Arrived Holme 7.15pm. Foggy leaving King's Lynn, but the sun broke through by the time I got to Holme. Quick scan in bushes opposite public toilets, not alot there. Then drove down and had a quick look in
Redwell Marsh Hide where I saw a party of long tailed tits along the path, 2 goldfinches and a robin. From the hide were 22 egyptian geese, 1 snipe, 1 little egret. Tons of cobwebs glistening with dew this morning with big fat spiders in the middle!
Parked half way down the Firs road and walked along back path overlooking paddocks to meet up with Chris M. and Andy W. 7 snipe flew over, 3 stonechats in bushes along with a few reed bunting. We walked along the dune ridge towards Gore Point and had 20 common scooter, 2 whimbrel, 1 curlew on shore. We crossed
Gore Point and joined Connor in the
NWT Forestry who had already beaten us to it with a couple of redstart and a whinchat! In here we saw several hedgesparrows, 40 goldfinches went west, 17 linnets, 2 male black caps (at least),
5 lesser whitethroats, 2 chiffchaffs, another 23 goldfinches,
1 female wheatear, 1 turtle dove (I saw) Andy and Chris had 2,
1 hobby, marsh harrier. We all split up, Connor headed for obs, Chris and Andy went off to one part of the forestry and I went back to head for car for jam sandwich
. I didn't get very far when I saw a VERY interesting warbler shoot across from a bramble into a very small privet bush that was only a couple of feet wide. I pissheed it several times and out popped a VERY stripy, very striking head with bold supercilium and my immediate instinct was OMG an Aquatic warbler!!!!! I didn't see the main body at all only this striking head and odd behaviour. It sunk down into the bush just as quick and made a single 'chuckkk', long pause, 'chuckkk' long pause etc etc, I felt incredibly excited that I might have actually found my own MEGA and VERY frustratingly could not get hold of either Chris or Andy on the phone:eek!::C Got hold of Connor though and he came back back with another local birder and eventually Chris and Andy joined us too. I did not see or hear the bird again after everyone turned up!!!! Then suddenly it appeared for a second or two but not long enough to 100% ID it. We moved to the other side of bush and it VERY, VERY disappointingly turned out to be a BL**DY juv. Sedge Warbler, I was so cross! and VERY disappointed:-C I apogised to everyone but as Chris and another man said, its better to check it out etc etc. I was cursing for a while after this:-C Walked back to car and had lunch then we drove down to NOA carpark. We scanned the marsh and skies by the side of observatory for a long time trying to pick up all these Honey Buzzards that have been flashing up on the pager all day long. We had a buzzard sp. but were not lucky with HB's! Marsh harrier, kestrels though and a redstart. We then took our cars back up to the 5-bar gate and had another look in the forestry were we saw a lovely male redstart and a spotted flycatcher close in proximity to each other! Andy and I went back up to pines behind The Firs and on route Connor and Chris phoned us to let us know about a honey buzzard going through, but Andy and I could not pick up on it:-C In the pines lots of goldcrests were zipping about and I suddenly spotted
2 treecreepers on a pine tree! Walked back through reserve and along road where we found another chiffchaff in sallow bush and back to 5-gate to where cars were parked. Connor and Chris had already left and now Andy left to go home.
I continued birding and went to look in
Redwell marsh reserve where I had a
Green Sandpiper directly in front of hide! and
3 wood sandpipers mid distance.
I then went to
Holme Marsh Reserve NWT which was in a TERRIBLE state. I have not been there for a while and apparently there are horses grazing in there. The path that used to be there for walking to the 3 hides is now several yards wide BUT with horse sh*t, piles of it all the way along, it was a right mess to say the least. On route I saw several blue tits, a chiffchaff, 9 linnets and a party of long tailed tits and 1 snipe. And Hide 1 was a complete waste of time as the reeds in front of the hide completely covered all the water. I walked directly to hide 3 and saw nothing apart from a few mallard and cows!!! Walked back to car and then followed public footpath out to Holme marsh as far as the 5-bar gate marked private no entrance. I stood by this gate and within seconds I was watching a
barn owl AND my first
short eared owl of the year carrying a vole!!!!!!!!!!:t:
I had a real BLONDE moment and had all my camera gear in my backpack and the SEO then turned and followed the ditch and came straight for me!!! It was the closest ever, most stunning views I have ever had with a SEO and I didn't have the camera out!!!!! Nice bird ended a good day with excellent company too:t:
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
