October 23rd - BIG FALL

I had read on many reports that something truly spectacular had taken place with the fall of birds yesterday afternoon in the fog and light East winds. On reaching Stiffkey this morning I could see what they meant. There were birds everywhere. Every bush, tree and hedge had Blackbirds and Robins shooting out in all directions.

In thick fog I walked slowly through the woods towards the area that the Bluetail had been found and along the way I stopped and searched through the Robins while Thrushes streaming through overhead. A few Redstarts were nice to see and Bramblings fed quietly in the trees

Redwings, Blackbirds and Fieldfares by the 1000's!

The Bluetail was very nice and showed well down to about 10 ft , I was keen to get away and look for my own birds

I walked the track from Stiffkey to the concrete 'circle' along the coast. On the way 3-4 Ring Ouzels were seen and heard (but many more must have been passing). 2-3 Chiffchaff looked fairly nominate and Redpolls called overhead while Bramblings moved through in decent flocks

On to Wells in the hope of flushing an OBP! .. It was evident that many of the birds from yesterday were still sheltering in the woods waiting for the fog to lift.

Again 100's of Robins, Thrushes and Goldcrests everywhere

Brambling numbers were even higher here (40+). Despite searching through all the tit and crest flocks I could not find anything rare .. Back at the car park and a quick scan over the seawall towards E Hills and a beautiful male Black Redstart was seen catching flies around the lifeboat station.

I will not forget the sight of Thrushes shooting out from every bush that I passed in a hurry!

October 8th

October is always an exciting time on the Point and today the sun was shining and there was a light NE breeze. The only problem was that it was too calm a day to displace any good migrants

The morning started with a quick seawatch from Cley coastguards. A family pod of Harbour Porpoise swam slowly past, the young calf sticking close to its parent's side. A few distant Little Gulls and my first Shags of the Autumn/Winter season. They are annual here in November but never common

Started the walk up and it was clear it was going to be a quiet day !

A group of 40 Jay flew over Blakeney Harbour heading SW - These are part of the recent big movement taking place in the UK and on continent that seems to be linked to an acorn crop failure. I have never seen any birds from the Point and they just about count as a 'patch tick'
A further surprise was hearing a familiar sound over the sueda near the Watchhouse.... I knew the call but could not think what it was! Then I saw two long tailed birds 'pinging' overhead - Beardies - Another bird I have never seen here despite being common nearby at Cley
I then heard further birds were noted in Wells Wood, so a small local passage was taking place.

Raptors are always a great feature of this time of year and today was no exception with a juv fem Hen Harrier patrolling the dunes and shingle in search of some tired migrants.

The rest of the morning was spent chatting to Joe (warden) about how unpredictable migrants are! And searching for the next big rarity (without much luck!)

... It has been quiet in the county but its only a matter of time before Norfolk hosts something special

October 3rd - Kelling

Due to the continuing West winds decided not to walk the Point and decided the more sheltered areas around Kelling might be worth a look

The highlight was a close (ish) Manxie past along with a scattering of seabirds - Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Guillemots, only two distant Sandwich Terns and a few RT Divers

Wheatear, Chiffchaffs and just singles of H Martin and Swallow

..... Kelling Water was devoid of birds other than a few Teal and a few BH Gulls ....

Typical that later in the day Pec Sand and Water Pipit were found there!!

Not having the best of luck so far this Autumn but the fun and games should start next week when we get a bit of E and N breeze .. just in time for the chance of some real Siberian migrants

Westerly winds return

28th September The long awaited visit by my friend Dave Gandy who is now living in Thailand (see Bangkok city birding blog).We had been planning our search for rare birds for months.

The day arrived but so did the start of West winds which made birding hard work. We knew it was an 'all or nothing day' and we were right!

 As we walked towards the Point 4 Spoonbills were the highlight and we reminisced about the previous rarities we had seen along the way. A couple of Song Thrushes (I also heard the first Redwings over my house before we set off), a few Skylark and Mipits were all we could find. At the lupins a pale Sylvia looked good for the Barred which I first found over a week ago in the nearby sueda... We waited and after about 45 minutes what may have been a second Sylvia flew closer to Dave's position and he saw it was a Garden Warbler. So probably a few different birds hiding out in there as I see the Barred was still present by the weekend

 On the way back a few Stonechat, 1-2 Wheatear was all we could manage to strain out of poor migrant hunting conditions!

 Seeing as in the past Dave has always been jammy and coincided his Norfolk visits with days when great birds have turned up (Black Lark being the best), I guess the lucky run was not going to last... Still a pleasant day out and good to catch up.

Classic Point

What a morning...

