I have finally seen a Greenish Warbler

 I set off in hope this morning after a Greenish Warbler was reported at Thornham yesterday. On arrival at Thornham I walked along the marsh spotting eleven Spoonbill and watching Lesser Whitethroat and Blackcap move through the hawthorns before I arrived at the trees where the bird was seen. A couple of hours later and all I had seen was a couple of Chiffchaff, more Blackcaps and some Long-tailed Tits. 

Spoonbills at Thornham (over 50 young have fledged in Norfolk this year I'm told)

I gave up on the Life tick and moved along the A149 to Burnham Overy Staithe and walked down to the sea wall where I had the briefest of views of a Grasshopper Warbler and despite a further search I couldn't refind it. 

I walked along the boardwalk and could see a small gathering of birders about half way to Gunn Hill and as I approached I noticed a Wryneck fly up and sit on a small bush for a few seconds, just long enough to point the camera at it but no time to adjust settings unfortunately.

Wryneck at Burnham Overy

Wryneck

A few steps further and I was watching a Barred Warbler in the brambles. It was in the company of a Garden Warbler and a large flock of Linnets but was elusive and in about an hour watching it I saw it four times for no more than a few seconds. A single Wheatear was the only other bird of note although a Redstart and a second Wryneck were reported.

Another birder mentioned news of a Greenish Warbler at Holme so a quick check of the phone and sure enough another Greenish Warbler had been reported so I set off for the long walk back to the car intent on giving the lifer another go. Before I arrived at Holme they had trapped, ringed and released the bird so when I arrived all the info I had was the last tree it was seen in an hour ago. I paid my £3 entry and waited and was rewarded after a couple of hours when another birder called me over as he'd found the bird in the very tree it had flown to on release. I gathered up the other birders on site and eventually everybody had decent views apart from one poor guy that only managed to see it when it finally flew from the tree. With the bird seen I left for home and a well earned pint to celebrate the tick and the removal of Greenish Warbler from my dipped list.

Holme NOA

Year list now 252

Life list now 415