Probably in some carefully placed void just east of HolmeIn all seriousness could it relate to one group of birds with the general lack of reports elsewhere?
I would say unlikely as most of the birds have been in small groups (largest of 7) and they all seem to be heading steadily west and loosely associating with a recent steady starling movement. Most of it has probably been due to me working on the reserve more (instead of in the office!) in the last few weeks and picking them up on call as they go over.
There are lots of hawthorn hedges full of berries along the 'back roads' so even a large flock could easily go missing.
Had a good couple of days. A Christmas Day walk in the Syderstone area produced a surprise firecrest in a roadside hedge :t:, ringtail hen harrier, peregrine, 2 common buzzard, ca 100 fieldfare and 6 brambling.
A walk around Syderstone Common today produced 2 marsh tits (1 singing) and 3 common buzzards.
Paul
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Norfolk birding (22 Viewers)
- Thread starter Edward woodwood
- Start date
mr.sim
Honourable founding member of the "day late" gang
Walked 8 miles of lovely countryside today with James and our Dad. Started at Holme and walked to Old Hunstanton where we went inland and through Ringstead Downs, then through Ringstead heading North and back up to Holme. About 70 Fieldfares were in the bushes at Holme Golf Couse along with a pair of Stonechats (which my dad, who isn't a birder, thoroughly enjoyed seeing)! Just East of Hunstanton we flushed a massive flock of 3500-4000 pinkfeet all in one field! Amazing sight which my Dad also loved! If anyones got nothing to do and is in the area it might be worth a check. In a feild just South of Chapel Lane which is a turning off the main road between Hunstanton and Old Hunstanton. Not much else of note birdwise, but it was a lovely walk - and burnt off a few off last night's calories! But I'm too young to be worrying about that...
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Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Walking round Brancaster this afternoon I expected to see some snowbuntings, but alas did not see any! But did have good numbers of Brents and a MASSIVE gull roost which looked stunning in the afternoon sun - they all looked pink!!! Pinkfeet adorned the skies and a wren appeared from a suada bush and a little egret flew past, also a hare lolloped across the marsh in the sunshine. Not many birds, but a stunning sunny, crisp walk.
I need to walk about 100 miles to work off all the christmas dinner, mother's trifle, lemon cheese cake, yule logs, crisps, cashew nuts, chocolate cake, trifle, Thortons chocolates bla bla bla and more chocolates!!!
Up early tomorrow to bird locally and hopefully to see a waxwing (being as, believe or not I STILL havn't seen one yet!).
Best Wishes
Penny:girl:
walk.I need to walk about 100 miles to work off all the christmas dinner, mother's trifle, lemon cheese cake, yule logs, crisps, cashew nuts, chocolate cake, trifle, Thortons chocolates bla bla bla and more chocolates!!!
Up early tomorrow to bird locally and hopefully to see a waxwing (being as, believe or not I STILL havn't seen one yet!).
Best Wishes
Penny:girl:
Connor Rand
Norwich resident, Holme devotee
Probably in some carefully placed void just east of Holme
Paul
Just heard about 6 at Holme possibly some time last week so some are coming through here as well, but as you say most will probably be getting 'lost' in the sets of hedgerows and berry bushes closer to the A149.
mr.sim
Honourable founding member of the "day late" gang
James and I walked the Peddars Way just South of the A149 opposite the turning to Holme on Boxing Day. In that one hedgerow there was a huge amount of berries still largel untouched - also quite a few berries on the Golf Course bushes. No Waxwings whilst we were there though!:-O
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Absolutely freezing at Holme today.
3 stonechats on the way down the Firs Road. Lots of fieldfares 'chacking' in the sea buckthorn bushes around the reserve. Walked up to Thornham coal barn and had 350+ beautiful golden plover sitting in the field with lapwings mixed in, 80 brent geese, a flock of skylark which included 1 Lapland Bunting! 1 more Stonechat also here and 1 ruff (with dodgy leg) here. Several curlew and a couple of redshanks. Bitterly cold wind today. 7 linnets round the back of the pines.
