Quick updates

I still have my Majorca trip blog to do but I'm working on it so here's some stuff I've done over last couple weeks since coming back.
Arrived back from Majorca on the Saturday 17th but stopped in Chesterfield overnight as it was a late flight. Sunday I arrived back on patch late afternoon, had a real good ratch around and was disappointed not to find anything of note until I walked through the alley back to home and heard the unmistakable sound of a Yellow Browed Warbler..... Bingo! Got some okish views too. It was getting late but Pete at least managed to hear the bird in the last place id left it, the Vicars garden.
The other birds slightly worthy of a mention were the 8 Brent's, my first of the Autumn. 6 Siskin and 2 Grey Wagtails were the lot.

The rest of the week were really quiet with just a Whitethroat, 48 Wigeon and a patch year tick female Pintail, all on the Sea. A Single Brent too.

The 21st I had my first 40+ Pinkfeet going over Norwich whilst working.

24th there were masses of Common Darters in Corton old rail track but little else. Over the garden early am a Grey Wag and double figure Meadow Pipit with a Goldcrest. So Rach n I headed to Kelling Heath camping for the night, it was awesome actually. After putting the tent up we headed for Titchwell Nature Reserve where small groups of pinks were going over.
2 Curlew sandpipers were showing well.

as was this cracking Juv Pectoral Sandpiper

Other birds were plenty of Dunlin, a Spotted Redshank and a Hobby. A brief Yellow Browed Warbler on the Meadow trail was rubbish.

The next morning I was awoken from the tent at Kelling Heath to the sound of a Firecrest moving through with some Goldcrest and tits, a few Chiffchaffs too. I also thought I heard a Yellow Browed warbler too  but I couldn't find it so wrote it off as a Robin. Had a Good walk around the heath, as usual saw the great Dartford Warbler briefly but little else. Back at the tent I most definatly heard a Yellow Browed Warbler this time and eventually managed to find it and digiscoped it too. I was really really chuffed.

After lunch the tent was packed away and we had a walk down east bank at cley. Pretty quiet really, another Curlew Sandpiper was the best of a few waders. Over from the Visitor centre I could scope 4 Little Stints and a 2nd Curlew Sandpiper.
Almost forgot the Water Rail from East Bank.

No more birding but it was a great Birthday celebration weekend.

Migrants

Common Redstart, Whinchat and Whitethroat on the patch tonight but the best bird was a Patch tick, or at least possible patch tick Dartford Warbler. Managed to see the bird in flight long tail, small, dark and perfect flight. Couldn't have been anything else other than something much rarer.

Caspian Gull

nipped to Walberswick to look for the showy Juv Caspian gull, it was raining but the bird was showing nicely.

Med Gulls, Pec Sand and Osprey

During the week I had an record breaking 164 Med Gulls by the OSW, it will take some beating.
Wheatear on the beach and the Wryneck was still in the compound. A Whimbrel flew south.

Saturday the trees were alive with birds, more than normal but nothing unusual.
So nipped up to Salthouse and walked the shingle bank to the Iron road where a nice Juv Pec Sand was showing.

Also on the same pool were Little Stint, Ruff, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper and a nice Spotted Redshank.

Sunday the patch was dead except the Wryneck still, so picked Danny up and headed for the Blyth Estuary along Hen Reedbed for a couple of lingering Ospreys, they gave good scope views but never came that close.

Just a week to go before ill hopefully be watching Ospreys from my hotel room in Majorca :-)

For the Steam Train lovers, Rach n I sat and watched the Steam Gala from the Poppy line from Sherringham.