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Norfolk birding (11 Viewers)

We had a cracking day today, dave nearly crashed the car twice, I got attacked at strumpshaw, but thats another story. Then there were the birds. Started with Swallow over Yarmouth seafront, Gannet and Chiffchaff year ticked at winterton along with 6+ Wheatear, male Hen Harrier, 2 Cranes at Horsey, 3 Black Redstarts back at Yarmouth then the mad dash from strumpshaw to choseley via the A47. We thought we'd farked it up and gone for the wrong bird, but luckily the one that flew out into the wash took one look at lincolnshire and came back !! We scanned from the road north of choseley barns and picked up the swift distantly heading east. Back in the car we followed it from titchwell to burnham deepdale, it literally flew along the road. Jumping out of the car every now and then we managed to track it and got some cracking close up views. It then headed back along the coast road as far as titchwell where we lost it. We had a more sedate finish to the day with Garganey and the pair of Red Crested Pochards in the same scope view.

I think there were definitely 2 alpine swifts in norfolk, and probably a third over lakenheath. I assume the bird that roosted in lowestoft then headed up to runton
All in all an excellent day
 
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Sounds right to me Stu. If you saw the bird go from Hunstanton to Burnham Deepdale and then back to Titchwell and beyond then reports must be of the same bird. Then the bird that presumably went from Lowestoft to Sheringham/Cromer area and the one just in Suffolk at Lakenheath too.
 
Nice 'fall' on Cromer golf course early morning with 3 Black Redstarts, Wheatear and Stonechat all busy flycatching from the same small area of bracken on a sun drenched slope.

4+ Wheatears at West Runton, and rather frustratingly just got on to an imm GBBGull on the sea as it was swallowing what appeared to be a small grebe!

Just as I was leaving Morrisons in Cromer got a phone call to say that there had just been an Alpine Swift over Overstrand but it had been lost to view. Raced back to Overstrand but no further sign so made the (right) guess that it headed west so dashed back to Cromer and hit the high ground behind the town and eventually picked it up very distantly feeding over East Runton. Phoned the news out then had it fly over my head whilst parked at the disused farm buildings and managed to get in front of it again by Beeston Church and then it settled down over West Runton. It then headed back east and was flying round Cromer and we watched as it made half a dozen or so apparent attempts to land on the church tower, before it suddenly completely vanished. Now whether it did land on the tower or flew off out of our line of sight is up for debate. I guess only tomorrow morning will tell and it leaves the tower at dawn.....

Simon
 

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davethebird said:
That's a better photo Simon. :)
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Thanks Dave.


After a very timely text this morning to say that the Alpine Swift was heading east along Cromer golf course, managed to secure it on the window list, then watched as it headed on east, pausing briefly to feed over the trees by Sidestrand Hall School, before drifting off SE at c7.50.

Very lucky pic attached from y'day morning on Cromer GC of a flycatching Black Redstart, whilst a Wheatear looks on.

Simon
 

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HI, wow lots of Alpine Swift reports -hopefully they will stay until april lol!
I was just wondering: Where is the best place in Norfolk to see Lesser Spotted Woodpecker?
 
Lunchtime walk up to Blakeney Point produced no big brown Swifts but the following:

Wheatear x 2
Chiffchaff x 5
Merlin x 2
Grey Partridge x 2

..... not many other migrants yet (20-30 meadow pipits for eg).. but its only a matter of weeks now before the floodgates open!

Sacha
 
birding maniac said:
HI, wow lots of Alpine Swift reports -hopefully they will stay until april lol!
I was just wondering: Where is the best place in Norfolk to see Lesser Spotted Woodpecker?
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Not an easy bird to see in Norfolk i'm afraid. Holkham Park used to be a reliable sight .. i heard one last year in March but i'm not sure if anyone has seen them there this year.

Santon Downham is probably the best place now but not sure of the exact spots.

