Birding with A and B

Tuesday September 8
We decided to make an early start in order to try and catch up with species missed on the first. A 6 a.m start saw a Little Owl fly from a roadside post just up the road. Two Buzzards from Abbey and a further one down in a field just outside West Newton accompanied by a dozen Mistle Thrushes.
High Tide was past its peak at Snettisham but still very high, no mud showing at all. A brisk wind saw us take refuge in the Hide. Hm, all the windows had been removed, the wind hurtling straight through. We watched until mud was exposed and the distant cloud of Knot swirled across the sea edge, The magic of the Wash. The Oystercatchers moved first, then the Shelduck and a few mixed flocks before the thousands of Knot.
Coffee at Holme for all but me. 5 greenshanks, 1 Green and one Common Sandpiper from the NOA hide.
By the time we reached Titchwell, the wind was very strong but not cold, we were pleased to sit in Island hide however inconvenient it is. 3 Little Stints, one very pale and, 7+ Curlew Sandpipers. The latter were very flighty.
The pectoral Sandpiper had flown - again - at Cley so we sea watched at Coastguards. Not much going by bit it was very pleasant to sit in the sun as the wind had eased. Just a few Gannets, 3 R B Mergansers and an array of juvenile Terns to keep us guessing. An unseen Whimbrel flew over as we left. The car thermometer read 26C, to-day's forecast temperature.