News of a male Rock Thrush on the North Norfolk coast sent the UEA birding community into a massive panic. This was an exceptionally rare bird and being a male, a stunning one too. We frantically made calls, knocked on doors and called in favours until we managed to bag ourselves a ride to the coast.
After a hectic drive from Norwich, the stonking male Rock Thrush was immediately seen running around on the fifth fairway of Hunstanton golf course like a multi-coloured Wheatear! The orange, white and blue bird ran around after insects, sometimes flying vertically like an outsized flycatcher. Our feeling of relief and excitement of seeing this bird was matched only by our relief of surviving a break-neck journey along Norfolk's backroads!
The bird performed beautifully, bringing huge smiles to all present. It would run quickly then stop bolt upright, before flying a short distance to the top of a small bush or banktop. It readily perched atop stout twigs, which seemed a bit unexpected, although having never seen one before, I am not sure what my basis for that view was. The bird had smart plumage, looking very exotic in flight, with bright orange tail, underwings and underparts, contrasting with blue upperparts and a dazzling white back. A row of white-tipped scapulars were noted. Wings were dark with blue coverts. At one point, it caught and ate a large caterpillar which after a lot of effort it swallowed whole. After the exertion, it flew to a bush where it sat and snoozed for a while. An absolutely stonking bird!
Apparently, later on, a Sparrowhawk caught the Rock Thrush in front of the gathered twitchers who shouted at it in horror. The hawk dropped the thrush which was taken into care. It survived the ordeal and was returned to the golf course the next day where it remained until the 25th.
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