Another North Norfolk Cracker!

5 am start and a decent drive took Jono and I to Warham Green where an Isabelline Shrike had been seen for the last few days.

We were not alone and other birders were already in the general vicinity that the bird had been seen. Sadly though, it has moved on so Jono did not get his first lifer ever when being out with me!

We made our way to the beach car park at Cley and to nearly Eye Pool and found the Grey Phalarope.

This tiny little, elegant wader swam in and out of the foliage giving as decent views.  A lifer for me and a year lister for Jono so a much happier duo set off for a deserved coffee at the visitors centre.

Looking at the list of birds that day there had been Little Stints on Simmonds Scrape and Snow Buntings on the beach.

A quick walk to the hides gave a small selection of the usual waders, ducks etc but no Little Stints. A pair of Stonechat never quite stayed close enough to get great photos. A fly by Kingfisher was good to see.

However, a revisit to the beach did give wonderful close up views of a particularly smart looking Snow Bunting and a female Wheatear too..

We then made our way to Wells Wood and walked around the Dell. Apart from a pair of Jays and large numbers of Redwing flying over there was little about.

Reports had come in about a Pallas Warbler at Holkham.

After a quick remortgage to park in Lady Anne Drive we had only gone 150m and a group of birders were scouring the trees. It seemed that the Pallas Warbler was with the Tit flock and had just passed by.

We moved into the trees and had Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit and Goldcrest before i spotted a Firecrest and Jono spotted a Yellow Browed Warbler.

None lingered long enough to get good views nor did the Pallas reappear so back to the car.

Due to a party that night we had to leave sharpish so decided on a quick half hour at Holme Dunes.

Again, lots of small birds in the trees and had time not restricted us I suspect we could have spent longer here.

Just as we were leaving the reserve I glanced up and a 'blackbird' was sitting on a cable. However, it was not quite right and had a silvery sheen whn it flew. Jono thought it could be my elusive Ring Ouzel (I am yet to get one in the UK) but a 5 minutes look around and we could not relocate it.

Nevertheless a super day again in shirt sleeve weather.