Norfolk birding (10 Viewers)

Norfolkbirder · Jul 3, 2007

quote "I'm playing with the idea of possibly popping down to Norfolk for two or three days in about two or three weeks. What are the prospects re such stuff as Lakenheath orioles, etc in late July?

I'll be looking for other stuff such as Cetti's, nightingale and the sort of things I can see abroad but for some strange reason seem reluctant to make that extra hop up the east coast to see me in my home range.

Any advice at all will be welcome."

Saw your post and thought I would quickly answer - there is now just 1 nest of Orioles, and I suspect that they will have either fledged or not made it by late July, either way you would be better coming next yr mid May for these, however Lakenheath is becoming a fine reserve and there should be other stuff to look at. Also Nightingale late July will be tricky as many will not be singing by then. If I was you come mid August and head for Cley & Titchwell when there should be good numbers of waders starting to pass through.

Barred Wobbler · Jul 3, 2007

Norfolkbirder said:
quote "I'm playing with the idea of possibly popping down to Norfolk for two or three days in about two or three weeks. What are the prospects re such stuff as Lakenheath orioles, etc in late July?

I'll be looking for other stuff such as Cetti's, nightingale and the sort of things I can see abroad but for some strange reason seem reluctant to make that extra hop up the east coast to see me in my home range.

Any advice at all will be welcome."

Saw your post and thought I would quickly answer - there is now just 1 nest of Orioles, and I suspect that they will have either fledged or not made it by late July, either way you would be better coming next yr mid May for these, however Lakenheath is becoming a fine reserve and there should be other stuff to look at. Also Nightingale late July will be tricky as many will not be singing by then. If I was you come mid August and head for Cley & Titchwell when there should be good numbers of waders starting to pass through.

Thanks for your reply. It looks as though next spring may be the time for me. I was just wanting to fill in a few gaps on my British list and I've got time on my hands this month (unusual for July because I'd normally be away). I had a feeling I'd be too late, which is why I asked the question. By August things should be warming up (in more ways than one) in this neck of the woods as well.

I'll have to think of something else for July. A spot of fishing maybe.

Drumming Sniper · Jul 3, 2007

Alan Seaton said:
I'm playing with the idea of possibly popping down to Norfolk for two or three days in about two or three weeks. What are the prospects re such stuff as Lakenheath orioles, etc in late July?

I would be grateful for any oriole information too. I have a couple of days free at the end of next week and plan to spend the time birding in Norfolk. There are several target species I would like to see, one of which is Golden Oriole. I have actually seen the birds at Lakenheath before however that was very early in the morning. Due to logistical reasons (and trying to fit in several sites) I may have to visit later in the day. It would be really useful to know whether this is likely to be productive or whether you really have to go early.

Any information would be gratefully received.

DS

Drumming Sniper · Jul 3, 2007

Ah, just discovered the previous post - Doh!

Norfolkbirder · Jul 3, 2007

Fishing

Alan Seaton said:
Thanks for your reply. It looks as though next spring may be the time for me. I was just wanting to fill in a few gaps on my British list and I've got time on my hands this month (unusual for July because I'd normally be away). I had a feeling I'd be too late, which is why I asked the question. By August things should be warming up (in more ways than one) in this neck of the woods as well.

I'll have to think of something else for July. A spot of fishing maybe.

Alan, Hope you have a better luck than me, the fields next to the River Wensum in Norfolk are all flooded I couldn't even get my car in the car park last night!

Edward woodwood · Jul 4, 2007

pleasant evening at Cley tonight with Chris Norfolkbirder and a couple of the Cley chaps.

We went specifically to have a look at the 'first summer' Arctic Terns - a plumage not often seen.

Also 1st summer Yellow-legged Gull
30 or so Islandica Blackwits
A few Spotshanks
Med Gull over
etc

Tim

SueBryan · Jul 4, 2007

Norfolkbirder said:
Alan, Hope you have a better luck than me, the fields next to the River Wensum in Norfolk are all flooded I couldn't even get my car in the car park last night!

