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Scant reward- but this is not over!

A couple of weekends following the same routine (Hemsby, Winterton South Dunes and the sea) have proved rather uneventful, as has been the case elsewhere in Norfolk. This weekend did feel more like Autumn though, particularly at Hemsby where many Redwing, Song Thrushes, Blackbirds and Robins flicked in and out of bushes, alluding to something rarer. A trawl of likely looking habitat turned up nothing scarce, let alone rare. Regardless of the destination, my track record of finding anything of note is getting worse rather than better! It turns out Waxham had Ring Ouzel, YBW and some commoner bits and pieces. Why not Hemsby?! Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Lesser Whitethroat were in the oaks beneath the Hermanus restaurant at Winterton but that was as good as it got!
This has been the poorest October in terms of quality and quantity of migrants that I can remember. To further my case, I have actually been out looking for stuff. The birds aren't there, not for me. And if they are around elsewhere, they have been missed due to poor observer coverage. The negativity on BF (understandable) has no doubt led to a few sat at home, pager in hand, waiting for news rather than actually making it happen. That attitude in turn is a cause of suppression (why should we share our good birds with you if you can't be arsed to look for your own?) which again means the birds that are there, might as well not be. What to conclude from these musings?

  • It has been a poor October, so far. Weather systems and winds not coming from the right direction.
  • There probably are more birds out there than the news services suggest, but they are either being missed or suppressed/not reported. Not that I have an issue with this, just to make that clear.
  • As an aside, being based inland with a patch in The Broads, I am usually reliant on those that live and bird by the coast to find a beauty. 
Still, it ain't over yet. Plenty of time for Raddes, Dusky, Humes YB, Pallas's and a further fall of Thrushes,
Redstarts and Flycacthers. Next weekend I am going to brave the north coast with some friends visiting. See you at the next big one?

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