It seems so long ago now when Sarah and I spent a few days in Norfolk. We travelled up on the Sunday 14th June, and after a fairly dry but very grey drive up the clouds actually started to clear! We arrived around midday and sorted our gear and some food shopping out then hit the coast. First we drove to Blakeney as Sarah had noticed signs for a antique's fair at the hall, so I relented and took her along. With a touch of blue in the sky we decided to head to Cley. We had already decided to walk to Blakeney Point the next day, Monday, and try and connect with the Blyth's Reed Warbler and Paddyfield Warbler there, but due to our position along the coast and the weather I couldn't resist to go for the nearest one at least! And so we got to the Cley beach car park and set off for the Halfway House. Twenty minutes later we joined the group of birders looking for the Blyth's Reed Warbler, this was a new species for me and Sarah and thankfully we didn't have long to wait before it flew from one area to another. We managed a few flight views before the weather started to really darken and look ominous. Deciding it was probably better to return to the car before the rain started rather than slog it to the point for the Paddyfield we headed back. How the hell we missed the flyby Laughing Gull I do not know, I was probably concentrating on being able to move one foot ahead of the next on the shingle that I was oblivious to anything else! That walk out and back always gets you, and this time it was only half of it!!
At least I had seen one of the birds and there was always tomorrow. Once back at the car the rain started and got worse as the evening went on. The next morning dawned bright and lovely, and we headed straight to Cley Beach and set off, well your'e probably guessing how the story progresses already and yes sure enough there turned out to be no sign of either bird, the highlight being 2 Wheatear at the point, I wished I'd gotten soaked the day before now.
Still never mind I was in Norfolk to chill and relax and that's what we did, I love nothing more than sitting on the beach and just watching the sea and anything that should fly past. On one day we took a drive to Narborough for the Marsh Warbler, and guess what it didn't show or even sing! So back to the coast to chill. On our return journey we had to pass through near Narborough heading towards the A11 and so I tried for an hour to see if the Marsh Warbler would give itself up just one time for me, and this time I got lucky, it was singing it's little heart out and even though it only gave itself up as it flew into the reeds I was more than happy to just listen to it's song.
