Norfolk birding (104 Viewers)

[firstreesjohn]

aitch dot ornament before dawn, two mornings, now

An H. has been massacring the few goldfish in the ornamental pond opposite my dwelling, for the last two mornings and at some ungodly hour, before it even turns grey, Meine Damen und Herren.

This is a site tick- not that I keep a list, mind you.

 

[PYRTLE]

5 Spoonbills at Cley yesterday. Overheard, " Wettest drought I've experienced!"

 

[Paul Eele]

Moulting black necked grebe close inshore at Titchwell this morning until 8am at least. 40+ corn bunting around the Choseley barns area as I came in to work.

 

[Locostella]

Cracking little owl views tonight after an uneventful march around the patch. Using the car as a hide we watched it and it us, no more than 3m away. Cannot beat 'em, personally I think little owls are the bird most easily anthropomorphisised

Hey Johny,

Leila and myself also had Little Owl very close to the car on the way home last night near Norwich. We have actually done very well for them this year, must be about our 5/6th (would have to consult notes).

In regards to your Anthropomorphised comment, I always thought Goldfinch look like heavy whiskey drinkers. Alex Ferguson springs to mind a lot.

catch you soon Johny boy

 

[firstreesjohn]

Little Owl very close to the car on the way home last night . . must be about our 5/6th

Kieran: would 5/6 of a Little Owl be an ‘ittle Owl ?

 

[petehasset]

Hey Johny,

Leila and myself also had Little Owl very close to the car on the way home last night near Norwich. We have actually done very well for them this year, must be about our 5/6th (would have to consult notes).

In regards to your Anthropomorphised comment, I always thought Goldfinch look like heavy whiskey drinkers. Alex Ferguson springs to mind a lot.

catch you soon Johny boy

Sir Alex is a red wine drinker

 

[O.Reville1989]

A few more Swallows about now. 6 were over Binham Priory on my way to work today.
Not much else to report bird wise, currently on day 9 of 11 in a row at work so no birding for me :-C

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell April 20th

Today’s highlights

Black necked grebe – moulting bird offshore but drifted east towards Brancaster and no further sign
Short eared owl – 1 hunting over grazing meadow
Spoonbill – 1 on saltmarsh
Velvet scoter – 4 offshore
Green sandpiper - 1 on grazing marsh pool
Red crested pochard – female on fresh marsh
Spotted redshank – 3 on fresh marsh

Paul

 

[firstreesjohn]

Dracdaw, or Jackula ? ? ? And wotta melonistic gull !

West Runton, first, in search of waggies. In this, I was both successful and failed- I saw several flavissima (including what might have been a dark-headed one) and 3 alba; but they flew off, before I could grill them through the ‘scope. In any case, there wouldn’t have been much flesh on them. Two repetitions of this, later in the day, gave what can be seen below. They were in the field with the calves, immediately to the south of the Beach Road.

Variously on two of these young bovines was a Jackdaw which, when I first spotted it, was pecking at the neck of one of them. Unfortunately, I was not quick enough to get a shot of this.

Gramboro’, next; where the GSCuckoo/Blyth’s Reed brambles emitted unusual, rustling sounds. A cat, methought ? Tacking ensued, giving me the answer: a pair of Rousels. Excellent. They flew about a bit, yielding a few poor shots.

Cley NWT produced the headless gull below (how did it see where to fly?), vaguely reminiscent of Sooty, from the Visitor Centre, much less so, from Bishop’s Hide. A sweep of the area produced a 1S Little Gull.

A diversion occurred at Friary Hills, where 3 Med Gulls cavorted on the field beyond the pool near the kissing gate.

 

[Johny121]

Hey Johny,

Leila and myself also had Little Owl very close to the car on the way home last night near Norwich. We have actually done very well for them this year, must be about our 5/6th (would have to consult notes).

In regards to your Anthropomorphised comment, I always thought Goldfinch look like heavy whiskey drinkers. Alex Ferguson springs to mind a lot.

catch you soon Johny boy

Nice one matey, this is my 2nd of the year, same bird. I moved its young out of the road last year, so it owes me some good views!

 

[tootsietim]

Surlingham Church March.

A quick walk round gave first cuckoo of the year, calling and brief fly past.
Male Marsh Harrier carrying sticks off into the distance.
Grasshopper warbler reeling rather weakly from the marshes and several blackcaps, willow warblers, chiffchaffs and sedge warblers seen and heard.
Two house martins overhead, the peewits typically flying up to attack every corvid that dares fly over. No sign of green sandpiper.

