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Jan 3rd and I was starting out on a 3 day marathon ( which got cut to 2 day because of bad weather). My target birds were Smew at Barton Pits (near to Burton) Blyths Pipit at Gringley Carr (near to Gainsborough), Rough legged Buzzard at Worlaby Carr (near to the Humber Bridge), Rose coloured Starling at RAF Canwell (near to Sleaford in Lincolnshire) and the Pallid Harrier (near to Stiffkey in Norfolk).
I started out from Birmingham at 07:15 on Jan 3rd to torrential rain. 25 minutes later this had turned into swirling snow and sleet. Reaching Barton G.P’s at 08:00 the weather, if anything, was getting worse. Thick snow flakes and can inky black sky didn’t bode well for me finding the reported 2 drake Smew. I had gone past 3 pits before I came to one that you could drive alongside. Turning left the wind driven snow hit the car side on and the windows were getting covered so fast that I couldn’t see out of them. It was time to venture out of the car. Within seconds my glasses were covered and I couldn’t expose the telescope lens as it would have been covered also. What to do? I walked to the other side of the car, opened the windows from both sides and peered through the car so my car interior protected my bins and scope – clever huh!! Was it worth it? Well a combination of inky black sky which also made the water look black coupled with 2 pure white Smew sitting not 100 yards away from me together with 3 red headed Smew helped: lol. I wasn’t going to hang about. I wasn’t getting wet as I had my waterproofs on but the inside of my car was and my face felt like an ice block. I was just getting into my car when an obliging Lesser Redpoll dropped into a tree besides me. It was now 08:45 and still it looked like night. Time to drive to Gringley Carr in Nottinghamshire, about 80 plus miles away.
Thankfully after reaching Derby the weather started to clear and by the time I had reached Gringley Carr it was quite bright, but very cold. I arrived at 10:15am and already there was about 30 cars parked by the pump house with more arriving behind me. It was about a mile walk to the site. It is flat open country here and from a distance you pick out a long line of about 50 birders with scopes up. I quickened my step and soon joined the throng of birders. First question – had it been seen? - yes came the reply and fingers started to point to the area it had been seen 5 minutes earlier.
“It’s showing, shouted one of the birders, and directions were being given but how can you direct anyone when what you are looking at is a flat set aside field with weeds, long grasses, dirt clumps and all manner of things to hide a bird. People were getting frustrated because only one birder was on it, then a 2nd, then some more and then me – YES, my first lifer of the year. A Blyth’s Pipit had entered my 2003 list. If I was to be honest, if I had found that bird first I doubt if I would have known what it was. It had originally gone down as a possible but it had been heard calling in flight and its call had been recorded, proving what bird it was. Like it or not, I have ticked a bird that in all honesty I wouldn’t have recognised, and I suspect that the majority of those birders present were in the same boat as me.
11:30 and I had a decision to make. I was running late and if I went for the Buzzard I was in danger of running out of time on day one and I wanted to be parked up in Norfolk that night. I decided to give the Buzzard a miss and go straight for the Starling. I was approaching towards Lincoln on the A156 near to where it joins the A57 when I came across a field of possibly over 500 Fieldfare. I stopped the car for about 15 minutes whilst I looked at these beauties, hoping I would see some Redwing amongst them as well but they were all Fieldfare. I tried digiscoping some of them but I was very disappointed with the results. Mind you the wind wasn’t helping and I couldn’t control the movement on my scope that the wind was causing. Moving on to Cranwell and I arrived just after 13:00. Almost straight away I was onto the Juv Rose coloured Starling as it was feeding on a green in the village. Setting up my camera on my scope I set about taking its picture but it flew off. I walked to where the houses are and was gobsmacked by the sheer numbers of birds around the houses. A feeder station has been set up at the edge of these houses and the birds it draws is amazing. The R.C Starling had been regularly reported at No 10 Flowerdown Avenue and as I watched the birds the person who lived there came out to chat. What do you think he talked about? Boy!! Well did you know that God came to visit him in his bedroom not long ago and his reward was to send this Rose coloured Starling to him so that people would come to see the bird and he could tell those same people about God coming into all our lives? Well that is what he kept on about. To give him his credit he did tell me that he had built all the bird feeders that could be seen, and more around the village. He gave me a cup of coffee and invited me into his garden so that I could photograph the Starling but it never came into his garden whilst I was there and I could only manage a distant shot, which hasn’t come out too good. I stayed for about 45 minutes hoping the bird would give me a better shot but it didn’t so it was time to carry on to Norfolk.
