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

Norfolk birding (22 Viewers)

Friday evening

Whizzed over to Great Yarmouth last night after receiving a text message saying 'look at your pager' (had not looked for an hour!!!!). Left 7.17pm and arrived at 8.20pmish. Saw the supposed GREAT KNOT at a fair distance through Sue Bryan's scope - thanks Sue:t: I really hope it is one, otherwise I have wasted a whole evening and a good deal of petrol!!!

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
Arrived backlast night. Had a brilliant time, being able to see 108 birds, although i was expecting higher, missing birds such as little grebe ect. Will post list after i have done my homework
 
BB or Knot to BBRC ?

I'm slightly surprised at the relative absence of info and comment re last evening's jaunt to Great Yarmouth, despite the thread here:
www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=142921&highlight=great+knot

Lee has most forcefully come down in favour of Red Knot. I must say, as with someone else who has made comment, I did recall Minsmere and a certain Curlew- despite fervently wishing it to be a 'Great' experience and my first away from China.

It is a pity that no photos were made of the original sighting, which was, apparently, on the near side of the river.

On another matter, the photo of the 'bug' taken at Felbrigg yesterday was an Alder Fly, sialis sp. (Thank you, Tony.)
 
I can assure you the initial sighting was NOT on the near side of the river, as I would really have been more interested , as of course thats Suffolk /wink.
Anyway i got tipped off about the bird before the pager message and was there within 15 mins and the bird was on the Norfolk side and hadnt moved much.
Incidentally Pete Allard had "the bird" very early morning today then he watched it fly west (towards Burgh Castle) but then north towards the north side marshes west of Berney where it may have landed.
This is in conflict with Lee Evans claims that 8 experienced birders saw it early moring with Knot.

p.s on my views last night im in the Red Knot camp im afraid but on those views nothing is certain.
 
I'd be interested to hear Peter Allard's full account! If anyone knows Knots in all their plumages it's him! If he reckons he saw 'the bird' this am, you have to believe there was something different about it!
 
Started off at Choseley and Shernbourne this morning listening for Quails and hoping to see my first Red Kite this year:-O (not!!!) Neither were seen or heard!!! Got some cracking pictures of a swallow collecting mud from around a puddle for nest! Ended up at Cley Visitor Centre for lunch and then parked at Cley Beach Carpark and waited with other birders (200 yards from carpark in the 'Marrams' for the Short Toed Lark to appear, which it did at 5.10pm:t: Got some lovely pictures of a young kestrel on a telegraph pole down Beach road, Cley much to the dismay of a avocet anxiously flying around, a reed bunting on a wire close by and an unhappy sedge warbler! In a field in the Docking area, we watched a marsh harrier dive for a pheasant chick much to the distress of a mother pheasant! At Choosley late in the evening we heard a Quail at 9.20pm and also watched a Grey Wagtail flitting about on the road yards from us by the corner at the bottom of the hill down from the barns (south).

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
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The highs and lows of birding North Norfolk!
Began at Cley Spey, where my girlfriend purchased some bins (oh, how far shes come....) which we set off to make good use of at Chosley. On route, I made the birding equivalent of an emergency stop- Female Montys over the road! We had short but excellent views of the bird seeing off a male Marsh Harrier, great stuff! Britain's got talons.

At the drying barns, the local farmer was a pleasure to talk to and very informative. We saw Corn Bunting (quite chubby aren't they, exclaimed the missus) Lesser Whitethroat, Yhammer and Stock Dove. Good numbers of Quail says the farmer, may try again in July.
Plus, plenty of Painted Ladies along the bridleway.

Called in at the Montys site, where a male was performing well on the opposite side of the road. Then came the low point of the day. As we were leaving, a group of birders ran across the road and set up camp on the track itself. Their cars were not 'parked' as such, just dumped. Then, by now we are reversing out, one idiot was actually on the wall. Those who know the site will know which wall I speak of. WTF?! This human totem pole will look good for the Harriers, wont he? Should have said something, I know.
I'm not sure what the answer is. Should this site be bought and then manned by a conservation organisation? I am concerned that the local birds will not breed this year.

