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

Norfolk birding (17 Viewers)

Just back from a quick look at Breydon - 5 Spoonbill + lots of waders at high tide roost including - c.500 Golden Plover, 100's Avocet, lots of Bl t godwit a few bar wits, grey plover, dunlin, 2 knot, 2 whimbrel, 1 greenshank and plenty of common terns. Surely not long before a rare wader turns up in Norfolk!
 
Titchwell

A decent hour or so spent on the reserve this evening produced the following highlights

Black tailed godwit 155
Little ringed plover 3 juvs
Garganey 2
Spotted redshank 10
Teal 81
Common sand 2
Ruff 36
Wigeon 3
Wood sand 1
Hobby 1
Redshank 56
Curlew sand 2

Lets hope the sharp tailed sand arrives soon!!

Paul
 
Also at Holme I've read in my book that you need a key for the hides which you can collect from the bird obs, 1) Where is the bird obs, 2) What areas are best and 3) What time are the hides opened. Thought Redwell Marsh might be good for an evening visit because it's supposed to be very good for Barn Owls.
Tom

Hi Tom

For the NOA, you do need a key for their hides at Holme Bird Observatory, Redwell Marsh, Walsey Hills and Hempton Marsh, but you need to be a member of the Norfolk Ornithologists Association. After paying your yearly membership you can pay £5 for a key which fits all the NOA hides on all reserves. If you give your membership up at any time you can return the key and have your £5 returned. NOA members also can visit all reserves from dawn until dusk. But if you are a member and visiting Holme Bird Observatory before 10am or after 5pm please keep the 5-bar gate, half way down the Firs Road closed.

As for the hides at Holme Dunes Nature Reserve (Norfolk Wildlife Trust - NWT) they are not locked and the opening times for Holme Dunes reserve is 10am until 5pm.

The NOA website is noa.org.uk for details of reserves, membership etc.

Hope you find this helpful.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
much colder today, cloudy and stronger westerly wind

1 Sooty Shearwater north
5 Arctic Skuas north
120 Gannets
50 Common Terns
40 Sandwich Terns
1 Whimbrel south
1 Curlew south
10 Redshanks south
2 Common Scoters north
5 Turnstones south
2 Kittiwakes
4 Teal south
2 Pintail south
 
17:45 - 20:00 this evening at Rush Hill...... hell the water level's high. 2 Common Sands, 4 Ruff (3 adults) and a Snipe for my efforts. 60 - 80 Common Terns here and feeding over the broad, several juvs still being fed by their parents.

James
 
Sea Palling / Waxham 06:15 - 07:45

3 Arctic Skuas
9 Guillemots
150+ Gannets
1 Dunlin
9 Redshank
11 Oystercatcher
1 Sanderling
5 Turnstone
1 Grey Plover
2 Little Terns
and some uncounted Kittiwakes and Sandwich / Common terns

Swallows and Martins bundling south on and off, more Herrings in today,
 
A Hobby whizzed over the village this evening and a lone Whimbrel flew west calling. The wind eased for a while and turned to come off the sea so I nipped to Cart Gap for a half hour from 18:15. Pretty quiet, best birds were 4 Arctic Skuas south, one of which came in and robbed a tern over the beach, 11 Gannets south, 3 Common Scoter north and 5+ Guillies on the sea. A porpoise was fairly close inshore too...

James
 
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I looked out of my kitchen window last night and noticed an unusual largish bird sitting on my neighbour's bungalow roof. When I had found my binoculars it turned out to be a female Sparrowhawk. I have been looking for these in all the usual places recently but not seen any and it was strange seeing one at really close range from my window. I've been living in Hopton for 25 years but I've never seen one here before. Perhaps the masses of young Starlings and Sparrows this year are the big attraction.

Ron
 
We made a snap decision to go to Strumpshaw Fen this afternoon and, for the first time in ages, I decided not bother taking my digiscoping gear. Inevitably therefore, for about an hour, we were treated to fantastic views of a Kingfisher fishing from the posts right in front of the Reception hide.

After I had stopped crying I really enjoyed it, although my frustration returned briefly when we moved to the Fen hide and watched three beautiful little Snipe feeding in the mud just in front of the hide. Oh well, "C'est la vie."

The RSPB guy in the Reception informed me that the red dragonfly with black legs which we were watching was a Ruddy Darter. He seemed to think that they are not so common and seemed quite excited so I pass the information on.

On the way back we returned to the Reception hide and spent another 20 minutes watching the Kingfisher in action again. Great stuff.

Ron
 
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After missing out on the Kingfisher photos yesterday I decided to return to Strumpshaw with my scope and camera in the hope that I could get some photos today. Looking at the weather forecast I didn't hold out too much hope but it proved to be worth taking the chance as there were two Kingfishers fishing in front of the Reception hide.

I have now got nearly 100 photos to sift through but here is one I made earlier.

Ron
 

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After missing out on the Kingfisher photos yesterday I decided to return to Strumpshaw with my scope and camera in the hope that I could get some photos today. Looking at the weather forecast I didn't hold out too much hope but it proved to be worth taking the chance as there were two Kingfishers fishing in front of the Reception hide.

I have now got nearly 100 photos to sift through but here is one I made earlier.

Ron

Excellent pic, Ron

I know that stump well!!

Matt
 
The local Swifts disappeared maybe 10 days ago but I noticed 11 slipping southward here during the day. Curlew and Golden Plover over too.

If there's not much about by Tuesday then Wednesday looks promising. Go here...
 
Just got back from 2 weeks in Norfolk.

Stayed in Overstrand for the first week and Clippesby for the second.

I did quite a bit of birding early morning before the family woke up.

I saw some good birds with Curlew Sand at Titchwell, Arctic Skua overhead on the beach at Sea Palling and Blakeney, Cranes at Stubb Mill and Spoonbills and White Rumped Sand at Breydon Water.

Also some new Dragon and Damselflies at Strumpshaw.

No Swallowtails though so I will just have to venture back for next year.

Good beer and food at the Dun Cow and veggie breakfast at the Cliff Top cafe at Overstrand.

However back to reality now Great Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Whitethroat
 
Good seabird passage this morning from Sherringham (between 7.30-9.30) - 1 close sooty shearwater, 10+ manx , 20+ arctic skua, 5 bonxie, over 150 knot, 2 little gulls and plenty of Gannets. Its only a matter of time before we get a good bird in Norfolk (weather looking good!)
 
Holme

Hi everyone,

Great birdfair Friday & Saturday, inspired, so had to get out in the field yesterday.

Holme 0830 -1400 Low cloud, and heavy drizzle produced some overhead wader passage - 14 Greenshank, 5 Green Sand, 14 Whimbrel, 90 Snipe in sev groups, these all over heading west presumably going to go S or SW and inland when they reach the corner of the wash.

Also 2 Arctic Skuas over the sea, and 1 Pom Skua all ads, the Pom was not sporting tail feathers, but plumage adult and id'd on size/jizz whilst alongside one of the Arctics.

400 Oyks on the beach, 300+ Knot in flight, lots of Sanderling & 40 Bar wits on the beach all ads. Doesn't appear that arctic waders have had a good year, but time will tell.

Greenshank & Cn Sand on NWT pools plus NWT waren had a Garganey but had disappeared when I got there.

50+ Swift high presumably migrants now, few Swallows west but no numbers.

Will try to get up another evening this week after work - then it's off to Tiree for a week, where I am hoping to photograph Corncrake and find something good.

Cheers Chris
 

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