Ouzels, Wagtails and other year ticks flood in!

Brian T picked me up at 7.15 for an early sweep along the North Coast: with gentle easterlies and clear skies all night, we hoped for a good haul of migrants (or even vagrants!) While I waited for him on my front drive, a perky little Sparrowhawk tazzed through at low altitude!

First stop was Gramborough Hill, where we were entertained by the aerial skills of the Sand Martins and enjoyed close views of Stonechats, Mipits and a few Wheatears. Moving along to Cley Coastguards, nothing else was added to the list, so we carried on west to Titchwell (picking up a somewhat distant Red Kite en route.)

After coffee we followed the new walkway to Fen Hide and the viewing screen, where three Red-crested Pochard mooched around at long range. The walk out to Parrinder Hide was enlivened by three species of Wagtail on the Freshwater Marsh (Yellow, Pied and White) but that was about it until I noticed a skulking Water Rail by the path near the reserve centre.

Back eastwards for coffee at Cley and a final stop at Kelling Quags, where we eventually added Ring Ouzel to the day's tally.

Photo by Brian Tubby