Sunday 10 November 2013

Its all about the Patch

So yesterday I couldn't do any birding as I had far too much to do getting ready for Rachel to move in and getting my address changed on all the bills n stuff, but today I was going to go search for the Humpback Whale that's been off the Norfolk Coast. Although I changed my mind at the last min and decided to do my shopping first then go do a sea watch off the patch, Corton.
After an hour and half all I was seeing were Gannets and the odd Med Gull, but eventually things started to move, plenty of ducks, Wigeon, Common Scoters and the odd Teal. Then I watched 9 Dark bellied Brent geese going North and I was surprized and amazed and excited to find a cracking BLACK BRANT in the middle of em all. I got on the blower to Rob and his possy who were watching from Hopton a mile further north. I was very relieved to hear they got it too, then there was a trail of sightings all the way up the coast. Only the second record for the Lizard area. (Gorleston to Kessingland). After this it went a little quieter but still saw a Little Gull, 2 Red-throated Divers, 6 Guillemots more Ducks n Geese and many more Gannets. I watched probably 15 small groups of Starlings come in off the sea, smallest numbers being a single bird up to 80 odd. Very exciting was watching 4 Black backed gulls chasing what looked like a Blackbird out to sea, whether they caught it or not Im not too sure but they weren't doing very well. 5 Snipe and a Sanderling were a nice surprise.
Finally a female Eider flew south and I picked out a 1st Winter YELLOW LEGGED GULL on the sea which then flew south.
After this the Humpback Whale was seen again off Sea Palling so rushed up to see that, I dipped unfortunately but I still got a good seawatch in, 10 Eider, Scoters, Wigeon, Gannets, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, Golden Plover and 2 juvenile Arctic Skuas with a flock of Starlings in off to finish.
Love it!!!!

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