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Norfolk birding (37 Viewers)

As a Birdguides customer I pay to get quite a few worthless messages about spurious possibles and probables. So I echo what 'Pomskua' feels but from a different angle.

What is the point of reporting a probable fly-past Roseate Tern? I'm blowed if I know.

Steve
 
just to put it in context, so far this year at Sheringham theres been (insert probable or possible) Slender-billed Gull, Brunnich's Guillemot, Balearic Shearwater, 2 Roseate Tern, Pomarine Skua, Cory's Shearwater (not mine),

In so far as seawatching goes putting messages like this out indicate you are very unsure what your doing and trying to cover your a**e, either that or you are sure of the ID but still trying to cover your a**e. Surely it is also down the pager services to do something about it. Now even people from other counties are getting hacked off with it!
 
pomskua said:
Putting messages like this out indicate you are very unsure what your doing and trying to cover your a**e, either that or you are sure of the ID but still trying to cover your a**e.
Click to expand...

I totally understand why this hacks people off, but sometimes I still do it (eg. Ring-billed Gull earlier this year) because I have such bad rep ;)! In fact (this may be hard for you to take in, but) I have only strung 1 or 2 rare birds*, but the number of single or double obs. sightings I get means that I have to cover myself in case nobody refinds them and my rep gets even worse - this has happened on several occasions! I suspect this is what prompts most people to put their birds out as probables.

On the other hand it is somewhat pointless doing it with flypasts because nobody can twitch them anyway... but then there's not much reason why this should annoy anybody either...

*You know when you're looking at the real thing.
 
jimmyg said:
I totally understand why this hacks people off, but sometimes I still do it (eg. Ring-billed Gull earlier this year) because I have such bad rep ;)! In fact (this may be hard for you to take in, but) I have only strung 1 or 2 rare birds*, but the number of single or double obs. sightings I get means that I have to cover myself in case nobody refinds them and my rep gets even worse - this has happened on several occasions! I suspect this is what prompts most people to put their birds out as probables.

On the other hand it is somewhat pointless doing it with flypasts because nobody can twitch them anyway... but then there's not much reason why this should annoy anybody either...

*You know when you're looking at the real thing.
Click to expand...

wow, i seriously admire your honesty and realise that mistakes can be made, the important thing is not to repeat mistakes and learn from them , (if that doesn't sound too patronising) as far as the Sheringham stuff goes - lifes to short, it got to me yesterday but todays today:t:

me and my mate hit the Denver area once a year in late Winter and always have a great time, but there must be a ton of stuff goes unnoticed there.

looks like theres some big juicy NWs brewing on Friday, the day looks like its going to start with westerlies then switch to NW's after midday so patience may be the order of the day.
 
There is a ton of stuff that goes unnoticed at Denver, especially considering what turns up at Welney! I only wish I was a more dedicated patchwatcher.

Whilst you're all enjoying the good weather I'll be in Wales with Simeon, having learnt from my mistakes regarding pipits, so please only find untwitchable flypasts that I wont regret missing!

Don't worry pomskua, I wouldn't know patronising if it hit me in the face:t:
 
Did a sea watch at Titchwell today and saw...............very little! 5 Eiders, 4 Great Crested Grebes and a few Sandwich Terns.

Anyway I have just uploaded my trip report of my recent trip to Madeira to my web site, where the sea birds were good! If anyone is interested enough, click on the link below.

http://www.freewebs.com/suebryan/madeira2008.htm

Good Birding
Sue
 
Nice report Sue, sounds like a great trip. Hopefully the Bulwers will come looking for you this autumn! Via Happisburgh!!

Re: seawatching, as Pom says, the end of the week looks promising...

James
 
Sheringham produced some nice stuff this morning. Arrived at 6.30 and first birds were a flock of four Fulmar which boded well. Started fairly quiet (sea not particularly rough then got choppier and terns and Skuas began to build up. At one point a fret started coming in and Manx started to pass through in small flocks (an 8 and 5). At this point we had a quite close Sooty, initially with and pretending to be a Skua, it went left then right then eventually headed off West.
Soon a fascinating 'pulse' started the first juvenile Kittiwakes of the year followed by the first juvenile Arctic Skua, all passing by very close. The shout then went up of the bird we had all been hoping for ' Long-tailed Skua!'. Ive never seen an adult summer and my heart did miss a few beats, i was immediately 'pillared' but kept calm and on it as it went through with a couple of Arctics. The only flicker of disappointment was it was an summer adult but had no tail to speak of, but the other features were all there - small and slim, greyish upperparts with contrasting darker flight feathers and hardly noticeable primary shafts , a greyish belly merging into white with no distinct boundary, neat black cap, flexing ternlike flight.
Soon after a shout went up for two large Shearwaters but they were well past and extremely distant, i didn't see them and we don't do 'possibles' round these parts anyway ;)The rest of the morning consisted of a steady but light passage of Manx and Arctic and gradual build up of Bonxie (8 in total), the blow lessened considerably and the sun came out but a few of us hung on for something good until early afternoon (one of these days it will pay off).

