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

Big Bird day (1 Viewer)

marcia A

Well-known member
:cat:
I am participating in the Big Bird race (courtesy of Birdwatch Magazine) and will be visiting my local and favourite patch Strumpshaw/Buckenham sometime next week.

As Ive never done this before I wondered whether any fellow norfolk birders would be able to advise me on a plan of action so I see the most birds possible - ie the best places / times of day to see species? o:)

The more birds the more pennies I will raise for the RSPB/ Birdlife International and one of Europes most threatened species the Azores Bullfinch. o:)

Help / advice appreciated. o:D
 
Big Day...

Morning Marcia,

Didn't go Strumpshaw/Buckenham. But had a big day of it Sunday meself. Racked up 117 species at the following sites:

Salthouse Heath, Wollosy Hills, Cley esp Arnalds Marsh (Very Productive site), Weybourne, Kelling Heath, Sculthorpe Moor, Holkham Park, Stiffky Fen, Titchwell & Holme.

Could have added a couple more if I hadnt missed fly over Redpoll calling & a distant Gropper reeling. I am gonna do a write up of day & I'll drop you a link:t:
 
As part of the 'Cley Casuals', I actually won the BBR one year! Strumpshaw is great to 'do' at the very start: midnight +1 ! If you stand near the reception hide you'll almost certainly get Bittern, Water Rail, Cettis, and the common warblers. If you're really lucky, you might hear two owl species. And some common waders, of course (Oyc / Lapwing / Redshank.
You'll need to find some woodland for the dawn chorus: are you ONLY doing Strump / Buck? If so, you'll might hear Bullfinch / Treecreeper / Woodies etc from the road to the left of the reserve entrance, or from the path by the water pumping station.
Buckenham after dawn should produce Little Egret, feral geese, all four Norfolk crows and some good waders and wildfowl. Back to Strump for 11 or so for raptors (if sunny!) You're sure to get Hobby, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel & Marsh Harrier and Monty's / Gos are worth watching out for. A walk along the river to the tower hide should get you Blackcap & Garden Warbler: the scrape itself might produce Kingfisher & Snipe. Lackford run often turns up something interesting: Black Terns last weekend!
Of course, you're doomed to miss Nightingale, Nightjar, LEO, SEO, Hawfinch, Siskin, Tree Sparrow etc etc. The Yare Valley isn't that rich in species, to be honest.
Good luck!
 
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