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

Norfolk birding (15 Viewers)

O.K, I'll try it........why were they moving around over Norwich? I would have expected some unusual movements straight after the thaw, but it has been mild for some time.
Jim.

Was it misty? When I lived in Norwich I saw, or more commonly heard, Pink-feet flying over quite a few times but almost invariably in fog. Some of the big influxes of geese we've had mid winter have occurred at the same time as foggy conditions on the near-Continent. For some reason geese seem to be particularly prone to misorientation in fog (Auks too apparently - I recall reading of 2-3 summer records of inland Razorbills and/or Guillemots occuring in fog).

That said I don't remember it being misty that night here so it might be something else. Stu mentioned a full moon and that might be a factor too - geese definitely seem to be more active throughout the night when there's a full moon (unless it's cloudy of course).
 
Just to reopen the LWFG debate at Buckenham / Cantley. Managed to buy a secondhand first edition copy of the birds of Norfolk in Wymondham. Michael Seago comments that they are 'an irregular visitor ..... with a total of 14 birds since the first bird was shot over Breydon Marshes 24th January 1949. Apart from singles at Cley and Holme .... all have been identified in the Lower Bure and Yare valleys among White fronted and Bean geese. A record total of three, possibly four were present early in 1963. Is this of use to the ? genuine vagrant query?
 
Was it misty? When I lived in Norwich I saw, or more commonly heard, Pink-feet flying over quite a few times but almost invariably in fog. Some of the big influxes of geese we've had mid winter have occurred at the same time as foggy conditions on the near-Continent. For some reason geese seem to be particularly prone to misorientation in fog (Auks too apparently - I recall reading of 2-3 summer records of inland Razorbills and/or Guillemots occuring in fog).

That said I don't remember it being misty that night here so it might be something else. Stu mentioned a full moon and that might be a factor too - geese definitely seem to be more active throughout the night when there's a full moon (unless it's cloudy of course).

Hi Dave,
it was a reasonably clear night and day as I remember it, but point taken onboard nonetheless. The full moon would certainly be a factor, really should have thought of that, it looked 'big' and beautiful driving home last night.
Jim.
 
Anyone noticed a lot of Pink Feet over Norwich today? Just had a load calling over the house, and my other half saw a few skeins early morning and then again midday.
Jim.

I work in the city near the Catholic cathedral. Skeins of around 150-200 moving due west about 9.00am, on the 20th and again around 15.30, also due west.
 
The moon gives the pink feet the chance to feed night or day. So its also a good time to migrate or undertake local movements. They are not losing any feeding time during the moon period.
 
Hunter's moon

They can also not be shot at night!!!

Er, that's not the case I'm afraid Mark....witnessed some flocks of geese being disturbed the other night not far from Fakenham. Night vision sights are pretty good these days. Same person was pinging woodcock near Kettlestone Common the other evening - did have words of advice for him as he was discharging his shotgun from a public footpath would you believe. ATB. Pyrtle
 
Er, that's not the case I'm afraid Mark....witnessed some flocks of geese being disturbed the other night not far from Fakenham. Night vision sights are pretty good these days. Same person was pinging woodcock near Kettlestone Common the other evening - did have words of advice for him as he was discharging his shotgun from a public footpath would you believe. ATB. Pyrtle

Hi Pat. That is very very sad.

Hope you are well. Send my regards all at the vistors centre including Mrs G.

Regards.

Mark.
 
90 minutes of nothing

I trudged around Wells Woods this afters, in quest of redpolls. After one and a half hours, some flew over, twittering, but didn’t pitch. Disconsolately about to make my way back to the car, I heard some more. They now alighted in their usual alders, though too high for good pix.

The 2 redhead Smew were proving elusive for some, although had showed well earlier.

An interesting fungus complements another willow study- the latter from Gramboro’ yesterday.
 

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I saw two female Bullfinches at Strumpshaw today. One of them was in the middle of a bush eating Guelder Rose berries. These glossy red berries always look as if they should be very tasty but I rarely see birds eating them. They are just about the only berries left at Strumpshaw now, so they are obviously not a favourite food. Strange.

A flock of about 20 Redwings and a Mistle Thrush along the road to Buckenham were nice treats but the woods were strangely devoid of birds. I think they were all using the feeders which were attracting a constant stream of Tits and Finches. There was a nice flock of Siskins, along with some Goldfinches, in the alders by the car park.

Ron
 
does anybody have a pic of the rough-legged buzzard at holkham please that the can post. had a pale coloured bird that may have been one of the rough-legs . thanks
 
unID’d call yesterday

A thread on the Norfolk Wildlife Yahoo group has reminded me of what I heard at Wells Woods yesterday.

I can only describe it as being half way between Snipe and Grey Partridge and uttered several times in an irregular rhythm ! I am almost sure the bird/s was/were in flight and that it wasn’t a grey mammal with a long, fluffy tail- unless they have recently taken to the air in some unexpected leap of evolution.

The Redpolls, BTW, had decreased to around a dozen. They were accompanied, as dusk approached, by a similar number of Blue Tits.
 
Thought I'd post a pic of the Ferruginous Duck at Cockshoot Broad as I haven't seen any others yet. The duck spent most of its time hidden in vegetation but swam about for a minute or so in pretty poor light. Attached is also a photo of the approach road to the car park, it is passable with a larger car but its far better to park near the houses and walk up the road (with wellies!) if you have a small car.
The second picture is the road, not a ditch!
 

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Thought I'd post a pic of the Ferruginous Duck at Cockshoot Broad as I haven't seen any others yet. The duck spent most of its time hidden in vegetation but swam about for a minute or so in pretty poor light.

Ben,
Unlike some of the others pics of claimed nyroca, yours confirms the ID immediately. Thanks.
MJB
 
A couple of unexpected surprises Today. Mid day 6 waxwing in Homebase carpark, Hall Rd Norwich made of towards Tuckswood. Then a red Kite at the end of the day by Great Melton Church where I had seen buzzard last week. Kite quartered for a bit heading East.
Sparrowhawk a few minutes later which was second of the day with one seen at UEA earlier.
 
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Thought I'd post a pic of the Ferruginous Duck at Cockshoot Broad as I haven't seen any others yet. The duck spent most of its time hidden in vegetation but swam about for a minute or so in pretty poor light. Attached is also a photo of the approach road to the car park, it is passable with a larger car but its far better to park near the houses and walk up the road (with wellies!) if you have a small car.
The second picture is the road, not a ditch!

Made it down the road in a fiesta. It looks worse than what it is.:t:
 
WillowWatch continues apace

Again, at Gramboro’.

On the way back to the car, I noticed the attached frog. It wasn’t doing very much ! Eddie M said he’d seen several slightly more active specimens in the week, whilst disturbing the vegetation- very disturbing !

Having just arrived at Holkham, with the intention of spending an hour in the Park, the pager announced 8 Waxwings at Burnham Overy. Without even alightin’ from my limousine, I hastened bombwards and further west, to be greeted by Mike S (thanks), pointing across the road.

Bingo ! The first I’ve seen perched this year. Lovely, charisma-ticks. Attached is a 'cillahouette, in addition to a better shot.

2 Rough-legs were almost as distant as they could be, without being offshore.
 

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