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Norfolk birding (20 Viewers)

Finding Lesser Spots

A lot of people seem to dip this species, but I seem to have a reasonable success (I've seen 7 in Norfolk in the last year or so). I'm not trying to teach grannies to suck eggs here, and I stand to be corrected, but I wonder if part of the reason people dip them, is they expect them to be behaving like great spots (i.e. feeding on thicker dead trunks). Often when I've seen them, they're out on or even at the end of thin branches, feeding much more like the tits spp with which they often associate in winter
 
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Ilya Maclean said:
A lot of people seem to dip this species, but I seem to have a reasonable success (I've seen 7 in Norfolk in the last year or so). I'm not trying to teach grannies to suck eggs here, and I stand to be corrected, but I wonder if part of the reason people dip them, is they expect them to be behaving like great spots (i.e. feeding on thicker dead trunks). Often when I've seen them, they're out on or even at the end of thin branches, feeding much more like the tits spp with which they often associate in winter
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That's a good point. Not only do they behave more like tits, they tend to work along the undersides of the outer branches making them more difficult to spot. I've found the best way to see them is to look to the higher branches and wait for movement. Still can be a pain in the neck in both senses.

DiP
 
spotting lessers

Ilya I'd have to ditto that and you make a good point. One of my first sightings was when I looked towards the sound of Tree Sparrows squabbling to discover two Lessers fighting them, presumably, for the nest hole in dead tree.

All the best
 
The best spot I know for Lesser Peckers in Norfolk Connor is Santon Downham. Park just over the river from the churchyard and walk along the river bank. The plantation the your left is very productive for them and you are almost guaranteed to at least hear them in March.
 
I blame myself partly for drawing attention to Santon last year, but I have to say I was very disappointed with the amount of disturbance occurring on the site in February and March. Almost every time I went there was at least five or six people, especially at weekends and a lot of people seemed to think nothing of walking in amongst all the dead trees more conspicuously than a heard of elephants. On more than one occasion, people were trying to lure them in using tapes.

If you do go to Santon, be aware that the prime area is small, birds will be trying to establish breeding territories and that this is one of the last strongholds of this red-listed species in Norfolk. Please exercise due consideration and be aware that even minimal disturbance may cause them to avoid setting-up territory. Stick to the footpaths, use your eyes and ears properly and be patient. You might not be lucky the first time, but that's really no reason to go blundering through the woods like a hippo!
 
Ilya Maclean said:
You might not be lucky the first time, but that's really no reason to go blundering through the woods like a hippo!
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And that's just part of birding isn't it! If we got everything easily, it wouldn't be nearly as fun!
As regards Lesser peckers I've never been to Santon Downham but I've heard it is a good site. I'm not a very competitive lister, so I don't need to. My place used to be amazing for them but in recent years they have become much harder to find - still present though :t:
I will be searching hard in all the areas of woodland around me when the time comes...
Good luck to anyone hoping for Lesser peckers this year :t:
Sim
 
Ilya Maclean said:
I blame myself partly for drawing attention to Santon last year, but I have to say I was very disappointed with the amount of disturbance occurring on the site in February and March. Almost every time I went there was at least five or six people, especially at weekends and a lot of people seemed to think nothing of walking in amongst all the dead trees more conspicuously than a heard of elephants. On more than one occasion, people were trying to lure them in using tapes.

If you do go to Santon, be aware that the prime area is small, birds will be trying to establish breeding territories and that this is one of the last strongholds of this red-listed species in Norfolk. Please exercise due consideration and be aware that even minimal disturbance may cause them to avoid setting-up territory. Stick to the footpaths, use your eyes and ears properly and be patient. You might not be lucky the first time, but that's really no reason to go blundering through the woods like a hippo!
Click to expand...



I don't normally go blundering through the woods (anywhere) ;) ;) ;)
 
Has anyone got any info on the cattle egret nr Holt? I'm tempted to try for it but don't know the area, any help would be great.
 
postcardcv said:
Has anyone got any info on the cattle egret nr Holt? I'm tempted to try for it but don't know the area, any help would be great.
Click to expand...

