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  
Black Kite at Choseley Drying Barns
Black Terns x 2, Turtle Doves x 2, Spoonbills x 3, Caspian Gull, Spotted Redshank at Titchwell RSPB
Red-rumped Swallow flew over Horsey Gap
GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO 1s, Stone Curlew (viewed from Muckleburgh Hill) at Weybourne Camp
Wood Warbler singing at Muckleburgh Hill, Weybourne
Wood Warbler in South Valley, Stone Curlew, Short-eared Owl at North Dunes, Winterton
Wood Sandpipers x 7 on scrape east of Wells
Red-spotted Bluethroat off East Bank, Little Stints x 2, Spoonbills x 2 at Cley NWT
Osprey flew past Mundesley
Spoonbills x 2, Little Stint at Snettisham RSPB
Spoonbill flew over Snettisham Coastal Park
Spoonbill, Grey Plover, White-fronted Goose at Potter Heigham Marshes
Stone Curlew at Kelling Water Meadows
Black Terns x 17, Curlew Sandpiper at Breydon Water
Wood Sandpiper at Redwell Marsh NOA, Holme
Ring Ouzels x 3 at Holme Dunes NWT
PURPLE HERON 1s still west of sea wall at Burnham Overy Staithe
Dotterel x 5 SE of Choseley Drying Barns
Spoonbills x 3 at Blakeney Freshmarsh
Wood Warbler, Osprey at Hickling Broad NWT
Great White Egret at Welney WWT
Osprey flew over Morston
Wood Sandpiper at Salthouse
Pied Flycatcher at Beeston Common, Sheringham

MEGA NEWS
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER 
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

Happy Birthday to Sir David Attenborough!

HAPPY 93rd BIRTHDAY!

8th May 2019

 Sir David Attenborough at the Rutland Bird Fair in 2008 ©Penny Clarke

Book signing – I was in a very long queue!

Below: me getting my 'Life On Air' book signed!
Picture taken by the next person in the queue!

I was searching for these pictures on my blog, but then realised I started my blog on 1st January 2010! – found the pictures on my 2008 Facebook photos. It was so exciting to meet him and I will never forget that moment, ever!

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  
Dotterel x 5 SE of Choseley Drying Barns
PURPLE HERON 1s still west of sea wall at Burnham Overy Staithe
GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO 1s at Weybourne Camp, viewed from Muckleburgh Hill
Black Terns x 17 at Barton Broad
Black Terns x 4 at Colney Gravel Pits
Spoonbills x 4, Quail reported at Cley NWT
Garganey, Great White Egret at Welney WWT
Black Terns x 3, Cattle Egret, Turtle Dove, Spoonbills x 3, Little Gull at Titchwell RSPB
Turtle Dove, Whinchat, Black Terns x 3 at Burnham Overy Dunes
Wood Sandpipers x 3, Spotted Redshank, Spoonbill on scrape east of Wells
Osprey, Whinchat, Spoonbills x 2 at Holme Dunes
Wood Sandpiper, Spoonbills x 2 at Redwell Marsh NOA, Holme
Black Terns x 24, Arctic Tern at Whitlingham Country Park
Black Tern at Filby Broad
Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper at Potter Heigham Marshes
Black Tern at Pentney Gravel Pits
Spoonbills x 4 at Stiffkey Fen
Wood Warbler singing at Muckleburgh Hill, Weybourne
Black Terns x 7 flew past Mundesley

MEGA NEWS
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER 
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

RBA Weekly Round-Up 1st to 7th May!

By Jon Dunn
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/WeeklyRoundup2019_19.aspx?s_id=316423032

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  
Osprey flew over Blakeney Point
Wood Sandpiper at Blakeney Freshmarsh
Dotterel x 5 SE of Choseley Drying Barns
Great White Egret, Osprey flew over, Common Cranes x 2 at Titchwell RSPB
Turtle Dove, Black Terns x 2 at Colney Gravel Pits
Garganey, Spoonbill at Cley NWT
PURPLE HERON 1s still west of sea wall at Burnham Overy Staithe
WHITE-TAILED EAGLE flew over Horsey Gap
WHITE-TAILED EAGLE flew over North Gap, Eccles-on-Sea
Osprey flew over North Dunes, Winterton and Horsey
Common Cranes x 2, Osprey at Burnham Norton
Wood Sandpipers x 2, Spotted Redshank, Great White Egret on scrape east of Wells
GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO 1s at Weybourne Camp, viewed from Muckleburgh Hill
GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO 1s, Ring Ouzel at Gramborough Hill, Salthouse
Wood Sandpiper at Kelling Water meadows
Serin at Waxham
Turtle Doves x 3, Spoonbill, Common Cranes x 2 over Holme Dunes
Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper at Potter Heigham Marshes
Black Terns x 8 at Hickling Broad NWT
Hooded Crow at Happisburgh
Black Terns x 11 at Pentney Gravel Pits
Red-rumped Swallow flew north over Terrington St Clement
Savi's Warbler singing reported, Ring Ouzel at South Beach, Heacham
Wood Sandpiper at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Short-eared Owls x 2 at Claxton Marshes
Shorelarks x 10 at Holkham Bay

