Thursday 8 September 2011

Great weather for seawatching...in Ireland

Just back from our week-long hol on the Northwest Norfolk coast. The day before I went, I twitched Tim's Little Stint at Hes East, although I think it was stuffed as it did not budge in the 15 minutes I watched it.


A fab week had, mainly indulging in family stuff, and meeting up with old friends, but a little birding done where possible. The birding started with a little madness, whereby I dashed to the nearest bit of sea to look for the Kilnsea Albatross. Sadly, it didn't fly past Titchwell before dusk. It didn't fly past anywhere else by the sounds of it. I did manage several Arctic Skuas and one distant bird that landed on the sea looking very like an adult Long-tailed Skua, but sadly I couldn't nail it.

The following day started well with Philip finding a Wryneck in the dunes at Holme at the same time as one was trapped at The Firs. 'Our' bird was very flighty which made it impossible to get a photo. A smart bird, which at one point perched atop a reed stem like some kind of freaky Reed Bunt. Not much else doing at Holme, apart from a fine Hobby, a Peregrine, Turtle Dove and several Lesser Whitethroats. A spectacular high tide roost was going down on Gore Point, with several thousand Bar-wits and Knot, some still in fine plumage. Later that day, we hooked up with Reg at Cley, for fine views of c15 Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stints, Spoonbills etc.



Juv Curlew Sand. A fine bird.

The next day, the wind went heavily to the westward. Reg got excited as this was perfect timing for his Bridges seawatch trip. I, on the otherhand, got a bit depressed! Not a lot else seen all week, apart from more Spoonbills, lots of common waders, Little and Yellow-legged Gulls, and a few Wheatears. As we headed home today, got the gutting news that a Citrine Wag and Cattle Egret had appeared at Cley and a Buff-breasted Sand at Titchwell. Would have been nice to see these, but nevermind...


Little Gull, Simmond's Scrape.

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