I arrived at the Wolferton triangle (near Sandringham) at 15:30 in the hope that I would see the Golden Pheasant but I failed again. I never seem to see this bird at this site. I carried on to Hunstanton Ski slope in the hope of seeing Purple sandpiper but again failed but I did see Sanderling and a lone Turnstone. On the way to Hunstanton you pass the turn off to Snettisham and it was here that there were thousands of Pink footed Geese flying in formation above me. There must have been at least five separate flocks of them, each one with large numbers of birds in them. There calls are one of the magical sounds of Norfolk at this time of year.
One final drive to Hunstanton cliffs after the Fulmar. These birds are resident here on the cliffs and you could see them flying around as you drove up to there. Looking from the top of the cliffs I found one lone Eider out on the darkened sea as by now it was almost dark. It was now almost dark and time to park up for the night. Down into Hunstanton for a Steak & Kidney pie and chips then a drive to Choseley Barns near to Titchwell and I was set for the night. I arrived at Choseley at about 17:30 and after consuming my meal settled down to do a bit of reading and listening to the radio and periodically starting the engine to get some warmth back into the car. At 22:30 I completely covered myself with a duvet. Placed a pillow under my head and settled back to sllep the night away. I awoke at 3am with the car covered in snow but I soon settled into a sleep again and awoke at 05:45am.
Jan 4th – Titchwell.
Into the toilets at 06:45 for a wash and a shave and clean my teeth and back to the car for a sarnie and a cup of tea and I was ready for the day. It was 07:30 and the sun was gently lighting up an almost cloudless sky. Boy was it cold out there. I donned on a ski cap over my Forum hat, put my thermal gloves on and set off arriving at the beach about 07:45. It was getting quite light now and soon I was joined by another birder. It was high tide and there were waders flying all over the place but not settling down. The waves were high and the white breakers looked vicious as they were whipped up by the bitterly cold south easterly winds. As soon as I sat down my eyes started to water as the wind whipped across them. Scanning the seas I couldn’t see much and it was a full half hour before the first birds were seen out on the water. The other birder had found 6 Red breasted Mergansers and I was soon on them. I also picked out a pair of Goldeneye then a few Eider were found. One male beauty flew just past us in full colour. I found a real surprise then when a couple of Velvet Scoters appeared on the top of a wave before promptly disappearing again only to keep reappearing each time there was a swell. Some waders started to drop onto the beach. First were a few Oystercatchers then a couple of Ringed Plover and a Turnstone followed by about 50 lovely Sanderling. These white gems always amuse me as they scuttle at breakneck speeds across the sands. They have a quick peck then move on. Their little legs seemed to be turbo charged as they speed along in search for food. Out on the water I managed to ID a Great northern Diver but apart from the usual Gulls nothing else could be seen.
I had been there for about ninety minutes when I decided to go back into the reserve. First new bird seen were a couple of Little Grebes and then I heard a Twite but couldn’t find it at first. Further along the path I heard it again and this time I found it flying over my head. A lone Grey Plover was on the brackish Marsh also but not much else. Moving on I could see a large flock of Brent Geese and a couple of Greylags with Redshank flying all over the place, their calls alerting you to their presence. It was still sunny but bitterly cold and the wind was getting through my gloves making my fingers go numb where I held the tripod. Into the hides to get away from the biting wind. First birds seen were a large number of Lapwing and an even larger number of Golden Plover. I have taken a few photos and hopefully one or two might come out OK. They were a bit distant and they were right into the sun so all the elements were against me. Also out on the reserve were quite a few Ruff as well as Shoveller, Shelduck, Cormorant, Pintail but unusually they were all at extreme range making it impossible to take photos of them. I decided to carry on to Holkham after having another bite to eat.
