Took my two half term hooligans to Titchwell today. Really friendly staff who made the visit even more pleasurable. We collected our "rook sacks" - free bins, bird guides and what to see lists. As my eldest was product testing the new windows in Fen hide, someone shouted "Bittern!". Thanks to Paul and the vols, we were treated to a pretty decent flypast. I had told the kids that only if we are really lucky would we see one, so seeing this as one of the first birds was really unexpected. We enjoyed a good few hours and as well as the usual, managed to see Mealy Redpoll, Water Pipit and Spotted Redshank. On the way home a Barn Owl near South Creake was also very well received. A really nice day out - even the kids loved it!
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Norfolk birding (40 Viewers)
- Thread starter Edward woodwood
- Start date
marcia A
Well-known member
Do you work at Titchwell Paul with all your daily updates. I wish I could get there as much as you do?
Lightthiscandle
David Bryant
Belatedly: there was a Little Egret feeding in the dyke to the east of the river at Lakenham at lunchtime: never seen one there before. You could see it from the A143 as you drove into the city!
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
Swanning about
Nothing new on any of my patches. The male Stonechat was back (probably never went away) just east of Gramboro’, down by the drain. Only one Reed Bunting today. The Snow Buntings were still performing well for the photographers in Salthouse beach car park.
On the way to Cley, I noticed 2 Ruffs and then this young Whooper in the field west of the Iron Road. I was told it had previously been seen on Sea Pool. It’s a little incongruous there on its own, poor thing.
And then back home for the pleasant duty of continuing to complete a few hundred reports ! Someone said I have the week off- huh !
Nothing new on any of my patches. The male Stonechat was back (probably never went away) just east of Gramboro’, down by the drain. Only one Reed Bunting today. The Snow Buntings were still performing well for the photographers in Salthouse beach car park.
On the way to Cley, I noticed 2 Ruffs and then this young Whooper in the field west of the Iron Road. I was told it had previously been seen on Sea Pool. It’s a little incongruous there on its own, poor thing.
And then back home for the pleasant duty of continuing to complete a few hundred reports ! Someone said I have the week off- huh !
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I spent this morning watching farmland birds and barn owls in the Holt area today when I sae a large flat winged hawk for a brief moment that I could not ID. There was a guy pigeon shooting in the field below me and after 1\2 an hour the hawk returned and it as an acipiter. All my views were from above with the field as a background. Very large female sparrowhawk or goshawk ? The bird shot across the field and pounced on a pigeon he had just shot. The guy stood up in his hide and shouted at the bird , which lifted off taking the pigeon with it and flew off down the valley. I still cant make my mine up what acipiter it was , but has anyone ever seen a sparrowhawk carry off a full grown wood pigeon ? I know goshawks can.
Hi Marcia
I am the warden at Titchwell so I am here every day. All of the sightings I post are the highlights from the book in the visitor centre.
Paul
marcia A
Well-known member
Happisbirder
Always looking, seldom finding...
Tideliner ~ I'm sure a Sparrowhawk will find a Woodpigeon reasonably easy to deal with; several Google hits add weight to this. I've even witnessed a Kestrel on top of a Woodpigeon in the road, plucking feathers from it. My approaching car spooked it and both birds flew off!
James
James
Today's highlights
Today's highlights
Mealy redpoll - 1 in trees around visitor centre
Snow bunting - 31 on beach
Velvet scoter - 3 offshore
Med gull - adult on fresh marsh
Yellow legged gull - 1 on fresh marsh
Hen harrier - ringtail hunting over reedbed this morning
Bittern - 1 in reedbed
Barn owl - 1 hunting over grazing marsh
I am on leave for a week so sightings will probably be few and far between until the 3rd
Paul
Today's highlights
Mealy redpoll - 1 in trees around visitor centre
Snow bunting - 31 on beach
Velvet scoter - 3 offshore
Med gull - adult on fresh marsh
Yellow legged gull - 1 on fresh marsh
Hen harrier - ringtail hunting over reedbed this morning
Bittern - 1 in reedbed
Barn owl - 1 hunting over grazing marsh
I am on leave for a week so sightings will probably be few and far between until the 3rd
Paul
James Emerson
Norwich Birder
I saw a brood of 5 young Egyptian Geese at Holkham on Thursday, my earliest record. I also saw 2 Tundra Bean Geese, the leucistic Pink-footed Goose, 41 Barnacle Geese and c250 White-fronted Geese on the freshmarsh.
