Norfolk birding (34 Viewers)

firstreesjohn · Mar 17, 2013

Penny Clarke said:
An unringed, very bold, male Stonechat at Little Eye, Salthouse this afternoon

I’m glad to see this record. I’d been wondering about these, having feared the demise of most of our local population in the relentless Arctic conditions this winter.

Unhappily, I missed Penny, but not by much. I was looking forward to seeing her at Walsey, in grass skirt, doing the Cook Islands’ equivalent of the hula, greeting birders seeking the secretive Red Birds*.

stuart white said:
Lovely views of Hawfinch today

Stuart was most fortunate: not many people see Hawfinch as well as this at Lackford (presumably).

Not much seems to be happening in this part of the country, with mostly unfavourable winds. It was galling to see yet another 1st for the West Pal in the West Country- with an improbable “Swan Martin” in Somerset (a photo of this ugly beast has just become available), on Friday (!).

* Bullfinches

Orion42 · Mar 17, 2013

Grebe

I saw this grebe at Fairhaven Water Gardens yesterday, just had time to grab a few pictures. I think it is a Slavonian Grebe but might be a red necked so would welcome confirmation as it is between winter and summer plumage and not something I am that familiar with.

Tideliner · Mar 17, 2013

Will that be a first for the UK , Europe or even perhaps the world John.

:smoke:

Locostella · Mar 17, 2013

Orion42 said:
I saw this grebe at Fairhaven Water Gardens yesterday, just had time to grab a few pictures. I think it is a Slavonian Grebe but might be a red necked so would welcome confirmation as it is between winter and summer plumage and not something I am that familiar with.

Hey Orion,

Your bird is a Little Grebe -or Dabchick depending on age- in breeding plumage. Nice shot.

Regards,

Kieran

ben_lewis · Mar 17, 2013

Orion42 said:
I saw this grebe at Fairhaven Water Gardens yesterday, just had time to grab a few pictures. I think it is a Slavonian Grebe but might be a red necked so would welcome confirmation as it is between winter and summer plumage and not something I am that familiar with.

That's a summer plumage Little Grebe

Bilvo · Mar 17, 2013

petehasset said:
Ron this is spring

Wow! When did this happen, have we changed the Spring equinox??? As far as I'm aware this is still WINTER.

Spring equinox = 20th March 2013

Considering the weather of late seems rather absurd to be calling it Spring already!

firstreesjohn · Mar 17, 2013

A sorry tale

Or not a tail, at all !

Locostella said:
Hey Orion, Your bird is a Little Grebe -or Dabchick depending on age

I don’t think that this grebe’s ID is in any way dependent on Orion42’s age, Kieran.

Tideliner said:
Will that be a first for the UK , Europe or even perhaps the world John.

I suppose it would be the whole bl- -min’ planet, yeh ! The website is still indicating its occurrence.

Having only this morning written about Stonechats, I suppose it was inevitable that I would encounter (most of) one today. I hope I’ve been able adequately to illustrate what’s not there, as it were. This male was at the northern end of Salthouse Beach Road, this lunchtime. It must surely be Penny’s “very bold” one, from yesterday, that’s been Sprawked.

NoSpringChicken · Mar 17, 2013

Bilvo said:
Wow! When did this happen, have we changed the Spring equinox??? As far as I'm aware this is still WINTER.

Spring equinox = 20th March 2013

Considering the weather of late seems rather absurd to be calling it Spring already!

It is those TV weathermen who have confused the issue by referring to March 1st as the first day of Spring.

Ron

Orion42 · Mar 17, 2013

Locostella said:
Hey Orion,

Your bird is a Little Grebe -or Dabchick depending on age- in breeding plumage. Nice shot.

Regards,

Kieran

Thanks

Locostella · Mar 17, 2013

Glaucous Gull, Sea Palling

Hey guys & dolls,

The juvenile Glaucous Gull showed well about half a mile south of the life boat ramp at Sea Palling. We followed it as it drifted back towards the ramp for about an hour, before it flew south and landed on the sea where we originally saw it.

