Sunday 23 September 2012

At last, some autumn birding!

While not on the scale of today’s Shetland megas, there’s been some decent birding this weekend in East Anglia. Jono and I spent Saturday in North Norfolk, and I’ve then been braving the wild and windswept Suffolk coast today.

Species highlights were almost exactly what you’d expect for the time and place: a few skuas and shearwaters (single Manx and Sooty) at Sheringham early on, followed by an invisible Yellow-browed, a very visible and very lovely Red-breasted Fly and a Barred Warbler yesterday, and then a scaly juv Red-backed Shrike, a moderately distant Leach’s Petrel and a smart Pec Sand today. Oh, and a surprise in the form of a Hawfinch, as well – filling itself up on hawthorn berries after its sea crossing.

barred_warblerrb_fly1rb_fly2blackwit2rbshriketitchwell_sunset

Didn’t manage to find anything else unusual – but just being out in the peace and quiet (even in the wind and rain) with the sound of freshly arrived Goldcrests and Robins is fantastic, and potentially exciting birding. I love it!

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