After the northerly winds of the last few days, today bought a welcome change, with glorious autumn sun and a gentle southerly breeze. There were a few thrushes on the move first thing, with a notable flock of 55 Fieldfare briefly alighting in the dunes before heading west as we arrived. This is the first decent size flock of the autumn at Holme.

We spent some time looking at the sea and were duly rewarded with an adult Puffin close inshore feeding, a relatively rare bird here, and possibly the same bird that was recorded on the seawatch yesterday. It stuck around all too briefly though and couldn’t be relocated. A winter-plumage Great Northern Diver was on the sea alongside plenty of Red-throated Diver and Great Crested Grebes. A few Little Gull were still around too, and an immature/female Velvet Scoter came in close too.

As we were leaving the seawatching spot, a single Waxwing appeared to arrive off the sea, and perched beautifully in the top of the pines. It disappeared, and then a minute later re-appeared alongside a second bird, with both trilling away as they flew off east.

Not long after, news broke of a Rough-legged Buzzard heading west along the coast. Six of us convened at the best vantage point on the coastal path and began scanning. There were plenty of raptors around with 9 Red Kites, 4 Common Buzzards, 2 Marsh Harriers and a Kestrel. We were beginning to lose hope when a passing visitor approached us, camera in hand, and asked what he had just photographed. Staring back at us was a pin-sharp photograph of a cracking Rough-legged Buzzard. The birder said he had it coming past on the sea, so we can only assume it went out over Scolt, then took a line across the sea to Holme. It also did an incredible job of not disturbing the hundreds of gulls out on Thornham Point, which we were sure would give us an early alarm if it did pass over them. That’s life eh, although it was a bit gutting to know just how close we were to seeing it! This is just the fourth record since 2000, of what was previously a near annual visitor to Holme.

To round off an all-round excellent day for raptors, a Peregrine was seen over Thornham Harbour, Bearded Tits were ‘pinging’ away from the reeds along Broadwater and both Barn and Short-eared Owls were out over the grazing marsh hunting at dusk.

Sun setting over Holme marsh

Shannon

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT

Norfolk COUES’S REDPOLL 4mls ENE of King’s Lynn at Roydon Common NWT along entrance track in birches (+c110.Mealy Redpolls) c52.7762,0.4870 Park at c52.7783,0.4898

Norfolk Caspian Gull 1w Long Stratton on pool by bypass this a’noon. Park at Hall Lane +walk to view c52.4858,1.2454

Norfolk 14.Snow Buntings Winterton Dunes still on beach near car park at 3.02pm c52.7179,1.6984

Norfolk 7.Waxwings north of Edgefield +west of Pond Hills Road on rowan berries c52.8819,1.1164

Norfolk Snow Bunting Titchwell RSPB on beach west of boardwalk at 2.27pm 52.9754,0.5956

Norfolk 3.Snow Buntings West Runton at clifftop car park at 2.18pm c52.9412,1.2497

Norfolk Waxwing Cley Marshes NWT briefly in car park from cafe at 11am c52.9546,1.0565

Norfolk DESERT WHEATEAR fem SE of Eccles-on-Sea still 1.59pm on beach off east end of Beach Road c52.8016,1.5854

Norfolk 6.Waxwings Holme amongst houses along entrance track early a’noon +may have landed c52.9668,0.5313

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr Holkham Pines still along back track between Bluetail Trail 3 +4 this a’noon. Park along Lady Anne’s Drive 52.9715,0.7874 Park at c52.9660,0.8144

Norfolk Siberian Chiffchaff Holkham Pines. Park along Lady Anne’s Drive c52.9715,0.7924 Park at c52.9660,0.8144

Norfolk Rose-coloured Starling juv reported Happisburgh again on wires from Happisburgh Community carpark briefly at 10am c52.8222,1.5366. Use beach carpark NR12 0PR

Norfolk Rough-legged Buzzard flew past Holme at 11.58am c52.9746,0.5562

Norfolk DESERT WHEATEAR fem SE of Eccles-on-Sea still 11.57am on beach off east end of Beach Road (+3.Snow Buntings) c52.8016,1.5854

Norfolk 6.Waxwings Cockley Cley in roadside trees briefly at 11.46am then flew towards Swaffham c52.6069,0.6455

Norfolk DESERT WHEATEAR fem SE of Eccles-on-Sea still on beach off east end of Beach Road c52.8048,1.5765

Norfolk 2+Lapland Buntings Weybourne flew over fields east of coastguard cottages at 11.23am c52.9478,1.1511

Norfolk Snow Bunting on beach between Waxham +Sea Palling at 11.24am c52.7842,1.6130

Norfolk 2.Tundra Bean Geese Dickleburgh flew West over Langmere at 10.19am 52.3959,1.212

Norfolk Rough-legged Buzzard flew west over Burnham Norton at 11.11am c52.9637,0.7203

Norfolk 3.HUME’S WARBLERS Holkham Pines still 11am around crossroads area +Pallas’s Warbler still (+12.Waxwings on bluetail trail then flew west). Park along Lady Anne’s Drive c52.9715,0.7924 Park at c52.9660,0.8144

Norfolk Rough-legged Buzzard flew west over Holkham at 11.01am c52.9672,0.8142

Norfolk HUME’S WARBLER Holkham Pines still at east end of Bluetail Trail mid morning (+Pallas’s Warbler still). Park along Lady Anne’s Drive c52.9720,0.7854 Park at c52.9660,0.8144

Norfolk 3.Lapland Buntings Trimingham aroud clifftop (+Snow Bunting) c52.8999,1.3854

Norfolk c20.Twite Salthouse still on saltmarsh west of north end of Iron Road c52.9581,1.0816 Park at c52.9534,1.0806

Norfolk Lapland Bunting Mundesley in stubble field south of Mundesley Holiday Village at 9.55am c52.8689,1.4461

Norfolk 2.Mealy Redpolls How Hill in riverside trees northwest of Ludham Bridge at 8.35am 52.7054,1.4957