Norfolk birding (21 Viewers)

Just spent a few days in Norfolk following a visit to Minsmere on Monday. Visited Hickling Broad on tues, the weather was very cold and windy and there were few birds and few birders about so it didn't look good. We scanned for the cranes as we walked round the reserve but to no avail, so we decided to look for them later at the Stubb Mill Roost. We saw some Egyption Geese, Marsh Harriers,and our first Red Legged Partridges of the year plus Jays, Fieldfares, Redwings, usual waterfowl etc but nothing outstanding. Our efforts were rewarded however, when we toughed it out at the watchpoint and saw 5 Cranes come in to land, 2 of them landed in a scope-able position, then another 4 flew over our heads. On the way back to the car we had great views of another 2 in a field Was well worth the day out in the wind and freezing weather :bounce:

Great day at Wells Harbour then Titchwell on Wed - 62 species in total, highlights being Brent Geese, GBB Gull, Little Egret, Snipe, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Ruff, Pintail, Stonechat, Little Gull (which was a lifer for me), a hunting Barn Owl and the visiting American Green Winged Teal.

Yesterday went to Snettisham, saw a pair of Mistle Thrush and also many Skylarks. Hundreds of waders (missed the main roost again though!) including Dunlin, Grey Plover, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Avocet, Ringed Plover etc. There was a Red Kite behind the trees at the back of the lagoons. There were a pair of Red Breasted Mergansers on the lagoons, some Goldeneye and I found a Med Gull there (having only seen my first on monday!) I also saw a suspected Kittiwake this hasn't been confirmed yet, if anyone fancys having a go from these blurry photos heres my ID thread:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=81470

We then went to Holkham, very quiet this time - when I was there in Sept I saw loads of birds. We did get to catch up with a raft of Common Scoter from the beach and a flock of Goldcrest in the pines.

Another great few days in Norfolk hope to visit again around May o

kstar_76 said:

Just spent a few days in Norfolk following a visit to Minsmere on Monday. Visited Hickling Broad on tues, the weather was very cold and windy and there were few birds and few birders about so it didn't look good. We scanned for the cranes as we walked round the reserve but to no avail, so we decided to look for them later at the Stubb Mill Roost. We saw some Egyption Geese, Marsh Harriers,and our first Red Legged Partridges of the year plus Jays, Fieldfares, Redwings, usual waterfowl etc but nothing outstanding. Our efforts were rewarded however, when we toughed it out at the watchpoint and saw 5 Cranes come in to land, 2 of them landed in a scope-able position, then another 4 flew over our heads. On the way back to the car we had great views of another 2 in a field Was well worth the day out in the wind and freezing weather :bounce:

Great day at Wells Harbour then Titchwell on Wed - 62 species in total, highlights being Brent Geese, GBB Gull, Little Egret, Snipe, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Ruff, Pintail, Stonechat, Little Gull (which was a lifer for me), a hunting Barn Owl and the visiting American Green Winged Teal.

Yesterday went to Snettisham, saw a pair of Mistle Thrush and also many Skylarks. Hundreds of waders (missed the main roost again though!) including Dunlin, Grey Plover, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Avocet, Ringed Plover etc. There was a Red Kite behind the trees at the back of the lagoons. There were a pair of Red Breasted Mergansers on the lagoons, some Goldeneye and I found a Med Gull there (having only seen my first on monday!) I also saw a suspected Kittiwake this hasn't been confirmed yet, if anyone fancys having a go from these blurry photos heres my ID thread:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=81470

We then went to Holkham, very quiet this time - when I was there in Sept I saw loads of birds. We did get to catch up with a raft of Common Scoter from the beach and a flock of Goldcrest in the pines.

Another great few days in Norfolk hope to visit again around May o

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Sounds as is you had a great time. Glad you saw the Cranes. At Snettisham are you sure it was a Red Kite? There has been a Black-eared Kite in this area for a long time now. An excellent bird to see!
Sue

20 waxwings still at Attlebridge at 10.45 am

Grey Wagatil in the usual spot on the river at Lyng

Braved the gales and rain at Cley - what a shock to see how much the landscape on the beach has changed since the high tides/floods midweek. The shingle ridge has all but disappeared to the extent that you can just about seawatch from the shelter at Coastguards. Two Med gulls there but no sign of the Glauc.

Gordon

gordon hamlett said:

Braved the gales and rain at Cley - what a shock to see how much the landscape on the beach has changed since the high tides/floods midweek. The shingle ridge has all but disappeared to the extent that you can just about seawatch from the shelter at Coastguards. Two Med gulls there but no sign of the Glauc.
Gordon

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The beach at Walcott has lost a substantial amount of sand recently. Sea was quite rough still there this afternoon. Not a lot to see although the 2w Med Gull is looking rather resplendent as he develops his black hood...

