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Norfolk birding (13 Viewers)

While I'm about can anyone please tell me how to get here? I understand this is a good area for raptors in the winter months and although I have been down to where I think Warham Greens is I've not managed to find the infamous whirligig? And where is the best place to park?

Thanks very much

Viv

Ask Firstreejohn - he loves answering that question
 
Western Bonelli's

Paul - the bird was heard to give a distinctive disyllabic call by several different people, not the crossbill like 'chip' of an eastern. Hence it came up on the pagers as western on its 2nd or 3rd day
 
Hi all,

I'm enjoying these recent trip reports, my partner and I are coming to Norfolk at the weekend, we are camping for a few nights at Kelling Heath (brave/foolish I know, she has no idea how cold Norfolk in October can be!).

Arriving Saturday afternoon and leaving Monday afternoon I hope to cram in as much birding as humanly possible.

If we arrive at about 1ish on Saturday afternoon where would you suggest for a good afternoon's birding? We plan to do Cley and Wells on Sunday, as well as a Blakeney seal trip.

We've also got Monday morning to fill as well.

I can't wait for this trip, I absolutely love birding in Norfolk and I'll hopefully get a few lifers while there. Living in Milton Keynes really starves you of birding, lol.

Thanks!

Sounds like you have Saturday sorted, and you obviously know where the main spots are. Saturday afternoon could be spent in a number of places, but going by your location I would suggest Holkham Pines followed by an evening at Wareham Greens. Both great for 'Norfolk' birds and always the chance of something a little special. As far as Monday goes, explore!
Easterlies are forecast over the weekend, so anything has and could turn up. Enjoy your trip.
Cheers,
Jim.
 
Sounds like you have Saturday sorted, and you obviously know where the main spots are. Saturday afternoon could be spent in a number of places, but going by your location I would suggest Holkham Pines followed by an evening at Wareham Greens. Both great for 'Norfolk' birds and always the chance of something a little special. As far as Monday goes, explore!
Easterlies are forecast over the weekend, so anything has and could turn up. Enjoy your trip.
Cheers,
Jim.

Cool, thanks. I've been keeping an eye on the forecast and been trying not to get too excited about it, but what with it saying sunny days, clear nights and a strong easterly it's hard not to! Here's hoping for something good!

Although with no pager, text alerts, or internet connection I'm not going to know even if something does turn up! lol.

I've never been to Wareham Greens, I'll have to give it a try. Does anything ever turn up at the Kelling Heath campsite?

Cheers
 
Does anything ever turn up at the Kelling Heath campsite?

Cheers

I don't know about the campsite specifically, but the rest of the heath does turn up migrants, including an Ortolan Bunting this summer. The holiday park has a semi-resident naturalist called Peter Walton who leads walks and advises on local wildlife, (his details are on his website http://www.wildlifenorfolk.co.uk/), who might be worth contacting.

Regards,

James
 
It's not infamous, it's in the shrubs !

Walk west (for the whirligig) for about 1000m from Stiffkey Wood campsite car park, where you can park freely (unlike other places in the vicinity!).

This is at the north end of Greenways and west of Stiffkey village.

It's hiding in the centre of the circular track.

See http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=1584842&postcount=7092 for more.

This weekend could be very good.

I would humbly request everyone now to (Banana)quit the Musist repartee: not all of them are yellow- as can be seen from the photo of the island form from Grenada.
 

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Sorry for being off topic but while watching the Barred Warbler last week at Gramborough Hill my better half photographed this , about the size of a large dinner plate any ideas anybody...........Many thanks Steve..:t::t:
 

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Thanks for the link. If you click onto other links from that you end up with a nice detailed map of that area (including the whirligig) and I have printed out for future use (which might be this week). It is in post 5 on this link. http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=52436

My mate Martin (Hummerman) and I are probably coming up on Friday and staying up to Sunday and with the easterlies that are forecast it could be a good decision.

We had just decided to go wherever the forecast took us for those three days and Norfolk looks just about the best place to be (although Spurn might get into any action that might happen.

John

Walk west (for the whirligig) for about 1000m from Stiffkey Wood campsite car park, where you can park freely (unlike other places in the vicinity!).

This is at the north end of Greenways and west of Stiffkey village.

It's hiding in the centre of the circular track.

See http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=1584842&postcount=7092 for more.

This weekend could be very good.

I would humbly request everyone now to (Banana)quit the Musist repartee: not all of them are yellow- as can be seen from the photo of the island form from Grenada.
 
Monster count of Chaffinchs on Sunny Hunny cliffs today

Monster count of Chaffinchs today over Hunstanton Cliffs 15132 in total :eek!::eek!::eek!: it beats the British record which was held by Hunstanton at 14471. Really annoying as I was with G. Hibberd and A. Brown yesterday and we had bugger all. Really should of went today!!!

Oh well can’t win them all.

Regards,
 
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Thanks everybody for the advice, had a wicked weekend and I can see why so many birders end up living in Norfolk. Managed to get the Wilson's at Welney, Merlin at Titchwell and a Ring Ouzel at Holme as well as lots of commoner Norfolk birds that I don't get to see very often. A stunning Barn Owl hunting very close early morning on the left just at the entrance to Titchwell was probably the highlight of the trip along with the Wilson's!

Thanks again to everybody who offered advice and especially JimmyG who texted me news and advice and enabled me to see the Phalarope! I really appreciate it and it made my first ever birding trip to Norfolk even better.
 
Empidonax breeds in Norfolk ? ? ! !

Just been sent the attached (thanks, Andrew), which may (?) explain the sighting on the Point.

Will Penny now, having achieved the heights of Audi, go one further and twitch it in the Porsche ?

Obviously one that, pre-pager, pre-Sibley, got away.
 

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Monster count of Chaffinchs today over Hunstanton Cliffs 15132 in total :eek!::eek!::eek!: it beats the British record which was held by Hunstanton at 14471. Really annoying as I was with G. Hibberd and A. Brown yesterday and we had bugger all. Really should of went today!!!

Oh well can’t win them all.

Regards,

21670 counted going south at De Vulkaan in the Netherlands on Tuesday!

DiP
 
Just been sent the attached (thanks, Andrew), which may (?) explain the sighting on the Point.

...

Obviously one that, pre-pager, pre-Sibley, got away.

Brilliant! This explains so much ... no ship-assistance required. :t:

I wonder how many generations down this year's bird is: Ten? Twenty? Surely enough to make it an "established" species. Lucky you.
 
Titchwell October 6th

Today's highlights

Little stint - 4 from Island Hide
Whinchat - 1 on grazing marsh, 2 near beach
Bittern - 1 on grazing marsh
Hobby - 1 hunting over reedbed

Paul
 
All to myself

The Barred Warbler was behaving beautifully at Gramboro'.

I sat down within 20 feet of its bush this evening and enjoyed prolonged views, as it fed, oblivious to my presence.

A Whinchat was along the fence.
 

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I found a Pec at welney today, which was nice!
The Wilson's Phalarope was still there too.
We left half an hour before the SEO's showed, which was unfortunate.
 
The Red-backed Shrike continues to perform well at Cromer on The Meadow pitch & putt field favouring both the eastern hedgerow and the weeds along the ditch in the middle. It was happily catching plenty of wasps and a Speckled Wood too.

A Shorelark on Cromer GC on Monday was also a good patch record.


Simon
 

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