Doing early shifts all this week and its tiring me out. On Monday I will be working in the 'Community' for 3 days a week and on the ward for 2 days each week for 3 months. Most of us have to rotate into the community and although it is interesting working with people in their own homes, I do prefer the action packed ward, but hey ho!
After work this afternoon I went on a spending spree - I have bought a Samsung 'ORANGE' 'Curvy Simplicity' pay as you go, phone at a fantastic price of £12.99. I am so tired of my iphone 'Vodaphone' not having any signal in so many places in Norfolk. Having an 'orange' phone will allow birding friends and family to contact me wherever I am! It also means I can ring anyone, wherever I am too! Going back to the shop tomorrow though as I forgot to ask if they could transfer over all my contacts from the iphone. I hope very much that they can, otherwise I will have the laborious task of adding loads of numbers and names, which will take forever! I will still be using my iphone as my main mobile though.
I have bought a LEKI, Jasper, anti shock walking pole to assist me jumping across creeks! Then I went to TK Max and bought a new pair of Merrell, Goretex walking trainers.
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Holme - Gore Point
South east winds enticed me out birding after work but sadly saw very little. Fantastic wader roost though as a perfect pink sun was setting.
PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE ADDED
PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE ADDED
Monday, 26 September 2011
Sunday, 25 September 2011
East Hills!!!!!!!
Its been a very long day indeed - but an exciting one!
Burnham Overy Dunes
Got up in the dark and arrived at Burnham Overy Dunes parking spot just after sunrise. Walking out to the dunes with Eddie, we heard a Green Sandpiper, pink footed geese were flying south east, 2 Chiffchaffs in the hedges, robin and a bearded tit in the reed bed. Sat waiting for the Arctic Warbler to reappear so that I could hopefully achieve a nice sharp picture in the sunshine, but alas this was not to be. No sign of the pied fly that was there yesterday either - both birds presumably departed. Good movement of meadow pipits this morning, but little else. James Mc. had had a Richard's Pipit in the stubble field, east of the main road, where the cars are parked this morning. John F. phoned and very kindly asked if I would like to join him to go to East Hills, so off we went to meet John at an agreed time.
EAST HILLS
My first walk out here was incredibly exciting. Quite a few dykes and creeks had to be crossed and jumped (which a couple were only just made!) and it was an amazing place to be. BUT I certainly wouldn't venture out on my own, its much more complicated than one thinks. As you leave the dune ridge to return, the sands and marshes are vast and its difficult to work out your bearings. Hearing about the 'quick' sand would put you off going alone! But having said all this, the walk out and back was much easier physically, than doing Blakeney Point and much more beautiful. John, Eddie and I met up with James Mc. on the way out and between us we didn't find anything too exciting, although James did grip us off with 3 Lapland Buntings on his route out (not a recommended route, I understand!) and also a redstart later on. Here is the list of birds that we saw out there: spectacular views of a female Peregrine, 1 kestrel, 1 sparrowhawk, 1 song thrush, 1 lesser whitethroat, 1 chiffchaff, 1 reed bunting, 1 robin, 5 little egrets, hedgesparrow, wren and a whinchat. We arrived back mid afternoon.
After walking Burnham Overy Dunes and East Hills, we needed a snooze. We snoozed for an hour!
Please note: DO NOT VENTURE OUT TO EAST HILLS ALONE - I have waited a long time for someone to take me out here and it needs to be someone that has been out many, many times before. A birdwatcher died out here many years ago. Getting back in time/safely before the tide returns is also not as simple as it sounds, it depends on direction and speed of wind, weather conditions eg if mist came down, even the experienced would not be able to return as there is no definate path at all. Its not a case of just walking out across the marsh, walking on the beach and then over the dune ridge. You have to be walking a particular side of certain creeks one minute, a different side the next etc etc - there is no way I would remember it until I had been out a good number of trips!
Walsey Hills NOA - nothing in here apart from a chiffchaff calling. A few hirundines (mostly swallows) flew south over the bottom willows.
Coastguards - the odd gannet flying past, but little else.
Daukes Hide - too many people.
Teal Hide - 5 Yellow Leg Gulls, 41 Lapwing, 1 juv Spoonbill having a wonderful wash 'n' brush up - this bird arrived quite late in the evening. Huge number of gulls roosting here.
PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE ADDED
Burnham Overy Dunes
Got up in the dark and arrived at Burnham Overy Dunes parking spot just after sunrise. Walking out to the dunes with Eddie, we heard a Green Sandpiper, pink footed geese were flying south east, 2 Chiffchaffs in the hedges, robin and a bearded tit in the reed bed. Sat waiting for the Arctic Warbler to reappear so that I could hopefully achieve a nice sharp picture in the sunshine, but alas this was not to be. No sign of the pied fly that was there yesterday either - both birds presumably departed. Good movement of meadow pipits this morning, but little else. James Mc. had had a Richard's Pipit in the stubble field, east of the main road, where the cars are parked this morning. John F. phoned and very kindly asked if I would like to join him to go to East Hills, so off we went to meet John at an agreed time.
EAST HILLS
My first walk out here was incredibly exciting. Quite a few dykes and creeks had to be crossed and jumped (which a couple were only just made!) and it was an amazing place to be. BUT I certainly wouldn't venture out on my own, its much more complicated than one thinks. As you leave the dune ridge to return, the sands and marshes are vast and its difficult to work out your bearings. Hearing about the 'quick' sand would put you off going alone! But having said all this, the walk out and back was much easier physically, than doing Blakeney Point and much more beautiful. John, Eddie and I met up with James Mc. on the way out and between us we didn't find anything too exciting, although James did grip us off with 3 Lapland Buntings on his route out (not a recommended route, I understand!) and also a redstart later on. Here is the list of birds that we saw out there: spectacular views of a female Peregrine, 1 kestrel, 1 sparrowhawk, 1 song thrush, 1 lesser whitethroat, 1 chiffchaff, 1 reed bunting, 1 robin, 5 little egrets, hedgesparrow, wren and a whinchat. We arrived back mid afternoon.
After walking Burnham Overy Dunes and East Hills, we needed a snooze. We snoozed for an hour!
Please note: DO NOT VENTURE OUT TO EAST HILLS ALONE - I have waited a long time for someone to take me out here and it needs to be someone that has been out many, many times before. A birdwatcher died out here many years ago. Getting back in time/safely before the tide returns is also not as simple as it sounds, it depends on direction and speed of wind, weather conditions eg if mist came down, even the experienced would not be able to return as there is no definate path at all. Its not a case of just walking out across the marsh, walking on the beach and then over the dune ridge. You have to be walking a particular side of certain creeks one minute, a different side the next etc etc - there is no way I would remember it until I had been out a good number of trips!
Walsey Hills NOA - nothing in here apart from a chiffchaff calling. A few hirundines (mostly swallows) flew south over the bottom willows.
Coastguards - the odd gannet flying past, but little else.
Daukes Hide - too many people.
Teal Hide - 5 Yellow Leg Gulls, 41 Lapwing, 1 juv Spoonbill having a wonderful wash 'n' brush up - this bird arrived quite late in the evening. Huge number of gulls roosting here.
PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE ADDED
Saturday, 24 September 2011
Arctic Warbler!!!!!!!
ARCTIC WARBLER!!!Burnham Overy Dunes
Found by Eddie Myers, Richard Ward and Anthony Griffiths
5.50pm
5.50pm
On news of a possible Isabelline Wheater (thanks Stuart!) I left my photo editing and flew out of the door and off to Burnham Overy Dunes! There is so much slow traffic when you want to see a bird - tractors, Sunday drivers bla bla bla! Eddie had beaten me to it from Cley! Pulled up at the same time as Julian Bhalerao and Duncan McDonald and started briskly walking down the track to then hear disappointing news that the Wheatear was in fact a Northern Wheatear! Julian and Duncan walked back to the car, but I stubbonly carried on to join Eddie who was sussing out the wheatear! I passed RM and Steve B. on route who updated me also. I turned right (east) at the end of the track and walked along the dunes. Eddie called me to say there was a pied flycatcher, so at least I had not walked all this way for nothing! So with a spring in my step now, I carried on. When I got within 50 yards of Eddie, he beckoned me with vigorous arm waving to walk to the far left. He did this several times, so obviously I was not walking far enough left. I thought this was a bit over the top for a pied fly, but gave the bird a wide berth anyway. Eddie then phoned me to say that there was an Arctic Warbler in the same bush!!!!!!! (5.50pm) I couldn't believe my luck! I was so glad I had carried on walking out to the dunes. I was now way ahead of all the other birders who had walked back! There I was, watching an Arctic Warbler at 6pm - WOW! Got some record shots, but the light was awful. Eddie phoned the bird out to RBA immediately and it wasn't too long before other birders joined us including R.M., Steve B., Duncan M., Julian B. and Ashley B. The bird was still showing at 6.45pm. We passed 4 birders (2 men, 2 women) going to the see the bird after us. I hope its still there in the morning.