MEGA NEWS
BAIKAL TEAL
Nene Washes, Cambridgeshire
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER 
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

Bank Holiday Monday Birding!

Cley village from Gramborough Hill, Salthouse

Arrived early at Gramborough Hill, Salthouse. I may have been the first one there this morning! I watched the cutest thing ever in the field west of Beach Road, as I parked the car. A Leveret teasing a Rook. The cute baby Hare charged up to a Rook and made it jump – the Rook moved and the Leveret did the same again – this happened several times. I really regret not making the effort to get the scope out to phone-scope this, it would have made a delightful little film.

Beach from Gramborough Hill, Salthouse

On the pool west of Gramborough Hill, there were 2 Avocets and 2 Turnstones. Meadow Pipits and Linnets in the fields and 3 Wheatears on the hill. No birds at all in the actual scrub though. I sat on top of the hill and watched the Sand Martins whizzing around me. The sun was not out, but skies began to brighten up as I left.

Avocet on the pool west of Gramborough Hill, Salthouse

Turnstone on the west of Gramborough Hill, Salthouse

Walsey Hills NOA – Cetti's Warbler singing, Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, Chaffinches and that was about it. Went to the Cley Deli and bought some Pear & Ginger Cake – my favourite! Blackcap singing in the car park. Popped into the NWT Visitor Centre, where I bumped into Eddie who told me Phil had found a Hooded Crow on The Eye Field, scoped from the CleySpy shop next to the VC.

We were looking into the sun, but were able to see the Hooded Crow distantly, from the sea wall by the sluice at Beach Road. At 10.55am I was told by someone, that Moss. T. was opening the gate to Weybourne Camp at 11.15am to allow birders in, for a potential closer viewing of the Great Spotted Cuckoo. I promptly left, but knew I wouldn't make it in time. I had a very kind text from another birder to let me know about the Great Reed Warbler that had been found at Pensthorpe this morning. I didn't really want to pay £11.95 to see this bird and especially when I have already seen one on 30th May 2012!

Parked up at Weybourne Beach Car Park and walked along the shingle ridge to Weybourne Camp. I could see four people going into the camp and was surprised there wasn't more! Sadly, I didn't make it. I don't know quite what went on, but all the birders on Muckleburgh Hill thought the gate was being opened at 1.15pm, so nobody had left the hill yet. Only two very lucky birders who happened to be there and Moss + friend went into Weybourne Camp at 11.15am – when they came out, they told me they had flight views only as the Great Spotted Cuckoo left the willows and flew south over the heads of the crowd on Muckleburgh Hill and then flew west to Kelling at 12.26 and was not seen again all day – well, it wasn't on the pager, so presumably not. Moss said to me that he couldn't believe that no one turned up (after he phoned someone on M. Hill to let them know what time he was going to open the gate) – a missed opportunity for many. I heard that the crowd on Muckleburgh Hill had a good view as it flew over them though. I didn't see it at all today. I wish now I had started at Weybourne Camp, where I was standing now on the seaward side, as Moss said it had been in the pine trees and brambles very early morning, where I was currently looking in to!!! I sat here for a long time, hoping it would return, but got bored, so left and walked back to the car park.

I felt extremely tired and parked up at Beach Road, Salthouse and had a very long snooze in the car. Had a late lunch and at about 4pm it started to rain. Eddie tipped me off about 3 Fieldfares that he had found in the horse paddocks at the top of Cross Street in Salthouse, which I went to see, so that was a little bonus. Parked up at Coastguards, Cley and scanned The Eye Field for the Hooded Crow, no sign of at all, but three smart Golden Plovers were on the field. The weather was really gloomy now. I headed west.

