3rd September 2011
For the last Saturday of the summer holidays I had planned a day out around Blakeney. Unfortunately the weather hadn't played ball, and it was never going to be a famous day for migrant species. This happens more often than not, so it was a case of just going out and enjoying the birds that were around. I got the first Coasthopper from Sheringham and met up with Josh for some local knowledge.
We decided to walk the coastal path west to Stiffkey, checking various points along the way. In a field just out of Blakeney we found a flock of Golden Plover and a family of Grey Partridges, and further along a Wheatear was in a horse paddock. A few Sylvia warblers were in the hedgerows and brambles, but it was rather quiet. Upon arrival at the fen we saw 11 Spoonbills resting on one of the islands, and a good range of waders. The best were a couple of Curlew Sandpipers, but we also saw Common Sand, Green Sand, Dunlin, Knot, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Little Ringed Plover. There was a large flock of Greylags, from which Josh found a lone White-fronted Goose of unkown origin.
On the way back we perched on an upturned boat for a seawatch. The strangest bird was a Black Swan on the shore, which eventually joined some Mute Swans in the channel. An almost constant stream of boats were ferrying tourists to the seal colonies, but behind them several Arctic Skuas and Gannets were passing, along with the Sandwich and Little Terns. Once we got back to Blakeney we decamped to the White Horse to play Mongolian Chess and Scrabble. Many thanks to Josh for the good company.
lack of migrants was a rather enervating experience but my spirits felt renovated by the end of the day
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