Had fish 'n' chips in Sunny Hunny on the way back home!
Directions: Approx 200 yards east of the end of the board walk in the little hollow of bushes across the other side of the large flat grassy area.
Nice selection of birds at Holme today I see on:
http://norfolkornithologistsassociation.pbworks.com/w/page/10031663/FrontPage
Busy Bee........
With no exciting birds around in Norfolk, I am using this opportunity to get stuck into sorting out thousands of photographs and updating all the pictures on my blog. Yes I know I have said this before, but I am really am this time - honest!!! I hate sitting indoors when the sun is shining, but sometimes you just have to! I have not even added pictures to my Bird Fair posts yet - terrible state of affairs!
There have been some seriously exciting birds elsewhere in the country this week. Here's hoping the winds will turn easterly in Norfolk soon - especially for my October week's holiday! I was lucky last year in October, here's hoping that this autumn will be equally if not more productive!
Hope you all have a lovely weekend - I may escape at some point for some fresh air!
There have been some seriously exciting birds elsewhere in the country this week. Here's hoping the winds will turn easterly in Norfolk soon - especially for my October week's holiday! I was lucky last year in October, here's hoping that this autumn will be equally if not more productive!
Hope you all have a lovely weekend - I may escape at some point for some fresh air!
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Lucy entertains us!
Did an early shift at work today which mean't I finished at 3.45pm. Went to pick my sister Lucy up and then we went to Holme to visit my parents. Went back to Hunstanton to the Northgate Indian and bought take-aways back home. Had a lovely evening and Lucy played the piano - something she has not done for years. She didn't sound too bad at all, considering she had not played for several years. In fact she sounded pretty good! Lucy went to the Royal College of Music in London and played violin and piano, many years ago now...... long story. As we drove back to Lynn, the rain was and still is torrential with flooding along most of the roads.
Sunday, 18 September 2011
Seawatching Bonanza!!!
A beautiful, sunny morning. Arrived at Coastguards at 7am and the shelter was already full! The sea didn't look that exciting, but we had a few surprises in our three hour stint!
Bird of the day was a LAPLAND BUNTING that Eddie locked on to, when it whizzed west past Coastguards!
Cley Coastguards - 7am to 10am
7 Arctic Skuas
2 Bonxies
28 Red-throated Divers
7 Little Gulls
19 Eiders east
7 Shelduck
12 Common Scoter
11 Wigeon west
4 Teal
1 Knot
1 Redshank
1 Lapland Bunting west at 9.20am - flew across to shingle just west of the BP sign and then flew back east to the Eye Field.
Swift circling above with house martins and swallows at 9.48am
Tons of Swallows going west continuously for 3 hours at least.
Eye Field
1 Whinchat on fence 7.59am (ETM)
1 Peregrine west at 8.13am (me, a nano of a second before ETM!)
1 Hobby west at 8.25am (ETM)
Cley Visitor Centre - teabreak.
Walsey Hills NOA
3 male Blackcaps in the bottom Willows.
Eye Field - Wheatear.
Teal Hide, NWT - mid afternoon
Juv Swallow sitting on fence being fed by parents - cute! A Weasel which Eddie spotted and then squeaked out - it sprinted along the bottom of the fence, right in front of my camera! As soon as I fired the shutter it sprinted back the same way!
Cley Visitor Centre - Stem Ginger Ice-cream.
Gramborough Hill
Stonechat and a flock of Goldfinches. 100+ Linnets on the shingle ridge just west of Beach Road.
North Scrape - 6.15pm
200+ Pinkfeet flying east. 5 juv. Curlew Sands amongst usual waders, but no sign of the Pectoral Sandpiper reported earlier today.
END OF HOLIDAY!
PICTURES TO BE ADDED
Bird of the day was a LAPLAND BUNTING that Eddie locked on to, when it whizzed west past Coastguards!
