Saturday was set aside for DIY but was viciously crushed and blown out the water by the offer of Rob going for American Golden Plover on the Norflok coastline. I'd had my eye on the Glossy Ibis at Welney for some time as well, so couldn't refuse an offer to ride shotgun with him. We arrived at Welney soon after first light, but others already advised of the negative news. Darn. We gave it an hour and a half but still no joy so we set off for the coast. Just under an hour later I received a text from Bird Guides that the Glossy Ibis had finally been seen/turned up.
We continued to Cley and parked at the beach. Still no reports of the American Golden Plover - was it here or at Blakeney? Cley proved good as always with 3 Grey Phalaropes from North Hide, a Red Throated Diver drifted off shore along with lots of Common Scoter and a few Kittiwake. An Adult Arctic Tern feeding along the shore was a very late bird. Locals had said it had been around for quite some time, even landing on the beach to rest.
We then visited Holkham Gap to follow up a report of 60+ Lapland Buntings yesterday. Again no joy. Still no news of the American Golden Plover and the light fading we headed off to Titchwell. Lots of birds here with 100+ Golden Plover (which yesterday held a juvenile Dotterel). We did see a dozen Twite on the bank towards the new hides. Then on the beach finally had some brief flight views of 11 Shorelark that had been in the area all day. At least 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull was in the roost on the freshmarsh along with 20 Little Egrets before flying off east to roost. Last bird of the day was a Woodcock flying out of the car park in the near dark.
For the mammal list - still no Common Seal ! But for the 'Dead List' I did add a probable dead Otter, a freshly killed Weasel, more Rabbits and Hedgehogs.
A good day but alas dipped on all possible lifers. Annoyingly the American Golden Plover was reported from Blakeney late in the afternoon as we munch our curry in the early evening.
Now back to the DIY ;-)