Seawatching at Cley, Lizards and another Pallas's Fix!!!

Gannets, Cley Coastguards.

Brent Geese, Cley Coastguards.

Gannet and a Red throated Diver, Cley Coastguards.

Two Guillemots, Cley Coastguards.

Glorious Sunshine all day!

Cley

Rolled up in the Cley beach carpark at a later time than intended (nothing new there!) and joined Connor, Billy and Simeon for a seawatch - we sat on the shingle amongst all the action!

My list between 11am and 12pm was: 4 Great Skuas 5 Red Throated Divers, 28 Gannets, 13 Common Scoter, 18 Auk sp., 31 Brent Geese, 3 Skylarks in off sea (S. picked up) and Redwings continuously flew over our heads. Connor, Billy and Simeon then left to go to Wareham and I went off to Walsey Hills.

Walsey Hills

Spent a long time here which was quite risky really as no phone signal, so no way of knowing if I was missing any thing good!!! One brambling by the feeders and another one calling in the back willows. Usual tit flock at the feeders. When I crept round the centre path I found several chiffchaffs and blackcaps, but not alot else. Stood by the willows at the back for ages hoping for something exciting but nothing more than a blackcap and the brambling calling. Photographed Common Darters that had settled on the alexandra leaves (see picture). The most exciting thing happened today - I noticed that there were several sand wasps around the railway sleepers up by the top of the steps, so went back to car and got the macro lens out - when I returned I noticed a lizard was basking in the sunshine, so naturally took some pictures. A bit later something magical happened. I noticed a shiny, beady, little eye peering out from the smallest hole in the wood - it was the lizard! and as I was photographing this, another beady little eye appeared - two lizards peeping out of the hole, priceless! Very sadly though for some reason I couldn't get both of them in focus (see pictures). Photographed a hoverfly aswell as the sand wasps and a ladybird.

Robin, Walsey Hills.

Common Lizards, Walsey Hills.

Two Lizards peeping out!

Scary!

Sandwasps, Walsey Hills.

Metallicky fly!!!!?

Hoverfly - need to check which one?

Honey Bee I think?

Common Darter.

Warham Greens

Arrived here and parked the car opposite the middle track and walked down the track a few yards to join others watching the Pallas's Warbler in the top of the oak tree. It performed very differently to the Burnham Overy ones that I photographed - some record shots below. I was so unprepared for a Hen Harrier that flew right over all our heads at 4.50pm - by the time I got the camera on it, it was quite a way off. A barn owl was quartering the field distantly. Photographed chaffinches, robin and a hedge sparrow on the hawthorn bushes. Drove home.

Pallas's Warbler, Warham Greens.

Ringtail Hen Harrier, flew over whilst watching the Pallas's Warbler!

Hedge Sparrow, Warham Greens.

Robin, Warham Greens.

Chaffinch, Warham Greens.

The most famous rarity finder in Norfolk and probably anywhere!!!
Note Barn Owl also in picture!

East Coast Birding - a D/Gull Day!

Herring Gulls - Walcott.

Waxham

Started off at Waxham again but as I said in my post previously while on site, the Red-flanked Bluetail did not show today - I sat there stubbornly until 12.30pm. There were a few people there this morning including one man who had travelled with a friend and had hobbled out on crutches with a broken leg - thats dedication for you!!!! I felt really sorry for him, having not seen the bird and also he was not happy about the reported 300 yards walk, which of course it was much further than that! I put some seed down for the bank vole I saw earlier so at least I could photograph that amongst the crumpled leaves, but it had also disappeared for good! Fed-up and cold I left. Along the last section of the path back to car I had a pair of Stonechats and I suddenly realised I can't remember the last time I saw Stonechat anywhere! Tried to photograph them but they didn't play ball. Cruised round the corner to go and see the reported Pallas's Warbler at Shangri La Chalet. I searched EVERYWHERE for the Pallas's but to no avail. Heard someone reporting they had seen Little Auk's offshore. Nothing in the bushes apart from tit flocks, chiffchaffs, blackbirds and redwings. Went back to car and bumped into Tim Allwood again with his very, very cute little daughter Elenor who was splashing about in the puddles in her wellingtons. Found out later that Tim had refound the Pallas's after I left!!!