Cley Coastguards - 7am to 10am
7 Arctic Skuas
2 Bonxies
28 Red-throated Divers
7 Little Gulls
19 Eiders east
7 Shelduck
12 Common Scoter
11 Wigeon west
4 Teal
1 Knot
1 Redshank
1 Lapland Bunting west at 9.20am - flew across to shingle just west of the BP sign and then flew back east to the Eye Field.
Swift circling above with house martins and swallows at 9.48am
Tons of Swallows going west continuously for 3 hours at least.
Eye Field
1 Whinchat on fence 7.59am (ETM)
1 Peregrine west at 8.13am (me, a nano of a second before ETM!)
1 Hobby west at 8.25am (ETM)
Cley Visitor Centre - teabreak.
Walsey Hills NOA
3 male Blackcaps in the bottom Willows.
Eye Field - Wheatear.
Teal Hide, NWT - mid afternoon
Juv Swallow sitting on fence being fed by parents - cute! A Weasel which Eddie spotted and then squeaked out - it sprinted along the bottom of the fence, right in front of my camera! As soon as I fired the shutter it sprinted back the same way!
Cley Visitor Centre - Stem Ginger Ice-cream.
Gramborough Hill
Stonechat and a flock of Goldfinches. 100+ Linnets on the shingle ridge just west of Beach Road.
North Scrape - 6.15pm
200+ Pinkfeet flying east. 5 juv. Curlew Sands amongst usual waders, but no sign of the Pectoral Sandpiper reported earlier today.
END OF HOLIDAY!
PICTURES TO BE ADDED
Saturday, 17 September 2011
All Balearic'ed Up!!!;
After yesterday"s BP walk we were feeling rough! But still managed to get out at a half reasonable time!
Coastguards, Cley
10.11am 1 Balearic Shearwater going east (picked up by Bas H.). 1 Red-throated Diver, 5 Brent Geese west, 1 Lapwing, 1 Peregrine, 1 Black Tern east at 11.02am, several gannets, 1 Arctic Skua at 11.23am.
Cley NWT Visitor Centre for tea and cheese scone!
House on the Hill, Blakeney
Nothing at all! The path opposite that goes to Blakeney/Morston bank - a few chiffchaffs, long tailed tit flock, chaffinches.
Gramborough Hill
Red Arrows display, but no birds at all.
Walsey Hills NOA
Quite a few chiffchaffs, especially in the bottom willows, tit flock but nothing exciting with them.
Coastguards, Cley - 6.30pm
3 Arctic Skuas east, 1 Red-throated Diver west. 13 Common Scoter, 1 Yellow Wagtail.
PICTURES TO BE ADDED
Coastguards, Cley
10.11am 1 Balearic Shearwater going east (picked up by Bas H.). 1 Red-throated Diver, 5 Brent Geese west, 1 Lapwing, 1 Peregrine, 1 Black Tern east at 11.02am, several gannets, 1 Arctic Skua at 11.23am.
Cley NWT Visitor Centre for tea and cheese scone!
House on the Hill, Blakeney
Nothing at all! The path opposite that goes to Blakeney/Morston bank - a few chiffchaffs, long tailed tit flock, chaffinches.
Gramborough Hill
Red Arrows display, but no birds at all.
Walsey Hills NOA
Quite a few chiffchaffs, especially in the bottom willows, tit flock but nothing exciting with them.
Coastguards, Cley - 6.30pm
3 Arctic Skuas east, 1 Red-throated Diver west. 13 Common Scoter, 1 Yellow Wagtail.
PICTURES TO BE ADDED
Friday, 16 September 2011
Fea's Petrel at Sheringham!!!
Seen at 6.53am by Kevin Shepherd, James McCallum, Phil Vines, Giles Dunmore and only a couple of others!
Sadly I have been standing at Cley Coastguards since 6.35am to 10.35am. Obviously gutted I did not go to Sheringham now!!!
Balearic Shearwater at 7.30am going east (RM). Sooty Shearwater at 9.14am going west. 24 Bonxies, 9 Manx Shearwaters, 20 Red throated Divers, tons and tons of Gannets. Pom skua west at 9.23am. 1 Guillemot west, 1 Razorbill, 1 Arxtic Skua, 16 Common Scoter, 2 more Sooty Shearwaters at 9.33am.
