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Norfolk birding (37 Viewers)

Titchwell October 30th

Today's highlights

Waxwing - 1 west @ 13:30
Swallow - 2 west
Snow bunting - 2 west
Twite - 32 on brackish marsh (at least 16 colour-ringed birds with the flock in the last week)
Corn bunting - 1 east
Avocet - 12 on fresh marsh
Teal - 850 on fresh marsh
Hen harrier - ringtail over saltmarsh
Red necked grebe - 2 offshore
Slavonian grebe - 1 offshore
Large westerly starling passage throughout the day. A sample count for 30mins between 14:00-14:30 produced 945 birds. There were also large numbers moving offshore this afternoon.

Paul
 
Glossy ibis still present

mr.sim said:
I'm sure there will be much better pictures of the Glossy Ibis, but here are my attempts in the poor weather this morning.

Apparently the bird showed down to about 25 yards early morning.
Click to expand...

Nice shots Sim!

Left my camera in the car because of the bad weather. Ibis closeby on the pool when I saw it!

Still I did photograph the three Caistor St Edmunds birds in 2009. Picture sent to BBRC so mentioned in dispatches in Norfok Bird Report.

No reeds in the way on my shot (Julian's otherwise excellent shot of all three with heads up - I took 30 shots and only on 2 were all the heads up)
 

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Haven't done as much birding recently as i would have liked due to work, but today made up for it. Started well when i had the Rough-legged Buzzard just before Wells from the Coasthopper. The bus driver dropped me off but it had moved on by the time i got back to the spot - large no's of Starlings moving already.

Spent the morning scanning over the Saltmarsh, first a Merlin skimming low, then two Hen Harriers - looking very orange in the the bright sunshine, then the Rough-leg back hovering and hunting over East Hills with the Harriers in close attendance. While watching it i encountered the only other birders i saw all day, - Saturday, October, Norfolk - yes it can be done!.
Eventually the Buzzard moved off West and inland but half an hour later after I had moved a little closer to Wells it had either done a big loop and returned or another had taken its place, this bird was closer and appeared to have more extensive pale areas on the upperwing (but maybe same bird closer). By this point (about 1pm) big flocks of Starling were moving and at one point an evocative Merlin swept through flocks of Starling, Lapwing and Skylarks.

I moved along to Wells Woods and had two Lapland Buntings fly over as I was approaching the caravan site. A scan of the mouth of Wells Harbour (heavens knows what i was doing scanning the sea in Westerly winds with no regular seawatchers ; -) revealed the surprise of the day - a 1st summer Glaucous Gull in close attendance with other large Gulls near a Common Seal before flying off and disappearing into a speck towards Gun Hill. A quick scan of the sea revealed a Red-necked Grebe, 4 Eider and small no's of Scoter but since Ive ditched the pager, I was unable to indulge in the anxiety and disappointment of not seeing an Albatross. The residing memory of the day though was being able to behold one of those wispy epic Autumn Norfolk skies giving way to a beautiful sunset.
 
here you go you residents of Norfolk, as an intruder on your patch I grabbed a couple of long distance images of those couple of species that pulled in the crowds yesterday, great weather.
The Green-winged Teal and the American Golden Plover, they did make the hides a tad busy ;)
 

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Another good day walking along the shingle ridge from Weybourne to Coastguards, Red-necked Grebe, Velvet Scoter, 4 Eider, 3 Lapland Buntings, 30 odd Snows, 4 Shorelark, Merlin and another great sunset.
 
Burnham Overy / Holkham Pines

A early-ish trundle down the seawall at Burnham Overy allowed me a close look at one of the smart Rough-legs in the dunes (me and him/her for half an hour preening... that's him/her not me...), before the usual gang of walkers appearing made it vacate to the marshes. But no sign of Stuart's intriguing Harrier. A steady westward passage of Meadow Pipits (825+) and Starlings (2,100+ in 2 hours) accompanied me to the pines (why do Starlings migrate silently when they're so voluble normally?).

The western end of Holkham Pines was very quiet - not even some energetic lip numbing pishing could rustle anything up. Nor were there any other birders which must be a first for me for October in a light easterly. Where was everybody?! 7 Eurasian Whitefronts from Jordan Hide livened things up a bit, before the return trundle. With more Pallas arriving up and down the east coast, I was left with the feeling I'd no doubt walked straight past 'summat'.
 
I've had a great weekend! Got the Ibis at Welney yesterday, and today got the American plover and phalaropes at Cley. 3 lifers to add to the list, thanks again Norfolk!

I did expect to see a lot more seawatchers however given yesterdays sighting!

Already planning my next visit, it really is birding heaven and you lot are so lucky to live there!
 
Thanks Paul. It wasn't meant as a criticism - am sure it will be a fantastic habitat. It was just that the sea wall looked such a good place for butterflies.

Again congratulations to all involved.

Hugh
 
Great to see that, in addition to his invaluable daily contributions to this thread, Paul Eele is now a top television star after his appearance on Countryfile this evening. There was some superb footage of the Knot spectacular, well worth finding on iPlayer if you missed it.

Ron
 
NoSpringChicken said:
Great to see that, in addition to his invaluable daily contributions to this thread, Paul Eele is now a top television star after his appearance on Countryfile this evening. There was some superb footage of the Knot spectacular, well worth finding on iPlayer if you missed it.

Ron
Click to expand...

Autographs at a bargain price of £1 now then see them on the Antiques Roadshow in a few years for £1000's!

Paul
 
They’re fighting back !

A female with bling has, today, joined the male Stonechat at Gramboro’.

COULD SOMEONE PLEASE CHECK IF THERE ARE COLOUR RINGS ON ITS OTHER LEG ? I didn't see the rings until I got back home. If you do, please post details on this thread, or PM me. (I am unable to go back here until Friday.) Thanks, f.

A flock of Reed Buntings has been sporadically present and Laplands (from 1 to 12) fly over most times I visit.

A Blue Tit has taken up residence for more than a week, now, and constantly eludes my camera.

Not so evasive were the cock Pheasant and Wood Pigeon which, yesterday, bashed into the side of my car within 10 minutes of each other. The former launched itself, like a medieval knight without a lance, and the latter flew over a hedge, straight into the wing mirror. Feathers went everywhere.
 

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Titchwell November 1st

Today's highlights

Spotted redshank - 2 on fresh marsh
Twite - 30 on brackish marsh
Short eared owl - 1 on grazing marsh
Long tailed duck - 1 offshore
Water pipit - 1 on fresh marsh
Slavonian grebe - 1 offshore
Hen harrier - 1 hunting over redbed

Paul
 
waxwings kings lynn

I had just stepped outside to go to work and heard a call I was unfamiliar with, looked up and saw 6 Waxwings sitting in the top of a Horse Chestnut at the top of my road! Phoned them in to RBA and then watched them for about half an hour before I went inside my house to grab the camera and then started to rattle off shots. When I came back another two had joined them but soon moved off. The 6 Waxwings then took off and landed in the Rowan tree right in front of me and my house and started to feed. Whilst standing and photographing the 6 at least another 5 flew over and interestingly I had over 300 Starling, 200 Redwings and 100 Fieldfare fly over. Completely forgot about work but eventually made it only 2 and half hours late:eek!::-O although I did ring in to say I would be a bit late cause of the waxwings….Robert
 

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