Regards,

Kieran

Mick Sway · Mar 17, 2013

8 Waxwings at Snoring this afternoon about 15.00 for about an hour.Flew off north I not where.

Paul Eele · Mar 18, 2013

Titchwell March 18th

Today’s highlights

Sandwich tern – 1 fishing offshore this morning
Scaup – drake offshore
Eider – 7 offshore
Pink footed goose – 6 on grazing meadow
Spotted redshank – 2 on Volunteer Marsh
Red crested pochard – female in reedbed
Med gull – 2 on fresh marsh

Paul

firstreesjohn · Mar 18, 2013

That was quick !

No, I don’t really think the male Stonechat below has completely regrown his tail since yesterday. He seems to have a white wing-patch at least as big as that on a drake Wigeon and may be the ‘very bright’ one I heard about, that’s been seen in the area for a few days.

He was cavorting around with the female in a very saxy way.

As far as I can see, both are unringed.

I wasn’t able to get as good shots as yesterday: my car won’t make it to Gramboro’ !

Locostella · Mar 18, 2013

firstreesjohn said:
No, I don’t really think the male Stonechat below has completely regrown his tail since yesterday. He seems to have a white wing-patch at least as big as that on a drake Wigeon and may be the ‘very bright’ one I heard about, that’s been seen in the area for a few days.

He was cavorting around with the female in a very saxy way.

As far as I can see, both are unringed.

I wasn’t able to get as good shots as yesterday: my car won’t make it to Gramboro’ !

Saw this male today on my lunchtime walk. I was surprised at how well marked the bird's collar was and, as John mentioned, the wing-patch. Smashing looking bird.

A couple of Reed Buntings calling away on Gram' Hill also, plenty of Skylark song. Also a couple of bars of Meadow Pipit but, it soon shut up.

Two Great-crested Grebes on the sea, along with a heavy, dark Diver but, the bird was at too great of a distance to identify. Could have been the Black-throat that was around a lot during the winter.

Regards,

Kieran

firstreesjohn · Mar 19, 2013

upstarts1979 said:
Hi John
I know that tree looks drastic, but coppicing is a dying management tool, used to preserve trees. But also, by creating structural diversity with varying sized trees and bushes, you get a greater biodiversity. Most trees will grow branches very quickly

I’ve now had assurances that, in line with procedure, a tree survey was carried out at the site. The depicted tree, and several others, were subjected to various degrees of management (as can be sawn), after safety matters were taken into consideration and/or evidence of disease uncovered.

I had a mammal site tick at Friary Hills NT yesterday: Grey Seal !

What we’d do for skies like below, of late ! No further information re Felbrigg Lake North has been forthcoming since I posted this on a sister thread: http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2678322&postcount=506

One of those three white blobs is the resident Whooper Swan. It did look good for Garganey, though.

Sandra (Taylor) · Mar 19, 2013

Bilvo said:
Wow! When did this happen, have we changed the Spring equinox??? As far as I'm aware this is still WINTER.

Spring equinox = 20th March 2013

Considering the weather of late seems rather absurd to be calling it Spring already!

That's correct. Not Spring till later this week! Don't know where the idea of first day of spring is 1st March came from.

Sandra

NoSpringChicken · Mar 19, 2013

Sandra (Taylor) said:
Don't know where the idea of first day of spring is 1st March came from.

The Met Office.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4767522.stm

Ron

brammer · Mar 19, 2013

A new one to me

Hi All

Had this little fellow visit the garden today , I though at first it was a brambling but on a second look it could be a Reed Bunting .

Robert S J Smith · Mar 19, 2013

brammer said:
Hi All

Had this little fellow visit the garden today , I though at first it was a brambling but on a second look it could be a Read Bunting .

http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc364/hondacb400/reedbuntting_zpsdf84f087.jpg

It's indeed a Reed Bunting :t:

Rob

Paul Eele · Mar 19, 2013

Titchwell March 19th

Today’s highlights

Avocet – 48 on fresh marsh
Long tailed duck – female on fresh marsh
Red crested pochard – female on Patsy’s reedbed
Hen harrier – ringtail over saltmarsh this morning
Bittern – 1 over reedbed
Cetti’s warbler – 5 singing males this morning

Paul

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