aPalling Birding

Why did I choose to come and live out here? Read on...

The purpose of this little page is to highlight some of the amazing records that have occurred in and around Sea Palling, Eccles, Waxham and Horsey over the years. It should serve as a constant reminder to me to get off my arse or out of the Reefs Bar and get birding. If an idiot like me can find several decent rares like Radde's and Greenish and even a Y-brow in the bloody garden, just what is out there. It's a hugely underwatched area and has been for years. Fortunately now there are two dedicated local patchers and we should hopefully pick up as few more birds. Last year was a good indicator of what might be possible... Many birds very rare in other parts of the country occur in the area on an infrequent basis but often enough times to give you the feeling of being in with a chance. Stuff like Black Kite, Alpine Swift, Pallas's Warbler, Purple Heron, Corncrake, Great White Egret, Sabs Gull, Long-tailed Skua, Dusky Warbler, Richard's Pipit, Storm Petrel, Leach's Petrel, Cory's and Great Shears (minor influx this year), Lesser Snow, Red-breasted and Ross's Geese, White-tailed Eagle, Honey Buzz.

So what's been seen then kidz?

Howsabout this for a starter:

Pallas's Sandgrouse! Eight at Waxham on June 4th 1859 and 40 on Horsey Beach 10th-11th June 1863
I had to go to the bloody Tibetan Plateau to see em but 100-150 years ago they were seen locally. How I'd love to see a few of these beauties come screaming over the dunes and settle into the fields at Sea Palling...





Bee-eater Waxham 4th September 1988. And a few flyovers since

Rock Thrush Horsey 30th April 1989.

White's Thrush Hickling 10th Oct 1861

Sardinian Warbler Waxham 28th April 1873

White-billed Diver Eccles/Sea Palling Nov 2007

Arctic Warbler Eccles 29th Spetember 1998

Isabelline Shrike Horsey 11th -13th Oct 1996

Black and White Warbler Ludham 3rd Dec 1985

Lark Sparrow Waxham 15th May 1991

Rustic Bunting Horsey Gap 15th-18th Sept 1993

Great Bustard Winterton 26th Feb Winterton

Pied Wheatear Waxham Oct 20th 2004

Pallid Harrier Oct/Nov 2006 Winterton

Desert Wheatear Eccles 2001 and Horsey 2007

Isabelline Wheatear 28th May 1977 Winterton

Booted Warbler May 2005 Winterton

Blyth's Pipit Nov 2003 Happisburgh

Great Spotted Cuckoo, Eccles 1998?

Hume's Warbler Eccles 2003, Horsey 2005?

Chinese Pond Heron Eccles Oct 2004

Surf Scoter

Red-flanked Bluetail Caister

Desert Warbler, Caister

Brunnich's Guillemot, Nov 2007 Winterton

I could go on and certainly will later in the week

So what's next?
Well, don't be suprised at a vagrant med warbler like Spectacled or Subalp this year, maybe even a Marmora's. Red-throated Pipit is due for a repeat showing. A Sea Palling Beeeater is overdue as well. A dark-rumped petrel has already been observed so a return showing may be on the cards. A cold snap could produce Ivory or Ross's Gull (Caister has scored only a few miles down the coast...) and an Arctic Redpoll should be a banker if there's a redpoll influx.

Blyth's Reed may be a good bet, so get that call learnt, Paddyfield, Lancy or even a PG tips wouldn't be stretching it. I'm sure the birds will be there. We just have to bird the weather, put the effort in and find them...!


This is the one...!