Mind Blowing

What and amazing few days, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Yellow Browed Warbler, Pallas's Warbler, Richard Pipit(s), Great Grey Shrike and many more and this is how it happened.

Yesterday I had some bits to do at work so had to go into the office, the office has recently been relocated near to Great Yarmouth Cemetery so when I had done my bits that was the plan to head there.

I got there about midday found the Firecrest and Yellow-browed Warbler that have been around for a few days. There had clearly been an arrival of birds with Robins, Redwings and Brambling all present but hadn't been early in the week. The only problem was the wind, any bird you came across flew straight into deep cover and could not be seen.

I was just watching a Firecrest when I get a whistle from another birder, he'd just had a Red-breasted Flycatcher. It took some effort but I did manage to get some views.

I then had to head back to the office and after an hour or so I was back in the cemetery more Redwings flying over, more Brambling also. I then had a call that we were having problems so I had to leave again. I managed to get back at about 4.20pm where I got one more glimpse of the Red-breasted Flycatcher.

No bird pics as to wet, windy and dark but this squirrel looks as good as it can without becoming a Red.

That takes me to today, Started at Horsey, did the entrance track first, seeing Chiffchaff on the way down. I then walked down toward the Nelson Head Track. Along the way Redwings, Brambling, Redpoll, Meadow Pipits streamed overhead, masses of Reed bunting

This Stonechat sat up nearby for a picture.

 

I walked further along and flushed a group of around 50 Meadow Pipits, they were bathing and drinking in the puddles along the track. I then heard a familiar yet unusual call, and straight away I was looking at a Richards Pipit in the dunes, it then flew south with the other 50 or so Meadow Pipits these landed just over the ridge I tried but could not relocate the bird.

I then walked back slowly noticing the slow down in birds coming in again and the most birds that were around seemed to of headed inland. Up the track I spotted another Chiffchaff I say another because this bird was very yellowy almost like a Willow Warbler but was defiantly a Chiffchaff.

I just got to the car when the Pallas’s at Winterton came on the pager. I wanted to see this as I do not have a photograph of a Pallas’s and would like to try.

Well this was my best effort which I didn’t mind as I also got the amazing little video.

 

I didn’t watch the bird long as I then heard my second Richards Pipit of the day, I saw it land around 30m away. I told the birder next to me and we went in pursuit. We flushed it again and it gave another quick all before disappearing from our site.

 We continued to look finding Woodcock and Snow Bunting during the process.

 A Reed Warbler was around the toad pool and on the walk back from there I had more Chiffchaff and a Great Grey Shrike flew over my head.

I had another look at Pallas’s before I then headed to Trimingham.

At Trimingham there was more of the same, big Thrush flocks, big Finch flock and Reed Bunting. The only extra thing as a rather cool flock of 10 Blackcap.