BLAKENEY POINT 12.30pm to 8pm
4 Little Egrets, 1 Curlew, 4 Wheatears, 1 Stonechat, 1 Male Redstart, 1 Greenshank. A continuous stream of gannets going east.
Plantation - 3.45pm: 1 Pied Flycatcher (got a fairly good shot), 1 Garden Warbler eating a pussmoth caterpillar. Common Redstart x 2 at 4.30pm.
Lupins - 5pm: 3 Redstarts, 2 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat, starling and linnets.
Long Hills - 6.28pm: Wheatear
The Hood - Wheatear, Meadow Pipit and 1 Whimbrel.
Got back to the carpark at 8pm!!!
Other news: a short eared owl and a black tern from Coastguards in the evening and also a Basking Shark at lunch time east of Coastguards!!!!
PICTURES TO BE ADDED
Sadly I have been standing at Cley Coastguards since 6.35am to 10.35am. Obviously gutted I did not go to Sheringham now!!!
Balearic Shearwater at 7.30am going east (RM). Sooty Shearwater at 9.14am going west. 24 Bonxies, 9 Manx Shearwaters, 20 Red throated Divers, tons and tons of Gannets. Pom skua west at 9.23am. 1 Guillemot west, 1 Razorbill, 1 Arxtic Skua, 16 Common Scoter, 2 more Sooty Shearwaters at 9.33am.
BLAKENEY POINT 12.30pm to 8pm
4 Little Egrets, 1 Curlew, 4 Wheatears, 1 Stonechat, 1 Male Redstart, 1 Greenshank. A continuous stream of gannets going east.
Plantation - 3.45pm: 1 Pied Flycatcher (got a fairly good shot), 1 Garden Warbler eating a pussmoth caterpillar. Common Redstart x 2 at 4.30pm.
Lupins - 5pm: 3 Redstarts, 2 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat, starling and linnets.
Long Hills - 6.28pm: Wheatear
The Hood - Wheatear, Meadow Pipit and 1 Whimbrel.
Got back to the carpark at 8pm!!!
Other news: a short eared owl and a black tern from Coastguards in the evening and also a Basking Shark at lunch time east of Coastguards!!!!
PICTURES TO BE ADDED
Thursday, 15 September 2011
MEGA - Fea's Petrel!!!!!!
Flew north from North Denes at 6pm!!!!!! Thanks to MAG and John F. for letting us know!
We were just going to end the day in Dauke's Hide, but obviously nipped down Beach Road, pretty sharpish!
Waiting, hopefully at Coastguards!!!!!
With other birders and Wil from RBA who scorched into the carpark, with the smell of burning brakes!!! - we waited in anticipation for this Mega Bird, but sadly this was not to be. I was standing on my new seawatching step, when suddenly the right side of it gave way, which had me in fits of laughter - just as RM and MAG turned up, which I'm sure made them smile! Basically I hadn't extended the leg bits properly! Note to self: check before standing on! 7 bonxies were seen going east and good numbers of common scoter passing through.
We were just going to end the day in Dauke's Hide, but obviously nipped down Beach Road, pretty sharpish!
Waiting, hopefully at Coastguards!!!!!
With other birders and Wil from RBA who scorched into the carpark, with the smell of burning brakes!!! - we waited in anticipation for this Mega Bird, but sadly this was not to be. I was standing on my new seawatching step, when suddenly the right side of it gave way, which had me in fits of laughter - just as RM and MAG turned up, which I'm sure made them smile! Basically I hadn't extended the leg bits properly! Note to self: check before standing on! 7 bonxies were seen going east and good numbers of common scoter passing through.
Searching for Passerines!!!
Gramborough Hill - 8.50am
Beautiful morning, but chilly. A stonechat perched on the brambles, but nothing else skulking in here.
Kingfisher in North Drain, as we left along Beach Road. Also kestrel, linnets, goldfinches.
Walsey Hills NOA - 9.43am
3 rats by feeders and a few hedge sparrows. Of note were 32 Pink footed Geese flying south east. Along the centre track a good number of birds including male and female blackcaps, chaffinches, common whitethroat, chiffchaffs, a single goldcrest and a few robins.
Cley NWT Visitor Centre - teabreak!
Trimmingham - Scout Hut - 1pm
Parked by the church and walked past the hut on the left side and up the cliff edge. Sadly nothing at all.
