A post-breakfast hour's run out to Horsey allowed Linda and me reasonable views of a solitary Cattle Egret just south of the windpump. It flew around a few times, but spent long periods out of sight. Carrying on to buy some veg at the farm shop near Sea Palling, we came across a mixed herd of swans: Whoopers, Bewick's and Mutes.
Don't get excited: not a Brunnich's or White-billed Diver! Believe it or not, despite having spent quite a few hours sea watching, this adult Kittiwake was the first of the species I've seen this year. Similarly: not having made any trips to Wales or the Farnes, the Puffin that flew west at 4.00 was another addition to a poor year-list.
The large flock of Brents were in between Cley and Salthouse, as we drove back from lunch in Holt. No sign of the reported Black Brant (but I expect it was in there somewhere!)
From their excellent blog, I discovered that Anne and Pam were in the Shelters: if I'd known, I'd have taken them some hot chocolate!
No visit to Sheringham at this time of the year is complete without a Purple Sandpiper or two: today there were three! Once again there was only a sparse sea passage, but I did manage a Little Auk!
Shout out to a couple of young Cambridge birders: they pointed out the Purps and - in stark contrast to some of the nearby locals - were chatty and friendly: they'd seen the Brunnich's yesterday!
Despite the very strong winds and several long stints sea watching, there was nothing else to report by sundown. Perhaps tomorrow morning's better weather might produce a few more seabirds...
Linda and I are staying in a terrific apartment on the front at Sheringham: just for a couple of nights, but it's become a regular event. The balcony has uninterrupted sea views and - despite the cold - we spent three hours looking out towards the wind farms. There were some good 'fly-bys', but almost everything was telescopic, with only a couple of Gannets close enough for photos. Highlights so far have been a probable Sooty Shearwater, two Red-necked Grebes and two Black-throated Divers (or perhaps the same one east and then west!). Only a handful of Auks, which seems surprising...
Linda and I took a long-overdue walk along the prom at Cromer to look at the famous Banksy 'spraycation' piece. Amazingly, despite being so close to the waves, this amusing graffito is still in fabulous condition.
A snatched morning out for Brian and me found us at the Cley Coastguards in time to see the long-staying Black Guillemot drifting rapidly eastwards. An hour's seawatch added a few odds and ends: Golden Plovers, Ringed Plovers, Eiders, a single Scoter and Dunlin, while the Serpentine held a family group of Whooper Swans. A flock of Brents that landed on Cricket Marsh seemed to have a Black Brant with them.
A walk out to the Jordan hide at Holkham wasn't too productive: a decent tit flock and a pair of Great Egrets were the highlights.