James

SueBryan said:

Sounds as is you had a great time. Glad you saw the Cranes. At Snettisham are you sure it was a Red Kite? There has been a Black-eared Kite in this area for a long time now. An excellent bird to see!
Sue

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Hi Sue, the Black Eared Kite was anticipated of course as soon as this Kite came into view at Snet, but everyone was in agreement that this was a Red Kite. The red colouration on its upper wings was clearly visable even at this distance, I had a look at some photos of the Black Eared Kite to compare and it looks like a much darker bird. It would have been great to see it, but I heard it has left now anyway.

No the Black-eared Kite is still present and I have not heard of anyone else reporting a Red Kite in the area. Where exactly did you see it kstar and what was it doing. It wouldn't be the first time it has been mistaken or maybe somebody had both birds on the same day?!

gordon hamlett said:

Braved the gales and rain at Cley - what a shock to see how much the landscape on the beach has changed since the high tides/floods midweek. The shingle ridge has all but disappeared to the extent that you can just about seawatch from the shelter at Coastguards. Two Med gulls there but no sign of the Glauc.

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The glauc was on the beach this morning and back on the north scrape in the afternoon. I agree about the shingle ridge, amazing to see... so much shingle in the car park that I got stuck on the way in! Thanks to the helpful birders who pushed me out. :t:

Glad to hear you got out, I originally offered to help but I believe both of us wanted to see the bird first! Did you get any decent shots of the Gull?

I also popped down the East bank and saw two Wigeon that looked rather odd, both very similar to the photos on the Punk Birders website, anybody else had a look over the past couple of days?
Again failed to locate any Sand Martins, with the only year tick being a Blackcap in subsong.


Just cheked your website, like the RcPs is Fakenham a psuedonym for Pensthorpe?

Ruralchill said:

Glad to hear you got out, I originally offered to help but I believe both of us wanted to see the bird first! Did you get any decent shots of the Gull?

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Ah-ha... had I seen you at Salthouse a bit earlier? I got some reasonable shots of the gull, though the light was shockingly bad.

Ruralchill said:

Just cheked your website, like the RcPs is Fakenham a psuedonym for Pensthorpe?

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Those were indeed at Pensthorpe (should have been listed as such, will have to change that), apparently a free-flying feral population, not from the collection (so they informed me).

Correct, I purposely avoided you as you were trying to take some pictures!!!

I believe the RcP population there is nearly into three figures and are expanding rapidly, although not too far down the valley yet - I haven't seen them around Swanton Moreley or Sparham (yet) 7 Goosander still at Sparham this aftenoon though, 3 drake.

Kite at Snettisham

Ruralchill said:

No the Black-eared Kite is still present and I have not heard of anyone else reporting a Red Kite in the area. Where exactly did you see it kstar and what was it doing. It wouldn't be the first time it has been mistaken or maybe somebody had both birds on the same day?!

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Oh heck! We saw the Kite from the second hide you come to at the reserve which overlooks the lagoons. It was about 9ish in the morning and it was above the trees in the background behind the pools. It glided across the background from left to right, appeared to be circling and finally disappered downwards on the far right where we could see some barns.

Like I said it was called as a Red kite at the time and I must admit it did seem very red in colour and I thought it was a Red Kite, but it was some distance away and I'm not familiar with Black Eared Kite at all. Is it very unlikely to see a Red Kite at Snettisham?

Dreadful weather up this end of Norfolk today, much the same everywhere I think!

Started off at Holme 7.30amish.

Stock Dove from my parents house. 9 greenfinches by village pond. Started the same walk as last Saturday, from main beach carpark at Holme following path along marsh, but it was so bleak, bitterly cold and desolate that I decided to turn back half way!!! Only saw 3 little egrets and some brents on the shoreline. Arriving back at car, spotted my mother coming towards me on her pushbike, from beach, cycling with a 8ftish plank of wood either side of her handlebars, she really is a living nightmare!!!!! I bluntily said 'you were not thinking of cycling through the village with that WERE you!!!!!???' and promptly took plank from her and put in the car! Anyway carried on down the Firs road to HBO. On route saw Mistle thrush, great tit, long tailed tits, at the NOA carpark heard several fieldfares clacking in the buckthorn. Went to seawatch with Jed and Sophie and saw 2 red breasted mergansers, 2 common scooter, few common gulls and a 1 kittiwake. Rainy, dismal rotton day. Anyway after yummy cup of hot chocolate at HBO and normal Saturday banter, left here and went to Titchwell RSPB just to buy something from shop, had a quick look at the feeders, usual stuff, goldfinches, greenfinches, blue tits, great tits, sparrows etc, then stopped at Choosely Barns to see if I could see the black redstart that was seen yesterday. There was a car full of birders parked up, so I parked just behind them, drizzly rain and freezing cold here. They must have cursed me, I only went and knocked the car horn accidentally (wanted to die at this point!!!!) - mind you, the yellowhammers and chaffinches didn't flinch at all, much to my surprise. Anyway while eating a Titchwell vege pasty (virtually cold by now!) (2pm) the black redstart suddenly appeared!!!!!!! Couldn't believe my luck! It was feeding just to the left of the concrete area by barn, wow, that cheered up a dismal day!

