It's not often you'll hear me say the weather was 'too nice' but with pretty much wall to wall sunshine and westerlies the chance of getting some scarce migrants was all but gone. Not disappointed though as we got some good stuff. Got to Hunstanton about 08.00 and just in time to buy our supplies for the day from Tesco.
Monday
Went to Holme first thing monday morning and there were 1000's of Waders, mainly Knot and I certainly wouldn't dispute the figure of 74'000 that was on the sightings board at the NOA. Also a few hundred Bar-tailed Godwits, Redshanks, Turnstones, Dunlins, Black-tailed Godwits, Sanderlings and c50 Curlews. Also a few Sandwich Terns knocking about. c6 Stonechats were in the dunes together with lots of Linnets and Meadow Pipits and a single Whinchat just past the hut by the rough track. A Marsh Harrier was hunting over the fields, also a Buzzard. 8 Pink Feet and 5 Egyptian Geese was in the fields. Only a single Eider on the sea.
Next stop Titchwell and things obviously quieter there due to the work being carried out. Still a few Waders though including 3 Little Stints, Bar and Black tailed Godwits, Ruffs, Oystercatchers, Ringed Plovers, Turnstones, Curlews and a few Avocets. A bit of sea watching and a Red Necked Grebe was the obvious highlight, also good numbers of Common Scoter, c 20 Eiders and a juv female Peregrine on the beach. Walking back towards the centre and we had a single Marsh Harrier and heard a Cettis Warbler.
Tuesday
Off to Snettisham this morning to witness the high tide spectacle. Not as impressive as previous years but still an awesome sight. Still thousands of Knot, Oystercatchers, Redshanks, Black and Bar Wits, Dunlins, Ringed Plovers, Turnstones, Curlews, Spot Red and 3 Greenshanks. 3 Wheatear, Grey Wag, Chiff Chaff singing and 42 Egyptian Geese. A possible Rock Pipit flew over and a possible female Merlin from the rotary hide. Also 100's of Shelduck on the sea. We had several hundred Housemartins moving through and a regular cley birder who we bumped into on the wednesday said that there had been a big movement and they had 2'000 in an hour, or 2'000 an hour I'm not sure. Back to tuesday and after Snettisham we again went to Titchwell where we had 5 Marsh Harriers, several Gannets and Eiders, 1 or 2 Sandwich Terns, 2 Red Throat Divers and a Rock Pipit on the beach. A quick visit to Holme before dusk produced a Barn Owl and 3 Grey Partridge by the golf course.
Wednesday
Drove down to Cley and started off on the east bank where we had two Stonechats and impressive numbers of Bearded Tits, more than we've ever seen before. A juv Curlew Sand was on Arnold's Marsh together with several Spot Reds, Greenshanks, Dunlins and Redshanks. Done a bit of seawatching and had a single Diver sp east, 2 female Common Scoter on the sea and 29 Pink Feet west with a single Barnacle Goose. A good scour of the shingle bank but only a few Wheaters, Linnets and Meadow Pipits of note. Good numbers of Teal and Greylag Geese from the Swarovski hide. The highlight for us was when we was walking back towards the east bank and CliveA spotted a flock of 25 Snow Buntings. 2 separated from the flock but 23 remained and gave us good views around the Arnold's Marsh area. Popped in to Wells Woods on the way back but got very little apart from a few Willow/Chiffs. Last stop Titchwell and 2 Cettis Warblers were singing and a single Marsh Harrier hunting over the reedbeds. Lots of Pink Feet going through and on the sea a Skua sp and a Diver sp.
Thursday
Had a walk through the dunes and the paddocks at Holme early today and had 3 Stonechats, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 male Blackcaps and a Whitethroat. 15 Skylarks over, and many Linnets and Meadow Pipits. 9 Red-legged Partridge in the fields by the rough track. On the sea an Auk sp and a Diver sp. Thought we would try Snettisham later in the day and three Whinchats were around the last hide area together with a single Wheatear. 1'000's of Waders again and around 3'000 Shelduck. From the far hide was 5 Greenshanks and several Spot Reds. On the path back towards the car and we got a single Stonechat. A bit more action on a seawatch later in the day at Titchwell. 12+ 'Bonxies', 5 Arctic Skuas and at least 4 Manx Shearwaters. Also 2 to 3 Red Throat Divers. An adult Peregrine flew along the beach and briefly landed. Lots more skeins of Pink Feet through and 5 Snow Buntings on the beach. A Water Rail was sqealing near the main centre.
Friday
At Holme first thing and again plenty of Waders on beach. Also a Sparrowhawk shot past us heading west. In the paddocks was 2 Whitethroats and a Blackcap, a few Siskins over. Our last bit of seawatching at Titchwell produced yet more 'Bonxies', several Arctic Skuas including a pale and dark morph together. A few more Manx Shearwaters and more Red Throat Divers. 100's of Comm Scoter and c90 Eider. A lot more Gannets today, 5 Snow Buntings were on the beach. A single Brent Goose flew west.
A good few days and 112 species in total, but with rain and easterlies then who knows what it could have been.
Hi Dave
Enjoyed reading this very much. As for many, it's a place I love and so it was easy to visualise what and where you saw saw stuff. Last time I was there was in August:
http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/spain...d+all+that.html
Very jealous of the geese but I'm about to book my December trip and hopefully this year I won't get ill.
One thing though. Unless I'm mistaken, you didn't mention dates and, although I assumed last week, someone reading in a few months may find it tricky to work out.
All the best