We spent a few days in North Norfolk during late November, which turned out to be well worth while. I managed to see 94 species during our 4 days. Staying at Blakeney, proved to be a good choice as there was an Isabelline Wheatear available at the end of the East Bank.
Holkham produced 5 Shore Lark and on the sea 4 Red-necked Grebe, along with the usual sea duck, Common Scoter and Eider and several Great Northern & Red-throated Divers.
A sea watch at Cley Coastguards on 25th November produced a Black Guillemot, a Pomarine Skua, a Great Northern Diver and a Purple Sandpiper.
Late afternoon at Stiffkey and several Hen Harrier, including a grey male, small numbers of Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and a Barn Owl.
On our final morning heading off home, I was at Titchwell when news broke of a Brunnich’s Guillemot in Wells Harbour. I arrived at around 12:30am managing to get reasonable scope views of it, along with a few record shots, as it was resting on a distant sand bar. Unfortunately the poor thing died of exhaustion later in the afternoon. This was a long overdue British tick for me but a rather sad end to a super bird, having travelled miles of course from the high arctic.
