Burnham Overy Dunes, North Norfolk Coast 0730-1400 (with Richard Farrow and Jez Wood).

Highlights:  A very productive day started with a fresh arrival of Blackbirds which included a stunning male Ring Ouzel, a few Redwings, and Song Thrushes.
A steady westerly passage of Starlings was seen throughout the day and a late Wheatear was found in the dunes system near Gun Hill.
Raptors were well represented with Buzzards, Marsh Harriers, Kestrel, and 6 Red Kites overhead together.

I arrived at the parking area off the A149 road west of Holkham at around 0730.  Richard arrived shortly after me with Jez not too long afterwards.  It was dry with a moderate WSW, sunny spells with variable high cloud.  Temperature peaked at 15 degrees Celsius.
Whilst getting myself ready I had that 'hair on the back of neck' feeling when several skeins comprising many hundreds of Pink-footed Geese approached from the north-east against the orange dawn skies and over towards the south-west to their feeding grounds, a magical sight.

Prior to Jez arriving Richard and I decided on a initial stroll north down the track to the first gate where we checked the wonderful hedgerows there.  Things already looked up when many Blackbirds were seen (probable migrants) along with a few Redwings and Song Thrushes.  Goldfinches were also seen.  I checked the fine old field boundary hedgerow running west from the track, again, Blackbirds were seen.  I then saw a Thrush flying away from me, it had pale wings and I immediately thought Ring Ouzel, this bird alighted on the topmost perch in the hedge to reveal a stunning male Ring Ouzel.  Although now quite distant, perfect side-on views showed a more slender upright carriage than Blackbird with very distinct silvery wings. With side-on views only, the end of the white crescent was just visible.

Stonechat - One of several seen at Burnham Overy Dunes 23/10/17

All three of us then set off slowly north along the track towards Burnham Overy Dunes checking all hedgerows as we went.  Blackbirds and Redwings/Song Thrushes continued to feature, whilst smaller passerines were heard and seen including singing Cetti's Warbler, Goldfinches, and a mobile Long-tailed Tit flock.
In the fields immediately east of the track many Greylag Geese were accompanied by 6+ Egyptian Geese, and 2 Barnacle Geese. As our walk continued, and in fact for all of this visit, a steady westerly passage of Starlings was seen, most flocks were small, numbering 40 to 50 birds.
Once at the dunes we had a check of the first patch of scrub, here, Blackbirds were present along with the ubiquitous Dunnock.
We then walked west towards Gun Hill, checking scrub for migrants and open areas for Wheatear.  The commonest species seen was Meadow Pipit, also many Reed Buntings present.  Several Stonechats were seen today, this area appearing to hold two or three.  A check of a short-cropped area of grass within a depression between dunes, produced a single 1st winter female Wheatear (RF).
Just after midday raptors started to appear overhead with Buzzards seen but also a very respectable 6 Red Kites overhead together.
The walk south back along the track to our starting point was fairly quiet, however, a number of singular Red Kites passed low over the fields and inland.

Birds seen and heard
Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose (2), Brent Goose, Egyptian Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal, Grey Partridge, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Great Crested Grebe (juv), Red Kite (6 together), Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Golden Plover, Grey Plover (1), Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, Snipe (2), Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Skylark, Cetti's Warbler (2), Wren, Starling, Ring Ouzel (1 male), Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, Robin, Stonechat, Wheatear (one 1st winter female), Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting  (55 species)