Wednesday September 13
It started off sunny and ended in rain. We haven't been to Winterton Beach for months - avoiding the summer crowds. As we entered the village a Common Swift zoomed past overhead, heading south. Small groups of Swallows and House Martins, mainly the latter, fed along the dunes, gathering fat resources for the journey ahead.
Thursday September 14
A raging north westerly tempted us to Sheringham east car park after moth-ing at Cley. No Greg to-day, he was sea-watching at West Runton.
We parked at the front of the clifftop car park and in half an hour from a wind-shaken car saw, 4 Gannets, 1 Red-throated Diver, two dozen Wigeon and 4 Arctic Skuas.
As Sue B had said at Cley cafe, no real quantity but good quality. She'd seen Grey Phalarope, Bonxie, Long-tailed Skua and Black Tern as well, having spent most of the morning in the western Sheringham car park. I had expected the first Brent Geese to-day in the favourable wind.
Friday September 15
It's even longer since we birded Buckenham Marsh, another winter birding spot. Scanning the Cantley end of the marsh on the drive down was fruitless apart from 2 Mute Swans. The large pool was full of Greylag and Canada Geese with about a dozen Avocets, a scattering of Teal and probable Garganey. The latter was distant and disappeared into the reeds. It just looked right.
Stopping in the Fishermen's car park, along with one other birder in the sole car there. I continued to scan the gates for Peregrine. The birder in the other car came across to point out a bird perched on a distant gate which he couldn't ID for certain. His scope was of the extending tube variety......It was a lovely adult Hobby which later flew over the car park. We also had two Wheatears squabbling over a gate post perch, three Kestrels, a Chinese Water Deer and Pam saw a Roe Deer.
All very enjoyable in pretty awful weather. Some sun with lots of heavy rain showers.
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