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

Norfolk birding (15 Viewers)

Eventful Weekend

Five members of Northern Ireland Ornithologists Club spent an enjoyable long weekend in Norfolk. Battered by storm force winds and heavy rain we were lucky to tally 134 birds for our 5 day visit.

Some highlights were:
Bittern
Bonxies
Arctic Skua
Sooty Shearwater
Grey Phalarope
Red Necked Phalarope
Yellow Browed Warbler
Firecrest
Little Stint
Curlew Sandpiper

Photos to follow.

Special thanks to our friends Jed & Sophie of NOA for the excellent hospitality extended over our visit.
 
That looks good!!!!!! That could be the only picture - well done!!!!!:t::t::t:

Thanks Penny and everyone who replied. It feels a bit odd getting praise for such a poor photo - a bit like Penny's reaction to her crowd shot. ;)

Did you get any other crowd shots as I am hidden behind the group - probably still gasping for breath after the stroll to the point.

I didn't mention it earlier but the Bonelli's was not with any other birds just doing it's own thing.

Dave
 
From the kissing gate pass the northern end of the boating lake take the southern fork in the path and follow it past the path down the west side of the camp site. The path opens out into a wide area and it was in the birches on the immediate right.

I hope this makes sense, if not why don't we try to create a definitive map of the area. ;)

Dave

That sounds like the SE corner of the dell (for those that may not know, the dell is the flat treeless circle in amongst all the silver birches etc.) That is pretty much where I first found it on saturday.
 
Thanks for that. Will probably have an hour or so before sundown to search for it today with Simeon. Hope it hasn't moved on! Just to make sure - its the area circled in the attached satellite image, right? Had to put it in a word document (2007, sorry if thats incompatible) because birdforum didn't like it.
 

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Thanks for that. Will probably have an hour or so before sundown to search for it today with Simeon. Hope it hasn't moved on! Just to make sure - its the area circled in the attached satellite image, right? Had to put it in a word document (2007, sorry if thats incompatible) because birdforum didn't like it.

HI James,

The photo was taken just to left of your red circle at the junction where the path splits (looks like a letter Y on its side). We had a couple of views before that as it moved east along the main southern track.

Good luck with the search, the bird has been seen again today according to the pager.

Dave
 
Flipping heck. I must be the most unlucky person in the world. :(
Just had a weeks holiday in Norfolk and left on friday morning.. Tried many times to find stuff and best we could do was a pied fly and Warham greens. Very little was happening.. and now look what happens the day after we have gone..!!! ARghghghgh.
 
We have often considered walking back from Blakeney point due to the limited time the boats allow on the point
Is it easy walking or is it 3 miles on shingle
 
Cracking views of the Grey Phalarope were obtained (showing within 10ft) by myself and many others this pm at Titchwell although I did notice some "birders" glancing at the bird and walking straight by, I on the other hand could have watched the bird all day. Not much else to report from my trip other than I had a Lapland Bunting fly over whilst watching the Phalarope. Afterwards I moved onto Hunstanton to try and see the Wryneck but unfortunately after an hour or so of searching it failed to show.

regards,
 

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Hi
I was thinking of catching the 'bus from Cley to Morston and wondered what it was like walking from the point to Cley

It's a great walk, better on fine day, but perhaps not quite so many birds. It is however shingle all the way, and if you've seen nothing it can seem a very long way back.
 
Had just over an hour at Wells woods this evening, but it was brilliant! Highlights included 1 Pied Flycatcher, 60+ Robins, 30+ Redwing, 60+ Siskin, 19 Grey Herons in off the sea and headed West in a big group (!), c.4 Chiffchaffs, etc.

At 6:25pm we were about 200m west of the black seat west of The Dell and almost certainly saw the Bonelli's Warbler (white underside, but light was getting worse). It presumably roosted in this area as we could not relocate it after it flew across the path.

Heading back we entered The Dell at around 7pm and there were Robins everywhere. Also about 8 Redstarts including one bird which had obvious white wing panels (P. p. samamisicus?). Watched it for a while but the light was appalling by now. It was feeding on the grassy area right next to the black seat for anyone looking tomorrow.
 
My first Pink Feet of the year at Waxham on a bird filled Monday night were followed by a second helping this morning, a group of c.75 flying west over Norwich, Magdalen Road area.
Jim.
 
Thanks for your help Dave. Simeon's already mentioned everything we had I think. Pity we didn't have more time as the place certainly needed it!

Does anybody know where I can find more information about samamisicus Redstarts? It surely can't be as simple as whether the bird has a white wing panel or not, can it?
 
A post under a photo of the Bonelli's on Birdguides says that it's apparently been making 'chip' calls!?! Anybody verify this? Just wondering why it hasn't been upgraded to a definite Eastern...
 
Thanks for your help Dave. Simeon's already mentioned everything we had I think. Pity we didn't have more time as the place certainly needed it!

Does anybody know where I can find more information about samamisicus Redstarts? It surely can't be as simple as whether the bird has a white wing panel or not, can it?

This is taken from British Birds Vol 99, issue 12, a paper by the RIACT subcommittee about races considered by the BBRC.

"Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus samamisicus, ‘Ehrenberg’s Redstart’

BBRC has routinely assessed claims of Ph. ph. samamisicus and there are currently four accepted records. A review of all past records, including those previously not accepted, is in progress and a small number of new claims are being assessed. At present, only males are considered diagnosable. Males differ from those of nominate phoenicurus most obviously in showing a white wing-panel in the secondaries and tertials; in adults this appears large and extensive, but on some first-winters is restricted to a thin white border on the innermost secondary and outermost tertial, with other tertials showing broad buff fringes; such birds are easily overlooked. Accurate ageing and precise details of the wing-panel (exact colour, extent and shape) are essential; photographs and an in-hand description are ideal. Females may not appear particularly pallid, as sometimes suggested, and some fresh female phoenicurus show a contrasting pale buff wing-panel, as do some well-marked males of the nominate race. At present, female samamisicus appears not safely identifiable, although we welcome images of suspected females. Some Common Redstart x Black Redstart P. ochruros hybrids may resemble samamisicus so care is needed to eliminate this pairing; similarly, the possibility of Hodgson’s Redstart Ph. hodgsoni as a potential escape should be considered."

There have been a few claims in recent years (one at Walcott last year?) but I haven't heard anymore about them.
 
Titchwell September 29th

Today's highlights - a corking day!

Little bunting - 1 at Thornham Point. 1st record for Titchwell (that I know of) found late morning although elusive this afternoon
Grey phalarope - 1 still showing very well on Tidal pool although more mobile today (2 birds present yesterday afternoon)
Spotted flycatcher - 1 in trees along main path
Redstart - 3 at Thornham Point
Ring ouzel - 1 over Meadow Trail
Little stint - 3 on fresh marsh

Shame I have had to work!!

Paul
 
Cheers for that James. As Simeon said, the light was appalling, so there was no chance of separating it from a hybrid even if we had known how to! On the other hand, the light was so rubbish that the wing panel had to be pretty obvious for us to have picked it out at all... Pity the bird wasn't refound today. Maybe next year ;)
 

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