Seawatching produces the star birds.

Titchwell and Snettisham Leaders:Simeon, James and Matthew 17/9/05
James and I went round Matts house for Friday/Saturday. We woke up in the tent to the sound of aproximately 400 pink-foots flying over. (A nice start to the day!) We went up to Titchwell in the early hours of the afternoon. After seeing one of the Temmink's stints and getting a few record shots of the two Curlew Sands we wandered up to the beach to do a spot of Seawatching.
Nothing much went past until the end, when I spotted two skuas mobbing a gull. They were identified as one Great and one Pomarine. I was pleased because the Pomarine was a lifer for all of us. One surprise was followed by another as James spotted two Red-Throated Divers. Also on the sea was a large raft of scoters (aprox. 350) consisting of Common with a couple of Velvet, a raft of about 20 Eiders, two Pale Bellied Brent geese on the beach, two Red Breasted Mergansers and a few Sandwich Terns. Also on the marshes were Little Egret, (4) Common Sandpiper, (1) Spotted Redshank, (1) Common Snipe (2) and a Grey Heron.
After that we went to Snettisham for the high tide, where we saw a little grebe , the resident female Scaup, a Fulmar on the shore, several Wigeon and Pochard, 4 Greenshanks, 2 Common Terns, a female Whetear and a large group os Knot with an individual summer plumage on the pits. Overall it was a pretty good day with one lifer and a couple of yearers.

Around the coast

Holme NOA, Stiffkey, Salthouse, Kelling, Titchwell RSPB 17/9/05 EABA leaders: Connor

A trip to several strategic sites around the norfolk coast. The first stop was Holme NOA for more sea-watching. Unfortunately no Shearwaters or Petrels but one Pomaraine Skua, four Arctic Skuas and eight Great Skuas as well as Red Throated Diver, Velvet Scoter, Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern and Fulmar. On the reserve a merlin, two Siskins, one Redstart and a Cetti's Warbler.

We stopped at the flood north of the A149, seeing two Curlew Sanpipers and a Green Sanpiper. Salthouse Pools then provided a Little Stint. The Spotted Crake showed reasonably well at Kelling Quags.

The final stop was Titchwell were both Temminks Stint and Little Stint were on the freshmarsh. Overall a good day!

Super Stuff!

Holme NOA 16/9/05 EABA Leaders: Connor
Loads of sea-birds had been moving of the Norfolk Coast today so, at 6:45 pm I stopped for a sea-watch at Holme. The next hour or so was very productive with 13 + Sooty Shearwaters, 8+ Manx Shearwaters and two Arctic Skuas. Just as we were about to leave I scanned in closer and to my shock found a Leachs Petrel. A superb bird and a great lifer!

True start of Autumn!

EABA leaders: Connor

I trip to Stiffkey Fen for the Red Backed Shrike and other exciting migrants! The female/juvenile Red Backed Shrike was quickly located next to Bait Diggers Path. Also in these hedgerows at least one Pied Flycatcher and a female Redstart. On to the fen! The Pectoral Sanpiper was on the far side of the fen and also on the fen there were six Green Sanpipers, eight Curlew Sandpipers, two Common Sanpipers, one Wood Sandpiper and a Little Stint.
All in all a good outing!