Any more rain and I shall be flooded out here in Roydon! I already have my own wader scrape on the front lawn! Even my Blackbirds are wearing wellies!
Sue

J Moss · Jul 5, 2007

Day on Blakeney Point with the wardens today, essentially bird watching all day. Had a good look though the tern colonies which was good for finally getting familiar with Arctic Terns. Lots of fledged BH Gulls and Sandwich Terns, a couple of Ringed Plover chicks (bloody cute!), 7 or 8 Whimbrel passing, along with 3 Golden Plovers, Small Coppers, Ringlets, Meadow Browns, pos. Dark Green Fritillary, Puss Moth caterpillars and a fair few Hares in the dudes. Cley afterwards. Still not seen the Roseate Tern, but 1 summer Arctic still present, along with 4 or 5 Spotshanks.

Jason

matt green · Jul 5, 2007

J Moss said:
Day on Blakeney Point with the wardens today,.

Jason

I'm amazed anyone managed to get a few hours birding done in Norfolk today in this weather! ~ waiting under a railway bridge for four hours hoping for a break stretches optimism to the extremes (was fine when I left

)

Matt

J Moss · Jul 5, 2007

Really?! Gorgeous weather on the coast all day today. Just got wet this evening, from 7ish to now. My nose is a little burnt!

Jason

claire78 · Jul 7, 2007

Need some help - Cley yesterday

Took my first trip to Cley yesterday (braved the gusts of wind and the sloppy muddy bits!!!) but came away with some puzzles! Can anyone help???

- lots of birds catching insects over the water. Identified swifts and spotted some house martins under the houses in cley. But were there also sand martins and swallows mixed in? Sure I saw some brown looking martins - need to brush up on my id skills there I think!!!

- spotted what I thought was a Curlew from Daukes Hide. Described it as follows - white underwing; poss brown leading edge; long bill darkish in colour with downturn; black colouration to tail/outer primaries; godwit sized?; darkish legs.
Having got home and looked it all up I would go with Curlew as opposed to Whimbrel - what do others think? Sorry the description isn't up to much the bird flew away!

- was there a chance that I saw a bittern to the east of the East Bank? I have seen them before at Minsmere. It looked like a bittern poking it's head up from the side of one of the dyke areas. I saw it when looking at the Greylag Geese - a very slender neck would come poking up and then dip back out of site again; brown in colour; was at a lower level than the Geese so I assume it was on the waters edge as opposed to on the grassy areas. Didn't get great views though as I was being blown around like mad up there!!!

- Oh and I also spotted the family of Mute Swans that had the 'polish' cygnet. Is the word 'polish' prounounced like a person from poland or the stuff you clean with??? Also, what is it that causes the cygnet to be whiter than its siblings?

Oh - and a big thank you to those I asked questions of yesterday and to whoever found my camera lens cap in or around Bishops hide!

And...I managed to spot and id the green sandpiper too - a great feeling when someone confirmed that my id was correct! :-O

Claire

matt green · Jul 7, 2007

claire78 said:
Identified swifts and spotted some house martins under the houses in cley. But were there also sand martins and swallows mixed in? Sure I saw some brown looking martins - need to brush up on my id skills there I think!!!

Sounds like you had a great time, not much help with your ID questions i'm afraid but if those Martins looked brown as you say, then I suspect they were Sand Martins?

Probably more common on those coastal areas, certainly none to be had inland around here.

Did you spot the Roseate Terns btw, might make my way up there next wednesday ~ these would be a bonus!

Matt

edit

Sand Martins would only be likely to be seen around the reserve itself, not among nesting Swifts and Swallows in cley as you describe, could have possibly been juveniles?