Chalk Pit Road, Titchwell – highlight of the day, 5 smart Dotterel in the field at the very far end of this road, on the right hand side and there were only two other birders here, wow! Took a few phone-scoped videos, will add to this post tomorrow evening. Hares in the field along with Red-legged Partridges, Oystercatchers and Golden Plover – a wonderful little scene!

Checked the family home at Holme, watered plants and changed the bird drinking baths. Arrived home late evening – back to work tomorrow. The wind switches to straight east at 3pm and then to SE three hours later. Wednesday morning is forecast to be SE with rain – could be interesting!

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, Great White Egret, Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Spoonbills x 5, Great Northern Diver at Titchwell RSPB
Dotterel x 5 SE of Choseley Drying Barns, Titchwell
Great White Egrets x 2 at Thornham Marsh
GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO 1s at Weybourne Camp, viewed from Muckleburgh Hill
Spoonbills x 14 at Cley NWT
Hooded Crow (probable) in Eye Field at Cley
WHITE-TAILED EAGLE flew over Cart Gap
PURPLE HERON 1s still west of sea wall at Burnham Overy Staithe
Spoonbill flew over Blakeney Harbour
GREAT REED WARBLER, Wood Sandpiper at Pensthorpe Waterfowl Park
Raven flew over Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve
Honey Buzzard flew over, Spoonbill at Wells
Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank on scrape east of Wells
Great White Egret, Garganey x 2 at Welney WWT
Montagu's Harrier, Honey Buzzards x 2 flew over Waxham
Wood Sandpiper at Potter Heigham Marshes
Great White Egret at Rush Hill Scrape, Hickling Broad NWT
Garganey on shooting lakes at Aldeby
Caspian Gull near Esso Garage, Thetford

MEGA NEWS
BAIKAL TEAL
Nene Washes, Cambridgeshire
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER 
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland
SLATY-BACKED GULL

Possible, Rhos Point, Rhos-on-Sea, Conwy

Sheringham Park, Cemetery, Weybourne Camp, Muckleburgh Hill & Gramborough Hill!

Sheringham Park

Started where I finished last night at Sheringham Park. I absolutely love Wood Warblers and I wanted to see it again and attempt to get a better photograph, but sadly no sight nor sound of this magical little bird this morning. Nuthatches seen again, Blackcaps singing, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrush. Lots of people and dogs being walked at the park – too busy for me!

Sheringham Park

Looked for birds in Sheringham cemetery and found a couple of Greenfinches, Goldfinch, Robin, Wren, several Blackbirds, Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws. Then the pager bleeped up with 'GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO at Weybourne Camp'!!! Off I went for ANOTHER attempt at this incredibly elusive bird!

Parked up in the beach car park at Weybourne and walked west to view the pines at the camp, where the GSC had been seen this morning at 11.30am. I am too exhausted to go through the entire afternoon in detail, but long story short, I saw it for a nano second at around 3.30pm, but couldn't really count it, as it was a silhouette and I did not see any distinguishing features on it at all – this is because I attempted to photograph it in flight and didn't get the camera on it (usually pretty quick with birds in flight), which also resulted in me not seeing it with bins either, when it quickly disappeared behind the pines! Later, news came out that the GSC had flown a long way east into the village, where the gardens/houses are along the road to the car park. Walked back to the car park and walked the length  of the road and back, looking at every bush and tree in all the gardens!

The pager then reported that the GSC was back on the south side of Weybourne Camp! Re-parked the car and walked up Muckleburgh Hill to join others and got my first proper views of the fantastic Great Spotted Cuckoo! It was in a low bramble bush behind a pill box, just west of the main clump of pines and willows, but after a while it disappeared for a good while, and then reappeared again, much to the delight of latecomers! Distant through the scope and attempted a phone scoped video, but it was utterly crap, so not worth posting. AT LAST I have managed to see this bird properly! Also saw a Common Buzzard, Peregrine and a Chinese Water Deer. I felt so tired, I had been standing around for far too long, hadn't eaten properly and needed the loo hours ago – its hard work birding!

Ended the day at Gramborough Hill and saw a Wheatear on the fence wire, 2 Meadow Pipits and 1 Common Cuckoo at 8.10pm! After filling up with petrol in the garage shop, I arrived home at 9.20pm! Good night!

