An absolutely amazing array of birds made it one of the most memorable autumn days in years.
We kicked off with a sea-watch off Hunstanton and although the conditions were not quite what we hoped for, we still managed some decent sightings with the highlights being Red-necked Grebe, nine Velvet Scoter, 29 Little Gulls, 11 Bonxies, six Arctic Skuas, Greenshank and a Short-eared Owl.
Afterwards, we spent an hour and a half in the Thornham Bushes area where we had Ring Ouzel, another Short-eared Owl, Lesser Redpoll and Bullfinch. Normally these birds would have been reward enough for our efforts but with so much turning up all along the coast we did feel that we should be finding something better. A single sycamore played temporary home to c25 Goldcrests, two Blackcaps and a Chiffchaff. They were mesmerising to watch but with no hoped for Yellow-browed Warbler among them we left Thornham a little disappointed.
However, we got onto the Pallas's Warbler almost immediately at Holme and it showed well as it preened in full view and there was also a Chiffchaff seen briefly that looked like a very good candidate for a Siberian.
Onto Titchwell to twitch the Grey Phalarope but this bird had flown so a quick pop in to get this bird turned into a fruitless hour of searching.
The same applied to the Radde's Warbler at Brancaster where I think we were never looking in the right place in the first place, going by later news updates.
Things did now seem to be going against us, a feeling further reinforced when we arrived at Burnham Norton for the Great Grey Shrike only to be told upon our arrival that it had flown strongly west some half hour beforehand. On hindsight though, this was not a bad thing, as we were getting rather short on time, and with the Red-flanked Bluetail and the Long-eared Owl still showing at Stiffkey, we really thought that we needed to get there asap or risk losing both to the fading afternoon light.
Fortunately, we made it in good time and the owl showed excellently, being fairly active and alert compared to some of the more sleepy individuals which I have seen in the past. Its beautiful orange eyes positively glowed in the low sunlight.
As we walked away from this bird I casually lifted my binoculars to observe some finches perched in a leafless bush and there slap bang in the middle of them at the very top was a handsome Great Grey Shrike which just popped up out of nowhere! It allowed brief views for those already in the field but despite me calling it loudly, it disappeared before most people in the wood could emerge to connect with it.
We really wanted to see the bluetail now to finish on a high and complete the hat-trick of great birds at the one site and after a frustrating near miss, we finally obtained good views of it as it flitted around in the lower branches. We walked back through the wood to the car absolutely buzzing with happiness and fulfilment which was capped off with a very tame and confiding Redstart near the campsite as the last light faded away.
A fantastic amazing end to a day that nearly went all wrong but which in fact ended with a celebratory pint in Holt. Only the first of a three day break which I have before I go back to work, here's hoping the next two days are just as memorable.
then went had a look at gramborough but it was pretty dead. also saw ring ouzel, firecrest and tons of Bramblings out and about today. What a day! I'm knackered 