Will try again this evening but eh, now kicking back with a cold beer and The Rolling StonesB :):t:
 
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A good seawatch at Holme this morning, with the undoubted highlight when a superb adult Sabine's Gull swept west at just half-distance late morning, leaving five of us stunned in its wake! A few Manx, Bonxies, a Sooty etc. as well as 3 Wood Sands and 3 Little Stints on various parts of the reserve. See my blog for a report and days seawatching list in full and for more details of anything seen see my Holme sightings page (click on Holme birding link.)
 
Connor Rand said:
A good seawatch at Holme this morning, with the undoubted highlight when a superb adult Sabine's Gull swept west at just half-distance late morning, leaving five of us stunned in its wake! A few Manx, Bonxies, a Sooty etc. as well as 3 Wood Sands and 3 Little Stints on various parts of the reserve. See my blog for a report and days seawatching list in full and for more details of anything seen see my Holme sightings page (click on Holme birding link.)
Click to expand...


well done Connor, thought it might be you when i heard about it, also well done for keeping exact counts, its better than i can do. :t::t: Everything had dried up this evening but as is quite often the case after a blow one wader was moving in numbers - 60 Oystercatcher flying West.
 
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Connor Rand said:
A good seawatch at Holme this morning, with the undoubted highlight when a superb adult Sabine's Gull swept west at just half-distance late morning, leaving five of us stunned in its wake! A few Manx, Bonxies, a Sooty etc. as well as 3 Wood Sands and 3 Little Stints on various parts of the reserve. See my blog for a report and days seawatching list in full and for more details of anything seen see my Holme sightings page (click on Holme birding link.)
Click to expand...

Well done Connor:t:!!!!!!!! I DO wish I had 'Summer Holidays'!!!!!!;)

Can't decide where to go tomorrow - wind is changing to south west for Saturday. Could trundle up the point I suppose for TP or go and find something myself...mmmmmhhhh.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
pomskua said:
well done Connor, thought it might be you when i heard about it, also well done for keeping exact counts, its better than i can do. :t::t: Everything had dried up this evening but as is quite often the case after a blow one wader was moving in numbers - 60 Oystercatcher flying West.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind comments, lets hope it turns back northerly soon! Much harder work today at Holme - just a handful of Arctic Skuas and a clear-out of waders overnight as well. A few passerines starting to move - Spot Fly this afternoon, which is worringly becoming more and more of a scarcer sight 'round these parts and a handul of Willow Warblers.

RE: Oystercatchers, interestingly one regular (not me I hasten to add) counted 228 past Holme today!
 
Penny Clarke said:
Well done Connor:t:!!!!!!!! I DO wish I had 'Summer Holidays'!!!!!!;)

Can't decide where to go tomorrow - wind is changing to south west for Saturday. Could trundle up the point I suppose for TP or go and find something myself...mmmmmhhhh.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
Click to expand...

I thought about going up the point this afternoon until I rembered that I it's actually quite painful, especially in rain! and that I was sure I could find something at Holme!

One day there will be a good seawatching Saturday (no doubt while I'm on holiday!) , keep the faith!
 
1 female gargeney from Parrinder Hide at Titchwell in pouring rain this afternoon at 5.30pm - could not find the manderin!!! Atrocious weather today:C

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
Spent most of the day at Cley today with my Mum and it was nice to meet and chat with Pomskua. Views of a peregrine as I was trying out some new bins at Cleyspy, lots of little egrets around and some nice waders, including a nice black spotted redshank, wood sands, bar and black tailed godwits and little stints. Sadly the spoonbills weren't at the north hide when we got there.
 
just a note of caution for anyone heading birding / holiday-ing to east Norfolk (Gt Yarmouth in particular) - news report this morning that over the weekend a band of 47 travellers / pikeys / gypo's caravans descended on beach station coach park near the sea front (not too far from Sainsbury's) ... so i guess it goes without saying but pick any parking spots v.carefully.
 
Does anyone have any suggestions as to a reliable'ish site for Small Copper butterflies, I know they are not exactly mega scarce but until a recent walk around a brecks heath I had never seen them before, unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me at the time and would love to get some pictures of these amazing little butterflies!!

As I have a short break planned up on the coast shortly suggestions of anywhere coastal between Cley and Titchwell would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Matt
 
The heaths at Salthouse & Kelling were always good for Small Coppers, Graylings can be found there too.

What's the story behind the Chalkhill Blues at Warham anyone? Introduced? Natural colonisation?

James
 
Graylings seem scarce at moment, although had one on the west bank/beach road car park, Cley last Friday.

Juvenile monties' this evening as they flopped down to roost (7.30 ish pm).... after seeing off one of the local common buzzards.
 

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