Looking across the fields at Holkham I could see thousands of Pink footed and hundreds of Brent Geese as well as a few Eurasian Whitefronted Geese. A couple of Egyptian Geese as well as hundreds of Wigeon. It started to snow quite heavy at this point and I just sat and watched the birds from the comfort of my car. I was hoping to take some photos but that was impossible in this weather. I decided to move on and I was just about to go down Lady Anne drive when the pager started bleeping announcing that the Pallid Harrier was quartering the fields near to the derelict airport at Cockthorpe. That was it for me. I was off after this bird. When I arrived at the edge of Cockthorpe there were cars parked all over the place. I followed some other birders for about a mile; all the time the clouds were coming over, all inky black and evil looking. Just as we met the other birders it started to hail heavily and it was stinging as it hit your face. It didn’t look like it was going to stop for a while, and the birders there had said that the bird had disappeared, so we all decided to about turn and trudge back to the cars. One chap had been searching for this bird for three days and had chased up every sighting, missing out on all of them He was slightly frustrated as was quite a few other birders. It seems that only a handful of birders were connecting with this special birds but most of the other birders were missing out on it.
There was a Yellow browed Warbler being reported at Stiffkey Woods, which was only about three miles away so I decided to go for that. The weather was getting very uncomfortable by now with the wind gathering momentum and lashing the hail/sleet across your face. Walking conditions were treacherous underfoot as everything had turned to thick heavy mud. It was clinging to your boots making it heavy work to walk. Walking though the woods, to the other side, I came across about 20 birders, all looking for the bird. After a couple of minutes a call went up that it had been spotted and we all moved into position to watch this little warbler. I watched this bird for a full ten minutes. Usually, I have found, you normally only get a fleeting glimpse but this bird was coming down to head height and only a few feet away from you. By now there must have been over 30 birders but it didn’t seem at all bothered by the crowd as it kept on hopping from one branch to another pecking at each one it landed on.
The weather was getting worse. Large flakes of snow were beginning to fall and I was undecided what to do next. I had arranged to meet Tony the next day to take him around a few sites but I didn’t fancy another day of weather like this. Reaching the car I sat and gave it some thought whilst watching the weather getting worse by the minute. It is no fun birding in these conditions. I decided to call it a day and go home but first I rang Tony to tell him what I had decided.
Now this is where perhaps the biggest slice of luck I have ever had with my birding. As I pulled away from Stiffkey the pager announced the Y.B Warbler as being at the west end of the Stiffkey Wood, which it wasn't as it was at the east end of the wood. I stopped the car to ring the birder company so I could give the correct info then carried on. All in all it delayed me by just over 5 minutes. What crucial 5 minutes they were to. I drove east away from Stiffkey and about a mile out a large bird flew over my head. I stopped the car and got out in time to see the Pallid Harrier fly over the fields to the right of me. If I hadn't stopped to ring the pager company I would have missed that. I hope that this is an omen for this years birding.
On the way home I called into the Wolferton Triangle again but no Golden Pheasants showed, but a Muntjac Deer strolled past the car. I then went to my Nightjar site near Sandringham as it is usually an excellent site for Woodcock but not today.
That was the most brilliant end to a horrible day weather wise but birding wise I can’t complain. Already this year I have had 2 lifers with Blyths Pipit and Pallid Harrier plus some excellent birds to start the year with. Great grey Shrike, Barn & Short eared owl, Yellow browed Warbler, Velvet Scoter, Water Rail, Rose coloured Starling and Smew. I couldn’t have wished for a better start, quality wise. Certainly in my wildest dreams could I imagine seeing a Pallid Harrier. Stuff of dreams that one. It makes me feel soory for all those birders that have trudged miles to see this bird and failed and those that have caught glimpses of it. Me, I saw it down to 50 feet and all in the comfort of my car. Brilliant!!
