The North Wind Doth Blow!

I didn't feel brilliant this morning at all and didn't have the energy to get up early. Had to pop into the Skoda Garage with a couple of queries and after this, cruised along the A148 to Cley in my new car. Arrived at Coastguards as M.A.G. was just leaving – the seawatching had now tailed off, although I hadn't missed anything major. I sat and had brunch in my car and then very lazily scanned the sea with binoculars! I didn't see a single bird on the sea, so didn't even bother getting the scope out of the car. There were only a handful of birders seawatching here.

Walsey Hills NOA produced a single Chiffchaff and a family of Blue Tits on the feeders in the central path and that was it. Had a brief chat with Warden, David and then drove to Salthouse. The path to Gramborough Hill was heavily flooded and I had to walk around on the shingle to get there. I was hoping for a Barred Warbler. One Kestrel on a post, no birds whatsoever in the bushes. One big Parasol Mushroom found and a second one broken. The winds raged north westerly all day and it was freezing for September. It rained on and off lightly for a short while, but mostly stayed dry.

Returned to Cley for seawatching with Richard M., Mark G., Eddie M., Simon R., James Mc. and others. Whilst I was here I saw 2 Brent Geese close in flying west, Red-throated Diver, Wigeon, Cormorants, Gannet and distant Arctic Skuas (one was fairly close) and a couple of Sooty Shearwaters. We all packed up around 7pm and everyone left. I was the last birder in the carpark and I was just warming up in my car with a cup of coffee, when both Mark and Eddie rang me to say a Great Shearwater had been seen flying west at Sheringham by Kevin S.!!! Discarded the rest of my coffee and bombed out of the car to get scope set up again. Minutes after this, Richard and Mark arrived back again and the three of scanned the sea intently. Richard and Mark spotted a distant, as in very distant Shearwater which I managed to get on as well, but that's all it was, a distant shearwater. A Fulmar flew past west. Richard and Mark then left and I stayed a bit longer to see a second Fulmar also going west. Drove home feeling cold and tired. My house was so icy cold when I got home – I gave in and put the heating on!