Sometimes seen at Strumpshaw - but I have never been lucky there

I think you stand a better chance in the New Forest than trying to see one in Norfolk these days! .. but others may be able to provide better information

Good Luck

Sacha
 
No alpine swift for me (yet) either.

Yarmouth bird did not stay. Decided to go to the South Wall at Breydon.

Ring ouzel on mown grassy path a short way west of the second car park beyond the rugby club.

Record shot taken. When I moved a bit nearer the bird flew into the bottom of the westernmost block of trees and after feedling under the trees moved away.
 

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Titchwell March 24th

Today's highlights

Sand martin - 5 over reserve
Swallow - 3 west
Tree sparrow - 1 on feeders
Nuthatch - 1 in carpark - local mega

Paul
 
Good migrant action on the patch today, two Wheatears and Sand martin on the Freshes this morning, then ace male Ring Ouzel in paddock, 3 new Wheatears, a few Chiffs and Woodcock in the afternoon
 
Hi.

I managed to get awesome views of the Alpine swift today at the Hunstanton lighthouse, couple of chiffchaffs and almost as pleasing as the swift, 13 Wheatears on the grass field next to the carpark. Nice.

Fox.
 
Firecrests

We heard at least 7 singing today in the brecks at only two sites and had good views of at least 5 of them. Difficult to know how badly they have been affected by the winter ?
 
2 Sand Martins south over Denver Sluice this morning and 10 Chiffchaff singing. In 3.5 hours I logged over 100 passerines moving overhead, but interestingly the majority of them were heading East. Anyone else see anything similar today or have any suggestions as to a reason for this?

Totals on my website as usual

Just as I was leaving a pair of Egyptian Geese swam past with 7 goslings...anyone else seen any young birds yet?
 
Back in Norfolk!!

Well for two days. Saw Lesser Spots at Santon Downton. Birds calling and drumming. Right side of the bridge had a pair on Wenesday p/m

Twitched to Hunstanton Alpine swift. Great views of a fab bird!

Weather today was c--p!:cat::cat:
 
mr.sim said:
In 3.5 hours I logged over 100 passerines moving overhead, but interestingly the majority of them were heading East. Anyone else see anything similar today or have any suggestions as to a reason for this?
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Hi Sim,
Were these Chaffinches? I had over 300 east along the clifftop at Cromer between 7.10-7.50 when i had to leave unfortunately. Starlings were also on the move. Your birds moving east were probably heading for the east coast where they would then presumably head out across the sea & back over to the continent or possibly continue south & cross the english channel, although interestingly there were only 12 recorded heading south at Horsey/Waxham this morning suggesting that the ones i saw at least probably exited the coast before that point.
 
Was lucky enough to find the Alpine Swift twice today, first over Cromer golf course this morning, and then again this afternoon over Beeston Bump before it moved back to Cromer in front of the rain which eventually 'grounded' it in the church tower for the night. Slightly better pic of it below, but it just moves too fast to get anything really decent with my camera even though it was buzzing round my head when I first found it.

Also along Cromer GC today were a few Swallows, Sand Martin, a few Wheatears and Chiffchaffs and the first Curlew of the year through the patch. Also a Black Redstart was on the bungalows at the Overstrand end.

A few White Wagtails were with good numbers of Pieds in the recently ploughed up clifftop field at West Runton, but the Med Gull seems to have moved on now.

Simon
 

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rob lee said:
Hi Sim,
Were these Chaffinches? I had over 300 east along the clifftop at Cromer between 7.10-7.50 when i had to leave unfortunately. Starlings were also on the move. Your birds moving east were probably heading for the east coast where they would then presumably head out across the sea & back over to the continent or possibly continue south & cross the english channel, although interestingly there were only 12 recorded heading south at Horsey/Waxham this morning suggesting that the ones i saw at least probably exited the coast before that point.
Click to expand...

I only got 10 Chaffinches down here at Denver Sluice, but then again I obviously only get a tiny proportion of what's moving along the coast. All the totals are on my website and I won't repeat them here, but the most numerous birds were Meadow Pipit, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Linnet.
 

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