Tomorrow I am probably going after the Common Crane that is near to Leicester then I will see what is around to work out the rest of my itinery. There is a Great White Egret near to Codsall that I might go after but this bird has been present for a couple of months so there isn’t a rush for it.
I started out from Birmingham at 07:15 on Jan 3rd to torrential rain. 25 minutes later this had turned into swirling snow and sleet. Reaching Barton G.P’s at 08:00 the weather, if anything, was getting worse. Thick snow flakes and can inky black sky didn’t bode well for me finding the reported 2 drake Smew. I had gone past 3 pits before I came to one that you could drive alongside. Turning left the wind driven snow hit the car side on and the windows were getting covered so fast that I couldn’t see out of them. It was time to venture out of the car. Within seconds my glasses were covered and I couldn’t expose the telescope lens as it would have been covered also. What to do? I walked to the other side of the car, opened the windows from both sides and peered through the car so my car interior protected my bins and scope – clever huh!! Was it worth it? Well a combination of inky black sky which also made the water look black coupled with 2 pure white Smew sitting not 100 yards away from me together with 3 red headed Smew helped: lol. I wasn’t going to hang about. I wasn’t getting wet as I had my waterproofs on but the inside of my car was and my face felt like an ice block. I was just getting into my car when an obliging Lesser Redpoll dropped into a tree besides me. It was now 08:45 and still it looked like night. Time to drive to Gringley Carr in Nottinghamshire, about 80 plus miles away.
Thankfully after reaching Derby the weather started to clear and by the time I had reached Gringley Carr it was quite bright, but very cold. I arrived at 10:15am and already there was about 30 cars parked by the pump house with more arriving behind me. It was about a mile walk to the site. It is flat open country here and from a distance you pick out a long line of about 50 birders with scopes up. I quickened my step and soon joined the throng of birders. First question – had it been seen? - yes came the reply and fingers started to point to the area it had been seen 5 minutes earlier.
“It’s showing, shouted one of the birders, and directions were being given but how can you direct anyone when what you are looking at is a flat set aside field with weeds, long grasses, dirt clumps and all manner of things to hide a bird. People were getting frustrated because only one birder was on it, then a 2nd, then some more and then me – YES, my first lifer of the year. A Blyth’s Pipit had entered my 2003 list. If I was to be honest, if I had found that bird first I doubt if I would have known what it was. It had originally gone down as a possible but it had been heard calling in flight and its call had been recorded, proving what bird it was. Like it or not, I have ticked a bird that in all honesty I wouldn’t have recognised, and I suspect that the majority of those birders present were in the same boat as me.
11:30 and I had a decision to make. I was running late and if I went for the Buzzard I was in danger of running out of time on day one and I wanted to be parked up in Norfolk that night. I decided to give the Buzzard a miss and go straight for the Starling. I was approaching towards Lincoln on the A156 near to where it joins the A57 when I came across a field of possibly over 500 Fieldfare. I stopped the car for about 15 minutes whilst I looked at these beauties, hoping I would see some Redwing amongst them as well but they were all Fieldfare. I tried digiscoping some of them but I was very disappointed with the results. Mind you the wind wasn’t helping and I couldn’t control the movement on my scope that the wind was causing. Moving on to Cranwell and I arrived just after 13:00. Almost straight away I was onto the Juv Rose coloured Starling as it was feeding on a green in the village. Setting up my camera on my scope I set about taking its picture but it flew off. I walked to where the houses are and was gobsmacked by the sheer numbers of birds around the houses. A feeder station has been set up at the edge of these houses and the birds it draws is amazing. The R.C Starling had been regularly reported at No 10 Flowerdown Avenue and as I watched the birds the person who lived there came out to chat. What do you think he talked about? Boy!! Well did you know that God came to visit him in his bedroom not long ago and his reward was to send this Rose coloured Starling to him so that people would come to see the bird and he could tell those same people about God coming into all our lives? Well that is what he kept on about. To give him his credit he did tell me that he had built all the bird feeders that could be seen, and more around the village. He gave me a cup of coffee and invited me into his garden so that I could photograph the Starling but it never came into his garden whilst I was there and I could only manage a distant shot, which hasn’t come out too good. I stayed for about 45 minutes hoping the bird would give me a better shot but it didn’t so it was time to carry on to Norfolk.
