Rain Wind and Sue

Friday May 24

Pam was offered to-day at 10.40 or June 6th to see the doctor about her sinus and chest infection. Sue understood why it had to be to-day, we only birded in the afternoon. Pam drove, Sue and I walked.

Not seeing any sign of the Ruddy Shelduck in the Salthouse / Iron Road area,, we parked at the village end of beach Road, Cley, Sue and I walking to the top of West Bank. There we stood in a howling, freezing cold north easterly near gale  - without seeing the Red-backed Shrike. It had disappeared shortly before we arrived and did not re-appear. 

I managed to clean off most of the glutinous mud clogging my shoes before driving to the car park at the beach where a couple of Sandwich Terns flew squawking through.

Fortified by one of Julian's delicious hot chocolates, Sue and I walked East Bank towards Arnolds Marsh. What a penance. Eyes and nose streaming, I stood beside a small group of birders huddled on the side of the bank, where a departing Richard the Hat pointed out an unexpected Pectoral Sandpiper at the very end of the Serpentine. The missing Wood Sandpiper then flew, in giving very close scope views. A man from Satholme and Sue used my scope, the bird flew before I had a chance to digi it......I shouldn't be so generous! Yes I should, others have been good to me in the past.

A white blob in the distance was a Snow Goose! Another surprise. When I questioned its provenance, SG told me that it had just flown in. It was later reported flying past Blakeney Point.

The Snow Goose was still visible from East bank near the car park so Pam could make a short sortie to tick it before hastening back to the shelter of the car.

I was pleased to get back to the comfort of home. It's June next weekend.........