Holiday Birding day 1, Pallas's Warbler, Great Grey Shirke and a Siberian Stonechat

Computer has been playing up so I haven't been able to do an update. So the next few days I shall catch up.

14th October Adam and I headed for Burnham Overy Dunes we arrived at first light and the first bird of the day was a Woodcock.

Along the track a Crossbill flew over sounded good for Parrot but being unfamiliar with the call at the time it would have to go down as a possible.

A few small groups of Redwing flew over which became a theme for the morning.

Upon arrival at the bushes a female Whitethroat sat up, and after a good look through the bushes we found a Lesser Whitethroat also. Goldcrests, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and a Ring Ouzel were also around.

We then continued towards the sea and the west completing a circle back to the bushes.

Around here we added many Reed Bunting, Blackcap, Meadow Pipit and Chiffchaff, as well as more Thrushes.

As we walked back towards the bushes we found a few Brambling amongst the sueda.

Adam and I then split up and took different roots across the dunes. I then spotted a flock of Meadow Pipits flying and notice they were chasing something, it was a Great Grey Shrike!

 

 

I sat near us for 3mins before flying off inland.

We continued seeing more common migrants just before we got to the pines at Holkham another rain shower passed, this stopped once we were in the edge of the pines. Two Fieldfare were flying around (our only two of the day) and 2 Swallow were also around.

This shower clearly brought more migrants as a flock of 30 Chiffchaff were in a single Sycamore. As well as more Thrush's and Goldcrests, 4 Mistle Thrush's and a group of 12 Blackcap.

This Chiffchaff gives a rare look as a Green leaf discolours it.

Then the sun came out and the migrant movement appeared to stop (we at least slow down)

So we headed for the X-tracks to look for the Pallas's Warbler that had been seen but as luck would have it before we got there we found it.

 

Shame the picture wasn't focused.

 

This Blackcap was also here.

 

 

 

After watching the Pallas's Warbler we walked up to the x-tracked then headed to the beach to look around the edge of the pines there. We added nothing new despite and extensive search. This tired Chaffinch clear a new arrival.

 

 

 

From here we walked back towards the car we were nearly at the sea wall when a message about 2 possible Parrot Crossbills came on the pager, we had to go back to look. We arrived to find the birder that had seen the birds but the birds had gone.

 

We searched the immediate area but had not luck but 6 Buzzards did fly overhead here is four of them.

 

 

We walked back again and before reaching the sea wall a message about a Siberian Stonechat got me putting on an extra fast walk. Although I stopped to get this picture.

We got back to the car and head for Wells, upon arrival there was no sign of the bird, we search for 30mins before I wondered back to get the car. I told Adam to keep looking in the hope he would find it.

I got back to Adam to discover he had relocated the bird. A fantastic Siberian Stonechat in Norfolk only Two weeks after I'd been to Suffolk to see the bird as a Lifer.

After this we headed home.