Spring summary

male White-spotted Bluethroat at Winterton, Norfolk (C.D.R)

As I haven't posted on here for quite some time though I'd give a brief account of my spring so far. Although it seems common migrants have been relatively poor in terms of numbers in comparison to recent years, scarcities certainly seem on the up, despite the seemingly ideal weather charts not really producing as much as hoped (yet!). Despite Norfolk in Spring migration being frustrating at times, highlights have included a stunning male WHITE-SPOTTED BLUETHROAT at Winterton, a superb adult WHISKERED TERN at Holkham Freshmarsh and a bright male (prob. Western) SUBALPINE WARBLER at Blakeney Point. Lesser rarities have included a Wryneck, 2 Temmincks Stints (1 self-found), a Green-winged Teal, up to 15 Dotterels, a perhaps slightly suspect Black Kite and 9 Common Cranes. Good numbers of Wood Sandpipers (6) and Black Terns (17), as well as lower numbers of Ring Ouzels and Blue-headed Wagtails (1 self-found) has kept up the interest throughout. The patch meanwhile, has produced 5 Common Cranes and a Rough-legged Buzzard (co-found). Lets hope a final push of common migrants and scarce overshoots alike is yet to come. And lets not mention Black Larks and Spectacled Warblers :(

EDIT 01/06/08. WOW, a fantastic final push for Spring (hasn't this happened a bit in the last few years?!) saw some great birding. A nice CITRINE WAGTAIL was at Titchwell RSPB, alongside 3 Temminck's Stints, and prior to that 2 RED-FOOTED FALCONS were at Lakenheath Fen RSPB and 3 calling Corncrakes were on the Nene Washes. Meanwhile, the patch produced a Red-backed Shrike (self-found with J.G) and 2 singing ICTERINE WARBLERS the next day. Revision unfortunately got in the way towards the second half or the half-term (forcing me to miss the Trumpeter Finch at Blakeney) but the holiday finished off on a high with 2 singing Quails at an undisclosed site. I then managed to claw back the TRUMPETER FINCH (rather insanely on Monday evening!) thanks to a kind lift from S.G and J.G. Presumably Spring has unfortuately now ended (finally!) but at least with a bit of a bang, with my first Norfolk (and only second British) EUROPEAN BEE-EATER at Northrepps and a singing Wood Warbler (also a Norfolk tick!) at an undisclosed site on 8/6/08. What a rollacoaster of a ride...

Cheers,

Connor