A very, very foggy start leading to difficult birding conditions to say the least, but made for some very atmospheric and at times eerie conditions!

In the morning we walked from the Obs to the eastern most end of the beach hoping to pick up some Snow Bunting, with no luck. We were completely unable to see much further than 100m but there was very little around apart from a few Reed Bunting and Skylark. The tide had just went out and on the wrack line there was an unfortunate reminder of the harsh realities of surviving. There were two fresh dead young Gannet, one Guillemot, one young Herring Gull, 2 Sanderling and several Starling. All birds that haven’t made it.

Another unwelcome find on the wrack line…..

One of the highlights of the day was a flock of 11 Long-tailed Tit that went over high on the beach at Gore Point appearing to go out into the sea! A flock of 26 Eider were feeding close in on the mussel beds at low tide. Four Fieldfare came in off the sea in the morning fog.  A Sparrowhawk shot past along Broadwater before perching up on the post outside the Obs before disappearing again low. A female Hen Harrier was on Broadwater in the afternoon. A Waxwing was reported at Redwell in the hedge on Broadwater Road.

Sparrowhawk having a rest outside the Obs

Shannon

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT

Norfolk 11.Waxwings West Runton still 2.19pm at Incleborough Hill c52.9340,1.2508

Norfolk 1+HUME’S WARBLERS Holkham Pines still 2.14pm along Bluetail Trail. Park along Lady Anne’s Drive c52.9714,0.7889. Park at c52.9660,0.8144

Norfolk Waxwing Holkham Pines at west end at 1.18pm c52.9735,0.7822. Park at c52.9660,0.8144

Norfolk 10.Snow Buntings Holme Dunes still at eastern end of beach at 12.55pm c52.9738,0.5707

Norfolk 5.Shorelarks Brancaster still at east end of beach at 12.56pm 52.9784,0.6645

Norfolk DUSKY WARBLER Brancaster again 12.40pm briefly on NW side of Branodunum Roman Fort c52.9658,0.6499

Norfolk Y-br Wblr Titchwell RSPB on west side of Thornham Marsh house at 12.43pm c52.9634,0.5779

Norfolk HUME’S WARBLER Stiffkey still 11.55am briefly east of track at Campsite Woods c52.9568,0.9296. Park at c52.9566,0.9238

Norfolk 11.Waxwings West Runton still 11.59am at Incleborough Hill c52.9340,1.2508

Norfolk 1+HUME’S WARBLERS Holkham Pines still 10.35am along to Bluetail Trail. Park along Lady Anne’s Drive c52.9714,0.7889. Park at c52.9660,0.8144

Norfolk BLACK-FACED BUNTING WNW of Stiffkey still 11.11am at Warham Greens c200yds east of Warham Pits commuting between hedge +suaeda NR23 1QF c52.9569,0.9017 Viewed from c52.9570,0.9019 Park at c52.9566,0.9238

Norfolk 11.Waxwings West Runton again 10.50am between golf course +west side of Incleborough Hill tho very mobile c52.9340,1.2508

Norfolk Pallas’s Warbler Holkham Pines still along Bluetail Trail at 10.58am. Park along Lady Anne’s Drive c52.9714,0.7889. Park at c52.9660,0.8144

Norfolk 6.Snow Buntings Snettisham Coastal Park still between beach +sea wall at 10.34am c52.8799,0.4500 PE31 7RA

Norfolk Waxwing Holme-next-the-Sea briefly in hedgerow along Broadwater Road at 10.15am c52.9659,0.5303

Norfolk 2.Shorelarks Brancaster on beach east of golf clubhouse at 10.33am 52.9757,0.6448

Norfolk Little Bunting Stiffkey still 10.38am at east end of Campsite Wood in hedge with Reed Buntings c52.9557,0.9363

Norfolk 11.Waxwings West Runton in trees above pond near railway station at 10.22am c52.9352,1.2461

Norfolk BLACK-FACED BUNTING WNW of Stiffkey still 10.27am at Warham Greens c200yds east of Warham Pits briefly in suaeda NR23 1QF c52.9568,0.9017 Viewed from c52.9570,0.9019 Park at c52.9566,0.9238

Norfolk 1+Coues’s Redpolls East Ruston still near Weaver’s Way car park (+c80.Mealy Redpolls) c52.7917,1.4752

Norfolk Lapland Bunting flew west past Cley beach car park towards Blakeney at 10.10am c52.9653,1.0479

Norfolk Ring Ouzel WNW of Stiffkey at Warham Greens in main quarry at 10.13am 52.9563,0.8971: Park at c52.9566,0.9238 NR23 1QF

Norfolk Black Guillemot Cley NWT on sea opposite North Scrape at 10am c52.9676,1.0600

Norfolk DUSKY WARBLER Brancaster on NW side of Branodunum Roman Fort feeding in hedgerow of adjoining garden at 9.35am c52.9658,0.6499

Norfolk 12.Shorelarks Salthouse feeding on beach +Lapland Bunting (19.Twite) c52.9554,1.0973

Norfolk BLACK-FACED BUNTING WNW of Stiffkey still 9.15am at Warham Greens c200yds east of Warham Pits briefly in suaeda NR23 1QF 52.9565,0.9005 Viewed from 52.9570,0.9019 Park at 52.9566,0.9238

Norfolk 8.Shorelarks Salthouse still on shingle ridge east of Iron Road at 8.47am c52.9576,1.0853 NR25 7XA

Norfolk HUME’S WARBLER Stiffkey still half way along Campsite Wood at 8.36am c52.9568,0.9296. Park at c52.9566,0.9238

Norfolk BLACK-FACED BUNTING WNW of Stiffkey still 8.30am at Warham Greens c200yds east of Warham Pits in suaeda NR23 1QF c52.9568,0.9017 Viewed from c52.9570,0.9019 Park at c52.9566,0.9238

Norfolk HUME’S WARBLER Holkham Pines still at west end of Bluetail Trail in sallows at 8.25am. Park along Lady Anne’s Drive c52.9719,0.7855. Park at c52.9660,0.8144

Norfolk Little Bunting Stiffkey still at east end of Campsite Wood in hedge with Reed Buntings at 8am c52.9557,0.9363

Norfolk HUME’S WARBLER Holkham Pines still at Meals House at 7.53am. Park along Lady Anne’s Drive c52.9712,0.7990. Park at c52.9660,0.8144

Norfolk Little Bunting east of Wells +north of A149 at North Point Pools briefly on hedge line adjacent to sunflower field at 7.35am 52.9515,0.8748 Park at c52.9513,0.8746

Norfolk 8.Waxwings West Runton at east end of golf course at 7.38am c52.9382,1.2451

Norfolk BLACK-FACED BUNTING WNW of Stiffkey still at Warham Greens c200yds east of Warham Pits commuting between hedge +suaeda at 7.41am NR23 1QF c52.9568,0.9017 Viewed from c52.9570,0.9019 Park at c52.9566,0.9238