Toothache!

I had a root-filled tooth and crown removed on Friday and have been suffering ever since. I have followed all the usual procedures after having a tooth out, including salt mouth washes etc, but currently am in agony. Looks like I will be returning to the dentist in the morning for antibiotics.

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
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Common Cranes x 36, Great White Egret, Garganey at Welney WWT
Yellow-browed Warbler at Titchwell RSPB
Olive-backed Pipit (possible) at Wells Woods
Snow Bunting flew over Gramborough Hill, Salthouse
Dartford Warbler, Snow Buntings x 2, Hen Harriers x 23, Spoonbills x 18 at Blakeney Point
Pectoral Sandpipers x 2 at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Hen Harriers x 2, Spoonbill at Stiffkey
Hen Harriers x 3 at Warham Greens Roost

MEGA NEWS
BROWN SHRIKE
Kynance Cove, Lizard, Cornwall
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW 
Isle of Foula, Shetland
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 
Isle of Foula, Shetland
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
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SATURDAY 29th SEPTEMBER
PALLID HARRIER juv., Common Cranes x 39 at Welney WWT
Osprey east of Sparham
Pectoral Sandpipers x 2 at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Spoonbills x 15 at Burnham Norton
Harrier sp. flew between Docking & Bircham Newton
Snow Bunting flew over Holkham Pines
Scaup x 2 on sea at Heacham
Black Redstarts x 8 at Holiday Park, Heacham
Snow Bunting, Spoonbills x 5 at Titchwell RSPB
Arctic Tern at Gorleston-on-Sea
Snow Bunting at Weybourne
Richard's Pipit flew over pines, Great Northern Diver at Holme NOA
Pectoral Sandpiper at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB

MEGA NEWS
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 
Isle of Foula, Shetland
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
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Sabine's Gull, Pomarine Skua, Sooty Shearwater, Red-crested Pochards x 3 at Titchwell RSPB
Spoonbill at Stiffkey
Snow Bunting at North Beach, Heacham
Pectoral Sandpipers x 2 at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
PALLID HARRIER juv., Common Cranes x 36 at Welney WWT
FEA'S, DESERTAS or ZINO'S PETREL, Snow Bunting at Blakeney Point
Leach's Petrel, Grey Phalarope, Sooty Shearwaters x 2 at Happisburgh
Sooty Shearwaters x 2, Great Northern Diver, Purple Sandpiper at Sheringham
Balaeric Shearwater, Velvet Scoter at Paston
Balaeric Shearwater, Pomarine Skuas x 2, Little Gulls x 2 at Holme
Hen Harrier male at Cley NWT
Snow Buntings x 2 at Gorleston-on-Sea
Garganey at Winterton

MEGA NEWS
FEA'S, DESERTAS or ZINO'S PETREL
Blakeney Point, Norfolk
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 
Isle of Foula, Shetland
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
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Purple Sandpipers x 2 at Hunstanton
Black Redstarts x 3 at North Beach, Heacham
Pectoral Sandpipers x 2 at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
PALLID HARRIER juv., Common Cranes x 27 at Welney WWT
Spotted Redshanks x 3 at Cley NWT
American Golden Plover, Hen Harrier male at Titchwell RSPB
Osprey (probable) flew SW of Lyng
Great White Egret at Holme
Great White Egret flew over Snettisham

MEGA NEWS
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 
Isle of Foula, Shetland
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
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PALLID HARRIER juv., Common Cranes x 31 at Welney WWT
Pectoral Sandpiper, Short-eared Owl, Purple Sandpiper at Cley NWT
Black Redstart at North Beach, Heacham
Spoonbill at Titchwell RSPB
Great White Egret at Hickling Broad NWT
Pectoral Sandpipers x 2 at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Great White Egret at Breydon Water
Caspian Gull at Cromer

MEGA NEWS
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 
Isle of Foula, Shetland
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

RBA Weekly Round-Up 19th to 25th September!

By Jon Dunn
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/WeeklyRoundup2018-39.aspx?s_id=231711552

Beluga Whale Spotted in the Thames!

Found yesterday by Dave Andrews!!! Wow! Congratulations!

https://twitter.com/iPterodroma/status/1044535018863890433

https://twitter.com/iPterodroma?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-45642590

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/25/beluga-whale-sighted-in-thames-estuary-off-gravesend

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/beluga-whale-takes-wrong-turn-into-the-thames-qpzlpt6ht

https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/whale-thames-latest-beluga-sightings-rescue-arctic-estuary-london-a8554326.html

https://youtu.be/5NScIdwmWMo
https://twitter.com/iPterodroma/status/104453501886389043
https://twitter.com/iPterodroma/status/1044535018863890

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
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TUESDAY 25th SEPTEMBER
Spoonbills x 4 flew over Wells
Curlew Sandpipers x 2 at Breydon Water
Pectoral Sandpipers x 2 at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Spoonbills x 2 at Titchwell RSPB
PALLID HARRIER juv., Jack Snipe, Common Cranes x 19 at Welney WWT
Puffin flew past Sheringham
Great White Egrets x 2 at Holkham
Pectoral Sandpiper, Caspian Gulls x 2 at Cley NWT
Spoonbill on saltmarsh at Stiffkey
Black Redstarts x 4 at North Beach, Heacham