Left here to go to Cley, met up with a friend and we went to the coastguards to see if we could see the Glaucous Gull. It was wicked weather!!!!!!! I had loads of thermal stuff on and layers and was FREEZING. Loads of starfish washed up on shingle and WHAT SHINGLE, whole ridge gone!! Several oystercatchers on shore, a kittiwake close in, lesser black backed gulls. We were just going to get in car when my friend spotted the Glaucous!!!!! Wow, what a fantastic day considering the appalling weather!!! Chiffchaff singing at Walsey Hills, coal tit on feeders, chaffinches, goldfinches, long tailed tits and to end the day a marsh harrier sailing through stormy skies.

Best Wishes Penny :girl:

Penny Clarke said:

Dreadful weather up this end of Norfolk today, much the same everywhere I think!

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Correct

btw, your mum sounds a great character LOL

Matt

matt green said:

Correct

btw, your mum sounds a great character LOL

Matt

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She IS, once met, never forgotton, and also completely mad and uncontrollable (I take after her really - well not quite that bad!!!!)

Penny Clarke said:

She IS, once met, never forgotton, and also completely mad and uncontrollable (I take after her really - well not quite that bad!!!!)

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i always take the view that if you want to know what a girl will be like in 25 years look at her Mother.........

Red Crested Pochards

Ruralchill said:

Correct, I purposely avoided you as you were trying to take some pictures!!!

I believe the RcP population there is nearly into three figures and are expanding rapidly, although not too far down the valley yet - I haven't seen them around Swanton Moreley or Sparham (yet) 7 Goosander still at Sparham this aftenoon though, 3 drake.

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I have ocassionally seen them on Sennowe lakes, and also occasionally I see a pair of Ruddy Shelduck & Mandarin, but none of these appear to be breeding or increasing in regularity. The biggest increase in the Wensum valley around gravel pits is clearly Egyptian Geese, these appear to be breeding all over the place I just saw a pair with 8 young at Bintree last weekend.

I agree with everyone else it was far too cold yesterday!! I went out early and failed to find any of my target songsters! Still a nice flock of 170 Fieldfare at Swanton Novers.

Must head out now as today appears to be better.

Ta Chris

Interesting comment Chris about Sennowe, presumably the increasing numnbers are resticted to Pensthorpe. I have seen flying groups of 20+ with a separate 16 on the lakes. I must admit I presumed they wre expanding their range!

kstar_76 said:

Oh heck! We saw the Kite from the second hide you come to at the reserve which overlooks the lagoons. It was about 9ish in the morning and it was above the trees in the background behind the pools. It glided across the background from left to right, appeared to be circling and finally disappered downwards on the far right where we could see some barns.

Like I said it was called as a Red kite at the time and I must admit it did seem very red in colour and I thought it was a Red Kite, but it was some distance away and I'm not familiar with Black Eared Kite at all. Is it very unlikely to see a Red Kite at Snettisham?

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We were at Dersingham this morning and both Kites were displaying together - the Black-Eared and a Red in the area that you described. So, there clearly is a Red Kite in the area, KStar and it looks like it's hanging around.

Ruralchill said:

Correct, I purposely avoided you as you were trying to take some pictures!!!

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Thanks, though you'd have had a job to flush those turnstones!

I didn't get much on the glauc as the light was terrible and the sea spray wasn't helping... here's one of the better ones.

Wow, wish i had known about the two Kites, I would have gone up to try and see them!

Just back from a walk around the local gravel pits. sgg Blackcap and up to 12 Chiffchaff, but still no Sand Martin! Two Cetti's Warbler singing, one's been around for a while, first time I've heard the other. Also saw 4 Great Spots together, presumably creating their territories.

(Nice to see a pic of the Glaucs wings, well done)