Chasing rarities in Norfolk.

Whilst in Norfolk last week I kept my eye on bird text alert for any rarities that might be around.There were surprisingly,considering it was July,two rarities reported.

The first one was a River Warbler in a place called Thorpe but when I found out this was at the other end of Norfolk to where I was based and that it was on private land with tightly controlled access times I chickened out.The wimp strikes again!!!!

The other bird being reported was at Titchwell and was a bird I'd never seen before.A Buff Breasted Sandpiper. This is the one I'd go after.

I went every day I was in Norfolk to Titchwell to try and see this bird sometimes in the evening as well but never saw it at all.People who had seen it had only very brief glimpses but a lot of birders had put in several hours of searching without success.So when I arrived early on Saturday morning before I left for home I was not confident of seeing it and getting a life tick.

I need not have worried because for some reason it showed very well most of the morning albeit a long way off but what a cracking looking bird (seen through other birders scopes) and a very small one as well.It was dwarfed when other waders were near.Here are some record shots.Pity I couldn't get a decent shot to do justice to a great looking bird.

A bonus was the appearance of a Pectoral Sandpiper in the same spot.Again it was distant so no decent shots (unlike the one at Draycote Water last year that posed for close ups).

Although the shots were poor I did manage to get some shots of the two Sandpipers close together.Two rarities for the price of one.That can't happen to often.