18th September in Norfolk
Pink Footed Geese.
On Sunday the 17th September news broke of a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler being found at Burnham Overy Staithe in Norfolk , so plans were put into place and i left home at approx 4am Monday morning the 18th September heading to Norfolk in the hope of seeing the PGW !!
I knew before i left home that this bird was going to be really hard to see despite the good views which were obtained the previous evening , they really are ground dwelling birds that like to walk or run through the undergrowth, that said i was quite optimistic.
Arriving on site at about 7.30am there was already quite a few birders there but no sign of the PGW so far.
Plenty of Pink footed Geese.
More & more birders turned up and eventually an organised flush was arranged , basically 3 birders walked through the last known area it was seen in , not a practise i really like but provided it is not done to death (which was the case on the 19th) it is pretty much the only way you will see this type of bird unless your very very lucky.
Anyhow the flush went ahead and i was lucky enough to get a decent flight view of PGW and although i would have liked to have seen it for longer that was the best it got (for me anyway).
I spent approx 6 hours there on & off on the 18th and only got 1 identifiable flight view of the Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler .
I decided to head off to Wells to have a look at the Arctic Warbler which was much more obliging and i was very pleased i did.
The Arctic Warbler spent all it's time high up in the canopy but afforded good views and i managed to get some photo's (amazingly...lol).
Arctic Warbler.
From here i headed to Gramborough hill where a Grey Phalarope was showing extremely well in a pool near the Hill.
Size comparison alongside a tennis ball.
Grey Phalarope.
EDIT
I would just like to say although i was at Burnham Overy Staithe on both the 18th & 19th September i never once left the public right of way other than to rescue a frog/toad from the trodden reed bed from the numerous flushes along the reed bed.
I have been on many twitches over many years but have to say the actions of some on the 19th left a very bad taste , and before people jump on the fact it's the 'new generation birders' , i have to disagree , most of them were 50+ who entered the field and trespassed and then had the audacity to argue with the wardens who chased them off.
13th September Minsmere Rspb
I teamed up with a birding mate of mine and headed to Minsmere on the 13th September and finally managed to see one of my bogey birds CITRINE WAGTAIL , having dipped many over the years , sadly i never managed a photo though.
RIP Kevin McCoy
Very sad to hear that Kevin passed away last Saturday night , he was one of the most genuine people i have ever met and despite his long suffering illness his humour and enthusiasm for life & birding never diminished . Condolences to his family , RIP mate.
