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

Norfolk birding (24 Viewers)

Hi all, with easter weekend approaching and a week off work next week, does anyone fancy a get together for some local birding, will probably have Ian and therefore access to car?

We're committed to the Norwich RSPB outing to sculthorpe moor on Sunday, shopping part of Saturday and an outing to London next Thursday and busy Sat 29th but otherwise free.

Also, where's good at the moment, given the inclementness of the weather? Thinking Cley/Minsmere are possible places for an excusion.. with access to hides if it starts to pee it down. Any other ideas?

Cheers,

Jo.
 
Frootshoot said:
As far as I'm aware, and unless things have changed, you have to watch from the Staithe. You can walk along the riverbank to vary your viewpoint but that's as good as it gets unless you want to try the footpath opposite, along Candle Dyke, accessible from Potter Heigham church. I do remember that visitors were allowed to cross 'the ferry' as an escorted visit a few years back but I'm not sure if this was a one off event or not.

James
Click to expand...

Thanks ever so much.
Found the Snow and Ross' Geese with ease today. Pager info is unhelpful when you don't know the area. A simple 'view from path east of Martham Staithe' would have been a lot better. I was trying to find a way across the water.|^|

And yes, a viewing platform would have been great today and I would also recommend a trip to Gorleston to see the Glaucous gull. I saw the Minsmere bird as well this am and the Gorleston bird is a different class.
 
Had a lovely summer plumaged Water Pipit today at a restricted access site. Bit too distant to make out the peachy wash on the breast, but the clean white throat and underparts and grey head were clear. I was hoping to catch up with a s. plumaged bird one day, so was very pleased to pick this one up. Also a year tick! No. 147 and a bird I thought I'd have to wait for until winter. Coming along nicely!

Jason
 
J Moss said:
Had a lovely summer plumaged Water Pipit today at a restricted access site. Bit too distant to make out the peachy wash on the breast, but the clean white throat and underparts and grey head were clear. I was hoping to catch up with a s. plumaged bird one day, so was very pleased to pick this one up. Also a year tick! No. 147 and a bird I thought I'd have to wait for until winter. Coming along nicely!

Jason
Click to expand...
Well done Jason, pleased to see that list expanding!
 
Had a walk around UEA this morning in the drizzle. A male siskin was singing in the alders behind the broad, a pair of Great Crested Grebes had four chicks piggybacking, and there were 2 Brambling and a Marsh Tit on the feeders across the bridge.

James
 
J Moss said:
Cheers Ian. I see yours is flying along! Hants isn't 'that' good for birds, is it?! ;)

Jason
Click to expand...
Good point Jason, i never restrict myself to one county, indeed i rarely bird my home county as my local patch is in West Sussex!!

Another good day today in Devon has raised the list to 169, PM me if you want the full story, but we did dip the King Eider - grrrrrrr
 
Posting my Friday bird news very, very late, due to the fact that I have not long been back from A+E!!!

Went to Holme earlish about 8am and parked car by 5-bar gate. I realised I needed to put my hood up over my hat as it was wickedly cold and the wind was ferocious. I walked along coastal path to Gore Point and walked on the beach, only for a very short while though as was it was just one big sand storm and I could hardly walk in it! Walked through the Forestry area and saw absolutely nothing apart from a few carrion crows - carried onto reserves where there were a large number of shovelars and tufted duck on the broadwater and lots of wigeon about. I heard the ruddy duck, but couldn't see it. No cars on the carparks either, everything was dead! On my route back to car I did have some excitement when a huge flock of curlew (at least 50) were put up with other waders - could not see what had spooked them though. Walked back through the Forestry and saw 3 stunning stonechats. Got back to car and then went to have a look at Holme Marsh Reserve where a few wigeon and teal with sitting by the reedy edges of pool sheltering from the wind and that was about it.

Did an 8-hour shift in the hospital in the afternoon and while assisting a patient, I bent down and cracked my head on a bedside cabinet that was behind a curtain (unbeknown to me!) I had to sit with a bag of ice cubes on my forehead for a while and then went and sat in A+E for a few hours, was given all clear to go home;) and I am sure I will have a headache from bruising in the morning! Listening to the incredible winds out there, I think I will give birding a miss tomorrow and nurse my head:-C

Anyone thinking of coming to Norfolk this weekend...... - if I were you, I would stay at home by the fire:t:

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
In case anyone is at Buckenham Marshes today, I was there yesterday and there was a white goose with black at the tail, in amongst a small group of Greylags. It was blowing a gale, lashing down with rain and the geese were quite a long way away so I couldn't get a good look. It was at the Strumpshaw side of the marshes and viewable from the track between Buckenham station and Strumpshaw Fen.

It's almost certainly nothing of any significance, as I don't know what I'm talking about, but if anyone is in the area it could be worth checking out to see if it's still there.

Ron
 
Penny Clarke said:
Posting my Friday bird news very, very late, due to the fact that I have not long been back from A+E!!!

Went to Holme earlish about 8am and parked car by 5-bar gate. I realised I needed to put my hood up over my hat as it was wickedly cold and the wind was ferocious. I walked along coastal path to Gore Point and walked on the beach, only for a very short while though as was it was just one big sand storm and I could hardly walk in it! Walked through the Forestry area and saw absolutely nothing apart from a few carrion crows - carried onto reserves where there were a large number of shovelars and tufted duck on the broadwater and lots of wigeon about. I heard the ruddy duck, but couldn't see it. No cars on the carparks either, everything was dead! On my route back to car I did have some excitement when a huge flock of curlew (at least 50) were put up with other waders - could not see what had spooked them though. Walked back through the Forestry and saw 3 stunning stonechats. Got back to car and then went to have a look at Holme Marsh Reserve where a few wigeon and teal with sitting by the reedy edges of pool sheltering from the wind and that was about it.

