There's patch of wasteland near the boating pool at Sheringham that has produced three Black Redstarts over the past four or five years: two adult males and, today, a first-winter male. A remarkable little patch that will soon be under some expensive flats...
Brian, Norman and I started the morning with a brief sea watch at Cley (some Red-throated Divers and Great-crested Grebes) before moving along to Blakeney Harbour. As we approached the scrubby meadow between us and the five bar gate a flock of fifteen or so Twite flew up, giving a few distinctive calls. They flew around before heading eastward, their return precluded by literally dozens of off-the-lead dogs. (Mercifully all friendly little things)
A large corvid flew up and away: looks pretty good for a Raven...
We drove back to Cley for coffee, following a walk out along the East Bank. Not much to report apart from a dashing Sparrowhawk, a very confiding Curlew and a dapper little Stonechat: a very distant diver looked good for Black-throated...
Final stop was Sheringham: the Blackstart had disappeared, but it was great mardling with Richard 'the hat' and other Cley Bird Club members. The Summer Wine Crew decided on a walk along the prom: no Purple Sandpipers and no definite Caspian Gull, so we returned to the car. Richard came running up to tell us the Black Redstart had returned to the garages. What a smashing fellow, to look for us up and down the prom! Once Richard left, the three of us were the only birders present: quite quickly the bird approached to within fifteen yards, allowing terrific views (and images!)
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