Spotted Flycatcher and Chiffchaff. 12th Sept 2013.

 After finishing my last night shift I decided to take a walk around the pits (DWE). The weather was crap and the light awful and dull,but hey ho! carry on. The usual suspects were on the water and the only waders seen were Lapwing and a single Common Sandpiper. I moved along the hedgeline in the hope of something to snap away at, and the first subject were 2 Reed Warblers opposite me in the waters edge vegetation, they then moved across to the hedgeline to feed and I followed in their direction. I picked out this vocal Wren and then heard a Chiffchaff calling but could not locate it.

 I then noticed a bird fly out from the hedgeline catch a fly and return to the hedge. It was then I spied it, a young Spotted Flycatcher. A lovely sight and a new species for me at this site, it was then time to wait and work with patience to get close enough for some images. For over a hour I watched this bird and snapped off some shots, it would disappear to the other side of the hedge for a time,but it would always return to my side as it chased the insects.

 Whilst watching the Spotted Flycatcher I was aware of the Chiffchaff still in the vicinity, then I caught sight of it as it moved towards the area where the Flycatcher was, I was able to get some shots of the bird as it fed.

 The Chiffchaff then moved along the hedgeline and my attention returned to the Spotted Flycatcher, the weather had improved with sunny spells, I got some shots of it preening and wing stretching, before finally bringing up a pellet of the insect remains.

 The Chiffchaff moved back towards me and so I bagged a few more images as it stopped to rest and preen awhile. 

 After some feather pulling the Chiffchaff moved off and I took a couple more parting images of the Spotted Flycatcher before continuing my walk back to the car and home. Oh! Did I say I was happy with the morning.......indeed I was.

Time to go home. Norfolk 2013.

On the day we were departing for home, the weather had totally changed with misty skies and rain. Sarah and I made a trip to Salthouse beach with just the bins'. There were a few birders turning up whilst we were there, with plenty of birds passing out to sea. We saw large groups of Wigeon, Teal and Scoter passing, alongside a lot of Skuas and Gannets. There were 3 Wheatear on the area off the beach. On the day before whilst sea watching, I noticed a small bird being chased by a large gull, think it was Great blacked backed, and with thoughts of perhaps a petrel being pursued I was surprised to then see the small bird turn out to be a Kingfisher!, it actively turned and zig zagged and then dived into the sea to escape the gull before heading off west with the gull heading that way also, mind you I don't think it was still after it. A sight I didn't expect to see. 

Beach again, this time with a "white arse" on show. September 2013.

 Two days after Sarah and I crashed out at Kelling beach and we were back there again, once again I took my camera gear, happy to sit on the beach and chance on anything passing. First to be photographed were the Stonechats, this time the more colourful bird which did not pose the time before. 

 A meadow pipit also put in a close show for me to grab its picture. And then it was off to the beach.

 On setting our stuff down on the front we noticed a Wheatear close by, it hadn't been there a couple of days ago, so had presumably only just moved in. And the resident Grey Seal which had kept us company all day previously was there again. It would come up for air and then sun itself before disappearing back below.

 The Wheatear continued to stay around us all day long and I managed to get a few closer shots. It had a lovely rich colour to its upperparts as well as on the underparts. Later on it was joined by a juv Pied Wagtail, which was always close by actively feeding in the same patch.

 As the day came to an end it was only fitting to end with a few more shots of the Stonechat. 

Kelling, Norfolk. September 2013.

 The plan was to chill out and spend some time at the beach, so Sarah and I headed off to Kelling, despite no sand just a stony beach I actually prefer this, no gritty socks or pants!

I also decided to take the camera gear, and set up on the sea front for any chance of fly by birds, well it turned out a small success so we headed back on another 2 days. On the water meadows there were Ruff feeding and a Common Snipe showed itself close by. There were loads of Goldfinches, and nearing the beach a group of 3 Stonechats showed very well.

 It was then time to sit back and relax and watch the waves,and flyby birds. On this occasion there were good numbers of Sandwich terns up and down the shoreline feeding on the small whitebait.

 There was also a good passage of larger gulls, mostly Great Blacked Backed Gulls. It was nice to be able to get some flight shots of them over the sea, all from the comfort of my pebble seat on the beach, mind you I moved around so much snapping away at the passing birds that I succeeded to bruise my knees and wear a hole in my jeans.

 And with all the Tern activity it was no surprise when a Arctic Skua made an appearance. 

 I saw Godwits, Oyc's and Sanderling pass by and on walking back to the car watched this Hobby over the meadows putting the Goldfinches all to flight.

"The Northrepps Sparrow" September 2013.

 Sarah and I spent Monday to Friday in Norfolk and on the first day we decided to go take a look at the Italian type "Northrepps Sparrow".

Whatever its background it was a smart sparrow indeed.

 On one occasion it fed one of its young, notice the tick on the young birds head.

 It was a colourful bird, moving out of view on a few occasions it followed a circuit of feeding, dust bathing,and preening before resting up. It is a interesting bird for sure.