Any Migrants Around?

 Sunday April 12

Another lovely morning- especially if one is cocooned in a car, away from the brisk wind. Holme was the destination, our best chance of seeing migrant warblers from the car. As we drove througgh the reserve gate, a pair if Stonechats flitted away. Good start. The volunteer at the kiosk asked us if we intended using the cafe. He then went on about being two helpers short anf there only being a very limited offering of eats. No problem for us, we came for the birds.

Sitting in the NOA car park, we saw a few Swallows fly through  and a first for this year, rwo  Sand Martins. We could hear Avocets calling from the Broadwater but nothing else. Having eaten our Morrissons steak pie lunch, we drove slowly back,stopping where a birder was scoping the dunes. Two Wheatears and a female Redstart is what he had seen. We watched for ten minutes without seeing any movement at all , apart from birders walking off the boardwalk and through the bushes. An anxious warden came by but I don't know how one is going to stop them. Apparently, there was also a Ring Ouzel there, and all the birds were being driven into hiding. 

I used Merlin in the NOA car park, and again in the entrance area. Redstarts were heard in both areas along with a Willow Warbler in the latter. We didn't hear any of them !

 Brancaster Staithe was very busy, the Crab Hut had a long queue. A highish tide and the number of people had driven the remaining birds onto the far shore. I needed my telescope. Two Knot, a very black Spotted Redshank, Black-tailed Godwits and two Turnstone were the result. One Common Redshank came close enough for a photo.

 


Holkham added Marsh Harrier, several Spoonbills and at least two Cattle Egrets. As we drove towards Wells, a male Hen Harrier crossed the road in front of us, beautiful birds. Pam had seen it earlier. 

Our birding day ended at Cley Coastguards, watching Brent Geese, finding nothing else. Always eorth a look at this time of year. We had Yellow Wagtails and a Wheatear here on Thursday. 

Meadow Pipit at Salthouse


 

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