Good close views of Chinese water deer.

A good morning.

 

[James Emerson]

Does anyone know whereabouts the male Pied Flycatcher reported from Norwich city centre is? I guess it could be in a private garden, but if not then directions would be appreciated!

Not much around at Whitlingham today, but finally some hirundines, 2 Swallows, 14+ Sand Martins and a lone House martin.

Also Bewick's Swan has been on the jetty opposite Rosary Road all morning.

 

[David142]

Many thanks to all of you for info on Bewick's and swanpit.

 

[BirdBeard]

Bonjour,

I was lucky enough to find the Pied Flycatcher this morning, whilst taking my baby boy Aneurin (a keen birder at 3 months) for a stroll in his pram. It was in Earlham Crematorium, off Earlham Road, Norwich.

Here's where it was:

take the first tarmacked path on the right by the parking spots and follow it down to the back of the St Thomas Rd houses and gate. Just before the back end of the graveyard there is a P parking sign. The large oak next to that, with a tall pine next to it was where I watched it feeding for 20 mins. I went back to try for a photo but no sign of it between 10-11. It was a beauty - a very striking, clean male in full summer plumage.

Aneurin and I were well chuffed with our best find to date. I knew we'd eventually get something decent on our regular walk, although he fell asleep shortly after pointing the bird out to me.

Cheers!
BirdBeard

 

[firstreesjohn]

No yellows for me: it's below in black and white- and black and white

An early ‘phone message (thank you, Ian) propelled me to WRunton, where the 3 Ring Ousels were, as indicated, in the field with the 15 or so male calves- no, it wasn’t a load of bullocks. 2 smart males and a dowdy female were my impression.

The wind was not right for many flava, but Simon C had had a few, earlier.

Gramboro’ and environs had little.

As did Cley NWT, when I hastened to Bishop’s Hide, in search of the ‘Channel’ Waggie, photographed by a visitor and requesting its ID at the VC. No sign of this, but a timely welcome from The (capital elled) Little, flaunting itself in front of the hide, as I gained entry.

 

[David Norgate]

These have been posted on Yahoo's NorfolkBirds:
(if using them without permission is a problem, then please delete - but I thought it would be of interest!

Sent: Thursday, 19 April 2012, 21:00
Subject: [norfolkbirds] Eagle
An Eagle of unknown origin flew north over Ashmanhaugh at lunchtime today attracting the attention of 8 mobbing Buzzards. Probably Short-toed - off to check id now

Then:
Sent: Friday, 20 April 2012, 19:21
Subject: Re: [norfolkbirds] Eagle
The Eagle reappeared over Ashmanhaugh at 12:15 today. Whatever it is, the Buzzards can't stand it - 6 birds set about it today forcing it down into the woodland canopy and relentlessly persued it through the trees until it got the message and departed. With such a reception I'm amazed it came back!

And finally:
This bird is definitely not a White-tailed Eagle. I've seen a few of those over the years including the one at Ormesby this year. This bird is nowhere near the size and doesn't have the massive bill. It looks like a Buzzard, but it's the size of an Osprey. It has a pale sandy brown head and this colouration extends down the back and across the wing coverts, contrasting with the rest of the wings which are dark brown. The undersides are pale with some darker barring not unlike a Buzzard, but is has no carpal patches and no dark bib. These features, together with the fact that when I first spotted the bird it was hovering over a nearby field, made me think that if is was a European species, then it was probably a Short-toed Eagle. But, if it is an escapee it may be something more exotic.

(Name of obsrerver removed, but definitely interesting!)

 

[David Norgate]

As did Cley NWT, when I hastened to Bishop’s Hide, in search of the ‘Channel’ Waggie, photographed by a visitor and requesting its ID at the VC. No sign of this, but a timely welcome from The (capital elled) Little, flaunting itself in front of the hide, as I gained entry.

Stunning picture of the Little Gull, good to have you back and posting excellent pictures of birds (and only birds)

 

[firstreesjohn]

good to have you posting excellent oictures of birds

I'm not sure that publishing an "oicture" on the web wouldn't lead to my immediate suspension and disciplinary action commenced, Dave. I'm glad you've now corrected this calumny.

BTW, it's quite a long time since I have posted something not of a bird, as the temperature has not been conducive to the appearance of many insects- always seen whilst ‘birding in Norfolk’ !

 

[tonyfenn]

pic of blue headed wag at cley today on birding world web site

 

[O.Reville1989]

pic of blue headed wag at cley today on birding world web site

Cracking bird! Shame it wasn't put out to the wider world.