Norfolk birding (16 Viewers)

Rob Smallwood · Oct 29, 2006

I too was confused by the brown feathering on the back - and wondered if this could be something to do with age.

I would post my photos but can't re-size at present.

Last night at Holkham we watched thePinkfeet come in at dusk and couldn't locate the Snow Goose - although a lot were only distantly visable and birds were still arriving well after dark.

Had an intriguing glimpse of a robin like bird that flew across the pond in front of the hide at Holkham again at dusk - seemed to show yellow/orange patches either side of the upper tail - but surely couldn't have been....?

Karl J · Oct 29, 2006

Cycled into Norwich this morning with the good lady and along the way had a gorgeous blue sky and the country lanes all to ourselves.

What a way to start any day...

1 Marsh Harrier, a Barn Owl & 2 Kestrels on the Stokesby marshes, flock of Pinkfeet and c20 Lapwings over near Acle . First Fieldfare of Autumn near Panxworth and although we didn't have time to stop at Cockshoot Broad there were plenty of Redwings and a Green Woodpecker in the trees . Also saw 2 late Red Admiral butterflies in the garden of a thatched cottage in Woodbastwick.

Ilya Maclean · Oct 29, 2006

Ruralchill said:
However, I spent quite a bit of time searching in vain for the blue-phased Snow Goose. Two large flocks (4000+) of Pink-feet were found, one just west of North Creake (where the Snow Goose was seen during the week) and between Walsingham and South Creake. Great sites of the birds moving around.

There's a photo of a blue-phased snow goose on the Great Yarmouth Bird Club website, taken at Happisburgh on the 23rd of October. Does anybody know whether this is the Holkham bird (would suggest a high degree of mobility), or is it just a good snow goose year?

Touche · Oct 30, 2006

1st w. Black Guillemot

Holkham Bay, half mile west of Holkham Gap.

Present since Saturday 28 October.

Quite a Norfolk rarity !

P.S. Be sure to take a close look at Guillemots this winter - Brunnich's is out there.

Happisbirder · Oct 31, 2006

Ilya Maclean said:
There's a photo of a blue-phased snow goose on the Great Yarmouth Bird Club website, taken at Happisburgh on the 23rd of October. Does anybody know whether this is the Holkham bird (would suggest a high degree of mobility), or is it just a good snow goose year?

Looked through about 2000 Pinks at Happisburgh on Saturday, about 100 on Sunday but there was nothing with them. Unfortunately didn't get to see the bird of 23rd October but I'm still hopeful.

James

matt green · Oct 31, 2006

Just noticed a change in wind direction predicted for wednesday and thursday..(eastern counties,norfolk coast),from the met office.

Wednesday,coastal gales at first,blustery winds from the north (15-25)

Thursday,coastal gales at first,again wind from the north (5-10)

Does that sound promising?

Being a mostly inland birder I don't generaly follow the wind directions etc
for predicting birding conditions,just curious as to what constitutes good
''fall'' conditions.

Matt

Touche · Oct 31, 2006

Northerlies should generate a flurry of Little Auks, with Leach's Petrel a possibility.

Sheringham is a classic spot, but when the dovekies arrive en masse any coastal vantage point can produce.

Do hope the meteorological conditions will allow for a cascade of that quintessential autumn gem - Pallas's Warbler - before the show is over.

pduxon · Nov 1, 2006

Penny Clarke said:
As I walked along the path through wood to centre two gentlemen stopped to ask if I was Penny Clarke - they were pduxon and reader from BF!!!

gentlemen ? she does say me and Reader......

James Blake · Nov 2, 2006

Anyone got an opinion on how good the Norfolk coast is going to be for Little Auks tomorrow afternoon? Can't get there in the morning. I'm trying to decide between Holme and sheringham.

atb
James

nigelt · Nov 2, 2006

James Blake said:
Anyone got an opinion on how good the Norfolk coast is going to be for Little Auks tomorrow afternoon? Can't get there in the morning. I'm trying to decide between Holme and sheringham.

atb
James

I'd say there's a pretty good chance anywhere along the coast. I just had a few minutes to spare and went to the East Runton (near Cromer) car park, hoping I wouldn't have to get out of the car!! The seaward part of the car park was chained off for the winter, but I walked to the cliff top and within minutes had a Little Auk flying west close inshore. Very considerately it then settled on the sea. I watched it for a short while before it flew off, and then spotted another two on the sea. I'd only seen one before and that was on a school trip to Cley about 45 years ago!

Two Red Breasted Mergansers and three Brent Geese also flew west before my few minutes were up.

By the way, the tide is high early afternoon which should bring things in closer.

Touche · Nov 2, 2006

James Blake said:
Anyone got an opinion on how good the Norfolk coast is going to be for Little Auks tomorrow afternoon?

Rather good!

Little Auk crews continue to arrive big time.

Lets hope a few linger for the weekend.

Cracking mites.

Now where's that Brunnich's?

Geoff Pain · Nov 2, 2006

Touche said:
Now where's that Brunnich's?[/QUOTE

It was up here in Yorkshire o

Penny Clarke · Nov 2, 2006

pduxon said:
gentlemen ? she does say me and Reader......

Are you not then?

