It was a pretty foggy cold start at the Obs turning sunny in the afternoon. Whilst doing counts on the beach I came across a Great Black-backed Gull with a colour ring. I’m on the beach here a lot and don’t often come across colour ringed gulls so I was on an immediate mission to try and read the number. So, I tried to get slowly closer, whilst making sure I maintained a big enough distance to not disturb any feeding or roosting waders/gulls. However, I didn’t account for this gull being super suspicious… Every time I got a bit closer it would wander away and turn in the right position so the ring was completely unreadable, then to make things even worse it moved to stand in the sea so that the ring was perfectly covered by water most of the time! I should add that I was still really far away from it (perks of a Swarovski scope, you don’t need to be close to read colour rings) and every other bird was feeding away quite happily unbothered by my presence. It just seemed very suspicious and like it knew I was trying to read the ring. It possibly remembers being ringed and is distrustful of humans, which is fair enough. Eventually I did manage to get the whole number 30 minutes later by using a combination of photos, a Norwegian bird, so worth the effort!

Norwegian GBBG, attempting to hide his leg in the sea

Otherwise on the sea there were 12 Eider, 18 Red-breasted Merganser and a single drake Long-tailed Duck. A Barn Owl was feeding over the grazing marsh in the morning.

Grazing Marsh, spot the Barn Owl

Shannon

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT

Norfolk Todd’s Canada Goose (form interior) Burnham Overy Marshes just beyond reedbed pool east of sea wall c52.9690,0.7605

Norfolk Red-necked Grebe Burnham Overy Staithe still in channel between Gun Hill +Scolt Head Island c52.9766,0.7494

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE Hickling Broad NWT still 12.10pm north of Stubb Mill viewpoint from Eastfield Pumping Station c52.7526,1.6208. Viewed from c52.7530,1.6120. Park at c52.7422,1.5948

Norfolk Eastern Black Redstart (form murinus /phoenicuroides /rufiventris) 1w.male Sheringham still late morning at The Esplanade at St.Nicholas’s Place 52.9445,1.205. Park at 52.9448,1.2068

Norfolk Black-throated Diver Hunstanton still on sea c52.9498,0.4933

Norfolk Ring-necked Duck ad.fem Filby Broad still from boardwalk c52.6625,1.6373. Viewed from 52.6637,1.6395. Park at 52.6647,1.6381

Norfolk 10.Bewick’s Swans Ludham airfield still c52.7202,1.5510

Norfolk Red-necked Grebe Burnham Overy Marshes still on reedbed pool east of sea wall c52.9690,0.7605

Norfolk Scaup fem/juv.drk Titchwell RSPB still on Tidal Marsh. 3+Long-tailed Ducks (2.drks) still on sea c52.9724,0.6067. Park at c52.9629,0.6063

Norfolk 3.Glossy Ibises just east of Stiffkey still at SE end of flood south of A149 c52.9537,0.9439. Park at 52.9546,0.9512 in A149 layby +walk west

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE Hickling Broad NWT still from track c400yds north of Stubb Mill viewpoint c52.7449,1.6160. Viewed from c52.7456,1.6104. Park at c52.7422,1.5948

Norfolk Hawfinch Lynford Arboretum still by feeders 200yds south of The Shepherd’s Baa c52.5142,0.6847

Norfolk Eastern Black Redstart (form murinus /phoenicuroides /rufiventris) 1w.male Sheringham still at The Esplanade at St.Nicholas’s Place 52.9444,1.2052. Park at c52.9454,1.2082

Norfolk 1+Water Pipit y’day Buckenham Marshes RSPB still c52.5974,1.4701