I arrived at the Wolferton triangle (near Sandringham) at 15:30 in the hope that I would see the Golden Pheasant but I failed again. I never seem to see this bird at this site. I carried on to Hunstanton Ski slope in the hope of seeing Purple sandpiper but again failed but I did see Sanderling and a lone Turnstone. On the way to Hunstanton you pass the turn off to Snettisham and it was here that there were thousands of Pink footed Geese flying in formation above me. There must have been at least five separate flocks of them, each one with large numbers of birds in them. There calls are one of the magical sounds of Norfolk at this time of year.
One final drive to Hunstanton cliffs after the Fulmar. These birds are resident here on the cliffs and you could see them flying around as you drove up to there. Looking from the top of the cliffs I found one lone Eider out on the darkened sea as by now it was almost dark. It was now almost dark and time to park up for the night. Down into Hunstanton for a Steak & Kidney pie and chips then a drive to Choseley Barns near to Titchwell and I was set for the night. I arrived at Choseley at about 17:30 and after consuming my meal settled down to do a bit of reading and listening to the radio and periodically starting the engine to get some warmth back into the car. At 22:30 I completely covered myself with a duvet. Placed a pillow under my head and settled back to sllep the night away. I awoke at 3am with the car covered in snow but I soon settled into a sleep again and awoke at 05:45am.
Jan 4th – Titchwell.
Into the toilets at 06:45 for a wash and a shave and clean my teeth and back to the car for a sarnie and a cup of tea and I was ready for the day. It was 07:30 and the sun was gently lighting up an almost cloudless sky. Boy was it cold out there. I donned on a ski cap over my Forum hat, put my thermal gloves on and set off arriving at the beach about 07:45. It was getting quite light now and soon I was joined by another birder. It was high tide and there were waders flying all over the place but not settling down. The waves were high and the white breakers looked vicious as they were whipped up by the bitterly cold south easterly winds. As soon as I sat down my eyes started to water as the wind whipped across them. Scanning the seas I couldn’t see much and it was a full half hour before the first birds were seen out on the water. The other birder had found 6 Red breasted Mergansers and I was soon on them. I also picked out a pair of Goldeneye then a few Eider were found. One male beauty flew just past us in full colour. I found a real surprise then when a couple of Velvet Scoters appeared on the top of a wave before promptly disappearing again only to keep reappearing each time there was a swell. Some waders started to drop onto the beach. First were a few Oystercatchers then a couple of Ringed Plover and a Turnstone followed by about 50 lovely Sanderling. These white gems always amuse me as they scuttle at breakneck speeds across the sands. They have a quick peck then move on. Their little legs seemed to be turbo charged as they speed along in search for food. Out on the water I managed to ID a Great northern Diver but apart from the usual Gulls nothing else could be seen.
I had been there for about ninety minutes when I decided to go back into the reserve. First new bird seen were a couple of Little Grebes and then I heard a Twite but couldn’t find it at first. Further along the path I heard it again and this time I found it flying over my head. A lone Grey Plover was on the brackish Marsh also but not much else. Moving on I could see a large flock of Brent Geese and a couple of Greylags with Redshank flying all over the place, their calls alerting you to their presence. It was still sunny but bitterly cold and the wind was getting through my gloves making my fingers go numb where I held the tripod. Into the hides to get away from the biting wind. First birds seen were a large number of Lapwing and an even larger number of Golden Plover. I have taken a few photos and hopefully one or two might come out OK. They were a bit distant and they were right into the sun so all the elements were against me. Also out on the reserve were quite a few Ruff as well as Shoveller, Shelduck, Cormorant, Pintail but unusually they were all at extreme range making it impossible to take photos of them. I decided to carry on to Holkham after having another bite to eat.
