Arrived at Hunstanton Green at 6.30am to watch 24 Turnstones feeding away right by the edge of the road in a dog and people free zone (most people snoozing away at this time!).
Checked horse paddock half way down beach road at Holme, couple of pied wagtails and 1 song thrush, few chaffinches, linnets and wood pigeons. 7am - parked by 5-bar gate half way down Firs Road. As I parked the car 3 people had a bush surrounded trying to photograph I presume the grasshopper warbler that was reeling away - poor bird couldn't get any peace even at that time of the morning!
Walked along coastal path towards forestry and saw 1 male reed bunting, 3 little egrets, 2 robins, 8 shelduck, 10 avocets, 2 ringed plover at Gore Point, 9 sanderling on the shore, lesser whitethroat in forestry, not a lot else there at this time. Lots of swallows and martins, stopped counting now. Walked from Gore Point along the dune ridge and saw 3 brents and another 37 flew over east, 10+ linnets. Connor then rang me to tell about the Egyptian Vulture!!!!! (I don't have a pager). Anyway whilst looking skyward for massive bird, I carried on to main beach gap at Holme golf course and scanned the golfcourse for any wagtails, only saw 3 pied wags and 3 mistle thrushes, but had 2 nice grey partridges amongst golfers and dog walkers. Walked back to via public loos and in trees by village carpark heard two blackcaps singing and 1 chiffchaff. Walked through carpark and followed narrow path through bushes to coastal path along the back of bungalows - 2 willow warblers singing and 2 turtle doves by watchtower flying west!!!!! Also 1 garden warbler popped out of a hawthorn. 1 sedge warbler singing and another 2 in patch of reeds near pay hut, plus another willow warbler singing. Sat by car having a cup of tea and jam sarnie.
Went down to HBO at 11am. Female marsh harrier over the marsh and a very nice lady bought jam doughnuts along:t: Catnapped here in the sunshine for ages, whilst looking in pond, dipped on a ring ouzel that flew over and a yellow wagtail!!!!!!! (both spotted by eagle eyed Connor!!!) Phoned my mother to see what she had seen and she had had 32 yellow wagtails at golfcourse (her biggest ever count in one flock)!!!!!!! Anyway after eating cold caribbean pizza from last night (diet going really well - again!!!) I hauled myself from the sunny seat and made my way lazily back to carpark. Parked half way down Firs Road by 5-bar gate again and went for a quick scan of forestry, which was definately worth doing as I had 2 small coppers there and a lovely wheatear in the sunshine and at least 30 linnets.
Went to Redwell Marsh (heard a cuckoo along the road) and saw 2 pairs of Gadwall, 2 sandmartins, swallows skimming over the water (checked for red rumps!), 1 white wagtail! and 2 pied wagtails appeared in front of hide, pair of shelduck, 6 linnets, 2 black headed gulls, 1 moorhen, 1 coot, jackdaws, pair of shoveler.
Holme Marsh Reserve - 3.30pm - Chiffchaff singing, sedge warbler, male kestrel, 2 little egrets (flying over marsh), 1 coot, female marsh harrier, 1 orange tip butterfly (first this year) 3 speckled woods (prob. more), 1 heron, 1 grasshopper warbler reeling away (such a wonderful tropical sound) and 2 long tailed tits.
Went to parents and looked at lots of lovely pictures my sister had just collected of her trip to Tunisia last week. She is not a birder and had a very interesting picture (very small pic!) of a finch sitting on a rock (taken early morning and it quote 'seemed quite tame'), goodness know what it is, will do a thread I think to see what somone comes up with - basically rusty brown back, dark tail, pale belly, darker breast, head and nape turquoise blue!! Black eye stripe, supercilium - whitish, and what looks like a yellowish bill - any ideas? (sorry to go off thread - only for a moment, honest!)
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