Trimmingham Clifftop Wood - 1.20pm
1 Chiffchaff, blackbird, wren, robin.
Overstrand - Cliff Top Cafe for lunch - 2pm
Cranberry Nut Roast with vegetables. Would not really recommend this cafe, vegetables overdone, nut roast just tasted of sage and dogs were allowed to sit in the cafe!! Nice sea view though of where the Albatross was seen!
An amusing notice in the cafe read:
EAT LESS,
LOSE WEIGHT,
DON'T DRINK,
DIE ANYWAY!
Beeston Bump - 4.15pm
Nothing here apart from a couple of blackbirds feeding on blackberries and a few hedge sparrows sitting in the hedge.
Walsey Hills NOA- 5.45pm
Several chiffchaffs and chaffinches, less birds in here overall than our visit this morning.
Coastguards, Cley
See next post!!!!!!
PICTURES TO BE ADDED
Beautiful morning, but chilly. A stonechat perched on the brambles, but nothing else skulking in here.
Kingfisher in North Drain, as we left along Beach Road. Also kestrel, linnets, goldfinches.
Walsey Hills NOA - 9.43am
3 rats by feeders and a few hedge sparrows. Of note were 32 Pink footed Geese flying south east. Along the centre track a good number of birds including male and female blackcaps, chaffinches, common whitethroat, chiffchaffs, a single goldcrest and a few robins.
Cley NWT Visitor Centre - teabreak!
Trimmingham - Scout Hut - 1pm
Parked by the church and walked past the hut on the left side and up the cliff edge. Sadly nothing at all.
Trimmingham Clifftop Wood - 1.20pm
1 Chiffchaff, blackbird, wren, robin.
Overstrand - Cliff Top Cafe for lunch - 2pm
Cranberry Nut Roast with vegetables. Would not really recommend this cafe, vegetables overdone, nut roast just tasted of sage and dogs were allowed to sit in the cafe!! Nice sea view though of where the Albatross was seen!
An amusing notice in the cafe read:
EAT LESS,
LOSE WEIGHT,
DON'T DRINK,
DIE ANYWAY!
Beeston Bump - 4.15pm
Nothing here apart from a couple of blackbirds feeding on blackberries and a few hedge sparrows sitting in the hedge.
Walsey Hills NOA- 5.45pm
Several chiffchaffs and chaffinches, less birds in here overall than our visit this morning.
Coastguards, Cley
See next post!!!!!!
PICTURES TO BE ADDED
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
A Lazy Day!!!
Cley Coastguards - 8am
2 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Red throated Diver and not alot else! Beautiful morning though. Tested out my new steel, sea watching step that I bought yesterday - a very good buy and should last a lifetime! 2 Wheatears along Beach Road as we left
Had to go into Holt to do some errands, got a birthday card for a friend and then went into 'Larners' of Holt - what an amazing shop - lots of scumptious, specialist foods!
Coastguards - snooze! late Lunch.
Daukes Hide, NWT - 5pm
Tons of Greylags, Canada Geese, 3 Barnacle Geese, 3 Pink footed Geese, a good number of Ruffs.
Teal Hide, NWT
Hobby scattering everything at 5.53pm. Several Pied Wagtails and 2 Yellow Wagtails, one of which landed on the fence wire at the same time as a Goldfinch was also sitting on the wire, feeding a juv.
Cley Coastguards - With ETM and AJ.
Eddie got me all excited when he thought he had a Leach's very distantly on the horizon, but turned out to be a Swift at 7.05pm! A bar-tailed godwit flew west with several oystercatchers. 2 Dunlin flew west. 1 Red throated Diver westt, 1 Bonxie and 2 Manx Shearwaters west.
Hope it livens up tomorrow!
PICTURES TO BE ADDED
2 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Red throated Diver and not alot else! Beautiful morning though. Tested out my new steel, sea watching step that I bought yesterday - a very good buy and should last a lifetime! 2 Wheatears along Beach Road as we left
Had to go into Holt to do some errands, got a birthday card for a friend and then went into 'Larners' of Holt - what an amazing shop - lots of scumptious, specialist foods!
Coastguards - snooze! late Lunch.
Daukes Hide, NWT - 5pm
Tons of Greylags, Canada Geese, 3 Barnacle Geese, 3 Pink footed Geese, a good number of Ruffs.