Looking across the fields at Holkham I could see thousands of Pink footed and hundreds of Brent Geese as well as a few Eurasian Whitefronted Geese. A couple of Egyptian Geese as well as hundreds of Wigeon. It started to snow quite heavy at this point and I just sat and watched the birds from the comfort of my car. I was hoping to take some photos but that was impossible in this weather. I decided to move on and I was just about to go down Lady Anne drive when the pager started bleeping announcing that the Pallid Harrier was quartering the fields near to the derelict airport at Cockthorpe. That was it for me. I was off after this bird. When I arrived at the edge of Cockthorpe there were cars parked all over the place. I followed some other birders for about a mile; all the time the clouds were coming over, all inky black and evil looking. Just as we met the other birders it started to hail heavily and it was stinging as it hit your face. It didn’t look like it was going to stop for a while, and the birders there had said that the bird had disappeared, so we all decided to about turn and trudge back to the cars. One chap had been searching for this bird for three days and had chased up every sighting, missing out on all of them He was slightly frustrated as was quite a few other birders. It seems that only a handful of birders were connecting with this special birds but most of the other birders were missing out on it.
There was a Yellow browed Warbler being reported at Stiffkey Woods, which was only about three miles away so I decided to go for that. The weather was getting very uncomfortable by now with the wind gathering momentum and lashing the hail/sleet across your face. Walking conditions were treacherous underfoot as everything had turned to thick heavy mud. It was clinging to your boots making it heavy work to walk. Walking though the woods, to the other side, I came across about 20 birders, all looking for the bird. After a couple of minutes a call went up that it had been spotted and we all moved into position to watch this little warbler. I watched this bird for a full ten minutes. Usually, I have found, you normally only get a fleeting glimpse but this bird was coming down to head height and only a few feet away from you. By now there must have been over 30 birders but it didn’t seem at all bothered by the crowd as it kept on hopping from one branch to another pecking at each one it landed on.
The weather was getting worse. Large flakes of snow were beginning to fall and I was undecided what to do next. I had arranged to meet Tony the next day to take him around a few sites but I didn’t fancy another day of weather like this. Reaching the car I sat and gave it some thought whilst watching the weather getting worse by the minute. It is no fun birding in these conditions. I decided to call it a day and go home but first I rang Tony to tell him what I had decided.
Now this is where perhaps the biggest slice of luck I have ever had with my birding. As I pulled away from Stiffkey the pager announced the Y.B Warbler as being at the west end of the Stiffkey Wood, which it wasn't as it was at the east end of the wood. I stopped the car to ring the birder company so I could give the correct info then carried on. All in all it delayed me by just over 5 minutes. What crucial 5 minutes they were to. I drove east away from Stiffkey and about a mile out a large bird flew over my head. I stopped the car and got out in time to see the Pallid Harrier fly over the fields to the right of me. If I hadn't stopped to ring the pager company I would have missed that. I hope that this is an omen for this years birding.
On the way home I called into the Wolferton Triangle again but no Golden Pheasants showed, but a Muntjac Deer strolled past the car. I then went to my Nightjar site near Sandringham as it is usually an excellent site for Woodcock but not today.
That was the most brilliant end to a horrible day weather wise but birding wise I can’t complain. Already this year I have had 2 lifers with Blyths Pipit and Pallid Harrier plus some excellent birds to start the year with. Great grey Shrike, Barn & Short eared owl, Yellow browed Warbler, Velvet Scoter, Water Rail, Rose coloured Starling and Smew. I couldn’t have wished for a better start, quality wise. Certainly in my wildest dreams could I imagine seeing a Pallid Harrier. Stuff of dreams that one. It makes me feel soory for all those birders that have trudged miles to see this bird and failed and those that have caught glimpses of it. Me, I saw it down to 50 feet and all in the comfort of my car. Brilliant!!
Tomorrow I am probably going after the Common Crane that is near to Leicester then I will see what is around to work out the rest of my itinery. There is a Great White Egret near to Codsall that I might go after but this bird has been present for a couple of months so there isn’t a rush for it.