MEGA NEWS
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 
Isle of Foula, Shetland
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services  
Pectoral Sandpipers x 2 at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Curlew Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank at Breydon Water
PALLID HARRIER juv., Common Cranes x 4, Bittern at Welney WWT
Pomarine Skua at Hunstanton
Spoonbill at Snettisham RSPB
Short-eared Owl at Blakeney Freshmarsh
Barred Warbler at Burnham Overy Dunes
Caspian Gull at Cromer

MEGA NEWS
SYKES'S WARBLER 
Quendale, Shetland
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
Isle of Foula, Shetland
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

Burnham Overy Dunes, Gun Hill & Wells!

WRYNECK

Pinewoods Caravan Park, Wells

Today was the first time I have been out birding properly, since before my mother died. There have been days when I half felt like going out and then felt too upset to go. With the rain and north westerly winds, the normal me would have been at Coastguards, Cley or Sheringham at first light to seawatch with others, in hope of seeing something good and my goodness there has been an awesome sea passage today!!! At Cley: Wilson's Petrel, Leach's and Storm Petrel and at Holme a Great Shearwater was seen this evening – all would have been new birds for me! But, I don't feel ready to join crowds of people yet, too soon, too much, so I opted for solo birding and headed to Burnham Overy Staithe to search for any potential migrants.

When I arrived at the layby to walk Burnham Overy Dunes, it started to rain heavily, so I stayed in the car and had an early lunch and a coffee. Eventually the rain stopped and surprisingly the sun came out, which I wasn't expecting. I made my way along the hedge lined track and then up onto the sea wall. I saw a Wheatear bound between sueda bushes and then vanish. Lots of Canada Geese on the marsh and a Kestrel hovered close by. The bushes and apple tree at the end of the boardwalk produced only Linnets. A Little Egret was feeding on the marsh, just west of the boardwalk.

North West of Gun Hill, Burnham Overy Dunes

I headed west to Gun Hill – more Linnets were seen, and a Reed Bunting, but little else of note. At the far west end of Gun Hill I watched a Ringed Plover and another Wheatear on the shingle side of the beach. It then rained heavily, but I was prepared and had top to toe waterproof clothing. I spent a while on the beach just enjoying the dramatic scenery of Scolt Head Island with white sands gusting in the wind, blue sea and black clouds. There was a smart Grey Plover feeding in the rock pools along with several Turnstones, Ringed Plovers, Curlew, Oystercatchers and Black-headed Gulls. I made my way back over the dunes and headed back to the boardwalk, where I sat for a while looking hopefully into the branches of the apple tree, but nothing appeared! Made my way back to my car.

I succumbed and headed to Wells for the Wryneck (seen yesterday and today) – it was after all, only a few miles from where I was! When I arrived the Wryneck had not been seen for a good hour. I got lucky when Richard B. suddenly saw the Wryneck skulking in a bramble, then appeared on the sandy soil beneath the pines for a very short while, before bombing off into a high pine tree to retire for the night I presume. I headed east and back to Holme.

Sunset at Burnham Overy Staithe

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services  
Wryneck still at Pinewoods Caravan Park, Wells
Pectoral Sandpipers x 2 at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Great White Egret flew over Little Plumstead
Leach's Petrel, Sooty Shearwaters x 2 at Winterton
Pomarine Skua, Spoonbills x 9 at Titchwell RSPB
Pomarine Skua at Salthouse
WILSON'S PETREL flew west at 10.30am, Storm Petrel, Leach's Petrels x 3, Long-tailed Skuas x 2, Pomarine Skua imm. (possible), Pomarine Skuas x 3, Sooty Shearwaters x 2 at Cley
Spoonbills x 9 at Stiffkey Fen
PALLID HARRIER juv., Common Cranes x 9 at Welney WWT
Balearic Shearwaters x 3, Sooty Shearwaters x 12, Pomarine Skua, Long-tailed Skua, Scaup at Happisburgh
Leach's Petrels x 3, Petrel sp., Pomarine Skuas x 3, Long-tailed Skuas x 4, Sooty Shearwaters x 18, Balearic Shearwater, large shearwater sp., Black Tern, Red-necked Grebes x 3, Little Gulls x 3 at Sheringham
Great Shearwater, Leach's Petrel, Sabine's Gull, Sooty Shearwaters x 9, Long-tailed Skua, Pomarine Skuas x 6, Spoonbill, Arctic Terns x 5 at Holme
Leach's Petrel, Sooty Shearwaters x 3, Pomarine Skua at Walcott
Long-tailed Skua at North Beach, Heacham
Pomarine Skua at Hopton-on-Sea
Balearic Shearwater, Slavonian Grebe at Mundesley
Storm Petrel, Leach's Petrels x 2, Long-tailed Skuas x 2 at Blakeney Point
Leach's Petrel at Waxham
Leach's Petrel, Pomarine Skua, Balearic Shearwaters x 4, Sooty Shearwaters x 2, Black Terns x 2, Little Gull, Osprey at Hemsby

