Wheatear Double at Burnham Overy

I arrived at Burnham Overy this morning before first light. After a short wait the light came up and the rain stopped; allowing me to walk to the dunes in half light.
On the way I encountered two Barn Owl, a Marsh Harrier and hundreds of geese (Pink foots, Brents and Greylags). The bushes held large numbers of mixed thrushes and starlings.
Arriving at the dunes a small group of birders already had the Isabelline in their sights so I quickly joined them to get on the bird. The views were distant and the bird was quite mobile. Whilst here we had the unpleasant sight of a Stoat taking down a large Rabbit. I grabbed a few shots in the gloomy light but don't know why as it really was a grim thing to witness.

Isabelline Wheatear at Burnham Overy

Stoat on it''s kill

this is what they call a killer bite!

Talk about biting off more than you can chew.

Stoat v Rabbit

As we moved down the dunes the Desert Wheatear was flushed and gave good views but was again quite mobile but did make for a nice pair within a couple of hundred yards.

Desert Wheatear

I walked to the far end of the dunes but found little else of note so left in search of Waxwings failing miserably in that quest too, News broke of a rarity at Brancaster so I headed there in hope but after a short walk news came out that the bird had not been refound so I left for home and an afternoon dinner date.

Barwit

Turnstone

Year list now 271

This could be a bad day

I woke this morning at 3am having arranged to meet the Jims at 4am with our destination being Easington in East Yorkshire a four hour drive away. My usual two hour rule was to be broken but with the target being a Siberian Accentor the extra mileage was justified but may have put me on a slippery slope for future twitch rules.

Siberian Accentor 

The weather guys had forecast clear skies over night so we left worried that our target may well have taken the clear skies as an aid to continue on it's stretched/reverse migration route but as we drove up the A1 we encountered large thick fog patches which kept us positive. Eight miles from the target and some three and a half hours into the journey the pager bleeped for the first time and news was good. Ten minutes later we're watching the splendid vagrant as it picked insects from the moss covered tarmac backing onto Vicars Lane. The twitch was well managed by the locals and seemed to go off really well whilst we were on site and what a star the bird was.

Shore Lark at Kilnsea

With good views had and the bird then flying to the gas works over the road we left to search for migrants. The Shore Lark was our first bird found just a short walk from the toilet block car park at Kilnsea. Two Ring Ouzel and a probable glimpse of the Raddes' Warbler followed by a group of Tundra Geese and then a Pallas's Warbler made for a good trip before the heavens opened and cold wind and rain arrived forcing all but the hardiest back to the cars. We left and thanked our lucky stars for a great day that could have easily been a very bad day.

Year list now 269
Life list now 378

Siberian Accentor

Sib!

What a little cracker!

WWW. wet Warbler weekend

Norfolk this morning.

First stop Holkham Pines were we eventually found the Radde's Warbler after a two mile walk, two hours in the wrong place and a good soaking. Yellow-browed Warblers numbered at least six and a single Ring Ouzel flew over. Large flocks of thrushes contained Redwing and Song Thrush with smaller numbers of Mistle Thrush. Grey Partridge in the car park added to the day list as did Jack Snipe on the pond opposite Eastbank at Cley.

At Cromer we connected well with the Dusky Warbler which called and showed well but we did get another soaking for our trouble here so headed home wet with three year ticks and a lifer in the form of the Radde's. (We dipped one here a while back so nice to put that to bed)


The camera didn't make it out of the bag today mainly due to the weather and the birds being really elusive and mobile.


Life list now 377
Year list now 267