Hello from Bird Fair!!!

From Carl Browne on the Guyana stand today – picture by Rare Bird Alert, thanks!

https://twitter.com/RareBirdAlertUK/status/500944917049245697/photo/1

BLAKENEY POINT & The Franklin's Gull Again!

 FRANKLIN'S GULL

Pat's Pool, from Teal Hide, Cley NWT

Taken with iphone 5s, Kowa TSN-IP5 Photo Adapter and Nikon ED50 Scope with 13-40 Zoom.

It won't take me long to write today's birding account up at all really! Got up very late and had an urge (crazy) to find some early migrants at Blakeney Point!

I didn't even start walking until 2.45pm! It was a west wind and not as cold as yesterday. I saw very little indeed – only managed to see a handful of Meadow Pipits and Reed Buntings. Sat down at The Plantation and had a coffee and a sandwich. There wasn't a single bird in that plantation – most disappointing. Walked round, pished, squeaked, waited..... nothing, not a movement or sound. I really regretted this walk, as I was now in excruciating agony with Plantar fasciitis in my left ankle and I had to sit with my boots off for a while.

Taken with iphone 5s on Slow Video Mode.

Just as I was leaving a small bird appeared in the small white popular branches – it was facing me and well..... I couldn't quite work out what is was. Chiffchaff came to my mind first, but I couldn't see any kind of supercilium and then for a moment it looked like a Spotted Flycatcher – yes I know the two are entirely different, but just voicing my thoughts at the time. Very dark eye, very pale breast. It slipped away between leaves and I didn't see it side on at all. I spent the next HOUR looking for it – round and round the plantation. It had to be a Chiffchaff, I suppose, but I was really frustrated that I couldn't find it for a proper look. I left the plantation to head back and as I walked up to the big tamarisk shrub, next to the hut, I saw a fleeting glimpse of what I presume was the same bird, flick between branches in the bush! Again, I walked round and round, peeped in the bush, pished, squeaked, waited..... nothing, not a movement or sound!!! Gone, vanished. I gave up! How frustrating!

Walking back from Blakeney Point – a beautiful evening as always here.

Walked back along the beach, watching a steady flow of Sandwich Terns and Common Terns heading west and also a few Gannets distantly. I listened to music on my iphone after a while to stop me going insane. The walk back is a killer, even more so when your ankle is so painful. The moment I got back to my car at Coastguards, the pager went off to say the Franklin's Gull was on Pat's Pool at 7.39pm. No rest for the wicked! No time to waste either, if I wanted a parking space. Drove straight to Old Woman's Lane and had to park on top of the grassy verge – only place left!

FRANKLIN'S GULL

Pat's Pool, from Teal Hide, Cley NWT

The hides were packed out. A local birder very kindly let me creep in front of him to sit on the seat. Before I got there, the sun was shining I was told – there must be some cracking photos of the gull this evening from the longer lens's, especially as it came in much earlier than previous nights! Took another video and also got some pictures on the Canon 7D, but not particularly good.

Walked back to my car, had a coffee and cruised home.

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
Garganey flew past Sea Palling.
Spoonbills x 28, Little Stint at Cley NWT.
Spoonbills x 24 at Stiffkey Fen.
Whinchat at North Dunes, Winterton.
Great White Egret, Wood Sandpiper, Spoonbills x 2 at Rush Hill Scrape, Hickling Broad NWT.
Spoonbills x 17 at Titchwell RSPB.
Spoonbills x 12 at Salthouse.
Whinchats x 3, Spotted Redshanks x 2 at Breydon Water.
FRANKLIN'S GULL again at 7.39pm until dark from Teal Hide on Pat's Pool, Cley NWT.

Other News
Glossy Ibis at Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire.
BEE-EATERS x 1+!!!, Wydcombe Estate Nature Reserve, Niton, Isle of Wight. Adults have been present since 8th June. Use RSPB/NT carpark + viewpoint.

MEGA NEWS!
FEAS'S PETREL, County Clare, Ireland

BEE-EATERS have fledged!!!

WOW!!! This is just wonderful and look at these stunning pictures from John D'Arcy
http://www.birdguides.com/picture?f=441591
http://www.birdguides.com/picture?f=441609

Another here from Andy Butler on the NT Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/IsleofWightNT/photos/a.181287141923660.60297.179935275392180/792231477495887/?type=1&theater

MEGA DAY! SABINE'S GULL, FRANKLIN'S GULL and More!!!