Best Wishes
Penny:girl:
3 stonechats on the way down the Firs Road. Lots of fieldfares 'chacking' in the sea buckthorn bushes around the reserve. Walked up to Thornham coal barn and had 350+ beautiful golden plover sitting in the field with lapwings mixed in, 80 brent geese, a flock of skylark which included 1 Lapland Bunting! 1 more Stonechat also here and 1 ruff (with dodgy leg) here. Several curlew and a couple of redshanks. Bitterly cold wind today. 7 linnets round the back of the pines.
Best Wishes
Penny:girl:
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Des!
Well-known member
Just arrived back in Birmingham after a Christmas trip to the out laws in Norwich.
I managed 1 day & an afternoon out.
Had a very nice walk around Strumpshaw Fen & Buckenham Marshes as well as a walk around Brundell Chyrch Fen - Thanks for the recommendations!! B
Saw quite a few birds various finches, ducks & its. The surprise was seeing a Buzzard (I believe) in the middle of Strumpshaw - See pic - but it isn't too clear.
Saw my first Bean Goose @ Buckenham Marshes, but didn't see the Peregrine(s).
Popped over to Hickling broad - All I saw was 2 Mute Swans - But down the lane to Stubbs Mill & the Raptor Roost saw more than I did around Hickling - Yelowhammers, various Finches, Pheasants by the bucket load, Kestrel & quite a few Harriers. Didn't have time to door the dusk stop as I needed to get to Lathams before they closed.
Saturday afternoon managed a few hours @ Whitlingham Broad & Country park. Saw lots of ducks, geese and many Gulls.
Whilst chatting with 2 birders about what they were looking at I found out that a weird duck I was looking at earlier turned out to be a female Scaup - A first!! :t: Funny thing was they hadn't seen it, so it felt good after the help they gave me I was able to tell the where it was & I do hope it was there when they wandered down.
Unfortunately I won't be over till Easter now - but I'm counting down the days!! :C
Enjoy the pics attached (I'm still learning how to use my camera!!)
I managed 1 day & an afternoon out.
Had a very nice walk around Strumpshaw Fen & Buckenham Marshes as well as a walk around Brundell Chyrch Fen - Thanks for the recommendations!! B
Saw quite a few birds various finches, ducks & its. The surprise was seeing a Buzzard (I believe) in the middle of Strumpshaw - See pic - but it isn't too clear.
Saw my first Bean Goose @ Buckenham Marshes
, but didn't see the Peregrine(s).Popped over to Hickling broad - All I saw was 2 Mute Swans - But down the lane to Stubbs Mill & the Raptor Roost saw more than I did around Hickling - Yelowhammers, various Finches, Pheasants by the bucket load, Kestrel & quite a few Harriers. Didn't have time to door the dusk stop as I needed to get to Lathams before they closed.
Saturday afternoon managed a few hours @ Whitlingham Broad & Country park. Saw lots of ducks, geese and many Gulls.
Whilst chatting with 2 birders about what they were looking at I found out that a weird duck I was looking at earlier turned out to be a female Scaup - A first!! :t: Funny thing was they hadn't seen it, so it felt good after the help they gave me I was able to tell the where it was & I do hope it was there when they wandered down.
Unfortunately I won't be over till Easter now - but I'm counting down the days!! :C
Enjoy the pics attached (I'm still learning how to use my camera!!)
Attachments
Des!
Well-known member
Thought I'd attach this one as well - Taken at Buckenham Marsh.
I think it's a Stonechat, but looking on my British Birds 9 DVD I'm not quite sure.
The DVD seems to show UK females with a different colouring, but compared to the video of the Siberian - It looks very similar. I know it's a poor shot but only managed one before it flew off over the river.
Have they been seen in the locality?
:t:
I think it's a Stonechat, but looking on my British Birds 9 DVD I'm not quite sure.
The DVD seems to show UK females with a different colouring, but compared to the video of the Siberian - It looks very similar. I know it's a poor shot but only managed one before it flew off over the river.
Have they been seen in the locality?
:t:
Attachments
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Forgot to mention in my post yesterday (Saturday) that I visited Abbey Farm at Flitcham in the morning before going to Holme and had excellent views of a very active Little Owl flying about on the stumps in the field to the left of the oak tree. There was a massive flock of chaffinches sitting/flying about in the hedge next to the entrance to Abbey Farm too.
