Blakeney Point: Longshore Drift Migrant Supernova

Blakeney Point, a great Hokusai wave of rolling shingle defiantly accreting three miles westward and a mile out into the North Sea, sits in the middle of north Norfolk's lonely saltmarshes. A barrier island built from the ancient aggregates of Doggerland and shaped by wind, wave, time and tide. Weybourne Hope - to the east - is its birth place.

It is a geography of first landfall for continental migrant birds riding onshore winds across the North Sea areas of Fisher, Dogger, Humber and German Bight.

The bonsai forests of suaeda carpeting its backbone and shingle recurves offer evergreen shelter; the only trees - an arboreal oasis known as The Plantation - is found in the western sandhills. It is an optimal barometer of avian migration.

The synoptic chart for Friday, 6th September 2024 held great promise for a fall of Scandinavian drift migrants en route to African wintering grounds. The Shipping Forecast further heightened anticipation: Dogger, Fisher, German Bight, Humber. East or Northeast, 3-5. Moderate or good.

Clouds of Wheatears were apparent from The Marrams at the start of the walk out late morning. The mild conditions and tail wind meant they were full of energy on arrival. Birds were crossing to the mainland after resting and feeding as new waves of Wheatears arrived.

Redstarts became a frequent sight from The Watch House (aka Halfway House). A spectacular arrival of this dashing chat from Scandinavian woodlands.

Male Redstart at The Hood. A coal-faced fiery shimmerer.

Garden Warbler at The Hood. Seemingly every patch of bramble held the mellifluous borin. This woodland nymph's specific name is not derived from its borin'(g) appearance! Borin is derived from a local name for the bird in the Genoa area of Italy; it derives from the Latin bos, an ox, because the warbler was believed to accompany oxen.

Lesser Whitethroat in the brambles by the chalets. Most were typically skulking but this fellow obliged briefly.

Whilst quietly watching the western edge of The Plantation, a distinctive camouflaged shape flicked up into a White Poplar: Jynx methinks. A Wryneck - the Nightjar woodpecker and noblest of all drift migrants - had just arrived moments after mooting the torquilla potential with birders Ian and Ed. Summoning them from Glaux Low, they eventually enjoyed views of this majestic tapestried migrant.

The Wryneck confidently searched for ants at the base of poplars as I sat just a short distance away. I was likely the first six foot biped it had encountered in its few months of life. It later disappeared toward The Lupins by the old lifeboat station. Wrynecks are notorious will-'o-the-wisps, impossibly vanishing in the tiniest of habitats. It re-appeared again the next day.

Spotted Flycatcher hunting from The Plantation fence. An egg in June, now an adroit hunter of wasps; both creatures likely fellow sea travellers.

Juvenile Cuckoo looking thoroughly bemused by the whole migration fallout experience. Only a few short weeks ago, it was being tended to by its tiny parasitised foster parents in an insect-rich Scandinavian glade.

Redstart by the old lifeboat station. The final dune edge was heaving with migrants which concentrated on the last major land before the mudflats and open water of the harbour. The rope fence was festooned with the lemon and taupe of sallying Willows and Spotties. The energetic migrants - having westered to the Point's terminus - were staging to refuel in preparation for a mainland crossing. Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and Wheatear were all seen making for Morston. Despite the balmy conditions, many birds were content to take advantage of the insect feast in the dunes.

As dusk descended a newly-arrived Spotted Flycatcher rested on the shingle at North Bight. Migrants were still arriving in the twilight.

Tree Pipit, Stanley's Cockle Bight. The sphiz call of trivialis was a feature of this exceptional fall. Note the short hind claws (noticeably longer in Meadow).

Tree Pipit, Stanley’s Cockle Bight. Buzzing around the bight with the first major push of autumn Meadow Pipits.

Glaux Low, The Laboratory and The Plantation, Blakeney Point.

1st-winter Red-breasted Flycatcher on the landing ridge. Feeding with a Pied Flycatcher, this delightful arrival darted and dashed for insects amongst the shingle and cockle shells.

1st-winter Icterine Warbler, The Plantation, Blakeney Point, September 2022. An Icky was discovered in the suaeda on Middle Point during this stellar fall. Althought I didn't go in search, it would have looked rather like this.

A map of Blakeney Point I designed for the Cley Bird Club website.

The brambles on the southern aspect of The Hood were alive with migrants. Spotted Flycatchers reached double figures, and Garden Warblers lurked amongst the blackberries. Redstarts shimmered in the suaeda. The lemony luminence of birds-of-the-year Willow Warblers punctuated the pastel hues of the sylvias, flys and 'starts. Prominent perches saw a succession of migrants vying for optimal feeding territories; the Spot Flys seeing off all comers.

Looking west early evening toward the old lifeboat station. The remains of the 1858 Scottish-built steamer Yankee - after which the eponymous Yankee Ridge is named - can be seen in the foreground. Yankee saw out her final years as a houseboat on this major shingle recurve.

Sunset over the sandhills. The tiny sea travellers, which have made the Point their temporary refuge after a day drifting over the North Sea, will leave at night. Guided by an alchemy of starlight and geomagnetism, the barrier island will be left far behind as they set a course for African wintering quarters.

Reflections

An exhilarating and exhausting day in equal measure. Estimating numbers of energetic migrants in a vast landscape is not the easiest, and I have been conservative in my personal estimates. But what a remarkable experience after many years of early Septembers without conducive weather patterns for such falls.

“Water, water, every where, nor any drop to drink.” The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, 1834. With so many migrants arriving, it reminded me of the lack of freshwater in this special place.

A proper pond in The Plantation would be a fantastic addition for birds as well as birders. The area behind the grave of Prince (a dog belonging to Bob Pinchen, the first official Point warden) would be an ideal location for a pond liner. In addition to aerial replenishment, rain water is captured from the The Laboratory roof in a water butt by the large tamarisk. But the water is not doing any good locked away from those that need it. A second water butt and wheeled water bowser would be all that is required to keep a small pond viable in this driest of environments. One for the National Trust and University College London (which owns The Laboratory)!

Migrant Tallies

Wheatear 250

Redstart 120

Pied Flycatcher 7

Spotted Flycatcher 70

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Willow Warbler 45

Garden Warbler 16

Lesser Whitethroat 12

Common Whitethroat 7

Tree Pipit 14

Whinchat 12

Yellow Wagtail 5

Cuckoo juv.

Wryneck

Robin

Icterine Warbler - 1st winter on Middle Point

Nightjar - seen by another birder at The Watch House then headed to the mainland

Acrocephalus sp. - a frustratingly elusive warbler in the suaeda before The Marrams

A huge influx of Red Admiral, Peacock, Large White and Silver-Y added to the frenetic and intense immigration event.