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  
Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Jack Snipe on scrape east of Wells
Balearic Shearwater, Black Terns x 2 off beach car park at Cley
Temminck's Stint reported, Little Stint at Cley NWT
PURPLE HERON 1s still east of sea wall, Montagu's Harrier Male at Burnham Overy Staithe
Turtle Dove, Montagu's Harrier Male, Black Tern, Arctic Tern, Caspian Gull, Spoonbills x 2 at Titchwell RSPB
Great White Egret, Garganey at Welney WWT
GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO 1s at Weybourne Camp, viewed from Muckleburgh Hill
Scaup at Barton Broad
Dotterels x 5 SE of Choseley Drying Barns
Spoonbill at Holme Dunes
Turtle Dove in Holme
Quail singing at Snettisham RSPB

MEGA NEWS
BAIKAL TEAL
Nene Washes, Cambridgeshire
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER 
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

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.

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  
Wood Warbler singing at Sheringham Park
Wood Sandpiper on scrape east of Wells
Spoonbills x 3 at Cley NWT
Arctic Terns x 2 at Colney Gravel Pits
Great White Egret, Garganey x 3 at Welney WWT
Turtle Doves x 3, Spoonbills x 2, Arctic Tern at Titchwell RSPB
Spoonbill flew over Blakeney Point
Spoonbill flew over Brancaster Staithe
Great Northern Diver, Arctic Terns x 4 offshore at Holme Dunes
Ring Ouzel at Winterton
Great White Egrets x 3 on saltmarsh at Morston
Spoonbill at Potter Heigham Marshes

MEGA NEWS
BAIKAL TEAL
Nene Washes, Cambridgeshire
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER 
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

Simon King, Bill Oddie & Mike Dilger at Pensthorpe Bird & Wildlife Fair 2019!

18th-19th May 2019

https://www.pensthorpe.com/event/pensthorpe-bird-wildlife-fair/

CHRIS PACKHAM IS A GENIUS!!! SO FUNNY!!!

https://twitter.com/ChrisGPackham/status/1122547980639322112 https://twitter.com/chrisgpackham/status/1122547980639322112

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/382929664917?ul_noapp=true

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  
FRIDAY 3RD MAY
Great White Egret flew over, Spoonbills x 3 at Gramborough Hill
Spoonbill at Salthouse GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO 1s at Weybourne Camp, Meadow Lane and Gramborough Hill, Salthouse
Turtle Doves x 2 at New Buckenham Common NWTTurtle Dove, Great White Egret, Spoonbill, Caspian Gull at Titchwell RSPB
Great White Egret at Snettisham RSPB
Blue-headed Wagtail on Wednesday at Burnham Overy Staithe
PURPLE HERON east of sea wall, Spoonbill, Ring Ouzel at Burnham Overy Dunes
Black Redstart singing at Castle Mall, Norwich
Garganey, Great White Egret at Welney WWT
Velvet Scoter flew past Sheringham
Wood Sandpiper on scrape east of Wells

MEGA NEWS
BAIKAL TEAL
Nene Washes, Cambridgeshire
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  
Spoonbill at Titchwell RSPB
PURPLE HERON east of sea wall, Spoonbill at Burnham Overy Dunes
HOOPOE at Snettisham Coastal Park
Spoonbill at Heacham
Little Gull, Whimbrel x 140, Spoonbills x 3, Spotted Redshanks x 2 at Breydon Water
Garganey, Spoonbill at Cley NWT
Glossy Ibis (possible) flew over, Spotted Redshank at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB
Black Redstart singing at All Saints Green and Castle Mall Roof Gardens at Norwich
Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Cattle Egrets x 2, Spoonbills x 6 at Holkham Freshmarsh
White Stork esc. at Ormesby Little Broad
Great White Egret flew over Camping Hill, Stiffkey
Spoonbill, Common Cranes x 15 at Potter Heigham Marshes
Whinchat at Kelling Water Meadows
Spoonbill flew over Weybourne Camp

MEGA NEWS
BAIKAL TEAL
Nene Washes, Cambridgeshire
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER 
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

Great Spotted Cuckoo Update!

Not seen today by anyone, unless of course someone has suppressed it – I hope not, especially for all the local 'Cley Square' birders who have been walking their socks off to find it!

The only picture obtained was taken by David Griffiths and is on the Cley Bird Club Website: https://www.cleybirdclub.org.uk/cbc/news.asp?pageid=14 Scroll down to Wednesday 1st May and click the little camera symbol to view the picture. Wow!

Also see John Furse's account and brilliant poem on Birdforum HERE! Post No. 3. How dare anyone even question John's magnificent find, just because he wasn't lucky enough to photograph it to prove what he saw! All those sad doubters will be quiet now, after birding legend Dave Holman saw the GSC himself, after a very kind birder alerted Dave straight away (in Meadow Lane) when he spotted the 'cuckoo' in his scope, sitting in the brambles at Gramborough Hill! Oh, and there IS a picture as well now! All sorted, all confirmed, won't be any problems with acceptance of this bird now! Congratulations to John and to the handful of other birders that got lucky!

