Wednesday 10th May - Norfolk day 3

Woke to bright bue skies but it was very cold as there was a slight frost but wind a light NE so a promising direction for the North Norfolk coast and potential migrants so Ikeenly set out at 6am for a walk along the coast from Stiffkey marshes towards Warham Greens.

Whitethroat, Blackcap and Lesser whitethroat were on the footpath to start and after about 10 minutes I stopped to photograph a Hare and realised I didn’t have a SD card in the camera  ! . so I resigned myself to continuing the walk without the ability to take a picture which was annoying as the light was perfect.

More Whitethroat and  Lesser Whitethroat were encountered with vocal Cuckoo, Blackap Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler plenty of Linnets as usual and a few Goldfinch and Yellowhammer.A single Whinchat was in the Sueda and a Redpoll flew over, loads of Whimbrel and a few Swallows moving through was the pre-breakfast haul.

After breakfast, I started heading East, thinking of continuing to Titchwell but instead decided to stop at Holkham and Lady annes Drive . I walked out to Gap along the beach, in vain hope really as a couple of the winter Shorelark flock had still been reported a couple of days ago but there was no sign. I sauntered slowly along the woods Sedge warbler, Lesser Whitethroat (there must have been a real influx of these over the last couple of days) and Treecreeper were added. I reached the Tower hide where there were good views of Marsh Harrier and 3 Spoonbill were on the most obvious pool on the Holkham marshes.

Continuing through to burnham Overy Dunes a Muntjac Deer followed me along the path, into dunes and eventually I saw a Ring Ouzel, which was typically flighty along with a male  Redstart and several Mistle Thrush. A Marsh Harrier that was hunting over a pool full of Sedge fspooked a Bittern, which made a couple of attempts to make itself invisible It was around midday when I walked back to the car and heard news of a Tawny Pipit at Weybourne.

So with little else planned I went there, walked along the coast where you cvould look beyond the fence to a patch of grass in the Weybourne Camp and where the pipit was and it was still there  amongst the grassy tussocks,  the Tawny Pipit gave ok views through the scope.  I bumped into Nik Borrow there who I had been on a few trips with and who has moved to Norfolk .Wheatears Skylark , Red Kite and more Swallows were also there.

I Started back West, stopped at Salthouse, nothing on Granborough hill bar the resident Stonechat and Sand Martins from the cliff colony , A Ringed Plover and Dunlin were in the pool and 2 Yellow Wagtails in the field.

I stopped at the Cley visitor centre and had a cup of Tea  and could tell the Marsh was empty – not just empty of any  unusual birds but of anything at all.

I headed back to Stiffkey marsh and walked towards Stiffkey Fen. The wind had increased but it  was still bright and clear/ Another  Lesser Whitethroat was in the campsite wood, and Marsh Harrier, Brent Geese  and Whimbrel on the saltmarsh. The Fen was fairly quiet other than a small gull roost and apart form  Avocet, Little Ringed Plover was the only wader, but the Fen looked more likely to attract waders than Cley.

Finished walking for the day, I met Ivan in the pub again at dinner. Not that I'm convinced it's entirely accurate by my phone declared I had walked 28km today.,

male Marsh Hariier at holkham

Tawny Pipit - Weybourne

Tawny pipit - Weybourne

Sand Martin - Granborough Hill

male Marsh Harrier - Stiffkey.