Matt

claire78 · Jul 7, 2007

Fraid not Matt - or at least if I did I didn't identify them!!!
Managed to spot the following:-
1) Woodpigeon; 2) Swift; 3) Coot; 4) Marsh Harriers; 5) House Martin; 6) Grey Herons; 7) Sedge Warblers **; 8) Mute Swan (inc Polish juv); 9) Little Egrets; 10) Shelduck; 11) Little Grebe; 12) Black-headed gulls; 13) Avocets; 14) Skylark; 15) Green Sandpiper **; 16) Egyptian Goose (+ Juvs); 17) Lapwing; 18) Ruff; 19) Redshank; 20) Oystercatcher; 21) Ringed Plover; 22) Black-tailed Godwits; 23) Pied Wagtail; 24) Sand Martin? **; 25) Curlew? **; 26) Swallow?; 27) Mallard; 28) Cormorant; 29) Black Swan; 30) Dunlin; 31) Bittern?; 32) Greylag Geese; 33) Moorhen; 34) Sandwich tern; 35) Common Tern; 36) Little Tern; 37) Jackdaw.

** = Lifers

The Sand Martins(?) were on the actual reserve - they were flying with the swifts (or at least in amongst them). The sky was full of swifts and martins and ?swallows too. The House Martins I spotted were among the houses on the other side of the road and not on the reserve itself.

Had a nice cheese and onion toastie afterwards in the new Visitors Centre washed down with a well-earned Cafe Latte

Claire

matt green · Jul 7, 2007

claire78 said:
The Sand Martins(?) were on the actual reserve - they were flying with the swifts (or at least in amongst them). The sky was full of swifts and martins and ?swallows too. The House Martins I spotted were among the houses on the other side of the road and not on the reserve itself.

Oooops ~ pardon my edit:gh:

Matt

matt green · Jul 7, 2007

Question regarding Blakeney point

Is it worth yomping to the point from cley this time of year?, trying to decide wether to possibly do the point next week ~ or save it for autumn migration and spend more time loafing around Cley?

Matt

edit, might be swayed if there are any special insects/wildflowers to be seen among the dunes etc?

J Moss · Jul 7, 2007

Hi Claire.

When I last visited there were a few Sand Martins among the Swifts over the lakes.

On Thursday there was a bit of a passage of Whimbrel all day, so there's no reason why your bird couldn't have been a Whimbrel. Did you notice any obvious head pattern? If not, Curlew is probably just as likely to be seen, so it was probably this. I saw one yesterday.

I've seen the white cygnet a couple of times and someone has mentioned Polish, although I'd never heard the term before then. It's rare because only 5% of british swans are born like this. I think it fledged a couple of weeks ago.

http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED19%20Jun%202007%2021%3A02%3A34%3A207

Regarding the bittern, there are a few about (2 pairs?). I believe that they have all failed to breed this year, due to the flooding, but they are still about. Lucky you for spotting one!

Hope this helps.

Jason

claire78 said:
Took my first trip to Cley yesterday (braved the gusts of wind and the sloppy muddy bits!!!) but came away with some puzzles! Can anyone help???

- lots of birds catching insects over the water. Identified swifts and spotted some house martins under the houses in cley. But were there also sand martins and swallows mixed in? Sure I saw some brown looking martins - need to brush up on my id skills there I think!!!

- spotted what I thought was a Curlew from Daukes Hide. Described it as follows - white underwing; poss brown leading edge; long bill darkish in colour with downturn; black colouration to tail/outer primaries; godwit sized?; darkish legs.
Having got home and looked it all up I would go with Curlew as opposed to Whimbrel - what do others think? Sorry the description isn't up to much the bird flew away!

- was there a chance that I saw a bittern to the east of the East Bank? I have seen them before at Minsmere. It looked like a bittern poking it's head up from the side of one of the dyke areas. I saw it when looking at the Greylag Geese - a very slender neck would come poking up and then dip back out of site again; brown in colour; was at a lower level than the Geese so I assume it was on the waters edge as opposed to on the grassy areas. Didn't get great views though as I was being blown around like mad up there!!!

