Fogbound Migrants

A slightly foggy day latterly became a very foggy day, whilst searching through Sparrow's Nest, I failed to see the YBW despite 2 hours of searching through several flocks of Long- tailed Tits c180 seen and Goldcrests c140 seen. There were also several roving flocks of Redwings in both Sparrows Nest (around 30) and especially Belle Vue Park (around 60). Several Song Thrushes seen, around 10 around the parks in total. I met up with Rob Win and Don & Gwen were seen in the distance too. Walking along the Denes, the fog was increasing and becoming more dense, more Redwings, c70 seen on the ground and flying overhead calling, too. The chacking of a Fieldfare saw 1 flying up to the top of a tree, whilst 7 Redwings were in the wind break bushes here, plus several 3 Robins too.At Warren House Wood, around 50 Redwings seen. At the small copse, just north of here, 4 Jays seen plus 6 more Redwing and 2 Fieldfare. By Gunton Beach Dunes another 12 Redwing seen plus 4 Fieldfare and a female Stonechat perched on the bushes here. Walking back along the beach around 30 Redwing and 3 Fieldfare flew overhead in off the sea, viz mig in action! By the sea wall, by Marram grass, a movement caught my eye and revealed a lone Chiff- Chaff which was feeding on insects by a plant, before a dog flushed it and the bird flew back along the beach. On the Oval, 4 Fieldfare were seen on the field close to the east wall, as I was watching them, 2 Redwing calls were heard directly overhead, they were perched in the pine tree that I was standing next to. I intended walking back to the car but seeing Neville S, he was watching the trees lining the east of the Sparrows Nest car park, I joined him and around 30 Redwing and 4 Fieldfare seen here, whilst on the Ting Dene static fenced caravan park, now a building site, we initially saw 6 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare, a Song Thrush, all feeding on the grassy area near the fence barely 40 feet away. Whilst we were looking at these we saw an excellent 1st winter female Ring Ouzel, we got on it at the same time, it was a dull bird with just a hint of silvery wings and a very pale breast band. I was looking at it, thinking it was a female Ring Ouzel when Neville said "it's a Ring Ouzel!" Walking south of here by the corner path, a Redwing, a Song Thrush and a female Blackbird seen by a puddle just 20 feet away. walking along the Netposts area, a further 6 Fieldfare seen on the ground and 3 Redwing all just 20 feet away! By the weedy area, another Robin seen here too. Rechecking Sparrows nest, 7 Redwings flew west over the Bowling Green. Whilst in Belle Vue Park by the memorial ground, I heard the rasping of a Brambling and saw a male Brambling in a beech tree together with 3 Chaffinches. An incredible day with 250 Redwings, 28 Fieldfares, 15 Song Thrushes, 5 Blackbirds, and 1 female Ring Ouzel seen. A great day for Thrushes, I subsequently heard they'd been bigger falls elsewhere including at Corton.