Second Coming...second miss!

Eight years ago, to the week actually, there were unprecidented number of Honey Buzzards that had been drifted across the North Sea from Scandinavia and onto the east cost of England. I remember the day well, 'cause I was at work and was watching the excitment unfold via my pager! By the time I got home the excitment was over ofcourse, and the birds had drifted off inland by mid-afternoon. So you can image the look of joy across my face when it soon became apparent that something of a similar situation was beginning to unfold again this morning... when I was at work!!! Honey Buzzards? Honey Bastards more like! I was stuck in and around Norwich, with the pager constantly reporting more and more of these summer migrants being seen all along the North Norfolk coast, knowing that if at home, it would be a nailed on cert for the garden list! Heading back to my office in Aylsham, I decided to take my lunch at Abel Heath, just west of Aylsham, maybe I could get to see one as part of the movement. Picking up a raptor to the east after about twenty minutes, it soon became apparent that this was NOT a Honey Bastard, but an Osprey! And it had obviously just enjoyed some fishing success at Blickling Lake by the look of its lunch it was carrying!

Osprey ..anyone got any chips!

On the way home (now around 1630) I had a straw-clutching watch from some high ground near Roughton for the off chance of a stray Honey, but unsurprisingly drew a blank. I concluded that all Honey Buzzards seen today were A) Immature gulls (accounting for light phase birds) B) At best, Marsh Harriers for dark phase birds! There, now that feels better!

At least the Barn Owl bothered to show up!

Yellow-legged Gull

Travelling from Dereham towards Bawdeswell today, I swung a right to Bylaugh to have a look at Dave A's Yellow-legged Gulls. The pig field was pretty obvious and a flock of around 60 Lesser-black backed Gulls were loafing there. I had a scan through and found the adult bird but there were very few immatures present, and those that were were defo Lessers.

Yellow-legged Gull

with Lesser-black Backed Gull (lower)

AC Down!

Had problems with laptop AC cable over the past week, hence the lack of posting, evilbay delivered (at more than half the cost at PC World!) soo normal service should now resume!

Turtle

One of the first migrants to almost disappear overnight back to Africa, a Turtle Dove was on wires along the Church Track this morning. The latest bird we've had here.

Parish Tick (I think!)

I was hoping to get out for a good birding session today, but remembered that a delivery of wood was coming for the stove so I decided to have a garden watch. Started off pretty well with a Grey Heron high going west, followed by a Whimbrel circling overhead then off west. A group of 22 Cormorant high over the fields west was a fine sight, and the most in one day, let alone one flock! I was hoping (as I do year after year from May through to September!) to maybe get a fly over Honey Buzzard, as they seem to be seen frequently all over Norfolk during migration periods, but despite scrutiny of all the Buzzards I see, I can only manage Commons! Maybe I suffer HB Blindness eh?! Anyway 'broadwings' were non existent, with the seasons first Peregrine off west and a Hobby whipping down the street. Early afternoon I took a stroll over to Felbrigg Lake and shortly after getting to the N.E corner a wader came in high over the lake heading east, it took a second or two for the penny to drop but I realised that it was a RUFF. I think I saw one when we first moved here ten years ago but can't find a record of it, so we'll treat this one as a first! In the garden Maddy dog discovered a family of baby Bank Voles providing some major aaahhh material!

Whimbrel

Ruff

Hobby

Banksey

all together now......aaaahhh

Filby Broad

Work took me to Filby this morning so I looked in at Filby Broad. In the brief sunshine Dragonflies were in abundance with lots of Common Darter and Migrant Hawkers. Common Terns still present here, feeding big youngsters on the man-made rafts.

Common Darter







Migrant Hawker



Common Tern adult upper, first year lower




Sparrowhawk

Sheringham Bird Observatory

An evening visit here produced just a single Whinchat and a couple of (local ) Whitethroats. Along the clifftop the gull and tern movement west, presumably going to roost on Blakeney Point, was fairly impressive with hundreds of Black-headed Gulls and c250 Common Tern being the main stay. In with the gulls managed to pick out 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls looking smart as ever.

Med Gull with Black-headed Gulls

Med Gull

Off to roost

White-arse

Aka Wheatear, one seen along Church Track this morning before scooting up onto the Cattle stalls.

Year Tick

Walking the dog up the track first thing this morning, a plover, black and silver, came flying over the fields heading north, the years' first Grey Plover was respendent in full summer plumage. Shortly after 10 Golden Plover took the same flight line. Late this afternoon a Common Buzzard drifted east and a Barn Owl hunted behind the garden.

Swallow hawking insects over the field


Great -spotted Woodpeckers


Barn Owl




click on the picture below, notice the metal ring on the right leg.

Sheringham Bird Observatory

Another jaunt down here late afternoon saw little change in the state of play, a Wheatear showed as the rain started, and was then followed by a Whimbrel flying in from the south. Running the trap for moths last night, my first immigrants of the autumn were represented by 3 Silver Y and a single White Point.


Ringed Plover


Guillimot offshore



White Point


Last word today goes to Josh, who tentatively picked up his GCSE results this morning. Despite taking his exams under pressure this spring, he done brilliantly, getting 8 GCSE's. Well done son, we're all very proud.

Sheringham Shag!

Went down to Sheringham Bird Observatory straight after work for a wander before tea. No sign of any passerine migrants, a few Swallows were moving west along the cliff, probably going to roost. On the beach half a dozen Ringed Plover were briefly joined by a Sanderling. Just before the heavens opened a Shag flew west in tandam with a Cormorant, giving a good comparison.

Sandwich Tern


Ringed Plover




Shag (left hand bird) with Cormorant










Barn Owl

Hobby sped through village rather menacingly this morning, upsetting all and sundry!

Sheringham Bird Observatory

1200-1530 SSW 3-4 Heavy showers then fine and sunny.

A filthy morning weather wise saw me kitted out in wet weather gear just as the last of the morning showers had finished! Bits and pieces moving off shore, but nothing to get too excited about, although a movement of Grey Herons looks better than it sounds! All moving west unless indicated.

Grey Heron- moving west were a party of 4, plus a brace and two singles (8)

Greenshank - 3 together

Dunlin - 5

Common Scoter - 5

Eider - female

Teal - 8

Golden Plover - single

Little Gull 1w 1e

Black-headed Gull - a dozen or so birds arriving from out at sea

Curlew 2

Common Tern 100, Sandwich Tern 100 Arctic Tern 3

Sparrowhawk - 1 on hedge tree

Willow Warbler- Singles (2)flew in directly off of the clifftop and into the weeds around the pillboxes before hoying it up main hedge and into the wood.

Sparrowhawk presumably a juvenile male

Grey Herons at sea, much better than on a muddy river bank!

Ever present Cormorants

Is that a Shag lurking top left?