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Norfolk birding (23 Viewers)
- Thread starter Edward woodwood
- Start date
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
More chat bling
Not at Gramboro’ (where there was more budding), this time, but on the barbed wire to the east of the Cley Beach Road. Mr S. Chat was sporting dark green above metal on his right leg and two red (or a single long one?) on his left.
I arrived at Friary Hills NT to learn that there had been a redhead Smew on the freshmarsh this morning. Also, a Firecrest has been seen a couple of times in the last few days.
And then something that has puzzled and astonished me. Last weekend, I posted this:
http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2025897&postcount=310
and:
http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2026677&postcount=1
with no response.
Does that mean that no-one knows anything about the appearance of an App for the best field guide in the world ? Or, is no-one interested ? ‘mazing !
Not at Gramboro’ (where there was more budding), this time, but on the barbed wire to the east of the Cley Beach Road. Mr S. Chat was sporting dark green above metal on his right leg and two red (or a single long one?) on his left.
I arrived at Friary Hills NT to learn that there had been a redhead Smew on the freshmarsh this morning. Also, a Firecrest has been seen a couple of times in the last few days.
And then something that has puzzled and astonished me. Last weekend, I posted this:
http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2025897&postcount=310
and:
http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2026677&postcount=1
with no response.
Does that mean that no-one knows anything about the appearance of an App for the best field guide in the world ? Or, is no-one interested ? ‘mazing !
Attachments
KayD
Ochruros
I was actually thinking earlier that an app of this is much needed. I have the Birdguides one and it is helpful, but the illustrations are nowhere near as good as Collins. A lot of the rarer species are also missing. I really hope Collins do one soon, and it'd be fantastic to have a facility to compare confusion species side by side :t:
KayD
Ochruros
Hi All,
Two questions if anyone can help.
1. Does anyone have any up to date info on the numbers of Pink-footed Geese heading out to roost on the Wash off Snettisham? I was there Wednesday and although I've seen massive numbers of Pinkies in Norfolk many times, the number passing overhead was staggering! Huge skiens began passing over from 4:00pm and it was still going on at 4:45pm. Or is this usual? Any numbers would be of great interest to me.
2. Does anyone have any gen on reliable sites for wintering Lapland Bunting? Haven't had a decent view of one for a long while.
Many thanks :t:
Two questions if anyone can help.
1. Does anyone have any up to date info on the numbers of Pink-footed Geese heading out to roost on the Wash off Snettisham? I was there Wednesday and although I've seen massive numbers of Pinkies in Norfolk many times, the number passing overhead was staggering! Huge skiens began passing over from 4:00pm and it was still going on at 4:45pm. Or is this usual? Any numbers would be of great interest to me.
2. Does anyone have any gen on reliable sites for wintering Lapland Bunting? Haven't had a decent view of one for a long while.
Many thanks :t:
Andy Musgrove
Well-known member
Hi KayD
A timely question - see Paul's message of Monday - "37,350 left the Snettisham roost this morning"
A dedicated team of counters cover the main roosts in Norfolk (and elsewhere) in coordinated fashion several times per winter - counts can be seen in the Norfolk Bird Report and summaries can be found in the annual reports of the Wetland Bird Survey - these can be downloaded from the WeBS pages on the BTO website (http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/webs)
Currently all WeBS reports are there as (large) pdf files - the part of the latest report including Pink-feet is at:
http://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/u18/downloads/publications/wituk200809_3.pdf
You'll see that the Snettisham roost is ranked number 4 in the country over the five winters up to 2008-09.
Loads of good stuff on WWT's website too - e.g. http://old.wwt.org.uk/research/monitoring/species/pinkfoot.asp
(basically reporting the same counts but lots of extra detailed info worth a read)
Cheers
Andy
(BTO Monitoring Team)
HarassedDad
Norfolk County Butterfly Recorder
Not in the same league as those counts, but today at 1.30 as I was heading down the Acle straight towards Acle there was a cloud of geese flying down stream to halvergate on my left. It looked like smoke there were so many. I've never seen anything like it on the straight before. Must have been getting on for 500 - 600 in the air at once. So I can't begin to imagine what 37,000 looks like!
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
Dogs are prohibited at Friary Hills NT
Not that that stops some lawless folk.
However, the barking today was being emitted from the muzzles of these handsome Barnies. I’m quite sure they’re wild- they were attacking that poor grass most ferociously.
Still no bites re the Collins (see #10722). Incredulity Rules UK.
Not that that stops some lawless folk.
However, the barking today was being emitted from the muzzles of these handsome Barnies. I’m quite sure they’re wild- they were attacking that poor grass most ferociously.
Still no bites re the Collins (see #10722). Incredulity Rules UK.
