Ortolan and Catch Up

A quick dash after work todaye getting brief but ok views of the Ortolan Bunting before it flew a hundred yards or so when we got better views for another 20mins before it appear to go to roost in the gorse.

To catch up with the previous missed weeks:- yesterday saw Red-necked Phalarope and a Pied Fly at Holme, also saw Redstart and Red-backed Shrike and two Peregrines.

A quick stop at the Dun Cow and I added Common Tern, Greenshank, Whinchat, Canada Goose and Snipe to the Pub List also saw Gannet from here.

We then went to Stifkey where we saw the Barred Warbler and then onto Cley where a few different phase Arctic Skuas were about.

Last stop was Weyborne where we found another Red-backed Shrike and many Wheatears and even more Pied Wagtails.

On Tuesday 31st August another evening out after work, got views a Lapland at Salthouse and a Barred Warbler at Stifkey, also had a probable Great White Egret but could quite get enough views.

On Monday 30th August a sea watch was on the cards with a early start arriving at the shelter at 5.45 and finding it full I was more than surprised. Did miss a Storm Petrel but got Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Pom Skua and Long-tailed Skua (juv). Manx Shearwater and Sooty Shearwater also. Although it was good numbers were very low compared to the fridays sea watch. That afternoon I went to Hickling and saw 17 Cranes but not much else.

Saturday 28th August had enough time to quickly go and see the Short-toed Lark at Cley on Blakeney Point.

Friday 27th August a early start at Sheringham had me straight onto 2 Pom Skuas, the rest of the time around 25 Arctic Skuas and the same Great Skuas and a great view of Balearic Shearwater. That night a mad dash to the point and didn't see the Booted Warbler.

Sunday 22nd August started at dawn at South Creake to look for the two reported Spotted Crakes to find to Juv Moorhens, but come back through the back lanes was lucky enough to see a Quail as I nearly ran it over. I then headed to Alkborough to try and see the Semipalmated Sandpiper waited six hours before heading back, stopped briefly at Marston to see the Spotted Crake there, when the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper came on the pager, got there just in time to see it.