Surprise!

On Saturday and Sunday my guests were treated to a ‘Migration Weekend’ in Norfolk like no other. We couldn’t have hit the weather better. This was, as the county bird recorder said to me on Monday, ‘Norfolk at its best’

Easterlies streamed in from far parts of the continent and carried with them migrant birds in their droves. Driven down to our shore and hinterlands by the incessant rain the migrants pored in. Common birds stole the limelight. A fall of Blackcaps were obvious with seven on one branch at one point. Song Thrushes, Redwings, Siskins and Meadow pipits came in low off the sea. At one point even a Robin joined us briefly in the ‘Beach Hotel’ at Cley as it flew from the surf, over the shingle and away to safety.

Wildfowl too were on the move with big skeins of Brent and Pinkfeet coupled with large flocks of Wigeon.

Among the prizes were a brief Barred Warbler. A couple of Yellow Browed Warblers, one of which was very ‘shouty’ and showed well; the other silent and demure. It was almost like watching two different species. And what about that Common Swift we saw at Wells? As Tania said “That one had hit the snooze button too many times”.

… and then there was the bird that flew out over us in Wells woods. The last time I saw a Cuckoo in October it was a vagrant from America sporting a Yellow Bill.

Next years October Migration weekend is already up for booking on the website.