Shangri La Chalet, Waxham - migrant hotspot - Pallas's today!

Walcott

Left Waxham and stopped at Walcott to photograph Turnstones on the seawall and took photos and a video of the Herring Gulls on the groynes with sea spray from the huge waves - really should have set the camera on the tripod rather than hand holding in wind which is why it won't win any prizes!

Turnstones along the seawall at Walcott.

Turnstone on the groynes at Walcott.

Herring Gulls - Walcott.




My video skills need refining I know!!!!
But it captures the spirit of the sea!

Trimingham

Now pouring with rain. I think I heard the reported Yellow-browed Warbler in the churchyard - what I did hear only called once and I certainly didn't see it! Crossed the main road opposite and went down a dead end road and followed a path through bushes to edge of cliffs - these bushes were full of male and female Blackcaps! along with a long tailed tit flock and a few robins.

Cliff top Wood - Walked across the ploughed field to the wood and only found a tit flock and a kestrel.

Sheringham

Diverted down to the "Leas" to have a quick scan with bins from the top road to see if there was any action on the sea. It was wickedly cold, strong winds and rain and I didn't stand here long, but couldn't see anything much happening.

Walsey Hills, Cley

By the time I got here it was 5.45pm so sensibly most birds - no in fact ALL birds had gone to bed! One robin was seen!

The House on the Hill, Blakeney

One more robin whilst I had a sandwich and remains of my tomato soup. Fell asleep for an hour in the car and got home at 8pm.

Day so far........

Well I couldn't resist coming back to Waxham to get more shots of the Red-flanked Bluetail but not good news! Been sitting on mud and leaves since just after 9am and it's not looking promising! No one has seen it this morning YET by 11.25am - I will remain optimistic! Few goldcrests, robins and one reed bunting and one bank vole.

More later.......

Peregrine Falcon - Stunning Shot!

Webcam still from Dave Grubb:

http://www.birdguides.com/iris/pictures.asp?f=270425

RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL NO.2!!!!!!!!

After spending hours going through photos last night and into the small hours - updating blog, adding pictures and to other sites I felt about a hundred years old this morning, so snoozed til late.

Arrived Waxham late afternoon and had awesome views of my 2nd RED FLANKED BLUETAIL this week!!!!!! Watched it from 3.45pm until I left at 5.05pm.

As others have said, sit, wait, don't talk or move;) and you will all have stupendous views and pictures. Anyone going to see it with a big lens - don't bother, even with my baby 300mm lens it was too close at times!!! I could have taken it with the iphone on several occasions!!! Magical to watch, and heard it call too! Tim Allwood also there - nice to see you Tim:t: and also the artist I met at Burnham Overy the other day 'Ben Green'. About 10 people there in all and everyone was extremely quiet. Even I hardly spoke!;) The robins were not impressed by this extra pretty robin with its blue tail and chased it about every now and again - one of them wanted to be in the photos shoot too and sat on Tim's bike at one point, but too close for my camera!

Got some cracking photos, BUT I am shattered and now going to sleep as leaving in the dark tomorrow for some more HOT BIRDING!!! Took hundreds of photos, so will go through them and add some tomorrow night.

Thanks for all compliments on my Pallas's Shots - had several PM's and emails, very kind.

PLEASE NOTE: A fellow birder told me on the phone this evening that a group of birders had seen a Red-breasted Flycatcher at Walsey Hills this morning in the Willows at the back (end of the bottom path)!!!!!!!!

Where I sat the next day for hours to get more photos!

RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL

WAXHAM