Golden Oriole at Snettisham Coastal Park!!!!!!!

These pictures taken around 7.30pm

GOLDEN ORIOLE
SNETTISHAM COASTAL PARK
Found by Jim Swalwell – Congratulations!

Well – what an evening!!!!

I didn't get up until nearly lunchtime as had another, almost sleepless night. Spent all afternoon lounging on the sofa and only had white, boiled rice to eat. Virtually no stomach pains and I felt a bit better, although still exhausted.

Late afternoon I had a text from Jim to say he had a GOLDEN ORIOLE at Snettisham Coastal Park!!!!! This was the kind of message I had been dreading all day. I know its not a mega or a first for Norfolk BUT.....a male Golden Oriole just down the road!!! I stayed on the sofa, thinking about this – I needed some fresh air, not been out of the house since I left work on Wednesday, I was feeling better than I did...... rang Jim up - it was still there.

Whizzed over to Snettisham Coastal Park and joined Jim on the central path, not that far from the pine trees next to the carpark. It was not in view when I arrived – typical! Looked at Jim's pictures on his camera! I could see Ray Roche walking along the far seawall and gave him a call, as I didn't think he had a pager and alerted him to the fact that there was a Golden Oriole here somewhere – he came and joined us as did Robert S. too and a couple of others. I re-found the adult Golden Oriole again at 6.54pm when scanning with bins at some seriously loud people shouting at their dogs! This was a stonking bird – vivid, canary yellow contrasted again black wings – Wow!!! Congratulations and thanks to Jim for finding this spectacular bird!!! It seemed quite happy feeding, but was very difficult to photograph – it stayed on show on and off until almost dusk – Jim was the last person to take a picture – see his blog and pictures here.

Also saw my first Swift , Garden Warbler singing and a Grasshopper Warbler sitting in a hawthorn bush in the middle of the reedbed reeling. 2 Whimbrel flew over and a Sedge Warbler and a Blackcap both showed well. A Fieldfare also flew over my head 'chacking'. There were several Wheatears around and also a Willow Warbler singing and Chiffchaffs. Loads of swallows and house martins skimming across the skies. Also two bullfinches. Jim said he saw a nightingale and a redstart earlier too!

My mother had two male Bramblings in her garden this morning.

Tomorrow – could be a very, very interesting day!!!