Burnham Overy Dunes & a Few Uncommon Migrants...

Wryneck, East Bank, Cley

First though, have a look at this photograph of a juvenile Sandwich Tern taken at Titchwell, Norfolk, yesterday. It must have thought it had won the lottery when it went after Sand-eels and came up with a Garfish longer than itself!

Local Lottery Winner! Sandwich Tern goes for Sand-eel & gets a Garfish!

Well! woke at 4:15am today for some stupid reason, now long forgotten. I decided to go out and walk along to Burnham Overy Dunes, perhaps to see yesterdays Barred Warbler. The Sun had not yet risen as I made my way along the sea wall from the A149. Birds were few and far between except for passing Greenshanks and quite a few Pink-footed Geese. As I got nearer to the dunes Northern Wheatears started to appear. At the end of the wall I headed West for the short walk to the Barred Warbler and in that 60 yards I saw 2 1st winter / female Common Redstarts and flushed a Jack Snipe. The warbler was not there. I carried on towards Holkham Pines to sit on a low dune overlooking a patch of Sallows and Brambles. Unfortunately I was not looking where I was going. A bird flicked up off the ground onto a Bramble by the boundary fence and I found myself eye to eye with a Wryneck. Hard to say who was the more stunned but the Wryneck bolted for a particularly thick Bramble patch and vanished. I stayed for a few minutes noting another Common Redstart, Blackcap and Spotted Flycatcher and then headed off for the Barred Warbler which had just come up on the pager. It was between yesterdays site and myself. I had obviously walked straight past it.

Barred Warbler, juvenile, Burnham Overy Dunes

I slowly made my way back to the car even though new birds were arriving all of the time. Whinchats now made an appearance and a particularly nice male Common Redstart was along the footpath near the A149.

I sat in my car trying to decide where the nearest Bucket Sized coffee could be found when the phone rang. Penny! Bless her heart, "Red-breasted Flycatcher at Garden Drove". HOW SLOW CAN TRAFFIC BE WHEN YOU WANT TO BE SOMEWHERE 10 MINUTES AGO!!! Eventually made it to the site and parked the car when the phone goes again. Mum. Now don't get me wrong, my Mum is lovely but she can talk for England! Priorities, right? That reminds me, must ring and apologise for cutting her short. Sorry Mum!

Made it to where the other birders were and eventually had this little Eastern gem quite close. Two Spotted Flycatchers were at the same site.

Red-breasted Flycatcher, Garden Drove, Warham Greens.

Headed home to lay a carpet for my eldest daughter but watch this space...Easterly winds and rain. Time to take a few days off. Have a look at the pics below to keep you going until next time.