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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Norfolk birding (9 Viewers)

matt green said:
spent the day touring around the north east coast today with my very tolerant (they need to be don't they!) non birder friend (who happens to drive:)).

all this happening in front of a perfect broadland full moon,we also had the whole place to ourselves!

matt
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Hi Matt
Glad you had a good day, wow you saw the cranes!!!, they really are beautiful. Yes, wonderful advantage, birding in the week, no so many people about.
Best Wishes Penny
 
[QUOTE
and countless numbers of geese!
[/QUOTE]

Hi Matt,
Sounds like you had a good day. Spent most of mine clearing out the garage! Did get some geese at dusk though as about 500 Pinks in 3 skeins headed into Broadland. It happens every year but is still a magical sight and sound.

James
 
Nice one Matt

took my shiny road bike out for my Saturday afternoon ride up Horsey & Waxham - saw several hundred (000 ?) Pinkfeet around, plus a good few plovers & Lapwings etc

4 then 3 more Cranes over the treeline from Horsey Mill mid afternoon and 2 harriers buzzing the ducks

done a couple of quick loops around the windfarm, Hemsby & Winterton but didn't see the Pallid Harrier, but then again i wasn't really looking too hard. Still some House Martins in Hemsby.
 
Birding today at Holme

I arrived at Holme 7.40am (Sat 7th October), the tide was very high (6.51am - 8.2) and was crashing into the dunes, it was spectacular and wild.

High tide for Sunday 7.34am - 8.5, Monday 8.16am - 8.5 and Tuesday 8.59am - 8.2 if anyone is interested.

Seawatching produced 9 gannets, 9 shelduck going west, shearwater??? at 7.50am going east, 200+ knot, 95 bar tailed godwits, 7 common scooter, 1 grey plover, oystercatchers, sanderling, 1 ringed plover, 24 brent geese going west, 1 greenshank, 2 grey wagtails over dunes and a sparrowhawk. From gorse/elderbushes at Holme Bird Observatory, 1 goldcrest, lots of blue tits, great tits, several coal tits, greenfinches, chaffinches, goldfinches, 2 robins, several wrens. Over marsh: several hundred pink feet, kestrel, 1 little egret. Lots of Red Admirals feeding on blackberries, also 2 commas, and 2 painted ladies. Lots of dragonflies including migrant hawker which I photographed! Lots of skylarks.

Redwell Marsh - 4pm: Several hundred pinkfeet, lots of jackdaws, 37 linnets, 6 teal.

Holme Marsh Reserve - 4.45pm: Several pairs of ruddy duck, 17 grey lags, 19 Egyptian geese, 55 wigeon feeding quite close to hide, and a hare. Lovely sunny day but crap for migrants!!!!!!:girl:
 
Tried to relocate the Snow Goose yesterday, but to no avail, but did find a good number of Pink-feet by Peterstone Priory Farm NE of Burnham Market, which included a Barnicle.

However, a question: Is Norfolk the last port of call for these Pink-feet or do they ever move on? A friend suggested that early birds might go across to Holland etc, but I wouldn't have thought so. Any ideas? or is the Snow Goose still out there somewhere in Norfolk waiting to be refound?!
 
Birding today at Holme

Monday 9th October

Had a day's holiday today :clap:

Arrived for high tide at 8.15am. Would like to have arrived earlier but had my sister with me who does not birdwatch/get out of bed early!!! Saw a couple of eiders flying west, few cormorants, thats about it as wasn't allowed to stand seawatching for more than a few minutes!!!! Heard a Cetti's Warbler at the bottom of Thornham bank, several skylarks, brent geese over the lavendar marsh, some shoveler and little grebes on broad water. Back at HBO after chit chat with Jed and Sophie and tea (Warden and AW). Cattle Egret at Blakeney Fresh marsh came up on the pager while we sat drinking tea. Walked along the bank and saw lots of bird movement in bushes, Jed and Sophie came and joined us, saw a male blackcap, chiffchaff, goldcrest x 2, 2 grey wagtails flew over, 3 kingfishers flew across broadwater. On way out along Firs Road just before 5-bar gate had fantastic view of male Stonechat sitting on top of bramble in the sunshine (much better than being at work!). Went home for family fish 'n' chips lunch! (from Vegas, Hunstanton). After '40 winks' went on to Titchwell (by myself!). Couldn't believe it, there were loads of people here and was shocked that I couldn't get in 1st carpark! I noticed in the diary in the centre that someone had seen a Cory's Shearwater yesterday (Sunday). Saw all usual waders, plus lots of skeins of pinkfeet adorning the blue skies, brent geese on scapes settling in nicely along with everything else, wigeon, 1 egyptian goose, a curlew eating a freshwater crab! (fascinating to watch), 2 curlew sandpipers and on the sea, 1 guillimot, 2 red necked grebes, common scooter (tide on the return but still a long way out). Left Titchwell, picked up sister (dropped her off at parents) drove home, jam sandwich, 'corrie', Autumn Watch (getting fed up with the deers and I am a Simon King fan!!!!), Birdforum :gn:
 
