Cory's Shearwater Weybourne, Norfolk? (1 Viewer)

Hello everyone. On Sunday, I went to see the Brown Shrike seen on the Saturday at Weybourne Camp. However, there was no sign of the bird so I turned my attention to the sea as it felt like there was a good Northish wind. Straight away I noticed a steady passage of Guillemots/Razorbills and Gannets flying East as well as the odd Red Throated Diver and Skua sp. Then, I noticed a large bird quite close in heading West. My instinct was a large Shearwater sp. Due to the bird being relatively close I could easily pick out the big dark brown wings and the white underside as well as most importantly a quite long orange bill. This bird was like an alien to me, almost certainly not a large Gull or anything I had seen before. Getting back to the caravan (was on a weekend break) a quick look in the bird book revealed my bird looked just like a Cory's as suspected.

I would be interested in other's opinions only due to the rarity and my inexperience with this species.

Cory's Shearwater is a description bird for Norfolk with only a handful being seen and or accepted during any year. It is getting late for these to be in our (British) waters. Northerly winds do bring seabirds closer to the North Norfolk coastline. I'm sure you are familiar with commoner and confusion species such as fulmar and immature Gannet, which is why after consulting a field guide you're confident on the bird being a large Shearwater going past fairly closely.

Yes I am familiar with Fulmar and Gannet as mentioned. Consulting my 2016 Norfolk Bird and Mammal Report it has only one down and that bird 'was considered to have been a potential Scopoli's Shearwater'. This year I have heard of a probable at Cley and that is all. Further doubt comes from the fact that other birders were nearby and have not heard of any other sightings. However, the bird must have kept low (shearing the water as is in the name) and I only spotted the bird as it came towards me and as it was straight ahead of me and by that time the other birders views of the bird would of been blocked by a bush they were using as a bit of shelter.

After looking through the whole bird book, I turned to the internet for possible confusions. Although I am familiar with Gannet, observing hundreds in some sea watches, most are distant so I do not look too carefully at plumages. Looking online I looked at all the plumages of Gannet and there is a chance my bird could be a Gannet although with an unusual plumage and going a different direction (East) too all the others I saw that day. Also, for about 10 seconds of the best time for observing this bird, I was distracted by my friend who had spotted the same bird (he did not see it so well as his scope was packed up ready to go). Maybe this could be a possible explanation.

One that got aaaaway?

The rarer the bird the surer you have to be. No point in over-convincing yourself, although on the other hand you can also be pretty sure of something which you just know probably was, but didn't get enough on to convince others thoroughly enough. Later experience may help you in hindsight to know ...