MJB
Well-known member
Best recited in the voice of the late Frankie Howerd?
MJB:king:
PS Merry Christmas to all, especially to all those BF habitués with whom I may have crossed swords, inadvertently or otherwise...:eek!:
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Norfolk birding (20 Viewers)
- Thread starter Edward woodwood
- Start date
Best recited in the voice of the late Frankie Howerd?
MJB:king:
PS Merry Christmas to all, especially to all those BF habitués with whom I may have crossed swords, inadvertently or otherwise...:eek!:
Mark Batten
Well-known member
No doubt the Cley shelter has been a popular venue for shags of multiple descriptions over the years. Fortunately none of these have made it to utube!
Locostella
Guest
Chiffchaff Bawburgh
Evening everyone,
Whilst at Bawburgh (Colney) pits this afternoon I came across a very grey & white Chiffchaff amongst a Tit flock which also held two collybita.
The flock was working the edge of a section of small trees and bushes on the opposite side of some flooded ground, which backs on to Three Score rd. At first two very 'standard' Chiffchaff moved through with the appearance I would associate with nominate race collybita. Then a third bird moved into my field of view, but this time very contrasting in tone.
The bird was a cold grey-brown above, seemingly on a par or even more so than the documentation I have seen of tristis. The underparts were an off white, lacking any warmth, deepening the contrast further with the two other bird which were still in the same field of view.The bird then moved through an opening an out of sight.
The bird was not heard to call.
I have no experience with these 'eastern birds' and I say that tentatively. This is the first time I have seen a bird which I believed not to be of the nominate race, collybita.
I hope someone could shine some further light on the matter and help to broaden my understanding of the occurrence of birds showing this type of plumage in Norfolk.
I hope everyone is enjoying the festive season and is getting set for another wonderful years birding in our wonderful county.
Kindest regards, Kieran
Evening everyone,
Whilst at Bawburgh (Colney) pits this afternoon I came across a very grey & white Chiffchaff amongst a Tit flock which also held two collybita.
The flock was working the edge of a section of small trees and bushes on the opposite side of some flooded ground, which backs on to Three Score rd. At first two very 'standard' Chiffchaff moved through with the appearance I would associate with nominate race collybita. Then a third bird moved into my field of view, but this time very contrasting in tone.
The bird was a cold grey-brown above, seemingly on a par or even more so than the documentation I have seen of tristis. The underparts were an off white, lacking any warmth, deepening the contrast further with the two other bird which were still in the same field of view.The bird then moved through an opening an out of sight.
The bird was not heard to call.
I have no experience with these 'eastern birds' and I say that tentatively. This is the first time I have seen a bird which I believed not to be of the nominate race, collybita.
I hope someone could shine some further light on the matter and help to broaden my understanding of the occurrence of birds showing this type of plumage in Norfolk.
I hope everyone is enjoying the festive season and is getting set for another wonderful years birding in our wonderful county.
Kindest regards, Kieran
Mark Batten
Well-known member
Kieran. I understand a Mr Stoddard has an interest in Eastern Chiffs. He might be able to help. Also recall a relatively recent article in BB on the subject. Hope your bird hangs around. Regards.
Connor Rand
Norwich resident, Holme devotee
Nice day out at Holme and Titchwell today. Highlights included a showy Waxwing on the NOA reserve and a few bits and pieces at Titchwell, including a male and ringtail Hen Harrier into roost, a Bittern and 9 Bramblings around the feeders by the visitor centre. Quite a few Lapwings moving, with 300 west at Holme and 180 in off the sea at Titchwell, lots of Snipe too, with 15 at Holme and 9 at Titchwell.
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Merry Christmas to you all
and here'sB
to some exciting new birds in 2013:t:Best Wishes Penny:girl:
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
Record shot of premature seasonal visitor at Gramboro’
From Sunday, the photo at Gramboro’ (a slow, painful trek I had of it) is of something with its claus in a conifer- at this time of year, more regularly the habitat of angels, baubles, tinsel & prezzies.
And, so, to the pièce de much résistance- what you’ve all been awaiting with trepidation.
I’m aware of how unseemly it would be to let this most special of days pass without a literary offering of distinction. Regrettably, all I can manage is yet another lamentable pome:
“I wish a Magnificent, Christmas word:
Norfolk members who’d twitch the next Frigatebird;
(After Easter, we look to Ascension-
Far too early for most sorts of gentian)
Shirley Great be, as Lesser, hope too absurd (?).”
From Sunday, the photo at Gramboro’ (a slow, painful trek I had of it) is of something with its claus in a conifer- at this time of year, more regularly the habitat of angels, baubles, tinsel & prezzies.
And, so, to the pièce de much résistance- what you’ve all been awaiting with trepidation.
I’m aware of how unseemly it would be to let this most special of days pass without a literary offering of distinction. Regrettably, all I can manage is yet another lamentable pome:
“I wish a Magnificent, Christmas word:
Norfolk members who’d twitch the next Frigatebird;
(After Easter, we look to Ascension-
Far too early for most sorts of gentian)
Shirley Great be, as Lesser, hope too absurd (?).”
A Very Merry Christmas To All My Victims !
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wolfphotos
Well-known member
A very Merry Xmas to everyone here. Thanks for all your help in the past and for all the great posts keeping us lesser mortals informed.
Paul Woolnough
Well-known member
Merry Christmas
I must be one of John's victims.
I pressed the button and opened the door to leave Cley visitor centre.
Standing there was John who had a Santa identical to the one in the photograph above in his pocket!
Little Santa said ho ho ho or something or other.
We parted ways and John hobbled up the centre steps.
The real Santa had come early to Cley with the first small type Canada goose for the square.
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
After a highly over indulgent Christmas day it was nice to stretch the legs for an hour or so today as I virtually waded around the flooded Thorpe St Andrews marshes.
Not much to see generally but I did chance upon this glistening fungi on a fallen tree. Looks like egg yoke! No idea what it is, an ID would be most welcome for my records.
Best Regards
Paul
Not much to see generally but I did chance upon this glistening fungi on a fallen tree. Looks like egg yoke! No idea what it is, an ID would be most welcome for my records.
Best Regards
Paul
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A nice flock of Waxwings at the A11/A134 roundabout in Thetford on the way home from my folks this morning. We estimated 20+ birds but 36 counted later on so our guesswork may have been a little off (of course, new birds may have joined). No sign of the American Wigeon mid afternoon - hopefully I will finally connect with this bird soon!!!
Chris
Chris
What's the best place to look for the American Wigeon from? On Birdguides it says that the track is private, but can it be seen from the road?
James Emerson
Norwich Birder
Hi Paul.
I'm presuming that underneath it had gills. On this proviso it is Velvet Shank (Flammulina velutipes). It was one of the few gilled fungi out at Trowse Woods this weekend.
Regards,
James
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
The photo in #18811 has minimal similarity to the illustration in the field guide. Only after GoogleImaging do some resemblances appear.
How are mere mortals supposed to ID these things, James ? Especially from a guide with over 600 pages.
Perhaps a Norfolk Fungi thread- or, ‘fibril’- should be started (?).
How are mere mortals supposed to ID these things, James ? Especially from a guide with over 600 pages.
Perhaps a Norfolk Fungi thread- or, ‘fibril’- should be started (?).
James Emerson
Norwich Birder
Tony Leech (Norfolk Fungus Recorder) says "Fungi can be very hard to identify: blame the fungus, not yourself!" I have had an interest for many years, and I am still loath to identify many. A lot require a suite of characteristics and/or microscopic examination too.
What is possible is to acquaint yourself with families and around 200 of the most frequently occurring and distinctive species.
With regards to Paul's photo, it would be very difficult to ID that from a book, because the photo doesn't show a stem or the underneath, so you wouldn't know it was a 'mushroom' type. So rule #1 for photographing fungi is to try and photograph underneath as well as the cap.
Other important things to note are substrate (alive wood, dead wood, soil, dung, pine cones etc), trees nearby (many species are associated with specific trees, but just deciduous/coniferous will help), smell, and if your specimen is growing singularly, spread out or many from one base ("trooping").
There is no one definitive book, a combination are best. The Roger Philips guide is useful because it shows a range of different specimens of each fungus, which is useful because most books don't show the range of variation.
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Water Rail at Titchwell RSPB along with 4 marsh harriers etc.
See full update on blog.
Penny:girl:
See full update on blog.
Penny:girl:
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
I have now done so: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=247271
Eclipse drake Eider just now, on almost the same ripple as yesterday.
Five minutes later and he’d gone west (level with the east end of Sheringham golf course) and further off-shore.
Photo shows, this time, opportunistic seagulls.
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I didn't manage to see the bird last winter and no luck so far this winter, so I'm probably not the best person to ask! However, if the bird is on the flood, I am reliably informed it shows from the road at the start of the track looking to the left (the track is private so do not walk along it). There is a small flooded area on the near side of the river where the river bends through 90 degrees away from the road and this is apparently it's favoured place. However, it seems to spend the majority of it's time out of view somewhere on private land (presumably!)
Good luck if you go!
Robert S J Smith
Well-known member
Just seen via twitter that Birdwatch magazine have done an artical on a Oriental Turtle Dove last year at Stubbs Mill! Anyone know any further details on the bird or artical?