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Looking at accuweather.com this week/weekend should be a brilliant time for migrants, lots of easterlies etc etc. So anyone thinking of coming to Norfolk this weekend, this should be the BIG one, perhaps Friday 13th will be lucky!!!!!!
 
Penny Clarke said:
Looking at accuweather.com this week/weekend should be a brilliant time for migrants, lots of easterlies etc etc. So anyone thinking of coming to Norfolk this weekend, this should be the BIG one, perhaps Friday 13th will be lucky!!!!!!
Click to expand...
That's great news. Am heading up to the north coast on Friday with Didi (it's her first trip up there).
 
As Frank says, it's my first trip to Norfolk - I was excited enough about it before I read what Penny says below! How to concentrate on working for the next few days? ;-)

Didi
 
r2didi2 said:
As Frank says, it's my first trip to Norfolk - I was excited enough about it before I read what Penny says below! How to concentrate on working for the next few days? ;-)

Didi
Click to expand...

I don't get the chance to go birding as much these days but the weather certainly looks good for the weekend/next week. If the all the conditions are right then the birding can be awesome. Fingers crossed, I'll break free and see what I can find!

Have a good trip to Norfolk and I hope it all happens for you.

James
 
A few more bits and bobs about in the county this morning:

- at least 1 (poss 2) white-rumped sands in the Cley / Salthouse area
- Cattle Egret at Blakeney
- Richards Pipits are starting to move through (one over Burnham Overy) - listen for the schreeeep!

and a Radde's in Suffolk suggests that the sibes may be on their way as well. Friday looks like the best day judging by the latest BBC forecast. Looking further ahead, from Friday onwards the forecast includes a significant easterly component for about a fortnight!
 
Also a Snowbunting at Holme and the Red Backed Shrike still at Stifkey Fen.

Frank and Didi - hope you have a BRILLIANT weekend here in Norfolk

Best Wishes Penny

:t: :girl: :D
 
Thanks for the good wishes Penny and James :) Only 2 days to go 'till we're off!

Apart from everything else, will be thrilled to see/hear a Richard's pipit - thanks for the info dbradnum.

Was interesting watching Autumnwatch about migration last night - those flocks of knot were amazing!

Didi
 
My last visit coincided with the arrival of the Cley Pacific Swift, a Desert Warbler, Oriental Pratincole and Sociable Plover. My target bird is Gray's Gropper!
 
Jane Turner said:
My last visit coincided with the arrival of the Cley Pacific Swift, a Desert Warbler, Oriental Pratincole and Sociable Plover. My target bird is Gray's Gropper!
Click to expand...
Yes I enjoyed my visit too.

POP
 
Jane Turner said:
My last visit coincided with the arrival of the Cley Pacific Swift, a Desert Warbler, Oriental Pratincole and Sociable Plover. My target bird is Gray's Gropper!
Click to expand...

May 1993. Remember it well. The OP was feeding on a work colleagues paddock. I wish he'd told me about it first!

Let's hope this trip coincides with birds of equal quality.

James
 
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Jane Turner said:
My last visit coincided with the arrival of the Cley Pacific Swift, a Desert Warbler, Oriental Pratincole and Sociable Plover. My target bird is Gray's Gropper!
Click to expand...

Wow, whereabouts will you be exactly exactly Jane???!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sure you'll find something for us Jane!!

Have a brilliant weekend.

Best Wishes Penny
 

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