At Last

 Sunday November 14

On the previous two occasions, it was not our primary mission. We were on our way to Winterton, looking casually, in the Waxham area.

Yesterday, we were more focussed, seeing many small parties of Starlings coming in off the sea, six birders searching in the dunes and associated fields, a tractor being used to plough a field breaking down, a garage van quickly on the scene. A male Marsh Harrier  swept the inner dunes, scattering birds as it went. All very interesting, but no wanted bird. After an hour and a half - no-one else saw it either - as the rain intensified, we gave up. A few Whoopers in the Sea Palling Mute Swan field on the way there, none on the return trip.

As the bird had been reported early this morning, we decided to have another go, there's not much else we can realistically target.

Church Farm parking area was full of parked cars - and dogs off the lead. The Horsey Seal breeding area is very close. We slowly wended our way through, walkers reluctantly moving out of the lane, deciding to look elsewhere. That was a fortunate decision. As we neared the junction outside French's Farm, a binocular clad man and his dog crossed the road towards us. Pam asked him if he'd seen 'the bird'. There it is he said, waving an arm behind him, in the hedge next to the flat square hay bales. It  then appeared on the top. Our first Great Grey Shrike of the year. 

This shows how far away it was, taken with my 1-400mm lens at full stretch - unedited. 

 

Appalling light, huge cropping,  unmistakeable outline, through binoculars.

 

as the rain intensified

Stopping in front of the barn next to Cooke's farm shop, and looking towards the sea, a small pool held a family of four Whooper Swans, two of them juveniles.

On to Bacton Cliffs parking area to scope the calm sea. A regular passage of single Gannets, 1 Red-throated Diver, 6 Common Scoter, 20 Brent Geese, and a male Eider (Norfolk year tick), were the highlights. Seeing a Cormorant sitting on the sea with its wings in the drying off position, occasionally wafting them about was odd.I've never seen them do that before. It was obviously well as it eventually flew off.