Surf Scoter brings the Holiday to an End! Oct 2014.

With a few days left of our holiday in Norfolk, Sarah and I were joined by my Mum and Dad. Good news was that a day or so before their arrival, I had heard a Yellow Browed Warbler outside where we were staying, and even better when I got views of it feeding in the trees, I didn't have the camera to hand but after so many attempts to just see a Yellow Browed I didn't care. And it also stayed for a couple of days enabling my Dad to connect and even my Mum to pick up on the call early one morning...nice one Mum.

Shopping trips, pubs and meals out ensued but on our last day out we took a walk out into Holkham Gap and connected with the adult Surf Scoter ( my Dad hadn't seen one before). A fitting end to a great holiday in Norfolk, a shame we had to leave.

Birding at Cley and more Rutting at Holkham.

 Sunday the 19th and we were out and about, back in Norfolk. The time in Warwick had been lovely but we were glad to be back here. We started the day at Cley and after a short spell looking for the Grey Phalarope, most of which was spent in amongst the reeds, we walked along the beach towards Salthouse. We found a solitary Snow Bunting and Wheatear, both giving themselves up for some photos.

 Once back near the car park, I spent some time getting some record shots of the Phalarope, this time showing somewhat better than earlier. Now it was time to move on to Holkham for the Fallow Deer again.

 The next few hours at Holkham provided a great show of the rut, with quite a few fights between the Stags. I was in a good position and at times the stags came so close I could only manage to fit the all important head clashes in the frame, most of the time!

 With Sarah sat up on a fallen tree trunk, we continued to enjoy this spectacle well into the afternoon.

 On the way back we stopped again at Cley to see the Grey Phalarope. With the sun in a different position than the first visit, it put on a good show before once again moving into the reeds.

Warwick Castle and Birds of Prey Shows.

 The two display shows for the Birds of Prey were fantastic, the guys were so informative and great company, Sarah and I were made to feel really welcome. With the castle backdrop it was a great setting for these shows.

 The Egyptian Vulture was a real character, he went straight for Paul's laces and made short work of undoing them.

 The Verreaux's Eagle Owl was a favourite with Sarah, stunning pink eyelids.

 The Condor was like a light aircraft, I kid you not. Paul said "if it looks like it is gonna hit you, then it probably is so duck!" he came in so close.

 He also cast an impressive silhouette on the castle walls.

 The view from the highest tower made our knees tremble, especially when you looked through the grating to the ground below......don't like heights, and after the 500 plus steps we were ready to return to ground level.

 Apparently the last person to stay in this dungeon was Rudolph Hess.

 Back to the flying display and great aerial flying from the Bald eagles.

 The next huge vulture was the Bearded, and what a huge bird.

 The Stellar's Sea Eagle was an awesome sight to watch.

 We were then treated to a close up of the Bearded Vulture.