- Oh and I also spotted the family of Mute Swans that had the 'polish' cygnet. Is the word 'polish' prounounced like a person from poland or the stuff you clean with??? Also, what is it that causes the cygnet to be whiter than its siblings?

Oh - and a big thank you to those I asked questions of yesterday and to whoever found my camera lens cap in or around Bishops hide!

And...I managed to spot and id the green sandpiper too - a great feeling when someone confirmed that my id was correct! :-O

Claire

claire78 · Jul 7, 2007

I don't remember it having a head pattern so that is partly why I ruled out whimbrel.

The "what's about" board listed the white one as a Polish juv and I have had a search through Google to find out more but still none the wiser as to how it's pronounced! . Here is a pic of it from yesterday as it was sat outside Bishops Hide.

Thanks for your help! Glad I can confirm that there are indeed Bitterns on the site as I was 100% sure that was what I saw but knowing they are there confirms it now!

Claire

J Moss said:
Hi Claire.

When I last visited there were a few Sand Martins among the Swifts over the lakes.

On Thursday there was a bit of a passage of Whimbrel all day, so there's no reason why your bird couldn't have been a Whimbrel. Did you notice any obvious head pattern? If not, Curlew is probably just as likely to be seen, so it was probably this. I saw one yesterday.

I've seen the white cygnet a couple of times and someone has mentioned Polish, although I'd never heard the term before then. It's rare because only 5% of british swans are born like this. I think it fledged a couple of weeks ago.

http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED19%20Jun%202007%2021%3A02%3A34%3A207

Regarding the bittern, there are a few about (2 pairs?). I believe that they have all failed to breed this year, due to the flooding, but they are still about. Lucky you for spotting one!

Hope this helps.

Jason

Paul Eele · Jul 7, 2007

Had a nice walk around the Choseley area this evening for quail. Successful trip with 2 birds calling south of the drying barns on the west side of the road and fairly close to the road although the crop was too thick to see anything!
Also in the area were 2 whimbrel, yellow wag, buzzard and plenty of corn buntings.
Nice to finally see some sunshine!

Paul

James Emerson · Jul 7, 2007

claire78 said:
Took my first trip to Cley yesterday (braved the gusts of wind and the sloppy muddy bits!!!) but came away with some puzzles! Can anyone help???

- Oh and I also spotted the family of Mute Swans that had the 'polish' cygnet. Is the word 'polish' prounounced like a person from poland or the stuff you clean with??? Also, what is it that causes the cygnet to be whiter than its siblings?

Claire

I think I can help with this bit! :t: It is pronounced as in from Poland. I think this is because one was brought to England from Poland and originally thought to be a new species. I don't remember the latin name it was given at the time, but it meant "unchanging swan" or something like that.

Later on it was found that the white colouring is down to a genetic defect. The rareness of white cygnets probably mean that the gene required is recessive, so it is likely that both parents must have a recessive copy for a cygnet to be white. Because the parents would have two copies of the gene, that gives a 1 in 4 chance of a white cygnet, which I think is backed up by the grey cygnets of the Cley pair.

James

HarassedDad · Jul 7, 2007

Hi. There was apparently quite a movement of Large White butterflies in from the sea today, with reports coming from Lowestoft, Braydon and Winterton. So far I've not heard of anything else coming in with them, but given the predicted wind direction and weather tomorrow, I think there's a good chance of interesting insects coming over. Worth keeping your eyes open tomorrow if you're about on the East coast. I'm thinking red-veined and yellow-winged darters, lesser emperor, silver-y, humming bird hawk moth, painted ladies and maybe even camberwell beauties are all possibles, but I'd be interested in any reports you might have of insects coming in off the sea - [email protected] if you don't want to clog this forum up.
Thanks

Norfolk birding (10 Viewers)

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