Once the rain had stopped, during which time I was having a rather uneventful seawatch, yesterday afternoon was again spent in Warren Wood where the Greenish Warbler occasionally performed, and was again heard both calling and singing. Unfortunately only UTV's were had of what may have been the reported Bonellis Warbler, but 10+ Swifts were a notable distraction during the searching as they have left very early this year and these were the first I had seen, barring a single bird, in the last 3 weeks.
So today was once again spent in Warren Wood, but with no reports of either warbler, and news that a Burrowing Owl was at East Runton I left to see that as although it was an escapee from the local zoo, being on the patch it was a worthwhile distraction from starring at leaves all day again.
Of course soon after arriving at the Owl which was performing well, news came through that the Bonelli's was being watched. So after a tortuous drive back through Cromer town centre and the many holidaymakers, I arrived back at the wood where only a bonelli's lookalike Chiffchaff was seemingly being ticked by the assembled crowd, the real one presumably having already disappeared.
A further hour and a half later the real Bonelli's was relocated by the old coastguards lookout and after a few tantalising half views of it from the clifftop, a quick change of position to inside the wood produced excellent close views of it as it fed in a holm oak and naturally I was elated to have finally connected with it.
The Greenish Warbler was also still present today, but only poor views of it were had this time as it was keeping high in the tops of the trees in the centre of the wood, with in reality only its call giving away its id. Other birds seen included a Hobby in off the sea, an Arctic Skua past close inshore and the Swifts and other hirundines still feeding over the woods.
I then returned to East Runton where the Burrowing Owl was still performing well having apparently earlier evaded capture from zoo staff. Both it and its mate had burrowed (what else!) out of their cage but whilst the other one had stayed around the zoo grounds, this one had decided to seek pastures new and what better than a caravan park on the coast!