FRANKLIN'S GULL

Pat's Pool, from Teal Hide, Cley NWT
Taken with iphone 5s, Kowa TSN-IP5 Photo Adapter and Nikon ED50 Scope with 13-40 Zoom.

What an AWESOME Day! Enormous thanks to Mark Golley and James McCallum!!!

I was shattered this morning to say the least, even before the day began! After sitting in Teal Hide at Cley NWT last night until 9pm and not getting home until after 10pm, blogging etc I ended up with a very late night. With North West Winds and showers, there was a good possibility of a spot of sea-watching this morning, so for me, it was either Cley or Sheringham.

Cley Coastguards
I forced myself to get up at 6.30am and had left by 7.30am arriving at Coastguards, Cley by 8.30am. Kieran Nixon, Richard M., James McCallum, Trevor Davis and a few others were already sea-watching, as I pulled up next to the shelter. I hadn't missed anything major thank goodness – a few Arctic Skuas, Fulmars, and a Bonxie were the main highlights that had flown through before I arrived. Set up my scope and started scanning. It was really cold with the NW wind. The clouds rolled over and there was a brief shower, but this soon passed. I had forgot to bring my sea-watching step, so had to stand on the right hand side of the others, in order to be able to see and this was the coldest, most exposed spot! I had to put gloves on in the end! A Grey Seal appeared just below the shingle and started posing – a serious poser he was too, waving his flippers at the holidaymakers, who had gathered into a mini crowd and oooohed and ahhhhed and took lots of pictures – this did not help us birders trying to scan the sea at all!!! A lady approached us all and I heard her say to her young son 'don't walk in front of the photographers, they are trying to photograph the seal'........ no... that's NOT what we were all doing!!! Anyway, back to birds. Mark G. then turns up and its not long before he finds a 1s SABINE'S GULL at 1' o clock, heading east at 9.45am!!! Wow, ok it was three quarters distance, but it was clear to see in the now brilliant sunshine – bird of the day, had to be surely, I was so pleased!!! It was great to be here – I have a rubbish scope for sea-watching, but I suppose its better than no scope at all. If Swarovski would like to me to review one of their lastest and most expensive scopes on my blog, I would be more than happy to oblige, obviously I would need to keep the scope to make sure it was still working ok!!! There was a steady flow of birds including: good numbers of Gannets, Fulmars, Common Scoters, at least 9 Arctic Skuas, 3 Manx Shearwaters (1 west and 2 east.), several flocks of Oystercatchers, a single Curlew west, 25+ Cormorants, 12 Teal west, 2 Sanderling and a cracking juv. Med Gull flying west at 11am, close over the shingle (ran to get my camera for this, but wasn't quick enough). At 11.07am James picked up on a Yellow Wagtail calling, which we then watched bounding over the Eye field west across Beach road towards Blakeney Point. The sea-watching tailed off and everyone left at around 12pm and I stayed until 12.30pm.

Sat on the shingle having my lunch and then had a wonderful snooze in my car for much longer than I had intended! It was now really hot, but still a bit chilly by the sea. I re-located to the Cley NWT Visitor Centre and wrote sightings in the book etc and then relocated to Walsey Hills NOA.

Dragonfly at Walsey Hills NOA.

Walsey Hills NOA
Several Speckled Woods here, a Red Admiral and a Peacock. No sign of any Lizards and certainly no Adders – can't remember the last time I saw one here, which is very sad – they used to bask on the steps! There were a few birds of note, a female Blackcap, a couple of Chiffchaffs and a family of Blue Tits on the feeders.

Gramborough Hill, Salthouse.

Migrant Hawker (female) at Gramborough Hill.


Whinchat at Gramborough Hill.

Gramborough Hill, Salthouse
Lots of cars parked along Beach Road, but managed to get in a space. It was a beautiful walk up to Gramborough Hill. A Black-headed Gull was bathing in the pool next to the shingle ridge and a Little Egret flew over. Suddenly I spotted a bird on the fence wire and was very pleased to find a female Whinchat at 4.55pm! It was not a poser though (unlike the seal earlier) and I only managed to get record shots. Photographed a beautiful female Migrant Hawker Dragonfly which had settled on one of the bushes next to the buddhelia. No other birds seen here, apart from Sand Martins by the sandy cliff edge. The sea looked fabulous from the hill – several Sandwich Terns flying west.

My youngest sister Vivien with her new car.

