11th October Happisburgh

Decided to follow up the 2 reported Yellow Browed Warblers at Overstrand first thing. No luck, although there seemed to be plenty of Robins and Blackbirds about, some presumably migrants.

Haven't 'done' Happisburgh properly in ages so this was the plan for the day. Started at Whimpwell Green, a good spot from last year. No Warblers, but the paddocks had some good birds. Around 15 Pied Wagtail were feeding amongst horse hooves, and one bird appeared to be of the Alba race. The flock was mobile, some birds in the surrounding trees looked like they were ready for roost, unlikely mid morning. 3 Yellowhammer were on the wires and Chaffinch were vocal. A Sparrowhawk was watched nursing a freshly made kill.

Walking the cliffs, 5 Swallow were late for something, and a flushed Meadow Pipit landed next to a Snow Bunting! The singleton then took off and joined a larger group mid flight, I would guess around 25 birds in all.

At sea, a couple of maybes: a distant Shearwater was probably a Manx, and a Diver passing through was likely to be a Black Throated. Gannets were fishing none too distantly, and 3 Common Scoter breezed past, heading north.

Doggetts Lane was sadly devoid of migrants; I had hoped for so much better! The walk back produced a few more Meadow Pipits and a Wheatear.

Dropping my girlfriend off in North Walsham, the birding wasn't quite done; she spotted 6 Redwing, my first of the Autumn.

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Notes from the valley

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