Linnets and Meadow Pipits. A very pale warbler dived in the bottom of a bramble bush, but I couldn't coax it out.

Walked along the bottom path through the sueda to Gun Hill. A massive flock of Linnets approx. 50+ and good numbers of Meadow Pipits. Bumped into Dave A. which was nice, not seen him for ages – he had seen a Tree Pipit and also a Firecrest here briefly. At the far end on the beach, I watched 25 Ringed Plovers sunning themselves in the sunshine, they looked so beautiful sitting amongst the shingle, green seaweed and vegetation. Also here were 2 Knot, a Turnstone, 2 Grey Plovers, 7 Shelducks and good numbers of Brent Geese. There were no birds at all in the bushes around Gun Hill, which is unusual. I didn't find any LBJ's in the elders seaward side of the hill either – there is usually something skulking in here to tantalise me. Walked back to the car, passing birders on route who had seen glimpses of the Cattle Egret amongst the long grass and cattle.

Parked up on the concrete pad at Garden Drove, Warham. Met some more blog fans (smile) – nice to meet you all. Had a fabulous time watching the Red-breasted Flycatcher again in the hedge west of the bottom of the track. I moved away from the 20 odd birders and photographers to sit close by the birds favourite oak tree, in hope that eventually it would come my way. I sat and I sat and eventually the RBF did land just underneath me on a partly sunny branch. I snapped away, but was massively disappointed with out of focus shots – it was very dark under the canopy of that tree, even with the sunny spots – oh well! Yesterday's shots will have to do! Great to view it that close though. There was a male Blackcap in the same tree aswell.

No sign of the Great White Egret from the West Bank at Cley when I got there! I then set off to walk Blakeney Point at 4.20pm – I got a little way past the tractor and boats and stopped to question my sanity! What the hell was I doing walking to BP at this time? I started walking at 4pm on Saturday and only just got to the Plantation with only a short time of light left. Crazy! So I decided not to bother and the thought of walking all the way back in the dark, did not inspire me! I trudged back to the car.

Right, Plan B – go back to Warham and get better photos of the RBF in better light with less people around. The light was indeed better and there were only two people here, but NO bird!!! I stayed until dusk. Three smart Bramblings landed briefly in a hawthorn before flying off east. Several robins flicking about as the sun set. Had coffee and my last piece of the 'Cley Deli' ginger & pear cake and drove home. End of my mini break, back to work tomorrow – sad face! Roll on Saturday!

MORE PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE ADDED