The Leas, Sheringham
Met up with little sister Vivien at Sheringham, who is staying in East Norfolk for a few days holiday. Admired her shiny new KIA car, but the boot was miniature and only holds about three bags of shopping, no good for birders/photographers! We walked to the newly refurbished Tidal Wave Cafe, which is just west of the concrete sea-watching shelter. This cafe and a large part of the promonade in front of the shelter was destroyed in the December storm surge – see picture here (you can see the cafe in far right of picture). The cafe does a fantastic selection of good basic food: full breakfast, burgers (and veggi), egg, sausage, chips, jacket potoatoes etc etc. We sat outside and had a coffee – it was really nice spending some time with Vivien – we rarely get together nowadays. Sat in the sea-watching shelter for a short while with Ian Prentice who reported that he had seen a few Arctic Skuas, Fulmars, but nothing spectacular. 3 Fulmars flew east as we sat here. Vivien went back to her B&B and I headed for Cley.

 FRANKLIN'S GULL

The above pictures were taken as screen shots from the main video (at top of this post) and then cropped in photoshop.

Franklin's Gull – in the left hand third of the shot.
Taken with Canon 7D and 300f4mm lens, which proves this set up is a waste of time at that distance and time! Phone-scoping is the way forward in these conditions!

Teal Hide, Cley NWT
On route I stopped at the fish 'n' chip van at Salthouse for a bag of chips. Parked the car on the triangle at the bottom of Old Woman's Lane and enjoyed my chips! I felt really tired and nearly went home, but knew that could be a big mistake, so at about 7.45pm I made my way to the NWT hides.

Eddie and a couple of others were in Dauke's Hide, but most of the gulls were visible on Pat's Pool from Teal hide. Richard M. and James McCallum were in Teal Hide. I sat next to James. The light was pretty poor now. There were loads of gulls on the pool, more than last night and more continually dropping in to roost. James said 'we had a good chance and the gulls were coming in early....' I didn't think for one minute we would see this Franklin's Gull. Suddenly James said clearly, but calmly 'Franklin's Gull flying in.... landed in front of the spit in front of Bishop's Hide!!! This was at 8.23pm. I could hardly believe the words!!! I got onto this stunning little gull in seconds, it was really easy to pick out amongst the Black-headed Gulls – slightly smaller, very dark mantle, my god, I couldn't believe it. I then told James that I loved him (he laughed). I quickly went into action a few seconds later – phoned RBA, then Eddie next door in Dauke's, then Pete S., who I discovered was already in Dauke's! and then Andy W. who had just left work in Holt and promptly left! I then set up my phone-scoping kit and started videoing at 8.31pm. Andy turned up puffing and panting in his suit and tie and looked in my scope to view the bird and was very happy indeed! Mike Sidwell also turned up in time and a few other birders luckily. I put the other two messages out to RBA and this mega gull was watched up until 8.58pm, just! Darkness fell and we all wandered back to our cars. I was very pleased with my video, considering time, light, distance etc.

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
Great White Egret, Wood Sandpiper, Spoonbills x 2 at Rush Hill Scrape, Hickling Broad NWT.
TURTLE DOVES x 5, Little Stint at Snettisham RSPB.
SPOTTED CRAKE, Spoonbills x 13, Spotted Redshank at Titchwell RSPB.
Arctic Skuas x 3 at Horsey
SABINE'S GULL 1s (M.A.G.) east at Coastguards, Cley.
Arctic Skuas x 15, Bonxie at Coastguards, Cley.
STORM PETREL, Arctic Skuas x 12 at Happisburgh.
Whinchat (P.A.C.) at Gramborough Hill, Salthouse.
Sooty Shearwater, Arctic Skuas x 2 at Winterton.
FRANKLIN'S GULL (J.Mc. again!) at 8.23pm until dark from Teal Hide on Pat's Pool, Cley NWT.

Other News
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE at Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire.
BEE-EATERS x 4 Adults & 3 juvs!!!, Wydcombe Estate Nature Reserve, Niton, Isle of Wight. Adults have been present since 8th June. Use RSPB/NT carpark + viewpoint. SEE PICTURE OF JUV BEE-EATER HERE!

MEGA NEWS!
None.

Collins Bird Guide App for iPhone & iPad Available on Itunes Now!

Available yesterday, 14th August.

Review of the App here:
http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=4537

Search for the Franklin's Gull at Cley NWT!

Cruised to Cley after work, in hope of seeing the Franklin's Gull! I left King's Lynn in sunshine, but the weather changed drastically to torrential rain and flash flooding!!! At Thursford along the A148 there was a flood across the road, which was at least 10" deep – the traffic had slowed to under 20mph.

