Norfolk birding (38 Viewers)

postcardcv said:

I saw my first house martin of the year this morning - a single hawking over fields just west of Castle Acre.

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That was nice!!!!! Well done! :clap: :t:

DaveB said:

A visit to North–west Norfolk did not disappoint, with 72 different species being recorded throughout the day. However, it was not so much the quantity, but the quality of the birds that made the day special.

Wolferton was the first stop where at least nine Woodcock and two Jays were seen before viewing the first of our target birds, a Golden Pheasant (one female). A further 26 species were added to the list at this location. Highlights included Barn Owl (quartering the land to the north of the village), Sparrowhawk (1 female) and Common Buzzard (2).

Next up was Snettisham, where the second target bird was the long staying Black–eared Kite. The morning could not have gone better. Hen Harrier (1 ringtal), Marsh Harrier (at least 3), Common Buzzard (2), Merlin (1) and Kestrel (1) were the raptors. Geese included Greylag Goose (100+), Canada Goose (50+), Egyption Goose (6+), White–fronted Goose (2), Brent Goose (2), Pink–footed Goose (200+), Barnacle Goose (12+), Ross’s Goose and a blue morph Snow Goose.

A further 43 species were added to the list, including the Black–eared Kite viewed to the west of the pumping station.

Many thanks to all who have helped me with the visit.

DaveB

Forgot to mention the four Shorelarks (by rotary hide) and the Med Gull flying over the pumping station.

Thanks!

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Thought I would let you chaps know that there has been a discussion on the Blue Morph. It turns out that this could be a Snow x Ross's Hybrid.

DaveB

Hey there Dave

there's been a Lesser Snow x Ross's out east over the last few weeks but not recently... a photo is on Great Yarmouth Bird Club website

nothing much out of the ordinary this evening around Sea Palling but several hundred gulls have massed offshore this evening. Too distant to id with bins though. 20-30 Mipits and a couple of Stonechats. Few Pied Wags going over hinting at movements soon to come...

Just returned from a fab 4 days in Norfolk.

Weather was great apart from Sunday afternoon when it rained and blew a gale but sat nice and snug in Joe Jordan hide at Holkham so it didn't bother us to much.

Couldn't find my main target which was Hawfinch at Lynford but caught up with Shore Lark and Rock Pipit at Cley and Goldeneye at Titchwell.

A nice Tawny Owl in Wells as we walked to the pub was a great bonus also.

The Black eared Kite (possibly) came to us as we sat at Wolferton Triangle but i couldn't see the damm thing but the wife did.....luckily for me we both have to see it to add it to the list.........hehehehehe.......good job i made that rule up.

Otherwise all the usual suspects around but still nice to see.

Had a nice day at cley area yesturday Shore larks 9 still just behind the old fishing boats. little stint,dunlin,blacktailed godwits,avocets,redshanks ,2 spotted redshanks
reeves and ruff,brent geese by the thousands by the cafe,pied wagtails,and reed buntings good views of the marsh harriers.
in the bushes at bottom of beach road there was a dartford warbler spotted.1 near waxham today i see.
didnt see any pipits tho.
Went to horsey at dusk but didnt see the cranes but did hear them, maybe just too late,about 15 marsh harriers came into roost.gorgeous evening weather for a change

keith

Went for a walk round Buckenham / Strump today: Bittern, American Wigeon, 2 Peregrines, Merlin, loadsa Ruff etc... Two butterflies too! A Comma and a Brimstone! Must be spring!

Dartford Warbler at Waxham again this evening but mega skulky. A few Cranes bugling away cut a nice backdrop

Tim

Went for a walk at lunchtime to escape a stuffy classroom at Dersingham Bog and saw 2 Woodlarks. How lovely to hear them singing! Fellow birders had seen a Brimstone Butterfly too!
Sue

Was a fine but chilly morning when I left off so I went to Cart Gap, just down the road from home. 0645-0715, a few Greenfinch, Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch and 6 alba Wagtails west as well as a high flying flock of 22 Wood Pigeon (migrating? They do). Best was a fine male Merlin watched perched atop a small tree before flying off to hunt; he did the 'Mistle Thrush bounding' they often employ to fool potential prey species that they're something much safer.

James

1 buzzard over fields by Stone Lane, Buckenham this afternoon (up the "hill" from Buckenham train station) . very nice i thought

Birdline: Black eared kite still at RSPB Snettisham

2 garganey at Heigham Holmes thursday

saturday holkham hall

Noticeable movement of redwings in the Wells/Holkham area today. 1 Buzzard over Holkham Hall. Failed for the 6th time this year to see lesser spot there

Gordon Hamlett

quite a few Little Gulls currently around Waxham in ploughed field near Shangri-La

bit quiet today otherwise, no sign of the Dartford and only a couple of cranes.

Tim

Very busy up this end of Norfolk today. Massive movement of Redwings.

