Busy Birding The Week.

 Glaucous Gull

The weather certainly got warm over the last week, although now it's raining as of writing!, and with the temperature came the birds. There were Swallows and Martins continually passing the cliff fronts and warblers calling from the scrubland. 

 Glaucous Gull

All along the coastline there were reports of Wheatear arriving,along with good numbers of Ring Ouzel, a bird which although I've seen, not in the Trimingham Patch area, despite looking it has eluded me so far!

 Wheatear

A handful of Wheatear were seen moving along the cliff front or hopping over onto the fields.

A lovely addition on two occasions were Whimbrel, one day as a fly over and then the next day one seen flying around the shoreline before distantly landing on the beach.

 Whimbrel

 Whimbrel

Chiffchaffs were calling all over the place, which is always pleasant, but they definitely had competition from the Blackcaps scattered around. Willow Warbler was also found but unable to photograph.

 Chiffchaff

 Chiffchaff

This fishing boat cast a great image on the sun lit sea.

 The Morning Catch

Moving to Trimingham the previous July I had missed out on the spring passage, and so was glad to see so many nice birds arriving, there were a handful of Lesser Whitethroat scattered around the scrub, always skulking around feeding they gave themselves up a few times.

 Lesser Whitethroat

  Lesser Whitethroat

  Lesser Whitethroat

  Lesser Whitethroat

Over the last few weeks we had been seeing plenty of Hares in the fields, this younger Hare was busy feeding in one of the clifftop fields, moving closer to me it then decided it was full enough to hunker down among the large clumps of ploughed earth.

 Hare

 Hare

And saving the best till last....at last a Ring Ouzel!

This beauty landed in the top of a nearby tree for just seconds before moving off along the coast, finally I can add it to the patch list.

Ring Ouzel

At last the FOG lifted.

 After 4 or 5 days (the days go from one to the other so quick I can't keep track) of foggy conditions it finally lifted, you could actually see the shoreline from the clifftop! But before that whilst checking trees that were not obscured in a veil of grey, I had been  scanning behind a neighbours garden as I knew they had Siskin and Brambling feeding there, and sure enough even at a bit of a distance I could pick the birds out. Then totally unexpected I found a Hawfinch amongst the branches!

I didn't hesitate and got myself round there and low and behold found 3 of them, and added bonus of a Mealy Redpoll. What great new patch ticks for Trimingham.

Due to the sensitivity of the neighbours houses I didn't put the message out, last thing I wanted was to get anyone annoyed.

 The next morning I checked and found 2 Hawfinches, andthe Mealy Redpoll was still there. As seen the day before, there was a stunning male Brambling (unable to get a photo) with a solid black head in full plumage, the likes of which I hadn't seen before...stunner. And with the weather still closed in I hoped as predicted that it would lift so I could at least get the moth light out for a while.

 Since moving to Trimingham I have been waiting to get the moth light out and start a new garden list. Unusually the weather was as predicted !! and I sat out in the garden for a couple of hours. I clocked up eight species in that short time, including Chestnut/Red Chestnut, Small Quaker, Common Quakers, Early Thorn, Clouded Drabs and Early Greys.

 Sun Sun Sun at last, checking the front early morning I saw my first Wheatear of the year, followed by another shortly after. With Swallows, House Martins all now moving through it was finally happening, another nice bird was a Whimbrel flying overhead, and with the forecast of some nice weather upon us hopefully a lot more to see.

Spring Finally Here in Trimingham!

 Over the last couple of days things have definitely started arriving. First a Chiffchaff in the neighbours garden then on my walk around I found this bird calling continuously in the clifftop wood and upper slope, so nice to hear them again.

 I searched the fields and tracks for a Wheatear but alas none were found. Once again the Glaucous Gull was on the beach off of the wood. The day was topped off with a single Swallow flying past from the back garden.

 This morning I went out with my Dad and after a couple of minutes were listening and watching a couple of male Blackcaps trying to out do one another.

 The Meadow Pipits were display flying along the lower cliff slopes and 4 Swallows were seen today. This Iceland Gull was found on the beach, shortly after it gave a flypast as it headed along towards Mundesley. And with more Bees and Butterflies getting on the wing hopefully there is plenty more to see.