I eventually got to Cley and got the last space at the bottom of Old Woman's Lane and walked to the hides. There was no point in walking into 'Dauke's Hide', it was packed full of birders, so I joined Eddie M. and Andy J. in 'Teal Hide', where a few others joined us later on. I arrived just before 7pm and stayed until dark at 9pm.  Loads of Black-headed Gulls on Pat's Pool, 4 Spoonbills, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Med. Gull, several Dunlin, Ruff etc. Andy J. saw a Hobby flash through quickly. A plane going back and forth, repeatedly flushed the gulls between Simmond's Scrape, Pat's Pool and North Scrape. There were birders by the new screen at North Scrape too, so all areas were covered with several well known birders. No sign of the Franklin's Gull! Oh well! Left at 9pm. Back at the carpark I caught up with Andy W., Justin L, Dave H., Mark B. and others.

Birding tomorrow!!! North West winds all day!

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
Osprey at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB.
Common Cranes x 22 at Horsey.
Great White Egret, Wood Sandpipers x 3, Spoonbills x 2 at Rush Hill Scrape, Hickling Broad NWT.
SPOTTED CRAKE, Wood Sandpiper at Titchwell RSPB.
Spoonbills x 16 at Stiffkey Fen.
Great White Egret at Hockwold Washes.
No sign of Franklin's Gull by 9pm, Spoonbills x 4 at Cley NWT.

Other News
Glossy Ibis, TURTLE DOVES x 5 at Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire.
Wood Warbler at Falkenham, Suffolk.
BEE-EATERS x 4 Adults, Wydcombe Estate Nature Reserve, Niton, Isle of Wight. Adults have been present since 8th June. Use RSPB/NT carpark + viewpoint.

MEGA NEWS!
None.

THE RUTLAND BIRD FAIR!

Unfortunately I won't be going to the Rutland Bird Fair this year, which I'm sure will shock a few of you! Yes, I know that means not seeing Simon King for two years... that will be difficult, but I'm sure he won't miss me, with his entourage of women!!! So, if you are reading this Simon and to Debbie (his sister), enjoy Bird Fair and I'll hopefully see you in August 2015. Also a special hello to Carl Browne on the Guyana stand and also to the lovely lady (can't remember her name) on the 'Women for Conservation' stand, David Lindo, Tim and Irene on the Fair Isle stand, Bo Boelens, Tim Appleton, Bill Oddie, Steve K & Andy B and everyone else!!! Sorry to hear that Derek Moore will not be attending this year. Hope you all have a fabulous time and see you at the next bird fair! I love photographing all the people and TV personalities and the vibrant exhibitor stands and I will miss this, but there's always next year. So, sorry there won't be any report and pictures for the three day event from me this time! I will miss going, but I have to seriously cut down on my spending this year! I had booked this Friday off to go, but will spend it birding instead.

For any of you that have never been to the Bird Fair and are thinking of going, then go! Its an amazing event for all ages and covers every aspect of birding. I hope you all have a fabulous time at Bird Fair 2014 and see you all the following year.

http://www.birdfair.org.uk/

For those of you that have recently started reading my blog, here are links to my accounts for Bird Fair last year to tempt you to go if you've never been!

• DAY ONE
• DAY TWO
• DAY THREE

FRANKLIN'S GULL returns to Cley NWT!

I received a phonecall from Eddie this evening to say the FRANKLIN'S GULL had been found in the roost again again at 8.19pm on Simmond's Scrape, Cley NWT by Gary Wright and watched with Mark G, Andy J. and Eddie M. Pleased for Mark who was 'out of town' when it appeared on the evening of the 6th August, being as its his patch! Not pleased for me though, who even with my driving reputation could have got there before dark!!! After the pager news went out, a few others manage to get there in time including: Trevor Davis, Andy Stoddart, Ron and Sue Johns, Steve and Sue G., James McCallum (second viewing, having found it on the 6th), Steve Beal and a few others.

Maybe I'll be lucky over the next few days!

RBA Weekly Round-Up 6th to 12th August!