Started off at Holme Marsh Reserve at 8.15am (hides with cushions in!!!!!). The path to the first hide, produced 60 redwings going west. Just before 1st hide a beautiful pair of bullfinches in the sycamore. From hide: 1 heron, 2 blue tits, 6 long tailed tits, little grebe, male reed bunting, wren, robin, shelduck, 90+ curlew got up over the marsh, coot, tufted duck, chaffinch, kestrel, magpie x 2, lapwings x12, mallard. From Hide 3: Wigeon 100+, Skylark feeding in front of hide + several serenading me in the blue skies, several Brents over the marsh, Little Egret, 4 carrion crows going west, pair of mute swans, greylags, sparrowhawk, another 75 redwings going west, teal, great tit. Along the path back: a goldcrest, which I tried to turn into a firecrest, but alas no eye stripe!!! Another!!! 100+ redwings, west again. Left here 10.30am went home to mother's for loo stop - Looking out of kitchen window saw a crisp looking brambling!

In the village by pond, 9 greenfinches sitting in the tree. Along Firs Road to Holme Bird Observatory: a song thrush sitting in tree and singing, coal tit in hawthorn.

Redwell Marsh Reserve 11am: 2 oystercatcher, 17 Jackdaws bathing in the watery edges, 9 coots poodling around in the scrape, 10 curlew, 1 redshank, 1 moorhen, skylark singing, wren singing, 7 linnets going west, pair of teal, and a fantastic sight of a female merlin flying in and landing on a fence post, where she sat for a long time!!!!! Left here, half way down Firs Road by 5-bar gate, nipped out of car for quick scan over saltings, 3 little egrets, 2 avocets.

At HBO, 2 long tailed tits, coal tit, water rail calling, marsh harrier. Sat and had sandwiches and turned into a complete lazy slob and stretched on bench/seat, using rucksack as pillow in the wonderful sunshine and had 40 winks listening to the pines wavering in the wind with the sound of skylarks, absolute heaven, like a summer's day. Finally, lazily rose and went off again at just before 3pm along Thornham bank to sluice to see reed bunting, redshank, oystercatcher, 2 red legged partridge over lavendar marsh (very boggy round here!!) Note: beware of walking on dry grassy stuff to discover deep pools of water underneath!!! (I really should know by now, being a Norfolk lass and being the age I am!!!!!) Carried on up to Thornham Point and counted 12 ringed plover, 3 sanderlings, 1 turnstone, several oystercatchers, 100+ common gulls, several batches of Lesser black backed gulls going west, 60 herring gulls. Spotted a funny looking gull and got a birding friend all the way out there to look at it and it was only a ******* !!! not going to confess on here what it was!!!!!! About 1,100 golden plover landed before us, fantastic sight in the sunshine!!!!! Walked back to Observatory, meeting up with my youngest sister as well. On NOA carpark had 5 fieldfares sitting on telegraph wires, as the sun was setting and 2 more red legged partridges. Back to parents for tea and cake and back home.

See NOA website for other sightings at Holme today http://norfolkornithologistsassociation.pbwiki.com/FrontPage

Wonderful, beautiful day in sunny West Norfolk.

Have a good day tomorrow everyone.

Best Wishes Penny :girl: :hi:

Black Red at Waxham Pipe Dump

and five Little Gulls in ploughed field or on the sea

Fantastic day today! Started at Grimes Graves where the Great Grey Shrike played me a merry dance! Saw it eventually (after a good telling off from lady in visitor centre for not paying for a ticket!) I also saw my 1st Wheatear of the year as well as a noisy Stonechat who was trying to out sing the Skylarks. Towards Thetford I sat and watched 2 Goshawks displaying. What a sight as they twisted and tuned in the air, high above the trees!
On to Wells, a male Hen Harrier kept me enthralled before two Red-breasted Geese eventually flew towards all the waiting birders. A lovely day out!
Sue

Black Red appears to have moved on

Little Gulls showing very well in the fields still

first afternoon out without seeing or hearing cranes for a long while.

Lakenheath Fen yesterday

Hi went to Lakenheath fen for the first time yesterday - we walked around the long walk, through the populars and the reedbed then up onto the embankment to look over the River little ouze and the flood water. We saw plenty of the usual woodland birds along with drumming woodpecker, then over the reed bed - at least 4 herons, 1 kestral hunting, 2 bearded tits, 1 beautiful female reed bunting who kept flitting from reed to reed right in front of us - if only we had brought our camera as the light was great. 40+ redwing flying South (around 2pm ) and 20+ redshank flew by seeking a suitable landing site, 4+ whooper swans also flew by. On the wash we saw over 50+widgeon, 30+shoveler, 2 shelduck, 40+tufties, 3 great crested grebe and 10 gadwell. Also 100+ lesser black backed gulls (I think??) and 30+ pochard. Sky larks were singing well at altitude also 1 cormorant flying southwest.

All in all not a bad first time visit and I can envisage this reserve becoming really popular in a few years time once all the hides etc have been built. The visitor centre was finished but not open. Also, too early yet for the Golden Orieles but a couple of people we met reckon they should be around from mid april onwards in the popular trees.

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Wow, sounds like you had a great day out Sue. I dipped on the Red Breasted Geese at Wells unfortunately, arrived later in the day!

Connor