Burnham Overy Dunes, North Norfolk Coast, 26th April 2019 (with Jez Wood and Richard Farrow)

Highlights of the day
Heron species featured with 1st summer Purple Heron seen on marsh west of the path leading to the dunes, and1 Great White Egret on marsh. 1 Bittern was 'booming' on and off throughout the day.
Overhead bird movements included 2 Whimbrel east, 1 Greenshank east, 2 Mediterranean Gulls west, 2 Cuckoos west, including 1 calling on marsh.
Migrant arrivals included 40+ Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, and a very handsome male Redstart, 2 Willow Warblers, and Blackcap.  2 Lesser Whitethroats in song.

Weather conditions
A beautiful day starting at 6 degrees Celsius and rising to a pleasant 18 degrees Celsius. The wind was at first a light to moderate SE, increasing later to fresh in strength.  Cloud increased as the day progressed.

This was to be an excellent days birding at this wonderful location with over 70 species accrued, including a rarity, and evidence of passage and arrivals.  I arrived at the car park on the A149 coast road at about 0645 with Jez having already arrived and along the path for an initial early walk.  Richard arrived a short while later, it was great to be in their company once again.
On my arrival I enjoyed my first coffee of the day in the company of a singing Whitethroat.  A pair of Goldfinches seen, also a lovely male Blackcap (a probable passage bird) was seen off by the Whitethroat as it moved through a hedge.
Walking north between the fine hedgerows, the first Lesser Whitethroat of the day was singing east of the path and a Sedge Warbler was singing in Bramble.  A little further along Jez picked up a Heron in flight, it was the 1st summer Purple Heron which has been present for a few days now.
The first Wheatear of the day, a female, was seen on the marsh west of the path, also, Oystercatcher, and a single Snipe huddled up in a creek.

Sedge Warbler in a bramble by a drain 26th April.

By the time we reached the raised bank we decided on walking west to try and relocate the Purple Heron, on route we encountered singing and displaying Sedge Warblers, singing Reed Warbler, and a single Great White Egret overflew east.  Richard decided on walking a little further along the path alone, and found the Purple Heron quite close too near a creek.  Both Jez and myself also saw this rare Heron as it stride across the ground.

Singing Sedge Warbler 26th April

1st summer Purple Heron at Burnham Overy 26th April

Continuing our walk along the path to the dunes, we began to encounter Wheatears on the marsh, also we had a very close Reed Bunting singing in Sea Blight, the female bird was also present.
With the tide being out we were treated to a pair of Black-tailed Godwits feeding in the mud, the male looking particularly handsome in his summer plumage.  It was about this time that a single Grey Plover in summer plumage passed over east.
It was whilst approaching the dunes that overhead movements were seen in the form of 2 Whimbrel and a calling Greenshank east.

Male Reed Bunting singing in Sea Blight 26th April

Once at the dunes we decided on firstly visiting Gun Hill, a promising area for migrants, especially Wheatear on the short turf, however, the dominant species here was to be Linnet.
Passage seen here included 2 Cuckoos together heading west, whilst a further bird was heard on the marsh.
Whilst walking along the dunes, 2 Mediterranean Gulls passed directly overhead in a westerly heading.  The gorgeous black head and blood red bill particularly outstanding against the bright blue sky.
Wheatear occurred on almost any area of short turf and indeed, we were confident that by the end of the day we had seen 40+ Wheatear, a very respectable number.

Linnet - a common bird in the dunes.

Wheatear (male).  At least 40 birds seen today

Wheatear (female) in the dunes

The dunes closest to Holkham Pines holds more in the way of scrub habitats which would very inviting to migrant birds, and indeed it was a lovely patch of Elder, Bramble, Hawthorn etc. which held a number of species.  Richard and Jez went to explore habitat-filled dunes whilst I decided to sit and check this habitat.  Firstly, a stunning male Redstart was seen in the lower, more woody part of some Elder, however, once Richard and Jez returned we could not locate the bird.  Other species noted here was singing Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, and a female Whinchat, whilst nearby a pair of Stonechats were nesting.
The return walk saw Jez leave us for Kelling Heath, whilst Richard and myself had a slow amble back to the boardwalk.  Wheatear continued to be the dominant migrant, although a fine male Whinchat was seen along with a passage Willow Warbler.

A rather pale looking Willow Warbler

A slow walk south along the path produced 3 Little Egrets and a single summer-plumaged Golden Plover, a very beautiful looking bird.  Continuing our return walk along the path we saw a single Red Kite, a single Marsh Harrier hunting over reeds, and a single Hobby overhead.
The Purple Heron was again seen, this time close to a ditch west of the path.  Finally, Richard and I reached our finish point at the car park where once again we were greeted by the singing Whitethroat, the same bird which we first saw upon our arrival some 10 hours earlier.

Day List for Burnham Overy Dunes
Brent Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan (3), Egyptian Goose (pair), Shelduck, Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Little Grebe (1), Bittern (booming), Grey Heron, Purple Heron (1st summer bird), Great White Egret (1), Little Egret (3), Cormorant, Marsh Harrier (1), Red Kite, Buzzard, Hobby (1), Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Lapwing, Golden Plover (1), Grey Plover (1 in summer plumage), Whimbrel (2 east), Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit (3), Snipe (1), Green Sandpiper (1), Redshank, Greenshank (1 east), Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull (2 west), Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Cuckoo (3 inc. 1 calling/2passage birds west), Kestrel, Hobby (1), Magpie, Jackdaw, Blue Tit, Skylark, Swallow, Cetti's Warbler (1 singing), Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat (2+), Whitethroat, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush (2), Robin, Redstart (1 male), Whinchat (2), Stonechat (pair), Wheatear (40+), Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting  (72 species)