By Mark Golley
http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/WeeklyRoundup2014-32btemp.aspx

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
SPOTTED CRAKE, Spoonbills x 18, Spotted Redshanks x 5 at Titchwell RSPB.
Tree Pipit, Little Stint, Spotted Redshanks x 2 at Snettisham RSPB.
FRANKLIN'S GULL again at 8.19pm & until 9.05pm on Simmond's Scrape, Cley NWT.
Caspian Gull, Spoonbill, Arctic Skuas x 3, Wood Sandpiper at Cley NWT.
Great White Egret, Wood Sandpipers x 4 at Rush Hill Scrape, Hickling Broad NWT.
Spoonbills x 24 at Stiffkey Fen.

Other News
Glossy Ibis at Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire.
TEREK SANDPIPER yesterday at Far Ings Nature Reserve.
BEE-EATERS x 2+ Adults, Wydcombe Estate Nature Reserve, Niton, Isle of Wight. Adults have been present since 8th June. Use RSPB/NT carpark + viewpoint.

MEGA NEWS!
FEA'S PETREL, County Mayo, Ireland
MEGA! GREATER SAND PLOVER possible, County Meath, Ireland

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
SPOTTED CRAKE, Spoonbills x 5, Spotted Redshanks x 3 at Titchwell RSPB.
Great White Egret, Wood Sandpipers x 5 at Rush Hill Scrape, Hickling Broad NWT.
Common Cranes x 2 at Cantley.

Other News 
Glossy Ibis at Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire.
BLACK-WINGED STILTS x 5 at Cavenham, Suffolk.
BUFFLEHEAD esc. at Trimley Marshes, Suffolk.
WOOD WARBLER at Languard Nature Reserve, Suffolk.
BEE-EATERS x 1+ Adults, Wydcombe Estate Nature Reserve, Niton, Isle of Wight. Adults have been present since 8th June. Use RSPB/NT carpark + viewpoint.

MEGA NEWS!
None.

Holme Village Hall – 100 Year Celebration!

http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/local/latest-local-news/hall-a-home-from-holme-1-6214191

In the picture I can see: Jackie Arnold on front left – I went to Holme CP Primary school with her two children Miranda and Timothy. Pauline and Cliffard Rumbalow on the right, who's son Paul I also went to school with. My mother did see this event advertised in the local 'Link' village newsletter/mag, but then forgot which is quite sad, but she said that she wouldn't have dared to leave father that long in the house. I don't recognise anyone else on the picture – most of the original people (when I was a 'gal') have very sadly passed away or moved on. I have very fond memories of Jackie and my mother battling it out to win the 'Mother's Race' on school sports day, held on Whitehall Farm field at Holme! The village 'institute' as it was known then, was used by the school for indoor sports such as gymnastics and country dancing – I remember it well! I also recall the Silver Jubilee Celebrations being held here and all the children being given a commemorative silver boxed coin (still have that somewhere) and a fancydress was also held, which my sisters and I won a prize for as Queen and page boys!

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
SPOTTED CRAKE, Spoonbills x 16, Spotted Redshanks x 12, Wood Sandpiper at Titchwell RSPB.
Little Gull at Cantley.
OSPREY at North Elmham.
Spoonbills x 13, Wood Sandpiper at Cley NWT.

Other News
Red-necked Phalarope, Glossy Ibis at Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire.
BEE-EATERS x 1+ Adults, Wydcombe Estate Nature Reserve, Niton, Isle of Wight. Adults have been present since 8th June. Use RSPB/NT carpark + viewpoint.

MEGA NEWS!
MEGA! SYKES'S WARBLER, still, Isle of Whalsay at Symbister in garden, Shetland.

Victory for Beach Footpath at Snettisham!

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/victory_for_villagers_in_snettisham_beach_access_row_1_3701822

Storm Bertha, 1000 Terns & the Supermoon at Titchwell RSPB!!!

Storm 'Bertha' looms over Choseley!

Worked this morning – a very hard shift, finished at 1pm. Sun shining when I left work. Got home and packed car up with birding gear whilst the weather was dry, cooked dinner, shower, made sandwich for later. Dark skies, rain fell, wind speed gathering – snoozed until 5pm! Got a text from my sister Vivien to announce the arrival of storm 'Bertha' in Ely – she was in a supermarket carpark and couldn't leave the car – thunder, lightening, hailstones – '15 minutes of madness' was how she described it. I could have carried on snoozing to be honest, but was determined to get out birding, even in a storm!

Went to Titchwell RSPB, via Choseley and stopped to look in the flower crop for any butterflies. It was bright sunshine with very moody skies! Found a Red Admiral and one of the 'Wave' moths, but nothing else and certainly no sign of any Clouded Yellow Butterflies. The dark rolling clouds loomed other head. 6pm when I arrived at Titchwell.

