A Norfolk Jaunt in the sun - 7th October 2024

I was exhausted yesterday after my week up on the Norfolk coast and chose to calmly ignore the Asian Desert Warbler up at Winterton Dunes after news broke at about 7.30am.  It turned out to be a grey and windy day and I felt little desire to go for it.

This morning however it was calm and sunny and so a poodle that way after breakfast was in order and after a short amble down through the dunes I was at its favoured little patch of stunted Birches and watching this rusty tailed sandy Sylvia – my first since the 19^th October 1991 at Flamborough Head in those days when long twitches were the norm for me.

Asian Desert Warbler 

It performed magnificently and acrobatically gleaned from buds and under leaves.  There was a good natured crowd and viewing was easy and it was good to catch up with some old friends.

Asian Desert Warbler 

After taking my fill I began to amble back watching Red Kites and Buzzards tumble over the wood and a hearing a Firecrest calling in the hedgerow back near the church where I had left the car.

Yellow legs and a rusty tail

Asian Desert Warbler 

Onwards to North Walsham for a Hoopoe that, until yesterday, had been difficult to pin down as it was feeding in gardens. As it was, this was quite the easiest Hoopoe I have ever seen and I could see it lounging on a front lawn before I even stopped the car.  It was completely un-phased but the world around it and after a while sunbathing it got up and started to probe for grubs which it tossed in the air before swallowing. Quite a faded bird but a delight to see none the less.

Hoopoe

North once again for my final bird of the day.  I talked myself out of going for the Cromer Siberian Stonechat on Saturday after the tour finished.  I was just too tired to head all the way back east from Titchwell.  A short walk and this peachy female was in the scope on a piece of Lupin infested land similar to where I saw my last UK one way back in October 1988 just along the coast at Sheringham I think.

Siberian Stonechat 

They are colour chameleons switching from super pale creamy buff to warmers brown tones; sometimes the supercilium looked big and at other times indistinct.  A richly coloured male Stonechat was using the same plot.  Interestingly the Sibe was often perch much lower down that the Euro bird and could be lost for a couple of minutes before a flight out after an airborne insect.

European Stonechat 

Siberian Stonechat 

Siberian Stonechat 

Lunch at the Old Reading Rooms beckoned before a slow cross country drive home after a most successful venture.