Paul Woolnough
Well-known member
Strumpshaw
Not able to get the scope up at the Brick hide before being put on to a bittern on the far side. Behind one of a few continental cormorants.
Otter then swims along far side. Bittern flies past the otter with a marsh harrier above. All three in same view.
A second otter joins the first one and they have a scrap!!
Second bittern flies towards hide in a circuit.
To Fen Hide where a redhead smew is seen well off and on, plus stonechat.
Bittern, perhaps one of those seen at Brick hide, seen a few times in flight.
Wildfowl numbers from Fen Hide increase as gadwall and shoveller fly in.
Numbers only become apparent when an otter, mostly underwater is seen.
Not able to get the scope up at the Brick hide before being put on to a bittern on the far side. Behind one of a few continental cormorants.
Otter then swims along far side. Bittern flies past the otter with a marsh harrier above. All three in same view.
A second otter joins the first one and they have a scrap!!
Second bittern flies towards hide in a circuit.
To Fen Hide where a redhead smew is seen well off and on, plus stonechat.
Bittern, perhaps one of those seen at Brick hide, seen a few times in flight.
Wildfowl numbers from Fen Hide increase as gadwall and shoveller fly in.
Numbers only become apparent when an otter, mostly underwater is seen.
kittykat23uk
Well-known member
A brief visit to Buckenham revealed not a lot other than the wigeon which had moved further away from the path since we were last there along with a few lapwings and the resident corvids. No sign of peregrines so we headed back. A buzzard (presume common but distant) was seen over the trees. Best sighting was at least four hares chasing each other (not boxing but getting close) in the bare fields on the way back up station road.
Headed over to Strumpshaw and spent most of the time in the Reception hide. Got reasonable views of bitterns in flight several times and saw at least a couple of the otters playing around right at the back- once just as a bittern flew past. First English sighting of otter for me! woot! Then decided to take a brief jaunt up to the Fen Hide for the Smew, managed to get onto her with a bit of help, as she was in and out of cover. Aside from a gaggle of photographers, who'd set up camp in the hide, just the usual fare was seen - felt I had better luck down at reception so headed back, stopping for chinese water deer and great spotted woodpecker on the way. Sadly neither of the two stars (otter/bittern) showed when I got back, but there were still plenty of other ducks and the marshies around to entertain in the fading light.
Headed over to Strumpshaw and spent most of the time in the Reception hide. Got reasonable views of bitterns in flight several times and saw at least a couple of the otters playing around right at the back- once just as a bittern flew past. First English sighting of otter for me! woot! Then decided to take a brief jaunt up to the Fen Hide for the Smew, managed to get onto her with a bit of help, as she was in and out of cover. Aside from a gaggle of photographers, who'd set up camp in the hide, just the usual fare was seen - felt I had better luck down at reception so headed back, stopping for chinese water deer and great spotted woodpecker on the way. Sadly neither of the two stars (otter/bittern) showed when I got back, but there were still plenty of other ducks and the marshies around to entertain in the fading light.
Sandra (Taylor)
Well-known member
I am on leave for a week so sightings will probably be few and far between until the 3rd
Paul[/QUOTE]
Oh, you'd heard I was coming had you Paul??
:-O
Paul[/QUOTE]
Oh, you'd heard I was coming had you Paul??