Best Wishes
Penny:girl:
Best Wishes
Penny:girl:
Pleasent day, if a bit cold, in the Horsey/Stubb Mill area yesterday. Highlights included
Common crane - 19 (1 juv) feeding together in fields near Waxham then what must have been the same 19 (13, 3 & 3) at the Stubb Mill roost.
Marsh harrier - 48+ including 42 in the air together at Stubb Mill looking more like black kites over an Asian rubbish dump!
Hen harrier - 2 male, 1 ringtail at roost
Pale bellied brent goose - 1 in fields along the footpath between Horsey Mill and Horsey village near an old windmill and pump station.
Woodcock - 1 over road in Stalham on way home
Common crane - 19 (1 juv) feeding together in fields near Waxham then what must have been the same 19 (13, 3 & 3) at the Stubb Mill roost.
Marsh harrier - 48+ including 42 in the air together at Stubb Mill looking more like black kites over an Asian rubbish dump!
Hen harrier - 2 male, 1 ringtail at roost
Pale bellied brent goose - 1 in fields along the footpath between Horsey Mill and Horsey village near an old windmill and pump station.
Woodcock - 1 over road in Stalham on way home
Titchwell December 29th
Today's highlights
Snow bunting - 25 on beach by platform
Shag - 1 reported briefly on beach late morning only
Merlin - 1 hunting beach
Common scoter - 2000+ offshore
Great skua - 1 offshore
Common buzzard - 2 over Thornham saltmarsh
Brambling - 1 in carpark
Chiffchaff - 1 in carpark
Water pipit - 1 on fresh marsh islands
Paul
Today's highlights
Snow bunting - 25 on beach by platform
Shag - 1 reported briefly on beach late morning only
Merlin - 1 hunting beach
Common scoter - 2000+ offshore
Great skua - 1 offshore
Common buzzard - 2 over Thornham saltmarsh
Brambling - 1 in carpark
Chiffchaff - 1 in carpark
Water pipit - 1 on fresh marsh islands
Paul
Canarybirder
Oenanthe Birding Adventures
Tim P
Well-known member
Des re Thought I'd attach this one as well - Taken at Buckenham Marsh.
I think it's a Stonechat, but looking on my British Birds 9 DVD I'm not quite sure.
The DVD seems to show UK females with a different colouring, but compared to the video of the Siberian - It looks very similar. I know it's a poor shot but only managed one before it flew off over the river.
Have they been seen in the locality?
Yes usually a pair of stonechats on the marshes..Glad you had a good trip only saw your post late or I would have recommended the rook roost which was quite spectacular last time I saw it a few weeks ago.
I think it's a Stonechat, but looking on my British Birds 9 DVD I'm not quite sure.
The DVD seems to show UK females with a different colouring, but compared to the video of the Siberian - It looks very similar. I know it's a poor shot but only managed one before it flew off over the river.
Have they been seen in the locality?
Yes usually a pair of stonechats on the marshes..Glad you had a good trip only saw your post late or I would have recommended the rook roost which was quite spectacular last time I saw it a few weeks ago.
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Canarybirder
Oenanthe Birding Adventures
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Lovely pictures Chris.:t:
Just doing my itinerary for New Year's Day Twitch
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
Just doing my itinerary for New Year's Day Twitch
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
Marcus Conway - ebirder
Well-known member
hi all! Is this Golden P a gen tickable bird?
Top pics
Marcus
Top pics
Marcus
Connor Rand
Norwich resident, Holme devotee
No - it is not currently part of a self-sustaining population (such as in the Brecks - much harder to find) and the two birds present on site were delibrately released/dumped on them (depending on who you talk too...)
Colin
Axeman (Retired)
Talking of such pheasants, what is the status these days of the Wolferton Triangle birds in terms of numbers. I seem to remember a report of one a few days ago but apart from this I haven't heard anything for some time. As I am coming over to Norfolk/Lincolnshire again in Feb on one of these super cheap £19 a night Travel Lodge deals, I will be doing a bit of travelling in the area. Thanks for any information. Happy New Year to all Norfolk birders and good birding in the county and beyond in 2009.
