Cley all day

Pied Wagtail at Beach Carpark, Salthouse.

Rain and blustery winds forecast all day and this forecast turned out to be absolutely correct. The rain hammering down, didn't exactly entice me out of the house particularly early.

Walsey Hills NOA: 1 great tit, 2 long-tailed tits but little else. A heron flew into the ditch by the main road opposite the carpark.

NWT Visitor Centre: catch up with P.D. (not seen since 2012)

Lunch at 'The Three Swallows' pub in Cley with Eddie and Pete. Whilst I enjoyed a wonderful roast dinner, I noticed an absolutely gorgeous, ginger tabby cat who I was told is the 'pub cat' and is called Asbo. He strutted around to each table and demanded to be petted and stroked. Amusingly I noticed that he didn't move onto the next table until he had received some attention – I fell in love with this cat, he was such a sweetie pie. Although I was warned by a local man to be careful as he 'could turn' – surely not!

Cley Deli: Purchased ginger and pear cake.

Cley Coastguards: Pete, Eddie and I sat eating cake and then walked to North Hide in hope of finding the first spring Wheatear. The blustery wind made it feel freezing cold – I had so many layers of clothes on. Pete picked up a male Hen Harrier over the windmill. Eddie found the Spoonbill later. Hundreds of brent geese feeding by the Eye puddle and a couple of dunlin close by. A few little egrets around. Nothing of note from the hide really – four canada geese, wigeon, teal, redshank, 2 shelduck and a marsh harrier. Walked back and then we went to the visitor centre for a pot of tea. I was most intrigued by Brian Bland's new book 'The Profit of Birding" see review HERE.

Stonechat at Little Eye, Salthouse.

Pete then went home and Eddie and I parked up at Salthouse Beach Carpark and walked to Little Eye. We saw an unringed, very bold, male Stonechat, but no luck with any wheatears. There were a few pied wagtails flitting about and plenty of wigeon, but not alot else. Also walked up to Gramborough Hill, but saw nothing here at all really. Eddie then went home.

Pied Wagtails at Beach Carpark, Salthouse.

I finished the day at Glandford Ford in the semi-dusk, in hope of seeing an otter. It was very peaceful here, listening to the water trickling over pebbles. I saw a barn owl here, heard a tawny owl and watched a snipe fly across the marsh.

Very worried about John F., phone switched off when we tried to phone him and no usual post and comments on Birdforum tonight – very unusual, hope he is ok!