Firstly special thanks go out to the incompetent weather forecasters who are so accurate in their job time and time again, thumbs up to you ****s.
Being in Norfolk for a couple of days with Sarah and parents, I could not miss an opportunity to go for the Spectacled Warbler at Burnham Overy Dunes. My dad and I got there well before 5am, with the weather okay at the time, and then took the track to the dunes. We could see there were some birders already on route/on site (from Stockport I think my dad said). The weather as you can imagine by my opener, was atrocious, wet,windy,misty,cold and bloody annoying. Everyone that morning said how wrong the report had been, and looking across to Burnham, well I presumed it was towards Burnham as you couldn't see across the marshes it was that bad a visibility. Even a travelling birder from Scotland said how bloody cold and miserable it was!! so it must of been.
Anyhow back to the fantastic bird that was the Spectacled Warbler, a new tick for me and my Dad. As we approached the first birders there, we could hear the bird calling, then views were had so all was good. It could be elusive at times and would blend into the landscape, before giving up its position with it calling again. It then proceeded to be very reliable in its actions as it began to collect nesting material and carry it to a chosen nesting place!!
Keeping to a decent distance with a line of birders it continued about its collecting material, disappearing on occasions but resuming its routine a short while later. It always kept low to the ground and bushes, skulking about. What a cracking bird to see and such a rare one, I was happy to get some shots despite the weather conditions, I was soaked and shaking and trying to keep the camera steady, a high iso was used purely because the light was so bad. Sod's Law it brightened up later in the day! just as well though as I needed to dry out my gear.