Attachments
Hi All,i'm in the Titchwell/Holkham area tomorrow,i wonder if anyone can recommend sites and times to veiw the Northern Harrier from,also what is the genaral thoughts of the Ross's and Red Breasted Geese in the area,are they definate escapee's any general info/tips on any birding in the area would be gratefully received,thankyou.Mickbe.
wolfbirder
Well-known member
Check back, and on Rare birds thread for info you want mate - loads of tips. Most birders seem to look for the harrier from the bottom of Staithe Lane in Thornham village, standing by the old boat house (stone building)and then looking back inland.
David Norgate
Well-known member
If you read back on here you will realise that 'wild' geese cause some disagreements!!
However, I think most people would say the Ross's Goose seen at Holkham and Brancaster etc and the bird at Waxham (if they are different) have good credentials, whereas the Ross's around Cley (with Barnacle and a hybrid, occasionally associating with Pink-feet) and Red-brested at Whitlingham are escapes / feral (but it really is make your own mind up!!)
Lovely views of a Barn Owl at Surlingham Church Marsh this evening, and a Cettis sang for the first time in over a month. Of real interest for me however, was a pre-roost gathering of 38 Magpies, never seen anything like it! Making a racket as you would imagine, but as the light faded they appeared to be settling down. A small-ish raptor dive-bombed the roost (probably a Sparrowhawk) but the Magpies were in the main unperturbed, moving to a different tree.
A Mistle Thrush on top of the ruined arch of the church would have made for a good picture......
Cheers,
Jim.
A Mistle Thrush on top of the ruined arch of the church would have made for a good picture......
Cheers,
Jim.
I have looked back at previous posts including yours,am going to go to Titchwell for first light,will bare Thornham village in mind if i don't pick it up there,thankyou.
Thanks for the reply,yes have noticed a bit of friction on the Norfolk site regarding authenticity of birds,supression etc,i don't think you get the kind of debate on other regional sites as you do here,certainly not on Midland sites,as for the geese,would still like to see them in the wild whether they're true vagrants or not.
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Thornham - dipped on the Northern Harrier again - but to be fair, I didn't really get there early enough anyway. Apparently someone had seen it at 8.30am though.
A single Barnacle Goose amongst Pinkfeet west of Lady Anne's Drive, Holkham.
Cley - walked along the East Bank to dip on both the American Wigeon and the Shorelarks!
Salthouse Beach carpark - sat in the car yards from a huge flock of Snowbuntings.
Full write up on blog.
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
A single Barnacle Goose amongst Pinkfeet west of Lady Anne's Drive, Holkham.
Cley - walked along the East Bank to dip on both the American Wigeon and the Shorelarks!
Salthouse Beach carpark - sat in the car yards from a huge flock of Snowbuntings.
Full write up on blog.
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
black kite 1964
Well-known member
Stu. Have to agree. Was across on the week. Connected with everything that was available. What impressed me was the large numbers of wildfowl all along the coast.
What I did not so happy about was the numbers of people trying to shoot them! Also, whilst enjoying a rather splendid fry up at the Deepdale cafe, I indentified a group of "Hunters" on clothing alone! They left shortly afterwards in there 4x4 to an area of the coast where birders (scruffy individuals!) are banned!
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
Purple on my patch
Gramboro’ was the venue of an easterly fly-over Lapland Bunting this morning. The c30 Snow Buntings in the car park were quite skittish, being variously kicked about by dog-people and kite-fliers.
A few desultory forays resulted in little else, except for the pair of Stonechats (blinged male) still along the Cley Beach Road.
Returning homewards, with some sunshine poking through, I managed a couple of shots of the Purple Sandpiper on the rocks, off the bottom of Sheringham High Street. It would be lonely, were it not for the company of the friendly Turnstones, which were allowing one to walk past a foot away.
Gramboro’ was the venue of an easterly fly-over Lapland Bunting this morning. The c30 Snow Buntings in the car park were quite skittish, being variously kicked about by dog-people and kite-fliers.
A few desultory forays resulted in little else, except for the pair of Stonechats (blinged male) still along the Cley Beach Road.
Returning homewards, with some sunshine poking through, I managed a couple of shots of the Purple Sandpiper on the rocks, off the bottom of Sheringham High Street. It would be lonely, were it not for the company of the friendly Turnstones, which were allowing one to walk past a foot away.
Attachments
James Emerson
Norwich Birder
There was a male Blackcap at Trowse Meadows (near the village sign) today. Nothing of note at Whitlingham though.
3 ringtail hen and 13 marsh harriers in the Titchwell roost this evening. The Northern harrier was also about over the Thornham saltmarsh but looked, from the west bank path, to head off west over the Holme grazing marshes at dusk.
There were also 2 waxwings feeding along the access road at dusk.
Paul
There were also 2 waxwings feeding along the access road at dusk.
Paul
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Sunday morning.
Nice selection of birds at Holme Marsh Reserve this morning including a Common Buzzard, Three Marsh Harriers, a Sparrowhawk etc etc.
Full write up on blog.
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
Nice selection of birds at Holme Marsh Reserve this morning including a Common Buzzard, Three Marsh Harriers, a Sparrowhawk etc etc.
Full write up on blog.
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
