Hot Birding At Wells Woods & Holkham Pines!

 

RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER

The Dell at Wells Woods

 

I got up very early and arrived at Wells Woods Beach Car Park at just before 7.30am. I had two Red Kites overhead as I drove into Wells. It was a beautiful morning and the east winds continue. The highest tide was this morning and I noticed the Environment Agency were stationed at Wells Quay. There was no more than a dozen cars in the car park when I arrived.

It took me ages to actually see the Red-breasted Flycatcher in The Dell, but eventually I did! Cracking little bird – I sat on a bank for ages and watched it flitting around in the branches. I also saw the Red-backed Shrike perched on a bramble next to a fence in the big field, just south of the The Dell. The most shocking scenes today of hundreds of dogs and people. All I could hear all morning was barking, yelping and owners calling their dogs, so much for listening to nature's sounds! No hope! It was very stressful to hear continuous barking and growling. I think I might purchase a set of headphones that cancels out noise!!! I also saw 2 Treecreepers, a Bullfinch, several Robins, Blue Tits, Great Tit, Coal Tits, male Blackcap, a Chiffchaff (along the caravan path/track). Walked to the drinking pool and west of here found Dawn and Pete Balmer and Bethany watching a Yellow-browed Warbler in a glade, just west of the pool (the one that Ashley Saunders found a RFB in). Lovely views of the YBW, but the sun was in the wrong direction, so walked to the opposite side of the glade to take some pictures, but I never saw it again! Lots of Goldcrests appeared and there were 6 together, just in one small birch tree and also saw Blue Tits and Robins here too.

Red-breasted Flycatcher in The Dell at Wells Woods

 

 Fungi in Wells Woods

 

Chiffchaff at Wells Woods

 

 

Mega news bleeped up on the pager of a probable White-chinned Petrel going west from Cley, so I headed for the beach (as Dawn and family did) and climbed onto the highest dune I could find and scanned the sea. The very high tide looked fantastic and the light was stunning, it was only spoilt by tons of people and more barking, running dogs and people shouting at them. Saw a good number of Gannets streaming by and a flock of 22 Brent Geese, but decided it was highly unlikely that I would see a White-chinned Petrel cruising by and returned to the glade by the drinking pool. Several other birders here now, but no sign of the Yellow-browed Warbler or anything else of particular note. I walked round trying to find my own birds and was very pleased to find a Redstart perched up on a small bush, just seaward side of the bench seat along the main path, that is west of The Dell and also watched a Red Kite soaring overhead. I returned to watch the Red-breasted Flycatcher, but too many people here now. It was nice to see a smart Pied Flycatcher here too, high up on the birch canopy. Met Nick Acheson briefly, whilst watching the flycatchers.

Wells Beach

 

Redstart near The Dell at Wells Woods

 

Pied Flycatcher in The Dell at Wells Woods

 

 

Returned to my car – the car park was bedlam! So many people here and so many dogs! Apparently, people had been queuing up along Beach Road to get into the car park! I decided to make the effort to search the fantastic are of sea-buckthorn and scrub by the lifeboat house. I walked past the cafe and up the steps and was confronted with a tall metal fence – behind this was bulldozers and digger and there was no access to the scrub and even worse, half the scrub had been dug up and stripped away – it was heartbreaking to see! I peered through the holes in the metal fence and there were Robins, a Hedge Sparrow and Blue Tits flitting around in the small area of scrub that has been left. On the mudflats towards East Hills I could see a huge flock of 60+ Oystercatchers and further towards the hills a big number of Brent Geese. Headed back to my car.

 

The remains of the sea-buckthorn and scrub by the lifeboat house😢

Near Meals House at Holkham NNR

 

 

Headed to Holkham and parked at Lady Anne's Drive. Walked west all the way to the glade on the south side of the path just after the cross tracks. Saw very little, but did see a Common Buzzard, Jays, Squirrels, Cormorants, heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker and saw all the Cormorants roosting and a Great White Egret flew across the marsh. Lots of Mallards and Little Grebes on the Salt Pool. It was too late in the day to see any tit flocks or warblers etc – I didn't see anything exciting in the pines. Re-traced my steps and sat by my car having a cup of tea and a sandwich, then drove home.