Chilly Birding At Weybourne Camp, Kelling Water Meadows, Muckleburgh Hill, Cley NWT, Salthouse & Sheringham!

WOOD WARBLER

Bird of the day at Sheringham Park!

Weybourne Camp
A volatile day of sunshine, north westerly gale force winds, hail, rain and very chilly conditions. Parked up in the car park at Weybourne and walked west along the fence line of Weybourne Camp. The wind was very strong and the sea was hurling massive waves onto the shingle. A very wild and dramatic walk indeed! No birds seen at all apart from gulls amongst the breakers.

Weybourne Beach

Kelling Water Meadows
Continued my walk through Kelling Water Meadows, slightly more sheltered than the beach! Very little on the pool, but Gadwall and Teal were on view. Blackcap singing along the track and that was it. Stopped in the tea rooms to use the loo and bought some ginger cake! Headed east along the road and along the permissive footpath up and through Muckleburgh Hill.

Muckleburgh Hill
Blackcap singing, Chiffchaff, Goldfinches, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tit. Very sheltered in here and a very good place for a Great Spotted Cuckoo to escape the winds, no luck with that! Bluebells set the scene of this lovely little spot – I say 'little', it takes a long time to cover Muckleburgh Hill! Walked through the gate onto the road and walked east along the road to Weybourne. Mistle Thrush and Jackdaws on the grass field where the tank is. Seriously heavy rain and got soaked just before I reached my car at Weybourne beach car park!

Cley NWT
Saw my first Swifts of the year – three of them over the NNT (Norfolk Naturalist Trust as it was called) Warden's House and also a House Martin over the Visitor Centre, whilst chatting to Richard and Chris (who had been at Meadow Lane since 7.30am waiting for the GSC to show).

Salthouse
Parked up just past the duck pond and just before Beach Road and sat and had my lunch and a coffee. Bumped into Rob H., who had also been waiting on Meadow Lane to see the GSC. There were only a couple of birders on Meadow Lane, which surprised me.

For at least two and a half hours in the afternoon, there was not a single birder on Meadow Lane or Gramborough Hill looking for the Great Spotted Cuckoo! Only dog walkers and bank holiday day trippers.

Turnstone at Salthouse

Met up with John F. and Eddie M. at Cley Visitor Centre car park and we all headed to Sheringham Park to see if we could find the Wood Warbler reported this morning (John had already been to see it and photographed it – see picture on RBA).

Wood Warbler at Sheringham Park

Sheringham Park
We stood in the Bower area with a few other birders and waited to hear the wonderful trill of the Wood Warbler. Eventually we heard and saw this magical little bird, just east of this area and very high up in a sycamore tree – we had wonderful, but fleeting views of one of my favourite birds. Made my day seeing that Wood Warbler and thank you so much to the person who found it and put the news out. There was also two Nuthatches on the same tree! Other birds seen in the park were Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Robins, Coal Tit, Blue Tit and Robins. Eddie and John left before me and I see on Twitter, that they saw a Firecrest as they left the park. I stayed until 7pm when the skies blackened and it started to rain again! Drove home in daylight which makes a change for me! So, has the Great Spotted Cuckoo departed, or will it show again tomorrow in better weather?!

Sheringham Park

Two years ago we laid my father's ashes to rest in Holme – can't believe it was that long ago. I recall it was a freezing and very windy day, as it was today. 4th May was also the birthday of one of my father's closest friends, Richard Richardson.