Phone-scoped Video with iphone 5s & Nikon ED50 & 13-40 Zoom.

Massive count of 1000+ Common Terns and Sandwich Terns.
Black-headed Gulls, 7 Spoonbills, Black-tailed Godwits,
Avocets, Shelducks and Dunlin.

Titchwell RSPB

I got as far as Island Hide when I paused for a moment. I was going to head straight for the sea and then return to scan all the gulls etc, but the clouds from the west looked well dodgy, so I decided to play safe. I didn't fancy getting drenched, so dived into Island Hide. A Stoat ran along the path. There was a couple in the hide and they left a few moments later – I had the hide all to myself!

This evening was probably my best ever at Titchwell for sheer volume of birds – there must have been thousands of birds in brilliant sunshine and dramatic clouds. By the naked eye, I thought I was looking at hundreds of gulls, but when I got my scope on them, they were in fact Common and Sandwich Terns!!!! There must have been 1000+ at least!!! There were more terns than gulls!!! It was a fantastic sight indeed! No sign of the Spotted Crake the entire time I was there though. Got some cracking pictures of Black-tailed Godwits and other waders whilst there. Took some phonescoping video of some of the Common Terns, Sandwich Terns and Spoonbills (see video). Three very noisy foreign lads carrying beer cans walked along the main path heading for the beach – they were so loud that lots of birds flushed from near the path. On their return, they were not carrying empty beer cans!!! Very unusual to see this sort of behaviour here and unusual late evening, made me feel a bit uncomfortable with no one else around, but I was then pleased to see Mark B. arrive and sit on the wooden seat on the bank to scan the gulls.

S U P E R M O O N

Packed up my gear and went to join Mark on the main path – he said he was hoping for the Franklin's Gull to drop in – you and me both! Mark also noted the three lads and said he had also felt a bit uncomfortable, as he said, with all the expensive gear us birders carry round, it does sometimes make you feel vulnerable. The scene before us was amazing, thousands of birds, with gulls dropping into roost, right up until 8.30pm. The orange  Supermoon  looked equally amazing! With my coat and winter boots on, I was still chilly! Mark found 4 Med. Gulls in the roost. Neither of us had seen any Curlew Sandpipers or Spotted Redshanks, but everything else was there: Spoonbills x 7 (Mark had seen 11 earlier), tons of Avocets, Common and Sandwich Terns, Black-headed Gulls, Common Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls, Dunlins, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Whimbrels flew west, Little Egrets, Marsh Harriers, Cormorants, Pied Wagtails, Shelducks. A massive Starling flock in different plumages having a wash 'n' brush up in the pools – I love watching Starlings, they are just fascinating to watch! Also loads of Swifts flew over, around 20+, heading south.

Left at about 8.45pm and drove home via Ringstead – no owls on route home.

PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE ADDED

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
Garganey x 3 at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB.
Spoonbills x 7, Wood Sandpiper at Titchwell RSPB.
Black Tern, Arctic Skua at Hemsby.
Little Gull at Gorleston.
Black Terns x 5, Little Gull at Horsey.
Black Tern at Winterton.
Garganey x 3 at  Cley NWT.
Great White Egret, Wood Sandpipers x 2, Little Gull at Rush Hill Scrape, Hickling Broad NWT.

Other News
Red-necked Phalarope, Glossy Ibis at Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire.
BEE-EATERS x 2 Adults, Wydcombe Estate Nature Reserve, Niton, Isle of Wight. Adults have been present since 8th June. Use RSPB/NT carpark + viewpoint.

MEGA NEWS!
MEGA! SYKES'S WARBLER, Isle of Whalsay trapped and ringed at Symbister, Shetland.
FEA'S PETREL, County Mayo, Ireland.

Exciting Day, Not!

Today didn't go to plan at all. It was so boring, it's hardly worth posting. Got up fairly early, did pile of ironing, felt wrecked with tiredness still and went back to bed – got up at 11am! Shower, washed hair, had lunch. Had to go into town to finalise and close my Barclays account after being with them for 33 years. I'm now a Nationwide Customer with no OD fees! Did the supermarket run. More jobs at home and then spent the evening weeding the front garden! Can't believe I didn't get out in the sunshine when its going to team down with rain and high winds tomorrow, oh well at least I got loads of essential stuff done.

Finish at 1pm tomorrow. Even if its raining, I'm going out birding. Hopefully I'll be watching amazing birds dropping out of the skies on SE winds and rain!!!