MEGA NEWS
YELLOW-BREASTED BUNTING
Vatshoull, Whalsay, Shetland
SOOTY or BRIDLED TERN
Flew past Whitburn Coastal Park, County Durham
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
Isle of Foula, Shetland
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland
FORSTER'S TERN
Soldier's Point, County Louth, Ireland

Swarovski EL 8.5 x 42 WB Field Pro Binoculars FOR SALE!

http://pennyshotbirdingandlife.blogspot.com/2018/09/for-sale-swarovski-el-85-x-42-wb-field.html

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services  
Spoonbills x 5 flew past Hunstanton
Grey Phalarope, Spoonbills x 25, Spotted Redshank at Titchwell RSPB
PALLID HARRIER juv., Common Cranes x 12, Osprey at Welney WWT
Red-necked Grebe, Black Tern, Manx Shearwater, Little Gulls x 4 at Cromer
Spoonbills x 4 at Hockwold Washes RSPB
Red-necked Grebe flew past Weybourne
Pectoral Sandpiper at Cley NWT
Pectoral Sandpipers x 2 at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Spoonbills x 25 at Stiffkey Fen
Caspian Gull at Great Cressingham
Garganey at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB
Wryneck at Pinewoods Caravan Park, Wells
Sooty Shearwater, Black Tern, Red-necked Grebe at Mundesley

MEGA NEWS
YELLOW-BREASTED BUNTING
Vatshoull, Whalsay, Shetland
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
Isle of Foula, Shetland
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

MARGARET ROSE CLARKE

The family of the late Margaret Rose Clarke would like to thank everyone who attended the funeral service and for their kind messages, cards of sympathy and donations they received, following their sad loss on 7th August 2018. A total of £346.30 was raised in memory of Margaret, to be split equally between The Norfolk Hospice and the Cancer Care & Treatment Unit, QEH – both of whom showed such kindness and support to us all, as did the District Nurses and Virtual Ward staff. Please accept this as the only, but most sincere acknowledgement.

The above will be published in the Eastern Daily Press tomorrow (Saturday).

Today I went to the Macmillan Centre at the QEH and to The Norfolk Hospice, Tapping House to deliver the donation cheques. It was the first time I had been into either building since mother died. I completely broke down when meeting up with K. and L. in the Macmillan Unit. My stomach was churning as I walked past the waiting area where I used to sit with mother to see her oncologist or to have her blood transfusion. I got through half a box of NHS tissues before I left.

The Norfolk Hospice was slightly easier emotionally, as we only visited there a couple of times. I met up with R. W. and handed over the donations. I then treated myself to a piece of coffee cake in their excellent canteen before I left to go home.

http://www.familynotices24.co.uk/edp/view/4631388/margaret-rose-clarke

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services  
Spotted Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper at Titchwell RSPB
PALLID HARRIER juv., Common Cranes x 12 at Welney WWT
Spotted Redshanks x 2 on Snipes Marsh, Walsey Hills NOA
Pectoral Sandpiper, Osprey, Caspian Gulls x 2 at Cley NWT
Sooty Shearwaters x 2, Spoonbills x 2 at Holme NWT
Black Terns x 4 at Sheringham
Black Terns x 2 at Winterton
Leach's Petrel, Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skuas x 69, Great Skuas x 127, Black Terns x 4 at Hemsby
Spoonbills x 25 at Brancaster Staithe

MEGA NEWS
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
Isle of Foula, Shetland
FEA'S OR DESERTAS PETREL
Off Pendeen Watch, Cornwall

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services  
Turtle Dove, Black Tern, Curlew Sandpiper at Titchwell RSPB
PALLID HARRIER juv., Spotted Redshank at Welney WWT
Short-eared Owl, Spoonbill at Holme
Fulvous Whistling Duck on Snipes Marsh, Walsey Hills NOA
Garganey at Cley NWT

MEGA NEWS
BAROLO SHEARWATER
Heysham & Rossall Point, Lancashire and North Merseyside
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland
MADEIRAN, CAPE VERDE OR MONTEIRO'S PETREL
Proable, Porthgwarra, Cornwall

ORNITHOLOGICAL AUCTION!

There are some stunning pieces of work here, if you have some pennies to spare!

I particularly like the watercolour of the Firecrest with sea buckthorn by ROBERT GILLMOR
http://www.keysauctions.co.uk/lot/514980 

http://www.keysauctions.co.uk/sale/1696/?page=1&paged=100

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services  
Curlew Sandpiper at Titchwell RSPB
PALLID HARRIER juv., Common Cranes x 9, Garganey at Welney WWT
Spoonbills x 37 at Burnham Norton
Curlew Sandpipers x 2 at Cley NWT
Osprey flew over Felbrigg Hall NT
Osprey near Hempstead, Holt
Caspian Gull at Cromer
Spoonbills x 22 at Stiffkey Fen

MEGA NEWS
FORSTER'S TERN
Soldier's Point, County Louth, Ireland
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
Isle of Foula, Shetland
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland