Norfolk birding (22 Viewers)

stuart white · Dec 12, 2009

Blakeney Resident said:
Would anyone like to recall their highlights of the year : - )

Nearly seeing a Brunnich's Guillemot !

Seawatching in general has been brilliant this year,
with the big movements of manx shearwaters, kittiwakes and gannets
Lots of Skuas, 2 'four skua' days back to back in mid september
A close Cory's from Sheringham
a smattering of Leach's
And to finish off big numbers of Divers past in the last few weeks
and a sliver Gannet

James Emerson · Dec 12, 2009

Blakeney Resident said:
Would anyone like to recall their highlights of the year : - )

Two days in particular stick out for me. A Saturday in September, when I got to Caister St Edmund at sunrise and had the whole place to myself with the exception of a couple of dogwalkers later on, I saw a Glossy Ibis, 2 Kingfishers and a Grey Wagtail. I then walked back to Norwich, got the train and bus to Cley. The Spotted Crake hadn't been seen for an hour or so, so most people had gone outside to scan the pool when it appeared only a few feet away in the channel!

The second day was an all-day birdwatch in May, beginning with my first Golden Oriole, another 100 or so birds during the day and ending with Nightjars and a Tawny Owl.

The lowlight of the year was missing out on the Collared Pratincole at Salthouse. Instead of staying with the crowd I walked to Kelling, scanning the marshes, and found out later that it had doubled-back west, probably flying over my head!

mr.sim · Dec 12, 2009

The Black-Winged Pratincole in spring was brilliant - saw it in the field in Thornham and then it flew towards Titchwell. Had nothing else to do so went to Titchwell, by which time it had appeared there and had fantastic views of it wheeling about over the freshmarsh and sweeping right past the hide - also got the Collared Pratincole at Salthouse (my third! lucky me

)

Another great day was this Autumn when we had a near summer-plumaged Great Northern Diver fly past just beyond the surf at Holme, followed by excellent views of Yellow-Browed Warbler and a Little Auk flying over our heads in the carpark!

Also really enjoyed volunteering at Titchwell for a week in early August :t:

Andy Benson · Dec 12, 2009

Garden ticking Pallid Harrier - fused in my memory forever!!!

Andy Musgrove · Dec 13, 2009

kittykat23uk said:
Can someone please PM me more details of where to look for the peregrines at buckenham if they're still in the area? Is it a scope job or do the come close enough to be seen without one?

Cheers,

Jo

The Peregrines don't require a scope, although obviously you'll get better views with one. They can most often be seen by scanning all the gates and bits of fence that are out in the middle of the marsh, especially out from the mill. They are most frequently sat on these. Sometimes sat on the grass itself. Sometimes apparently absent though, when I guess they're either on the other side of the river, or perhaps perched in trees on the edge of the woods by the railway line.

Needless to say, if you see the Wigeon flocks panicking, always check if the Peregrines are pursuing them.

Cheers

Andy

MICK SAUNT · Dec 13, 2009

Andy Musgrove said:
The Peregrines don't require a scope, although obviously you'll get better views with one. They can most often be seen by scanning all the gates and bits of fence that are out in the middle of the marsh, especially out from the mill. They are most frequently sat on these. Sometimes sat on the grass itself. Sometimes apparently absent though, when I guess they're either on the other side of the river, or perhaps perched in trees on the edge of the woods by the railway line.

Needless to say, if you see the Wigeon flocks panicking, always check if the Peregrines are pursuing them.

Cheers

Andy

On Friday both birds were sitting in a bare tree at the edge of the small copse in the field to the right of the main track about 200 yards on from the sharp right turn at Buckenham station. Also, c. 40 bean geese in the fields but always distant. Strumpshaw was also excellent with the great northern on the river, 1-2 bitterns, 2 water rails, kingfisher and best of all 3 otters.

mr.sim · Dec 13, 2009

American Wigeon still at Welney WWT this morning first seen from Lyle hide at about 8am then went to check on it later and it was showing brilliantly, down to 50m in front of the hide at 11am, so a lot better than it has been showing apparently! Looked superb in the morning light too. Also 7 Bearded Tits showing well outside the same hide and a Water Rail calling. 2 Ruff from the main observatory and 10 Ruff on the floods behind the visitor centre.

kittykat23uk · Dec 13, 2009

MICK SAUNT said:
On Friday both birds were sitting in a bare tree at the edge of the small copse in the field to the right of the main track about 200 yards on from the sharp right turn at Buckenham station. Also, c. 40 bean geese in the fields but always distant. Strumpshaw was also excellent with the great northern on the river, 1-2 bitterns, 2 water rails, kingfisher and best of all 3 otters.

Wow! That is really good for strumpshaw. Where did you see the otters? What sort of time was it when you saw them? I've never seen otters or bitterns at that reserve!

Thanks for the info re peregrines too!

Jono L · Dec 13, 2009

Buckenham this morning revealed the first winter Great Northern Diver on the river between the fishermen's car park and the pub. Female Peregrine sitting on the grass in the northeast corner before flying off towards the railway line. Two Black-tailed Godwits. No geese of note.
Cheers
ps photos of the diver on my blog shortly.

Birding Bob · Dec 13, 2009

If anyones interested my mum found three male Golden Pheasants feeding on the roads edge at Wolferton triangle. Rob :t:

jimmyg · Dec 13, 2009

Robert Williamson said:
If anyones interested my mum found three male Golden Pheasants feeding on the roads edge at Wolferton triangle. Rob :t:

They've probably become less shy since everyone stopped visiting the area :-O

James Emerson · Dec 13, 2009

I had my first winter Blackcap today, a male in trees on Grove Road in Norwich. Got back just in time to avoid the rain shortly after!

