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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Norfolk birding (13 Viewers)

nice to find this lone waxwing at Strumpshaw Fen in the rain early this morning.
 

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Not quite stop press but three Purple Sandpipers were showing well at Sheringham yesterday. They were sleeping on the rocks close to the to museum.

James
 

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There was a massive displacement of geese in North Norfolk in last night's fog (January 10th/11th). I heard a few Pinkfeet flying over our house on the Briston/Melton Constable border (about ten miles from the North Norfolk coast) at 5.45 pm when my wife returned from work. This was nothing unusual, but the birds were a bit late as it had already been dark for an hour.

As the evening progressed, the fog thickened, with visibility down to about 30 yards. We could hear geese over the house all the time, getting lower and lower, down to almost rooftop level. Peak numbers were between 8-9pm. At 11pm, the geese were still circling, and calling madly as they tried to find a flock on the ground.

Other species got tied up in this disorientation too, with a couple of Brent Geese also recorded (second record in 13 years) and a lone Barnacle Goose yapping away, a most unexpected garden tick. OK, so it was probably a feral bird from Holkham Hall, (15 miles away) but who's counting.

Birds were still calling at 1, 2 and 3am. By 5am, the fog had thickened so much that visibility was down to about ten yards. The geese had seemingly moved on, with just one solitary Pinkfoot still in the area. Whether they were the same geese circling all night, or a steady throughput of new geese arriving it’s impossible to say, though I suspect the former. By 7am, the fog had lifted but even then, there were still a few geese 'wink-winking' overhead, over 13 hours after they had started calling.

From information received so far, this displacement was noted from Fakenham, through Briston to Corpusty, a distance of about 13 miles. It was also noted at Thornage though I suspect that the fog went all the way down to the coast as the geese were unable to escape its clutches.

This gives a tentative fog blanket of about 130 square miles but it could easily be two or three times this. I would be grateful if anyone could extend this range with their own observations.

Thanks in advance.

Gordon
 
........... I would be grateful if anyone could extend this range with their own observations.

Thanks in advance.

Gordon

Very interesting. I didn't hear anything over Sheringham during the hours of darkness, although there was a small flock very low, but still only barely discernible, around 10am. I have observed this in the past over the town, going on for hours, and I assumed it was the same flock circling round. They must have been pretty exhausted by the time they eventually found somewhere to land.
 
Hi Gordon,

It has been the same further inland and we have been discussing in local 'forum' groups how the fog has been affecting the Pink-feet in Wensum Valley. For last few days at night there have been small groups of 'lost' birds calling at night and early morning this morning I could still hear some flying around in fog/mist.
Never big numbers in the area and groups seem to have been smaller birds looking for larger flocks / trying to re-orientate themselves .. seems they really do get lost in the fog !

Sacha
 
Hi Gordon.

I was indoors last night so can't say if any passed over my house (north Norwich) then, but a small flock flew over east this morning (c07:20), the first time I've recorded any here this winter.

James
 
I think we qualify as mid-Norfolk, halfway between Great Yarmouth and Lynn; halfway between Stiffkey and Garboldisham, just away from the Wensum near Swanton Morley... Haven't heard any geese overhead for a couple of weeks, and then only about 20.
 
Hi Gordon,
Pinkfeet were over Aylsham throughout the night also. 9, 10, 11 pm at least. I have heard them like this in the fog in the past, and like you have had brents in the past, but not on this occasion.
 
There was a massive displacement of geese in North Norfolk in last night's fog (January 10th/11th). I heard a few Pinkfeet flying over our house on the Briston/Melton Constable border (about ten miles from the North Norfolk coast) at 5.45 pm when my wife returned from work. This was nothing unusual, but the birds were a bit late as it had already been dark for an hour.

As the evening progressed, the fog thickened, with visibility down to about 30 yards. We could hear geese over the house all the time, getting lower and lower, down to almost rooftop level. Peak numbers were between 8-9pm. At 11pm, the geese were still circling, and calling madly as they tried to find a flock on the ground.

Other species got tied up in this disorientation too, with a couple of Brent Geese also recorded (second record in 13 years) and a lone Barnacle Goose yapping away, a most unexpected garden tick. OK, so it was probably a feral bird from Holkham Hall, (15 miles away) but who's counting.

Birds were still calling at 1, 2 and 3am. By 5am, the fog had thickened so much that visibility was down to about ten yards. The geese had seemingly moved on, with just one solitary Pinkfoot still in the area. Whether they were the same geese circling all night, or a steady throughput of new geese arriving it’s impossible to say, though I suspect the former. By 7am, the fog had lifted but even then, there were still a few geese 'wink-winking' overhead, over 13 hours after they had started calling.

From information received so far, this displacement was noted from Fakenham, through Briston to Corpusty, a distance of about 13 miles. It was also noted at Thornage though I suspect that the fog went all the way down to the coast as the geese were unable to escape its clutches.

This gives a tentative fog blanket of about 130 square miles but it could easily be two or three times this. I would be grateful if anyone could extend this range with their own observations.

Thanks in advance.

Gordon

This bird was found wandering in the street at Little London, Corpusty at about 1900hrs on 10th January. Kept overnight in a local stables and released at NWT Cley the following morning.
 

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Morning all. Can anyone let me know whether there are any remaining Bewick’s Swans in the Broads and where might be the best location? Thanks in advance.
 
Unfortunately you're probably a few days too late, they seem to have been leaving this week. Based on sightings from Twitter, people have only been seeing a few Whooper Swans in places like Ludham and Halvergate where both species were present recently. 28 were still at the east end of Breydon this morning, so if you are already here then that would probably be your best bet.

Morning all. Can anyone let me know whether there are any remaining Bewick’s Swans in the Broads and where might be the best location? Thanks in advance.
 
Unfortunately you're probably a few days too late, they seem to have been leaving this week. Based on sightings from Twitter, people have only been seeing a few Whooper Swans in places like Ludham and Halvergate where both species were present recently. 28 were still at the east end of Breydon this morning, so if you are already here then that would probably be your best bet.

Thanks for the information James. I’m coming down next weekend so might well be too late I guess.
 
Crazy 15mins at the garden hanging and ground feeders in between snow flurries this morning

c.15 Siskin, 6 Brambling, 6 long tail tits, c.20 Goldfinch, pr Dunnock, pr Robin, 8 Blackbirds, coal tit, 4 chaffinch, Great tits, Blue tits, 20 Starling, 4 magpie, 12 Greenfinch, 4 Jackdaws, 14 woodpigeons, 4 collar doves, and a first, one male reed bunting

Anyone going to Mark Avery at the Nunnery on 8 March?
 
Great day for raptors in North Norfolk this morning. At one stage at Burnham Overy, we had 21 large raptors (15 buzzards, four red kites and two marsh harriers) in the air simultaneously. Earlier, at a site further west, we logged a ringtail hen harrier, six sparrowhawks and 1-2 goshawks, one of which flew slowly over our heads at treetop level. Driving round, we also logged a further 14 buzzards, two more marsh harriers and half a dozen kestrels. Amazing what a bit of sun can do.
 

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