Finished off at the Swanton Novers Honey buzzard watchpoint, manned (!) by Natural England. No Honies, but plenty of Commons which were grilled then dismissed.

Cheers,
Jim.
 
jimbob said:
The highs and lows of birding North Norfolk!
Began at Cley Spey, where my girlfriend purchased some bins (oh, how far shes come....) which we set off to make good use of at Chosley. On route, I made the birding equivalent of an emergency stop- Female Montys over the road! We had short but excellent views of the bird seeing off a male Marsh Harrier, great stuff! Britain's got talons.

At the drying barns, the local farmer was a pleasure to talk to and very informative. We saw Corn Bunting (quite chubby aren't they, exclaimed the missus) Lesser Whitethroat, Yhammer and Stock Dove. Good numbers of Quail says the farmer, may try again in July.
Plus, plenty of Painted Ladies along the bridleway.

Called in at the Montys site, where a male was performing well on the opposite side of the road. Then came the low point of the day. As we were leaving, a group of birders ran across the road and set up camp on the track itself. Their cars were not 'parked' as such, just dumped. Then, by now we are reversing out, one idiot was actually on the wall. Those who know the site will know which wall I speak of. WTF?! This human totem pole will look good for the Harriers, wont he? Should have said something, I know.
I'm not sure what the answer is. Should this site be bought and then manned by a conservation organisation? I am concerned that the local birds will not breed this year.

Finished off at the Swanton Novers Honey buzzard watchpoint, manned (!) by Natural England. No Honies, but plenty of Commons which were grilled then dismissed.

Cheers,
Jim.
Click to expand...

There's always one!!. Had a similar problem at Choseley last year with the Dotterel. One idiot with a camera couldn't be content with viewing from the road...He had to go marching around the field to get a closer look. The following week the farmer had put up "Keep out" notices.
I've also seen people going up the tracks at the Monties site.

You had the reverse result to us today. We missed the Monties but got a Honey.
 
After first shift this morning and arriving home at 1.10pm I noticed the pager!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Black Winged Pratincole HOLME - flew to Holme and stood on Greenway (track east off Peddars Way) with others - it had gone:-C BOTHER, BOTHER, BOTHER. Walked all around the fields in hope, left here and had a look from Holme Marsh Reserve (5pm) where I saw 3 Marsh Harriers from 3rd most eastern hide and a couple sitting next to me spotted a turtle dove flying very fast east.

Went home for a while, cooked tea etc etc and went back again to Peddars Way, but nothing there apart from a common buzzard distantly. Left here and looked all round the back Ringstead roads and then ended up at Choosely and watched Corn buntings on the wires.

Went to Burnham Norton to look for the pratincole and got as far as the seabank and scoped over the marsh in murky light and just got back to the car by 10pm (crazy!) Couple of barn owls by the carpark.

Lets hope its refound tomorrow.:t:

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
Hello

In response to the comments regarding the people walking up the track at the montys site I would say the following. Local birders would not give out the location (understandably) but it was quite easy to work it out anyway. However, because no information is given to non- local or affiliated birders, they don't realise that you should not walk up the track. I arrived there, saw birders at the top of the track, and assumed this was an unofficial (and accepted) viewing point. It is only reading this thread that I now realise that I should have stayed at road side.

I'm not sure to how to overcome this problem without a conservation programme; providing details may result in undesirable interest but lack of information may also lead to nest disturbance in this case. Maybe a sign asking birders to stay off the path might work. (Can't justify the totem pole mind).

Marc
 
I think I must be the only person left who doesn't know where the Monty's site is. We're planning on spending a few days camping at Stiffkey next week if someone could pm directions and access arrangement for the site it'd be much appreciated. Thanks.
 
