An early October Birdo weekend based on the Norfolk coast began to unravel a little as it became clear that Mark H was going to be too unwell to join us. The discovery of a Long-toed Stint in Yorkshire had started to wobble Jono's resolve too. Nonetheless we started out at dawn down the shingle of Blakeney Point with a gentle south easterly whispering in our ears. The beautiful blue skies didn't nod towards any migrants making landfall but it was gorgeous to be out.
The flat sea was dotted with auks and divers and as the tide rose flocks of Wigeon and Brent Geese filled the shallow bays and creeks. At the Plantation on the Point there were Brambling, Chaffinch, Meadow Pipits and Reed Buntings picking at the brances and leaves. A few Blackbird, Song Thrush and Redwing hinted at the migration that typifies many autumnal mornings on the coast. From Yorkshire news came in that the Long-toed Stint was still present and we headed back with haste as Jono was commited to the twitch. Long and short I went too.
Next morning we worked the coastal belt from Holkham to Gun Hill. It was unnervingly quiet and it seems many years since I walked this route without a few Yellow-browed Warblers to brighten the search. There are many worse places to go for a walk but the birding was very sparse. The only thing to do - go to Titchwell.
There was plenty to see on the seawall walk out to the beach at Titchwell and the Golden Plover were particularly beguiling.
Jono headed back to York mid-afternoon and I headed to Gypsy Lane, slowly pottering out to Brancaster I was enjoying some close up Curlew when the strident "schweep" of a Richard's Pipit overhead jolted me, thankfully it wasn't too high up and easily located as it called again heading out towards Thornham Point.
I went back to Titchwell to enjoy the late afternoon spectacle - thousands of Starling began to gather and cover the bund pushing off the Golden Plover. There was plenty of interest in these as a young Rose-coloured Starling had been joining the throng. With lots of eyes checking it wasn't too long before a call went out for the Rosy - I was in luck as the pallid bird popped out at the front of the flock right in front of me, my phone was dead through taking so many wader pictures, so no pics unfortunately. The chattering mass of Starlings swirled over the reedbed and beyond them 70 or more Little Egrets roosted in the pines, 3 Great White's towering over them within the snow flurry of small herons.
On the marsh gulls accumulated and a very smart 1st yr Med Gull was joined by a few Yellow Legged Gulls and 2 adult Caspian types that kept the interest going. As the sun dropped, huge straggling skeins of Pink-footed Geese made their way to roost on The Wash. There are few better places to spend an autumn evening.
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