Started with a quick seawatch at Cley - Sooty Shear, 3 Manxies, a few Arctic Skua and Bonxies, lots of Gannets past. Yet again I missed a Long T Skua ! Will I ever see one in Norfolk!?

The pagers started beeping and it was evident that there was an arrival from the East following some good 'fall weather'. N Winds with rain showers overnight.

It always amazes me how people rush off to look at found Y Brows when the potential to find one (or something better!) was surely there. I rushed up the Point with hope of at least one Y Brow or RBF
Unfortunately I got neither but the day panned out even better

Lots of Mipits and when I reached the Hood the first hint of better birds started to appear. Stonechats (pair) and Spot Fly.
As I reached the plantation the warden (sorry don't know your name despite our regular chats) said he had seen a few birds. A Goldcrest flew out of the Plantation and flew into a window stunning itself! It was a nice male bird with bits of red in the crest .. It soon recovered and was released by an assistant warden into the plantation

Here Pied Fly, Wheatear appeared then things started to pick up around 11.30

As I walked along the main track a massive pale grey Warbler flew past. (and I mean big!). It had a long tail, pale grey all over and large size with a hint of wingbar .. Barred Warbler.
I flushed it three times but it kept moving further into the marsh towards the Yankee wreck .. each time it got harder to flush and eventually I had to give up on trying to relocate it. I released the news as possible but not much else it could have been .. The pale plumage size and long tail seem like a clincher to me ..

Just 20 mins later I bumped into James Mc , R Porter and crew .. Certainly easier to find birds in a team like that!
They had just bumped into an Ortolan ... Great bird and just beat me to finding it (aaaargh)

Managed a few record shots on phone

Stunning tame juv bird .. and a really scarce bird these days

Further birds inclued
2 Lap Bunts
Redstart

Bumped into two other birders that had found a really skulky bird .. we spent ages chasing it and it turned out to be just a female Blackcap. As always birding the Point can be frustrating .. but it is worth the effort

A really enjoyable day with some great birds

Autumn migration

Morning visit to Cley

Started by seawatching from coastguards and despite the West winds which have dampened the enthusiasm of most Norfolk birders, a few seabirds were passing. Close juv Gannets, a distant Arctic Skua chasing a few of the remaining Sandwich Terns, a few Auks and RT Divers.
Highlight was a sum plum Black-throated Diver that flew close inshore heading up towards Blakeney Point. Thanks to the visiting Dorset birder that pointed it out (I was scanning  much further out and would have missed it!) Always a scarce bird in Norfolk and the first I have seen this year.

Skeins of Pink feet were coming in-off and a female Marsh Harrier flew low over the waves heading west into the wind.

Onto North Hide and a Wheatear flew up along the way.
Pec Sand and 2 Curlew Sands were about the only birds of note here.

Bishop Hide was busy with birders. Highlight of the day (for me) was finding a juv Garganey amongst the Teal. Always a nice bird to study and only the second one I have seen this year.

Also here : 2 Spoonbill, 3 Curlew Sand, Spot Redshank

Now all we need is some E winds.
Then the fun will really start...

Yank waders

A search for American waders today at Cley produced just the Pec Sand from previous days

A nice crisp juv bird.

This Autumn has been amazing for Yank waders on the west and SW coast. I think there will be quite a few more in Norfolk in the months to come!

Other waders and birds at Cley :

Curlew Sand 2-3, Dunlin 50, Bar wit, Whimbrel, Curlew 40, Ruff 30, Lapwing 200, Com Sand, Snipe 2, Redshank 5, Ringed Plover 5, Golden Plover

And other birds of note:

Ad Y L Gull

Barnacle with Ross x Barnacle hybrid

It was then that I was informed by a helpful birder at Cley beach car park that a Baird's Sand had just been found at Titchwell
The following phone photos are terrible but you can see the really long primary projection. Not the most distinctive of juv birds I have ever seen but nice close views:

I have a bad history with Baird's having dipped at least 4 before I finally saw my first at Minsmere years ago ... which is maybe why I haven't been to see any of the last few Norfolk birds.

After watching the Baird's I noticed that many of the birds on the marshes where acting as though a large raptor was moving through and sure enough a quick scan showed the reason .. a nice Osprey flew over and straight over my head!
It was later watched hunting over Brancaster from the end of the path by the beach.

Also seen here at Titchwell:
2 Eider, Water Rail, Spoonbills. And additional waders to the ones at Cley:
Spotted Redshank, Knot, Grey Plover (also one partial albino Golden Plover with a white head!), Avocets, Black T Godwits, Sanderling and Oystercatchers .... resulted in over 21 species of wader today.

Not a bad day out .....

Now what will the next Yank wader be in Norfolk .. there must be many more heading this way