Did an 8-hour shift in the hospital in the afternoon and while assisting a patient, I bent down and cracked my head on a bedside cabinet that was behind a curtain (unbeknown to me!) I had to sit with a bag of ice cubes on my forehead for a while and then went and sat in A+E for a few hours, was given all clear to go home;) and I am sure I will have a headache from bruising in the morning! Listening to the incredible winds out there, I think I will give birding a miss tomorrow and nurse my head:-C

Anyone thinking of coming to Norfolk this weekend...... - if I were you, I would stay at home by the fire:t:

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
Click to expand...

Hi Penny - sorry to hear about your accident - must have been a really nasty bang - certainly the ice treatment should have helped to have kept the swelling down. At least you were in the right place when it happened.
Hope you'll soon be out and about again. I enjoy reading your trip accounts.
Best Wishes
Richard
 
Richard Abr said:
Hi Penny - sorry to hear about your accident - must have been a really nasty bang - certainly the ice treatment should have helped to have kept the swelling down. At least you were in the right place when it happened.
Hope you'll soon be out and about again. I enjoy reading your trip accounts.
Best Wishes
Richard
Click to expand...

Hi Richard

Thank you - am okish today. I love being outdoors, but even I am not venturing out today - well apart from boring Tescos run!! as the wind and combination of rain/sleet/snow/hail is terrific. Its too dangerous to even go out in the car! never mind birding!!!

Best Wishes

Penny:girl:
 
Tell me about it! I am sat at home birding from my window, watching my stupid little rabbit who has been sitting out in the hail, sleet snow, everything, despite having a warm hutch to retreat into! Hope this weather improves for the rest of the week!
 
Managed to get out, thinking that there may be some sea watcking in these northerlies, but not to be at Sheringham y'day. Did a couole of hours first thing for little more than a few Red-throated Divers. Spent lunch sitting in the car at West Runcton, where an adult and 1st win (or 2nd cal year as people seem to like these days!). Returned home via Sparham Pools, where up to 4 chiffchaff were present in the bitter cold! However the best sighting here was of an Otter, that showed briefly a couple of times in the water before climbing up a vegetated bank and off.

The best bird recently was a male Blackcap in the garden, amazingly when a Chiffchaff was also present, amazing because I had seen neither this winter!

PS Selsey Birder, you really show get out more if your complaining about West Sussex. I used to bird the area, particularly Pagham and I still occasionally miss it even though I am now rooted in Norfolk. By the way do you happen to know Tim Edwards?

PPS sorry Selsey Birder, I now realise that your from Hampshire!
 
Well I braved the conditions today for a trip to the Brecks. As would be expected most targets missed but still enjoyable. It really was bizzare with bright blue skies and snow for some of the day.

At first location searching for Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers, unfortunately no joy but did have 3+ Marsh Tits, 2 Bullfinches, 2 Great-spotted Woodpeckers and 2 Redwings.

A search of two Golden Pheasant sites also failed to produce but I did have 2 Marsh Tits at the former and 2 Ruddy Ducks at the latter.

Firecrests were much more obliging, with the first site producing 3 singing males (also drake Goosander flew over and 2 Goldcrests) and although they were quite tricky to see one eventually showed superbly. The second site checked held one singing male while the third was only checked briefly as it was late afternoon.

Cheers,

Connor

p.s sorry about the head Penny hope its better now/soon!

pps. Trip report on my site
 
Last edited:
Connor Rand said:
Well I braved the conditions today for a trip to the Brecks. As would be expected most targets missed but still enjoyable. It really was bizzare with bright blue skies and snow for some of the day.

At first location searching for Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers, unfortunately no joy but did have 3+ Marsh Tits, 2 Bullfinches, 2 Great-spotted Woodpeckers and 2 Redwings.

A search of two Golden Pheasant sites also failed to produce but I did have 2 Marsh Tits at the former and 2 Ruddy Ducks at the latter.

Firecrests were much more obliging, with the first site producing 3 singing males and although they were quite tricky to see one eventually showed superbly. The second site checked held one singing male while the third was only checked briefly as it was late afternoon.

Cheers,

Connor

p.s sorry about the head Penny hope its better now/soon!
Click to expand...

Hi Connor

You were brave/crazy;) going out in all that!!

Only bird I have seen today is a blackbird feeding on 2 old apples and bread that I threw out onto patio for him.

Feeling much better now after incredibly lazy day, sat box watching including a western and a James Bond film!!!!!! I'll make up for it next week, as I have the week off:t: Forehead is very sore, but I'll live!

Thank you Richard, Ian, Mark and Sue for asking after me.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
Hi all,
Once again braved the weather for little or nothing early am, is`nt easter associated with early spring migrants ? I think the attachment sums things up nicely ( taken this am near Gresham )
 

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Glad you are better Penny!
It is snowing hard here at Roydon and the garden feeders are very busy. Lots of Siskins and a few Bramblings along with a Yellowhammer and 4 Reed Buntings joining the usual mass of Chaffinches. My poorly Woodpigeon that I had taken in yesterday, to save it from the hailstorms beating it to death, died overnight (not unexpectedly). Hope the snow clears soon! (even though it looks very pretty)
Sue
 

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