Local stuff.

During the week 5 Wheatear on Corton Cliffs my first Lesser Whitethroat of the year on the Dis Railtrack.
Opposite Corton Woods in the Caravan Park a Firecrest singing its heart out.
Yesterday a little bit of movement COSW 2 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Whimbrels past and a Fulmar. Red Throated Diver went South and a couple of Passerines that were too far away to Identify came in off.
Headed in the Hickling direction but passing Hopton I watched 9 Whimbrel drop into a field.

Passed Breydon Bridge and luckily the bridge went up so gave me the opportunity to scan the mud, Spoonbill feeding in the channel was brilliant.

We then eneded up at Happisburgh where we noted Yellow Wagtail, 7 Shorelark and a nice Summer Plumaged Dunlin.

 
This morning back on the patch, very quiet until the 90+ Sandmartins went mad along Corton cliffs to a nice Female Marsh Harrier. A Fulmar was quartering the cliffs and was very very close.

Rach n I headed to Hickling Broad again this time for a boat trip out to Rush Hill and Swims Coot hides. Before boarding the boat 2 Cranes flew over our head and i think landed in or near the Bittern Hide but I didnt have the time to look.

As we made our way towards the hides 2 more Crane flew over our heads giving great views, then I digiscoped this Common Tern from the boat.

Swims Coot was brilliant although initially as everyone lifted the hide doors everything flew off. In time it all slowly came back. 3 Green Sandpipers were the first birds to return.

 

Next in was the Avocet.

Then the Whimbling call over head of the Whimbrel to 38 dropping in a showing really nicely.

 
Then a small flock Dunlin and Ringed Plover.

Redshank are always nice.

 
 Lastly a nice flock of 16 Ruff dropped in feeding ferociously.

On the boat trip to Rush Hill it was quiet and even from the hide it was quiet except a Drake Pintail.
We left and stopped to listen for the Savis but it was quiet and we didn't have long.We visited the tower platform in the woods where more views of Crane were had, at least 5. Then back to Hickling where I was able to again take some pictures from the boat, this time of the nesting Great Crested Grebes.

After leaving the boat more Cranes, Grasshopper Warbler from the Visitor Centre and then the Savis Warbler Reeling from the Weavers Way footpath.
Back on the patch i stopped the car at the start of Stirrups lane to my first Male Ring Ouzel of the weekend and best bird on the patch.   

Bank Holiday Birdng

Its so nice to have some quality time at home, even better when i get to cover the patch daily.
So although I didn't see anything scarce it was nice to get a few migrants at least. Willow Warblers were evident on one day only a fall of 6 birds, I'm lucky to get 1 a year at the NSW. They were all over the patch this year. 2 Wheatear in the OSW was nice and also meant a small fall. Sand martins were all over now and up to about 100. Swallows most days too.
A Common Whitethroat was quite early and unfortunately again a passing bird not one of the breeders, that was at COSW. A female Peregrine was a great record for COSW.
An evening in Great Yarmouth had my first Sandwich Tern of the year past.
Goldcrest one morning seemed everywhere in the village, all singing there hearts out, not many on the patch itself though, not much of anything actually. the wind had swung more Westerly and any migrants had cleared out and no new ones in.

Nipped out to Hickling broad and the main reserve, the camera didn't need to come out except for this Hoodie hybrid, nothing else of note except a Booming Bitten and a few distant Common Cranes.

The patch was again quiet so nipped out with Danny for a few hours over at Boyton and Hollesley Marsh's, it was actually really good with 2 Jack Snipe, plenty of Avocets, Black tailed Godwit, Ruff, 3 Sedge Warbler and a Common White-throat at Boyton.

 

 

Over at Hollesley it was even better with 2 Whimbrel, a cracking male Yellow Wagtail, 2 Adult Med Gulls a few Pintail and my first Reed Warbler of the year and more Sedge Warblers, a cracking site.

Today it was just a quick look on the patch before heading into Gunton Woods for a few plants, the Snakes head Fritillary and not flowering yet the early Purple orchids, maybe they will be in flower next week.

 

Then onto Horsey for a walk to see the Grey Seals, although that wasn't the plan, I was just drawn that way. Never bothered before but it was well worth the fight with the tourists. The seals don't seem fazed by the amount of numpties getting too close to them whilst on the beach.
Cant resist a whole series of shots. 

A Ringed Plover was the only bird to show well with the Seals.

Lastly a nice Common Dog Violet in the dunes.

So a really nice long weekend locally.