Mundesley - Northern nutcracker

It was on the cards and then it finally happened. The precise arrival date for the first Northern nutcracker in a long time is still up for debate, but the inevitability of one arriving onto UK shores after a significant movement of birds into the near continent finally came to pass.

News of the nutcracker officially broke during the early part of Saturday afternoon that prompted a mass twitch on Sunday morning. So after a typically relaxed start, I arrived at 10.30am to a scene of jubilant but a curiously relaxed group. The bird had flown off.

Crossing the road to where it had appeared to go, and after a quick chat with Sam Viles, the nutcracker appeared on top of a flailed hedge. It was a seriously incredible sight. It then flew, straight into the tree above me. It felt surreal, the bird was only a few metres away from my position.

 

It was flighty, heading towards an area of open grassland attached to a private property where it firstly alighted along the fence, dropping down and then popped along to the local landowner who whipped out his phone and videoed it at close range. Very nice indeed.

I'd had my time, the crowds were a little imposing so I left and drove down the road to Happisburgh which was looking rather fine today.

It was windy though, the tail of the Storm Boelo as it tracked north over the UK was unleashing a bit of force. A juvenile rose-coloured starling was understandably hunkering down within an area of rank vegetation but after a short wait, popped up on top of some spoil.

Everything today was a bit too hurried for my liking but it was all about making the most of the opportunities in an attempt to get back in good time.

An hour drive to Cley and a short walk revealed this glorious desert wheatear that was present within the sparse vegetation along the beach, bravely battling the wind but looking very settled. It provided incredible views approaching to only a few metres. 

A truly epic day - it's very rarely like this.