Thrush nightingale out of the net .....and seabirds galore Holme

Bird of the day. A Thrush Nightingale trapped mid morning. A supporting cast of Winchats Redstarts, Pied and spotted Flycatchers ,and a few Skuas and Gannets on the sea with a probable Honey Buzzard late in the day. A brief visit the previous evening produced a Short Eared Owl hunting in evening sunlight.

Included for comparitive purposes - a common Nnightingale ringed at Dungeness in April. 1 of a pair that bred successfully

Definitely in the 'Record shot' cattegory. An Osprey on the ground at Thornham harbour.digiscoped at hopelessly long distance. superb flight views followed. An awesome day on the sea next day. 100+ Great skuas, a close Long Tailed that obliging flew underneath a Great while following a tern, Good numbers of Arctic Skuas in the meamntime - along with Gannets, Manx Shearwaters and a Juvenile Sabines Gull.

Purple Sandpiper back at Snettisham - a Bairds in cambs and an all too elusive Wryneck at Holme

29 August. Purple Sandpiper Snettisham. The same bird but slightly more convincing photos !!! Posing and feeding for several hours either side of the high tide. The Bairds Sandpiper at Paxton Pits earlier in the day showed nicely - but was always too distant for even the token 'record shot, The Wrynmeck at Holme the following day was close, but sadlyonly offered frusratingly brief flight views so offered even less chance for the camera.

30 August Golden Plover on the Beach at Snettisham. The Purple Sandpiper failed to show for a repeat performance but this lone Golden Plover among Sanderling was an unusual sight. A Dark Phase arctic Skua that caused chaos among the Gulls loafing on the sea was an additional bonus

31 August Snettisham in the mist and the fog. No Purple Samndpiper but a wheatear along the way and a nice mix of waders, Common and Sandwich Terns fishing and a few passing Gannets offshire before the mist closed in completely

Long tail Tit Holme. Single Winchat Stonechat and Wheatear in the dunes the best of the migrants.

Audins Gull lincs; Arctic Skua on Redwll Marsh and a Purple Sandpiper at Snettisham ...... and a bit of photographic catch-up

The ever so slightly elusive Audins Gull Chapel St leanards Lincolnshire. 22 August. An early start and a long wait ended in a mad dash down the beach after a wait of over 7 hours. Fortunately this was sparked by the real thing not a false alarm, as going along the beaches soft sand was no easier than the infamous shingle of Blakeney Point !!! Very good views of the bird loafing on the beach, and looking somewhat tiny flying alongside a Great Black Backed Gull. It flew strongly out to sea before we headed for the local chip shop and home
Purple Sandpiper at Snettisham 27 August. Reported the previous day, but I could only manage a WHEATER moving along the beach. Not easy to find in the morning ,blended ivery effectively nto the Mussle Bed,flying out onto the shingle and even trying to hide by coming onto the seaward face of the defences -but hugging the overhang and being almpst invisible from above !

Juvenile Arctic Skua Redwell Marsh 26 August. reduced to a silhouette by the early morning light but a very smart bird which did several circuits in the air between spells on the water. an impressive supporting cast of Waders included Spotted Redshank. Wood Common and Green Sandpipers

Where did Summer go ....... Wood Warbler in Beds to Audwins gull in Lincs!

Summer has turned into Autumn so hopefully some more Goodies to come ! The Bedfordshire Stilts were folowed the day after with a superb Wood Warbler at octogan Farm. Yesterdays mad dash to Lincolnshire turned out to be not such a silly .... idea with stunning views of the Audwins Gull on the beach and in the air - pictures to follow !! Somewhere in between there has been the Trumpeter Finch at Blakeney the Citrine Wagtail at Titchwell and the Buff Breasted Sand at Maxey Gravel Pits in Cambs........ and other assorted goodies along the way, with some hoefuly to be dragged off the Camera. A quiet look at the sea this morning - Gannets,Terns and a single skua. Still a few days of the Summer holiday left, so back to the sea tomorrow.