Another full day trying to find rares on the Norfolk coast felt like a luxury. The winds had turned northerly during the night and were heading west as the day progressed. Heavy rain greeted the dawn, so I decided to head to North Point Pools at Wells. Here I could enjoy some waterbirds until the worst of the rain eased, and then work the hedgerows and bushes along the coastal path towards Wareham.
A first ‘scope of the westernmost pool in the rain revealed the two anser geese had orange, not pink, legs. Two Tundra Bean Geese, freshly arrived from their arctic breeding grounds. They stayed for less than half an hour before continuing off high SW.
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| One of the two Tundra Beans |
Working the bushes and field edges produced few migrants, but highlights included a Lapland Bunting over, then down into a large crop field with Skylarks; fantastic views of a hunting juv Peregrine, and a Jack Snipe that flew over whilst I was talking to another birder on the coastal path.
Next stop was the Lookout at Holkham for much-needed coffee, bumping again into Paul Varney as I left. We walked across Lady Anne’s Drive and came to an abrupt stop by a very vocal Yellow-brow in the first Oak west of the drive.
Walking slowly west I came across another two Yellow-browed Warblers, a very bright individual by Meals House (almost Pallas’s bright) and a very dull bird near the Joe Jordan high (almost humei dull).
Stopping at the Bluetail spot I gave it half an hour and was rewarded with a 5 second view in the darkness. My fourth Red-flanked Bluetail of the weekend, and my 13th individual eastern vagrant passerine in 48 hours.
The probable Stejneger’s Stonechat was still present and showing well, but the overwhelming feeling was that the show was now well and truly over. Now it was time to go home.
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