:-O
John Bullfinch
John Bullfinch
Norfolk Trip in May/June
Hi all
I hope you don’t mind me dropping in from Yorkshire but I am coming down to Norfolk at the end of May for a week and I have a hit list of six birds I would really love to see. Any help or info you could give on my following plans would be greatly appreciated:
1) Stone Curlew – Planning visit to Weeting Heath.
2) Golden Oriole – Planning visit to Lakenheath
3) Honey Buzzard – Planning visit to Great Ryburgh
4) Woodlark – Planning visit to Weeting Heath
5) Nightjar – Planning visit to Salthouse Heath
6) Nightingale – Planning visit to Salthouse Heath
Many thanks
John
Hi all
I hope you don’t mind me dropping in from Yorkshire but I am coming down to Norfolk at the end of May for a week and I have a hit list of six birds I would really love to see. Any help or info you could give on my following plans would be greatly appreciated:
1) Stone Curlew – Planning visit to Weeting Heath.
2) Golden Oriole – Planning visit to Lakenheath
3) Honey Buzzard – Planning visit to Great Ryburgh
4) Woodlark – Planning visit to Weeting Heath
5) Nightjar – Planning visit to Salthouse Heath
6) Nightingale – Planning visit to Salthouse Heath
Many thanks
John
You will be lucky to see honey buzzards at gt Rybrough , but the Wensum Valley watchpoint in Gately a few miles down the valley is likely to be more successful. In the past few years more sightings have come from the Swanton Novers Watchpoint some 3 miles to the north.
RobLucking
Well-known member
Hi John
The Gately viewpoint Tideliner refers to is the same as Great Ryburgh one I suspect. I had some cracking views of a displaying male HB there at the end of May last year. As Tideliner also points out there is another viewpoint at Swanton Novers at ca TG010302. Both are worth visiting.
You should do OK for all your other target species at the sites you mention.
Rob
The Gately viewpoint Tideliner refers to is the same as Great Ryburgh one I suspect. I had some cracking views of a displaying male HB there at the end of May last year. As Tideliner also points out there is another viewpoint at Swanton Novers at ca TG010302. Both are worth visiting.
You should do OK for all your other target species at the sites you mention.
Rob
Paul Woolnough
Well-known member
The snow near put a stop to my trip out today.
Stopped off in a blizzard at Sculthorpe Moor. No marsh tit never mind willow.
Three bullfinches at feeders
Snow had stopped by the time I reached Flitcham Abbey Farm. Little owl on fence from hide plus a few grey partridges.
Tundra bean geese with the snow goose and pink-feet south of Titchwell.
A few corn buntings at Choseley Barns
At Titchwell close views of spotshank beyond the new bank. Some 50 twite there.
Offshore a raft of common scoter (no velvets seen). The usual stuff offshore plus red-throated diver past - first in Norfolk in 2010.
First picture Sculthorpe Moor, second one Titchwell
Stopped off in a blizzard at Sculthorpe Moor. No marsh tit never mind willow.
Three bullfinches at feeders
Snow had stopped by the time I reached Flitcham Abbey Farm. Little owl on fence from hide plus a few grey partridges.
Tundra bean geese with the snow goose and pink-feet south of Titchwell.
A few corn buntings at Choseley Barns
At Titchwell close views of spotshank beyond the new bank. Some 50 twite there.
Offshore a raft of common scoter (no velvets seen). The usual stuff offshore plus red-throated diver past - first in Norfolk in 2010.
First picture Sculthorpe Moor, second one Titchwell
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upstarts1979
Well-known member
No disrespect mate but as all of these are rare breeders do you not think it would be a little naive of people to give any sensitive info. Maybe a PM to one of the people in the know would be more effective.
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RobLucking
Well-known member
In fairness to John, all the sites he mentions have been well publicised in the various 'Where to Watch' books over the years so are not exactly a great secret! If he wanted to know where the Tengmalm's owls are breeding then that's another matter...
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Point taken Rob only as a warden at Upton warren I get a bit sensitive at this time of year eggers etc not that john bullfinch is one but you would be surprised at some of the dodgy characters that appear during the breeding season
cheers John
