Sea-watching on the North Coast.

This morning I found I had a small window of opportunity, so, despite the breeze (such as it was!) being an unpromising westerly, I left home early and was tucked into the promenade shelter at Sheringham by 6.15. The next couple of hours added a few odds and ends to the year list, but unsurprisingly everything was passing west quite far out. There was quite an impressive movement of waders and wildfowl, as well as a couple of Shags and a few Gannets and Fulmars. Just two Arctic Skuas, although other watchers noted a Bonxie.

I decided to head west to Kelling (birdless!) and then Cley, where a glance across Snipe's Marsh revealed both Common and Green Sandpiper, as well as a Little Egret. The walk out along the East Bank added Marsh Harrier, another Green Sandpiper and Curlew, while the seawatch was much better: over fifty Whimbrel in several groups, Sandwich Terns, Guillemot, Fulmar and lots of waders, including Purple Sandpiper, Knot, Sanderling, both Godwits, Dunlin and Ruff.

Interesting to witness a number of Grey Herons coasting some distance offshore...  Last stop was the Visitor Centre: from the picnic area it was possible to 'enjoy' views of four or five juvenile Curlew Sandpipers.