Ah the bank holiday weekend. At last! Seemed to take an age to finally roll around. Last weekend I was otherwise engaged and missed the decent arrival of drift migrants, this weekend I hoped I would make up for it. Sadly though conditions were a little less favourable.
Saturday though was more about socialising than birding, James Lowen hosted a garden party to celebrate him and his family's first year in the fine city of Norwich. A great time was had by all. Fly-over late Swifts, House Martins and Sparrowhawk kept the birders entertained. The craic and banter was top class also.
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| Guy Kirwan, Yoav Perlman, Graham Clarke, James Lowen and Nick Watmough (Robin Chittenden, Andy Musgrove had escaped at this stage) |
On Sunday - with my head being a little foggy, I ventured out after lunch only. I reckoned the Winterton Bluethroat was worth a punt. I got to the spot on the north dunes around 2pm, picking up Wheatear and this smart juvenile Whinchat along the way.
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| Whinchat, Winterton on sea, Norfolk |
At the pool where the Bluethroat was there were maybe three other birders, so certainly not over-crowded. The bird was visible but keeping well back behind the vegetation, always on the deck and mostly obscured by grasses, sedges or other plants. Getting a shot was tricky , the light was atrocious and bird would not stay out in the open for long. But patience paid off and at high ISO (at least 1600) I managed a couple of reasonable shots.
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| Bluethroat, Winterton on sea, Norfolk |
This morning I'm awaiting the rain and wind to ease on the coast before heading out with Nick, James and Yoav to look for migrants. Fingers crossed for something good before work tomorrow!
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