NoSpringChicken · Dec 13, 2009

kittykat23uk said:
Wow! That is really good for strumpshaw. Where did you see the otters? What sort of time was it when you saw them? I've never seen otters or bitterns at that reserve!

Thanks for the info re peregrines too!

Hi Jo. Otters have been seen at Strumpshaw almost daily since the summer. I have seen them in front of the Reception hide on a couple of occasions in the middle of the day. You stand a chance of seeing up to five of them almost anywhere on the reserve - from the Fen hide and the Tower hide and from the river banks between them. A few weeks ago I met a woman who had been watching one fishing about three metres away in the dyke where water is let into the reserve from the river. She had watched it for about 15 minutes and was still very excited when I met her. I caught a glimpse of one in a dyke a little further along the bank. It's a matter of being in the right place at the right time or just sitting in a hide for an hour or two and hoping.

I have seen Bitterns flying over the reedbeds there on several occasions, although not recently. Once again it's pot luck about being in the right place when they appear. I have only seen Bearded Tits at Strumpshaw on a couple of occasions, although I know they are present. Recently I have found Kingfishers to be very elusive, although a couple of years ago I could almost guarantee to see them every time I visited.

Ron

MICK SAUNT · Dec 13, 2009

kittykat23uk said:
Wow! That is really good for strumpshaw. Where did you see the otters? What sort of time was it when you saw them? I've never seen otters or bitterns at that reserve!

Thanks for the info re peregrines too!

Two otters briefly from the Brick hide at 8.05 and then three from Fen hide about an hour later. As others have said it's a bit of pot luck but best option probably just to sit and wait! With a bit of luck a bittern should at least provide flight views and the kingfisher seem to love the various branches and sticks that the reserve has put in and around the various pools.

Andy Musgrove · Dec 13, 2009

Atlas targeting!

Spent a few hours this morning trying (but failing) to add species for my home square of TM29 for the Atlas project. Winter records still needed of such likely species as Gadwall, GC Grebe, Water Rail, Jack Snipe, Med and Yellow-legged Gulls, Lesser Spot, Chiff, Willow Tit and Crossbill. Alas, the highlight of the morning was a pair of Mute Swans at Brooke, which were new to the square for the winter atlas as far as I was concerned, but had already been seen by other atlasers.

Anyone else trying to clear up missing species?

Andy

Irene Boston · Dec 13, 2009

Atlasing

Andy Musgrove said:
Anyone else trying to clear up missing species? Andy

Me too. I've got a list of species which haven't yet appeared in my 10km square TF63 list, for both winter and breeding, and am making extra efforts to find them. This week have added Kingfisher, Cetti's, a bonus Bar-headed Goose (which smacks a bit of desperation but what the heck!), Fudge Duck (thank you David Roche!), Shorelark but there's still quite a few species which I'm pretty sure occur in the square but have yet to track them down. All good fun though as it adds an extra purpose to a winter's birding.

Irene

Penny Clarke · Dec 13, 2009

No birding on Saturday:-C

Worked this morning until after lunch and drove to Titchwell RSPB planning to walk to sea and tick a red necked grebe:-O - stopped at Choosely Drying Barns to scope thousands of Pinkfeets in the fields and quickly spotted a White Goose - THE Snow Goose BUT had to wait for about 20 mins before phoning to RBA as all I could see was front on - took ages for it to turn sideways!!!! and then had fantastic views of it flying with pinkfeets further down the hill towards the A149 (3.30pm). Didn't reallly get very far after that - bought a birthday card from Titchwell RSPB shop, walked a couple of hundred yards along main path and turned back reminiscing with 2 other birders about the 'old days'. I found speaking to a few birders that they already seen the snow goose at Choosely - WHY then did no one bother to let anyone else know or ring it in - I had already seen it a few weeks back, but someone may not have! I informed Paul Roney (centre manager) who obviously didn't know about it by the surprise on his face - you would have thought someone would at least have informed the staff at Titchwell RSPB!

Roll on Christmas break (not for Christmas, but for birding) and roll on spring time for lighter evenings!

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

Penny Clarke · Dec 14, 2009

MICK SAUNT said:
Two otters briefly from the Brick hide at 8.05 and then three from Fen hide about an hour later. As others have said it's a bit of pot luck but best option probably just to sit and wait! With a bit of luck a bittern should at least provide flight views and the kingfisher seem to love the various branches and sticks that the reserve has put in and around the various pools.

Certainly does seem to be pot luck!!! I know two birders who sat in the Fen Hide for 4 hours on Saturday morning from first light and they didn't see any otters!!!

Jono L · Dec 14, 2009

Buckenham late afternoon yesterday, same as the morning though the adult Peregrines were belting around together causing mayhem and at least four Marsh Harriers went west into Strumpshaw Fen to roost. The GND still on the river. A couple of Ruff kicking about and a Buzzard.
Stacks of observers watching the corvid roost. I am constantly surprised how few go across the railway crossing and actually have a look at the marshes first. People must get so cold standing there for an hour waiting for it to happen!
Cheers,

john miller · Dec 14, 2009

RobLucking said:
RCP website gives season ticket prices for Wells and lady Anne's Drive as £150 for the year if you buy before 31 March and £165 for the year after 31 March. Quite a hike from £90 but still worth it if you use one of the car parks more than once a week.

Rob

You are correct. Spoke to RCP this morning, permit holders can renew for £90 new applicants have to pay £150. Seems way OTT.

John

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