Sedgeford, Wells, Holkham, Thornham and Burnham Norton

Sedgeford first thing this morning produced fine views of the male EASTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL on the dung heap by the road. 60 Fieldfares, a Redwing, a Red Kite, a Marsh Harrier and a Yellowhammer were also logged.

male Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Sedgeford

Wells was the next stop, where the faithful juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard was successfully twitched, with two Golden Plovers in a nearby field and skeins of Pink-footed and Dark-bellied Brent Geese flying in (what was presumably the known Black Brant hybrid was clocked among the latter).

Rough-legged Buzzard at Wells

Holkham was rewarding, with nice views of four Shorelarks and 42 Snow Buntings in the roped-off area, while the sea produced four Long-tailed Ducks, several Velvet Scoters among vast rafts of Common Scoters, plus small numbers of Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Diver and Great Crested Grebe. Other birds included a field full of 75 Snipe, six Ruff, 12 Grey Partridges, 100 or so Golden Plovers, a White-fronted Goose with Pink-footed Geese, Dark-bellied Brent Geese and two Egyptian Geese and a Fieldfare.

Snow Buntings at Holkham

Shorelark at Holkham

Common Scoters off Holkham

Long-tailed Ducks off Holkham

Velvet Scoters in with Common Scoters off Holkham

Grey Partridges at Holkham

Ruff at Holkham

Snipe at Holkham

Thornham harbour offered the relic winter flock of 10 Twite, along with a Rock Pipit, a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers and trip ticks such as Mediterranean Gull, Bar-tailed Godwit and Grey Plover.

Twite at Thornham harbour

Curlew at Thornham harbour

Today's dusk vigil was at Burnham Norton, where we had a Short-eared Owl, a Great White Egret, a Barn Owl, good numbers of Dark-bellied Brent Geese and Pink-footed Geese, three Cetti's Warblers, a Bearded Tit and four Egyptian Geese.

Lots of walking, bad weather, good birds and ID headaches

Yesterday I trucked up to Norfolk with Phil Wallace. Several birders have told me about how awful Blakeney Point is to walk but I didn't take much notice, thinking three miles can't be that bad even on shingle. How wrong I was!

It took us about an hour and a half of what was without doubt the most painful walk of my life (three miles there and back of cold, rain, wind and horrid shingle) before reaching the tiny plantation in which the confusion of a flycatcher was residing. After about ten minutes the ALDER/WILLOW FLYCATCHER (possibly even Least or Yellow-bellied still, some people think . . .) showed itself. It was a nice bird and showed quite well eventually but I really like to know what I'm looking at when I twitch something. After half an hour or so we trudged back, I thought the way back would be better - it wasn't -we did see a Brambling, at least one Northern Wheatear and a couple of probable Redwings though.

the flycatcher

Next was Kelling Water Meadows. Phil grumpily waited in the car while I rushed off to get a bird back off him. This was a very easy visit with the Red-necked Phalarope showing well with a Grey for comparison. This was a much overdue British tick, I've dipped a couple before.

Red-necked (left) and Grey Phalaropes

I rushed straight back to the car and we were off to Wells. We joined the gathering in splitting up into the Dell and, perhaps surprisingly, we managed to locate the WESTERN BONELLI'S WARBLER. I missed a Yellow-browed but wasn't too fussed as I don't need it for Britain and I'll probably see them on Scilly in October. We then got back on the road for London, stopping off at a Little Chef which could only serve chips. We got back at about 10.30pm because of traffic.

As for the ID of the Flycatcher, I obviously have ZERO experience of Empids but from my limited research I'm putting my money on Alder. I just hope it sticks around tomorrow and somebody manages to record it.

EDIT: I've heard that the Bonelli's Warbler was heard calling as both Western and Eastern, hence smashing the apparently confirmed identification to pieces and hence removing it from my list