• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Norfolk birding (35 Viewers)

Does anyone on here actually do any birding these days?!
Surlingham Church Marsh yesterday remains quiet for the time being, although Duck numbers were up on the lagoon including a returning Teal. Highlight was a Kingfisher fishing the lagoon before bombing off in the direction of the river and Norwich. Aside from Lapwing, No Waders of late, water levels very much up and down, never quite hitting prime wader level! Snipe are back feeding somewhere, but as usual out of sight until they fly.

Not seen by me, but closer to the city a flock of 5 Greenshank was a good record at Thorpe Marshes. See here: http://shakysbirdingblog.blogspot.com/

Can anyone please provide information regarding access to the hide at Rush Hill scrape, Hickling? For those that may not know, the traditional route was to park at Potter Heigham Church and walk, but I am aware there has been some ongoing flood defence work on the Weaver's Way footpath.

Paul and James- thanks for the bird info, it does get read and is appreciated.

Cheers,
Jim.
 
jimbob said:
Does anyone on here actually do any birding these days?! Jim.
Click to expand...

I went birding yesterday, a 3 hour seawatch produced a Fea's type petrel and 3 wilson's petrels but as they were all gone fairly quickly and I had no signal I didn't bother to report them;)

what really happened was much less exciting, from sheringham 6-9am we saw
c15 Arctic Skuas
2-3 Bonxies
7 Manx Shearwaters
a few auks
probable Black Tern
probable Scaup

We then met a chap in the garage who was asking the till operator if she knew where the Pec sand was ? She said she hated birds as they scared her !

Along at cley, North scrape was heaving with waders and spoonbills, quite a spectacle including a nice close comparison of adult and juvenile plumaged little stints and the adult Pectoral Sandpiper.

I'm off to the zoo now, should see some interesting birds there !
 
jimbob said:
Does anyone on here actually do any birding these days?!
Click to expand...

Juvenile Kittiwakes a couple of times in Yarmouth in the last week, 4 Med Gulls on the beach at lunchtime (2 first years a second year and adult). Loads and loads of juvenile gulls (LBB & Herring) loafing offshore. Didn't report them to RBA, but did stick them in Birdtrack....
 
Dave has got it dead right. The Wensum Valley Watchpoint will be closing this week , but the Swanton Novers watchpoint will remain open for the forseable future.
 
Last edited:
stuart white said:
I went birding yesterday, a 3 hour seawatch produced a Fea's type petrel and 3 wilson's petrels but as they were all gone fairly quickly and I had no signal I didn't bother to report them;)
Click to expand...

Made me smile as well Stu, although perhaps you should've chosen something more extravagant! Both 'Fea's type' and Wilson's Petrels are on the county list, the latter added in July last year. Speaking of Petrels, the county should also have Fregatta sp. listed too IMHO...

James
 
Frootshoot said:
Made me smile as well Stu, although perhaps you should've chosen something more extravagant! Both 'Fea's type' and Wilson's Petrels are on the county list, the latter added in July last year. Speaking of Petrels, the county should also have Fregatta sp. listed too IMHO...

James
Click to expand...

Has the Wilson's been accepted then?!?
 
black kite 1964 said:
Stringing magazine are doing a seabird special stu!! There is also a section on flyby rarities and writing descriptions!!
Click to expand...

Having another 'pop' Black Kite? I'd stick to seeking out Country Innovations jackets with beards. A bearded jacket....there's a new innovation...must get one immediately!
 
Sue G said:
Having another 'pop' Black Kite? I'd stick to seeking out Country Innovations jackets with beards. A bearded jacket....there's a new innovation...must get one immediately!
Click to expand...
Hi Sue. No pop at your well written magazine. Stringing magazine was featured on the leicester llama site with a spoof front cover with a title making it up bird by bird http://leicesterllama.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html Not aware that the magazine has been produced as yet although it would be quiet an amusing read, certainly more fun than an Id paper on large white headed gulls!! Hope all is well at Cley and that the rumours of looting at the deli are incorrect? Anyway, what would the disaffected young people do with 4 kg of sun dried tomatoes and a vat of hummous? As for men or women with beards, just some light hearted banter at how the closure of the Raptor watchpoint is not really important in the overall scheme of things! Please accept my apologies if either you or Steve has a beard or own a country innovations jacket!!
 
Last edited:
David Norgate said:
Has the Wilson's been accepted then?!?
Click to expand...

I believe the wilson's Petrel has been accepeted yes, I will certainly be adding it to my list.;)

Also an interesting comment on the Norfolk fregetta petrel pointed out to me by a coastal source, see below

"Neither Black-bellied Storm-petrel nor White-bellied Storm-petrel has been positively identified in the northeast Atlantic. There are three sight records of unidentified Fregettas in the northeast Atlantic. All three descriptions in our opinion suggest white-bellied birds. Records fall in the period mid-August to mid-December: about 500 miles north of Cape Verde mid-August 1986, off Norfolk (UK) 10th December 2007, and in the Severn estuary (UK) 25th November 2009. We include the Norfolk sighting having read the description, although it was judged ‘not proven’ to be a Fregetta storm-petrel by British Birds Rarities Committee."

(excerpt from Multimedia ID Guide to North Atlantic Storm-petrels & Bulwer's Petrel, Bob Flood & Ashley Fisher)
 
stuart white said:
Also an interesting comment on the Norfolk fregetta petrel pointed out to me by a coastal source, see below

"Neither Black-bellied Storm-petrel nor White-bellied Storm-petrel has been positively identified in the northeast Atlantic. There are three sight records of unidentified Fregettas in the northeast Atlantic. All three descriptions in our opinion suggest white-bellied birds. Records fall in the period mid-August to mid-December: about 500 miles north of Cape Verde mid-August 1986, off Norfolk (UK) 10th December 2007, and in the Severn estuary (UK) 25th November 2009. We include the Norfolk sighting having read the description, although it was judged ‘not proven’ to be a Fregetta storm-petrel by British Birds Rarities Committee."

(excerpt from Multimedia ID Guide to North Atlantic Storm-petrels & Bulwer's Petrel, Bob Flood & Ashley Fisher)
Click to expand...

I don't know when this excerpt dates from but there has recently been a well-seen Black-bellied Petrel from a boat off Madeira.
 
Yes indeed, I think the Flood and Fisher ID guide came out a few weeks ago but was obviously written before the petrel off maderia. I posted this comment in relation to the Norfolk record from Sheringham which a lot of people think was a good record.
 
Kingfisher central

Just returned from a very enjoyable day at strum shaw fen. The fen hide has turned into kingfisher central with regular shows from very uninhibited birds. They feature hovering displays, fishing masterclasses and even a sitting very still demonstration. There appear to be three protagonists who all seem to be real posers especially when they hear the click of a shutter.
 

Similar threads

B
Birding in Portugal, Spain May june 2024
Replies
4
Views
426
brooke65
B
B
May - June birding in Europe. Guides?
Replies
1
Views
282
Fritz73
Fritz73
R
Red grouse near Buxton and anything else . Advise please
Replies
3
Views
296
simmojunior
S
T
30/03, Devon. Another (un)Common Buzzard?
Replies
10
Views
637
The Kerreran
T
SueO
Stories Behind Birds You've Photographed
Replies
18
Views
774
Joe H
Joe H

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 36 (members: 0, guests: 36)
Back
Top