andyb
Sunday 26th January 2003, 21:17
Hi,
Been birding seriously since March of last year. So this is my first winter. Moved down from Sheffield to Peterborough in November. Just starting to check out sites in Norfolk.
Went to Snettisham yesterday. Tried to time it for high tide following advice from friends. Arrived 20 minutes late according to the tide tables but already the tide was way out over huge mud flats.
This was my first serious wader trip, I guess. Certainly didn't go away disappointed although a scope was essential.
All winter plovers on the mud:
lapwing
golden plover - great to see these in their thousands in winter plumage. Previously had seen some with chicks at the end of the summer on Strines Moor near Sheffield. The flock really made the mud glow gold.
grey plover - new for me. What struck me most about them was their heavy bills and dark 'ear marks'. Lots of individiual birds in amongst the enormous golden plover flock.
ringed plover - last saw these on the machair on the isle of lewis. They were amazingly confiding there. Just one or two at Snettisham.
Sandpipers and co.
I guess I saw all the species you'd expect to see in this part of the country at this time of the year.
_Lots_ of Knot. Amazing to watch the flock(s) in flight. Like a sheet billowing in the wind. Field of view of bins completely filled with flying birds. Still trying to get over it.
Dunlin - quite a few of these but didn't seem so determined to stay in one massive flock.
Sanderling - a few ... possibly my favourtie wader to date after watching 3 chasing the surf up the beach at Holkham estates a few weeks ago.
Redshank - These birds seem to prefer to spend their time alone. Pretty equally spaced around all the pools at the estuary.
Bar tailed godwit - Suddenly I realised this wader identification lark isn't so bad if you ignore vagrants. Take into account locality, time of year and bill size and you're nearly there! Only other birds possible were curlew (ha!) and black tailed godwit but just the amount of markings on the back sorts that out.
Curlew - always noticed these as a non-birder in the past but only just beginning to appreciate their beauty and strangeness.
... You know sometimes that great collin's guide just gives you too many possibilities? If you check out time of year, location and whether it's a vagrant or not, the number of possibilities is narrowed down enormously and you can usually get to species fine on one or two features. An epiphany for me who used to be scared of winter waders! Yeah, yeah - this is obvious to you guys.
What else? An enormous flock of oystercatchers - some of them displaying with bills pointed down and very loud calls. Lots of wildfowl - favourite has to be the male goldeneyes, flocks of goldfinch, and a barn owl on the far side of the lagoon in clear view for 5mins or so as we walked back to the car park.
A nice day. Followed by a great meal and bottled Normandy cider.
Thoroughly recommend this RSPB reserve to any other beginners who want to get to grips with waders in their own time ... ;)
andyb
Been birding seriously since March of last year. So this is my first winter. Moved down from Sheffield to Peterborough in November. Just starting to check out sites in Norfolk.
Went to Snettisham yesterday. Tried to time it for high tide following advice from friends. Arrived 20 minutes late according to the tide tables but already the tide was way out over huge mud flats.
This was my first serious wader trip, I guess. Certainly didn't go away disappointed although a scope was essential.
All winter plovers on the mud:
lapwing
golden plover - great to see these in their thousands in winter plumage. Previously had seen some with chicks at the end of the summer on Strines Moor near Sheffield. The flock really made the mud glow gold.
grey plover - new for me. What struck me most about them was their heavy bills and dark 'ear marks'. Lots of individiual birds in amongst the enormous golden plover flock.
ringed plover - last saw these on the machair on the isle of lewis. They were amazingly confiding there. Just one or two at Snettisham.
Sandpipers and co.
I guess I saw all the species you'd expect to see in this part of the country at this time of the year.
_Lots_ of Knot. Amazing to watch the flock(s) in flight. Like a sheet billowing in the wind. Field of view of bins completely filled with flying birds. Still trying to get over it.
Dunlin - quite a few of these but didn't seem so determined to stay in one massive flock.
Sanderling - a few ... possibly my favourtie wader to date after watching 3 chasing the surf up the beach at Holkham estates a few weeks ago.
Redshank - These birds seem to prefer to spend their time alone. Pretty equally spaced around all the pools at the estuary.
Bar tailed godwit - Suddenly I realised this wader identification lark isn't so bad if you ignore vagrants. Take into account locality, time of year and bill size and you're nearly there! Only other birds possible were curlew (ha!) and black tailed godwit but just the amount of markings on the back sorts that out.
Curlew - always noticed these as a non-birder in the past but only just beginning to appreciate their beauty and strangeness.
... You know sometimes that great collin's guide just gives you too many possibilities? If you check out time of year, location and whether it's a vagrant or not, the number of possibilities is narrowed down enormously and you can usually get to species fine on one or two features. An epiphany for me who used to be scared of winter waders! Yeah, yeah - this is obvious to you guys.
What else? An enormous flock of oystercatchers - some of them displaying with bills pointed down and very loud calls. Lots of wildfowl - favourite has to be the male goldeneyes, flocks of goldfinch, and a barn owl on the far side of the lagoon in clear view for 5mins or so as we walked back to the car park.
A nice day. Followed by a great meal and bottled Normandy cider.
Thoroughly recommend this RSPB reserve to any other beginners who want to get to grips with waders in their own time ... ;)
andyb