After having a lie in this morning, I didn't get out until lunchtime today. I decided to walk
Blakeney Point today and I am so glad I did.
Arrived NOA Walsey Hills at 12.30pm. At the end of the bottom path 2 birders were watching a
pied flycatcher on a small bush, it then flew across into the bottom willows. I very naughtily walked past the willows along the edge of the field up the wood and on the corner found
2 more pied flycatchers sitting happily, flitting about in the pines at 12.55. Around the gorse at the top of Walsey Hills I found another
pied fly. Bumped into Tony A. who had seen a
spotted fly along bottom path, which I luckily saw too (1.55pm)! Also whitethroat and chiffchaff. Lots of butterflies on the ivy at end of path aswell, included a painted lady, several small tortoiseshells and red admirals.
Left here and stopped at the
NWT visitor centre for loo stop and to collect a cheese scone with butter!!! and
arrived NWT Cley Beach carpark at 3.10pm. Looked at my watch, hmmmmm have I got time now, stop making excuses Penny and get down there!!!! With rucksack full of food goodies, flask, water and cameras, plus scope and bins off I set. I
lost count of redstarts on the way up, but I had at least
6 redstarts and
3 wheatears. Bumped into
Norman Sills (
coming from the point) who said he had not walked the point for 30 years!!!! He recalled the biggest fall on Blakeney Point in 1965 when it was covered in migrants!!!!! Carrying on I then found a tired
spotted flycatcher sitting on the shingle!!!!! it then flitted onto a dock stem. Along the path just before you cross over to go to plantation
I saw a really weird redstart - it was a male redstart but there was a pure white patch from the throat going down through the red of the chest !!!!!! - is this normal does anyone know or???.........???? (I forgot to mention this to the lads at the other end) Also there were several meadow pipits and a chiffchaff. At the plantation there were
2 spotted flys at least and
2/3 pied flycatchers and at least
1 female redstart and
1 male redstart. Also willow warbler and chiffchaff. Got some cracking pictures of these birds too while having cup of tea and cheese scone. I walked across to the 'lupins' where there were a few people deciphering whether or not they had a greenish warbler or not. The
Barred Warbler came into view and dwarfed the willow warbler below it in the brambles!!!!!!! (6.15pm). A r
edstart sat on the post directly in front of us and
pied flys sat around the barred warbler along with a whitethroat!!!!!! I left here and had a last look in the plantation and left with a smile on my face with the view of a spotted flycatcher and a redstart sitting on the fence wire together! As I walked around the big tamarisk by the little building at least half a dozen small birds erupted from the bush and shot round the other side - I went to investigate and something big errupted from the bush, stuck its head up very quickly like a jack-in the-box and guess what it was a
Wryneck - I was sooooo excited, at last I found something good myself
:t: (6.45pm-7pm) I waved my arms at one of the lads that works at the point who was standing with someone else at the plantation and they came across. We walked all round the bush and then noticed it fly across to the dunes to land on a small bush! I started to walk back in semi dusk and
LOADS of warblers erupted from the path as I left the tamerisk area including several more
redstarts,
chiffchaffs and
willow warblers. When I reached the sea a seal was swimming along. On the way back I saw another
spotted flycatcher before halfway house. NOTE TO SELF:
Do not start walking back from the point at 7pm. Its a good job it was full moon, otherwise I would have been in trouble! I did start to panic a bit I must admit. Kept looking for the triangle shape of the hut on the coastguards carpark. Whenever I kept looking at it, it still seemed to be miles away!!!! It was quite errie following the waves and the moon to get back!!!! Anyway I eventually reached it at 8.20pm!!!!!! Collapsed in car with cup of tea and drove 39 miles back to King's Lynn.
Day off tomorrow but have to wait for new washing machine to arrive, I bet it doesn't arrive until late - it better not!!!!!
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