Maybe, just maybe its still hanging around – its been so elusive, it wouldn't surprise me at all if its still in the Salthouse/Kelling area. It would be a fab bird for my Bank Holiday Weekend Birding List and for many others! Keep looking!

Let Nature Sing Remix!

BRILLIANT!
https://soundcloud.com/ljblack/letnaturesing-remix

Great Spotted Cuckoo Take Two!

This Great Spotted Cuckoo is proving incredibly difficult to pin down and is exhausting all the local birders trying to find it! One sighting on the first day and three on the second! Its not very birder friendly is it?!!! I heard from a couple of people, that it was seen at 7.20am at Gramborough Hill this morning, but I don't know how long it was watched for and why this news was not put and was then seen again at Kelling Water Meadows at 8.20am and again at around 5pm at Gramborough Hill (viewed from Meadow Lane) before heading back over Meadow Lane towards Kelling Water Meadows and was not seen again.

I don't know how I found the energy to drive to Salthouse for a second trip, after being at work all day, but I ended up there again! I decided not to join birders in Meadow Lane and headed to Gramborough Hill instead, in hope that it would return to the hordes of Brown-tail Moth Caterpillars on offer here and maybe head back here to roost? On route there were 3 Turnstones in the pool just east of the 'hill'. Further along, I had a cracking view of a stunning male Whinchat on the fence wire, but unable to get a single picture of it, before it flew off into the middle of the field. Several Meadow Pipits and Linnets were also perched on the fence wire. Sunny weather when I first arrived, but dulled fairly quickly and did not have the beautiful light that I had last night. Chatted with R.M about the GSC and positioned myself in exactly the same spot, as I did last night on top of the hill and central to all the scrub below. I sat and waited and waited.

No sign of the Common Cuckoo initially, but it eventually put in an appearance and promptly tucked into the Brown-tail Moth Caterpillars. The cuckoo was flushed out by a Sparrowhawk which bombed into the bushes, but it returned again a short while later to continue with its caterpillar supper. I decided to stay until it was almost dark, just in case the GSC came into roost. The Common Cuckoo flew off west, but couldn't see where it went, maybe it was joining the GSC for the night?! At 8.45pm, I decided to call it a day! Ambled back in near darkness to my car. Its a very gloomy feeling when you have put so much effort in mentally to get here after work, having not seen the bird and then are the last to leave! Oh well!

There will be no third attempt tomorrow night for the GCS, as I am completely and utterly burnt out! Good luck to all other birders trying to find this amazing bird tomorrow. I'm looking forward to seeing a picture of it, maybe John will see it again tomorrow and get the picture he was not able to get yesterday, that would be really nice for him – will keep my fingers crossed. It was raining as I drove home. Good night!

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 at Titchwell RSPB
Turtle Dove, Great White Egret at Holme Dunes
GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO 1s at 8.20am briefly at Kelling Water Meadows, then 5pm at Gramborough Hill and then flew east (and not seen again) towards Kelling Water Meadows
Whinchat male at Gramborough Hill
Water Pipit at Kelling Water Meadows
Common Cranes x 2 flew over, Cattle Egret, Spoonbill at Cley NWT
PURPLE HERON NE of car park, Great White Egret at Burnham Overy Dunes
HOOPOE at Snettisham Coastal Park
Cattle Egret at Holkham Freshmarsh
Scaup at Barton Broad
Wood Sandpipers x 2 on scrape just east of Wells
Spotted Redshanks x 2 at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB
Common Crane at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Garganey x 3, Great White Egret at Welney WWT
Great White Egrets x 4, Spoonbills x 2 at Burnham Norton
Great White Egret, Common Cranes x 2, Bar-tailed Godwits x 2 at Potter Heigham Marshes
Ring Ouzel at Kelling Heath
Hooded Crow, Spoonbill flew over Weybourne Camp
Short-eared Owl, Hen Harrier, Spoonbill at Sheringham

MEGA NEWS
AMERICAN WHITE-WINGED SCOTER 
Musselburgh Lagoons, Lothian, Scotland

RBA Weekly Round-Up 24th to 30th April!

By Jon Dunn
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/WeeklyRoundup2019_18.aspx?s_id=151515687