Teal Hide, NWT
Hobby scattering everything at 5.53pm. Several Pied Wagtails and 2 Yellow Wagtails, one of which landed on the fence wire at the same time as a Goldfinch was also sitting on the wire, feeding a juv.
Cley Coastguards - With ETM and AJ.
Eddie got me all excited when he thought he had a Leach's very distantly on the horizon, but turned out to be a Swift at 7.05pm! A bar-tailed godwit flew west with several oystercatchers. 2 Dunlin flew west. 1 Red throated Diver westt, 1 Bonxie and 2 Manx Shearwaters west.
Hope it livens up tomorrow!
PICTURES TO BE ADDED
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Sea Watching all day!
Cley Coastguards 7.35am
Whilst waiting for the Albatross to sail through!!!!!
With several Cley regulars:
3 Arctic Skuas
Several Pintail flew west but can't remember how many
3 Manx Shearwaters
1 pale phase Arctic Skua
3 dark phase Arctic Skuas
1 Grey Plover
Guillemot
Great Crested Grebe
On route to North Hide - two Whimbrel in the Eye Field. From North Hide, usual waders plus 7 Curlew Sandpipers and 1 Little Stint.
Cup of tea in Cley Visitor Centre and a cheese scone. Had a nice chat with Sue.
Walsey Hills NOA
1 Chiffchaff, Comma, several Red Admirals, Speckled Woods, a pair of Migrant Hawkers in tandem.
Sheringham - Lunch
Lunch at Roy Boys Cafe again at Sheringham - see yesterday's post. As we walked past an ironmongers I spotted an excellent steel, fold-up step for short people to seawatch!!! This will be very useful at Coastguards and trying it out for size, I suddenly became taller than Mr Myers!!! Mind you, he'll still see more birds than me!
Sheringham 2.35pm to 7.35pm
48 Manx Shearwaters (Eddie saw 75 - he would!)
2 Sooty Shearwaters
2 Red-throated Diver
1 Kestrel
Tons of Gannets (didn't count them)
2 Auk sp.
15 Arctic Skuas
15 Turnstones
1 Shag - juv.
Eddie sent his list to RBA and obviously saw more than more than me and also because I left the shelter a couple of times to attempt to open RBA on my iphone, but didn't have enough bars on the phone to open the site up. I just hoped that we wern't missing anything major!
Whilst waiting for the Albatross to sail through!!!!!
With several Cley regulars:
3 Arctic Skuas
Several Pintail flew west but can't remember how many
3 Manx Shearwaters
1 pale phase Arctic Skua
3 dark phase Arctic Skuas
1 Grey Plover
Guillemot
Great Crested Grebe
On route to North Hide - two Whimbrel in the Eye Field. From North Hide, usual waders plus 7 Curlew Sandpipers and 1 Little Stint.
Cup of tea in Cley Visitor Centre and a cheese scone. Had a nice chat with Sue.
Walsey Hills NOA
1 Chiffchaff, Comma, several Red Admirals, Speckled Woods, a pair of Migrant Hawkers in tandem.
Sheringham - Lunch
Lunch at Roy Boys Cafe again at Sheringham - see yesterday's post. As we walked past an ironmongers I spotted an excellent steel, fold-up step for short people to seawatch!!! This will be very useful at Coastguards and trying it out for size, I suddenly became taller than Mr Myers!!! Mind you, he'll still see more birds than me!
Sheringham 2.35pm to 7.35pm
48 Manx Shearwaters (Eddie saw 75 - he would!)
2 Sooty Shearwaters
2 Red-throated Diver
1 Kestrel
Tons of Gannets (didn't count them)
2 Auk sp.
15 Arctic Skuas
15 Turnstones
1 Shag - juv.
Eddie sent his list to RBA and obviously saw more than more than me and also because I left the shelter a couple of times to attempt to open RBA on my iphone, but didn't have enough bars on the phone to open the site up. I just hoped that we wern't missing anything major!
Monday, 12 September 2011
Albatross sp. reported at Overstrand!!!!!!
Wow - just noticed on RBA - an Albatross sp. reported west past Overstrand at 6.25pm and then possibly flew back east!!!!!!
Now I wonder what I will be doing in the morning!!!!!
Now I wonder what I will be doing in the morning!!!!!
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