Hard work...

A five and a half hour exploration of the plantations, fields, hedgerows and clifftop gullies was hard work this morning. Generally it was quiet, although there was a bit of interest with some drift migrants about. However, the scarce or rare migrant that I am convinced must be lurking somewhere remains elusive!

There seemed to be a few more phylloscs about with 6 Willow Warblers and 11 Chiffchaffs logged. 

Willow Warbler

Six Goldcrests included two unringed birds at the ringing site, so perhaps they have started to move now. Just three Whitethroats and a couple of Blackcaps were unearthed. Of more interest were three Whinchats in the vicinity of the cover crop and two Pied Flycatchers (one at the ringing site and one at Cliff Top House).

Pied Flycatcher at Cliff Top House

My hopes of finding something interesting on my walk down to Cromer Point were dashed with the best I could come up with there being a flock of seven Reed Buntings and three Sand Martins.

Reed Bunting

Offshore a few flocks of ducks were on the move with my occasional scans offshore yielding Common Scoter, Wigeon and Teal. Great Crested Grebe is surprisingly infrequent at Long Nab, so one flying north was a welcome year tick for the Patchwork Challenge. A surprise was a nice Arctic Skua over the fields at Crook Ness. It didn't linger long but was great to see this species over the land rather than a mile or so offshore.

Teal flock

Arctic Skua