Dipped again on the Black winged Pratincole this evening!:C

Missed it by literally seconds by the reservoir at 8.30pmish!!!!!
 
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Titchwell June 2nd

Today's highlights

Bittern - 2 females flying over reedbed towards Holme
Red crested pochard - female with 8 young on grazing marsh
Common sandpiper - 2 on fresh marsh

Paul
 
Hi all, Hopefuly I'll get out to Holme for the BWP and just wondered if any one can tell me the best place to park would be and where to walk to?

P.s. had a Hobby at school today!!! (who said school was boring :-O)
 
Had some cracking views of the BWP today. It has been favouring a field near the small reservoir south of Holme with forays into the fields around. I saw it on a track between Ringstead and Holme. Leaving Ringstead parked just past the houses on the Holme road and he track is to the right. It had been on a potato field (708420) then gave everyone a brilliant overhead dsplay. it then flew back to it's favoured spot at 725424. This is on the minor road south from the coast road between Holme and Thornham. (turn off at the double bend near the orchards).
 
BW Pratincole - Dip No. 3!!!!!!!!!:C:C:C

Arrived at 5.15pm and stayed until 10pm

Apparently someone saw it near the track it was originally seen at near Ringstead Mill mid evening (some time before 8pm) and it flew in the direction of the reservoir, towards all of us - at least 30 birders were stationed around the reservoir field this evening. By 9.30pm I was about to give up when a man called Julian (from North Walsham) who was standing with me half way down the road at the track dead opposite the reservoir picked it up flying across us (left to right) and landed in the field - I could not pick it up!!!!!!!!!!!!:-C - the others at the top of the right saw us getting excited and all came down the road to join us - but alas none of us were able to see it again, but it did call (which I am not familiar with) - Trevor Davis knew the call, and it was frustratingingly close in the near darkness. We all gave up and went home.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
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The good, the bad and the ugly

The good - managed to finally get my girlfriend to hear and see nightjars this evening/night at one of the well known spots .......she also enjoyed a roding woodcock and a calling quail at about 2235hrs. She's so happy at long last and thought the sounds eirie and brief flight views worth the efforts.

The bad - the elderly birdwatcherman walking around the nesting area where we were watching from the track alongside the road, around 2145. When he finally approached us and smugly said "There's two birds out there, just along the track." my answer was "Thanks, but I don't like to wander in the dark around the heath when they're breeding." Not surprisingly we didn't chat much after that. Even Louise, my girlfriend, was surprised that one of us birdwatchers should suddenly appear out of the gloom from an area where males were churring, displaying and birds known to have historically nested.

The ugly - my attitude towards these people. Its increasingly difficult to understand the motives or thoughts behind the actions. Selfishness regularly springs to mind along with some sort of oneupmanship....he probably thought he was doing us a favour, I cannot be sure. Possibly as we were not with the main crowd, deciding to opt for a quiet corner where I've seen them for many years.

Still, the rich song of a nearby nightingale in total darkness brought me back to why I do this birdspotting thingy. And I do try to be patient and thoughtfulo:D
 
BW Pratincole - Dip No. 4!!!!!!!!!:C:C:C

I have come to the conclusion that I am insane and also that I am not mean't to see the BW Pratincole!!!!!!!!

Arrived 3.40am this morning (still dark) and stayed until 7am. As soon as I pulled up at the top of the road/hill to view over the field/reservoir a little owl was perched on the top of the concrete OS Trigg:t:;) and then flew off. (I could just about make out the shape/jizz!!!)

A birder last night told me that friends had arrived yesterday morning at 3.30am and saw the bird straight away in this field - sorry but no way, that field was completely black at this time!!!!!

Looked all around the reservoir area and back along the track covering the beet field where it was seen last night and absolutely NOTHING!!! Don't know how I am going to get through work today!!!

Not bothering now again until Saturday - can't burning the candle at both ends at my age!!!

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
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