Penny Clarke · Nov 2, 2006

James Blake said:
Anyone got an opinion on how good the Norfolk coast is going to be for Little Auks tomorrow afternoon? Can't get there in the morning. I'm trying to decide between Holme and sheringham.

atb
James

Hi James

Usually I am at work on a Thursday, but today was a SPECIAL birthday for my father, so had a day's holiday. Went down to Holme about 3pm. It was high tide.

Sophie and Jed had had a big seawatch count today. I went over to beach and saw some scooter flying past, 2 golden eye and then stopped sea watching for a while as made the massive mistake of not holding on to my scope + tripod (world's lightest tripod!!!!!) for a split second while watching through bins and over it went in the wind and got some grains of sand in my ED50 (cursed and cursed, sand and lens's don't mix) - ages trying to blow all the sand out!!!!! Went down on to beach and guess what, fantastic, not only did I view a Little Auk sitting in the sea, almost next to me, but saw another 23 flying past!!!!!!! Walked up to Thornham Point and I have never seen so many gulls and waders both in the channel and by the shore. Counted 28 turnstone, 80 grey plover!!!! Knot, oystercatchers, dunlin and about 20 sanderling, did not count the gulls or study them properly, light fading fast Didn't see any shore larks or snowbuntings, sun was setting now, beautiful sunset. Walked back via HBO and had an amazing experience - as I walked around the steps of HBO I thought I could hear music - I could, it was the sound of thousands upon thousands of starlings coming in to roost in the reed beds!!!!!!! I felt like Bill Oddie (his starling film), I just stood there in awe. Just me and the starlings, it was magical. As I left and walked along the bank a woodcock flew in from the marsh into the cover of the fir trees. Went back to parents, birthday cake and loads of naughty party food, and drove home. What a fantastic afternoon.

Best Wishes Penny
. :girl: :bounce:

Ilya Maclean · Nov 3, 2006

matt green said:
Just noticed a change in wind direction predicted for wednesday and thursday..(eastern counties,norfolk coast),from the met office.

Wednesday,coastal gales at first,blustery winds from the north (15-25)

Thursday,coastal gales at first,again wind from the north (5-10)

Does that sound promising?

Being a mostly inland birder I don't generaly follow the wind directions etc
for predicting birding conditions,just curious as to what constitutes good
''fall'' conditions.

Matt

Hi Matt (and to others this may interest)

If you want to keep abreast of whether or not wind and weather conditions are favourable for rarities, go to the following website:
http://www.freewebs.com/punkbirder/

and look at the "rare-o-meter" page. The website, although somewhat tongue in cheek and only updated every two to three days does give a very accurate forecast of how likely it is that "rare" conditions are coming our way. Classic fall conditions occur when there is low pressure over the North Sea, high pressure over Scandinavia or the Continent with fairly strong Northerly, NE, Easterly or SE winds. Mist/fog and sudden, heavy downpours of rain, particularly after a clear night are also conducive for falls.

The weather doesn’t look that brilliant for rarities this weekend, but this time of year can bring eastern vagrants regardless of weather. Pallas’s, Raddes, Dusky or more yellow-browed warblers are all possibilities. I reckon there should still be quite a few little auks off the coast, generally fly bys on their way back up north this weekend. Either this weekend or one of the next two should see the arrival the scarcer divers and grebes (Holkham Bay a good bet), Lapland Buntings (Chosely Barns, the cliff-tops at Trimingham and nearby or mixed in with snow buntings near Happisburgh), Taiga bean Geese (Cantley) and a few Tundra Bean Geese mixed in with the pink-foots. The East Coast pink-foots are also worth a scan for the Blue-phased Snow Goose doing the rounds near Happisburgh. Fieldfares and Bramblings should start arriving on-mass and waxwing or two as well. I think the Stubb Mills raptor roost will start to become spectacular and there should be a rough-legged buzzard or two in East Norfolk or near Massingham Heath, the latter also a good bet for Great Grey Shrike.

Happy birding in Norfolk………

matt green · Nov 3, 2006

Yeah,i've heard about the magical powers of that rare-o-meter!

Just confirmed this sunday for some sea watching around the norfolk coast with my good birding chum steve..will it be monster?

Matt

James Blake · Nov 3, 2006

Had a very good few hours at Sheringham this afternoon - still reasonable numbers of Little Auks coming west, including several sat on the sea very close in.

A flock of Snow Buntings moving west over the sea was another highlight.

The overall number of birds moving was fairly modest: good numbers of Shelducks and Common Scoters, smaller numbers of Eiders, Brent Geese, Starlings, Red-throated Divers and various waders. Few larger auks or Gannets, and no tubenoses, Kittiwakes, skuas or mergansers.

James

Penny Clarke · Nov 3, 2006

Waxwings at Stiffkey today apparently (according to Birdline) and some in Tescos carpark, Downham Market!!! - can't wait to see some, hopefully tomorrow!!!!

Touche · Nov 4, 2006

5 Little Auks at Waxham reefs mid-morning.

A Herring Gull - Dovekie dogfight was spectacular - the auk took evasive action by diving straight into the sea, and the gull gave up - phew! The gull then took on a passing Guillemot but soon realised the size differential wasn't so much of an advantage.

One of the auks crash-landed on the beach and tried diving in an inch of water just a few yards from me - nice photo opportunity.

matt green · Nov 4, 2006

Err...whats a dovekie?

Matt

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