Birdguides give the location as Matlaske, with the bird reported at 09:24 as
"still following a plough in field by Barningham Hall at c.TG142358 this morning"

Hope that helps,

Stuart
 
Titchwell February 12th

Today's highlights

Snow bunting - 17 at Thornham Point
Avocet - 6 on brackish marsh
Water pipit - 1 on brackish marsh
Woodcock - 1 in carpark scrub
Corn bunting - 1+ on saltmarsh near beach boardwalk with linnet flock
Bittern - 2 reported on fresh marsh in afternoon

Paul
 
Cattle Egret

For anyone going tomorrow, this afternoon the Cattle Egret was commuting between the recently ploughed field on the west side of the minor road to the west of Barningham Park (cTG142359), and the cow field/parkland to the west of the Hall itself viewed looking east from the minor road.

The location is easiest accessed either along the minor road north-east from Saxthorpe or by following the minor roads south from the A148 from Pretty Corner (Sheringham).

However as the farmer finished ploughing the field at c1.30 it became more erratic in its visits to the field and disappeared off into the park a couple of times before eventually returning to the field, and I last saw it at 3.45 when it flew off north from the field, but could have returned as I left at that point.

Guess if there's more ploughing taking place in the vicinity tomorrow then that would be the best area to check in addition to the cow field and recently ploughed area.

Simon
 

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Dave Appleton said:
That was me in my lunch break. Details on my website - the long and short of it was that it was briefly seen low over the road and adjacent field flying SE. I'm all but sure it was Rough-legged but on reflection don't think I can claim it as 100%. Definitely worth keeping an eye out for though.
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That's interesting, I had a very similar incident today with a raptor going low over the road in front of me, I tried to stop and watch it but the traffic behind me wasn't so keen on the plan... my instinct was rl buzzard but like you I didn't get enough to be sure of it. I saw my bird over the B1153 between Hillington and Grimston.
 
A visit to Holkham- and two monumental follies!

"SMALL IN SIZE BUT GREAT IN VALVE."

Folly #1. Driving along the coast road this morning, I slowed down and then stopped at Walsey Hills. Where had the Ruffs gone ? The hoped-for lekking spot had been abandoned. Then, I saw the reason why: a birder was in the field !

Folly #2. Perhaps it was folly simply to go to Holkham. Anyway, the weather was very pleasant, many birds were in evidence- tits, Great-spot, Nuthatches, hundreds of Redwing, some Fieldfare and a hooting, then displaying, Stock Dove (3+). However, the day was decidedly D. minor-lite and I did not hear the toccata of drumming, which was the main reason for my journey.

Lord Cola's column (colamn?) looked starkly splendid in the midday sun. The engraved eulogy is a little enigmatic. Was he an early practitioner of hydraulics, or did he open the 18th century equivalent of a low-cost supermarket ?
 

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Titchwell February 13th

Today's highlights

Marsh harrier - 7 roosted in evening
Hen harrier - 2 ringtails east at dusk
Water pipit - 1 on fresh marsh
Pintail - 103 on fresh marsh
Teal - 116 on fresh marsh, 140 on brackish marsh
Pochard - 54 on brackish marsh
Avocet - 9 on brackish marsh
Bittern - 1 reported booming briefly mid morning from reeds by main path, also seen in flight at dusk
Barn owl - 2 hunting at dusk
Snow bunting - 18 on beach

Paul
 
Hello,

I walked up from Snettisham to HUnstanton today in beautiful weather. A couple of notable sightings, both by the (sewage?) outlet pipe at the southern tip of Hunstanton (marked with a red buoy):

* a Mediterranean Gull, already in summer adult plumage, was in the huge gull flock by the outflow
* 4 Snow Buntings were nearby on the beach.

Haven't seen these reported anywhere so thought I'd mention them here.



Tom
 
TomSmith said:
Hello,

I walked up from Snettisham to HUnstanton today in beautiful weather. A couple of notable sightings, both by the (sewage?) outlet pipe at the southern tip of Hunstanton (marked with a red buoy):

* a Mediterranean Gull, already in summer adult plumage, was in the huge gull flock by the outflow
* 4 Snow Buntings were nearby on the beach.

Haven't seen these reported anywhere so thought I'd mention them here.



Tom
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Cheers for that, I'm probably going to Hunstanton on Sunday to look for Velvet Scoter, so will bare it in mind :t:
 
Does anyone know if the Penduline Tit is still being seen at Strumpshaw Fen? I ask not because I especially want to see it but because we went there last Saturday for our usual visit only to find the place packed and no parking spaces available. We gave up trying to park and came home again. The Fen hide is a bit squashed at the best of times. I hate to think what it was like last week. I wondered whether to steer clear of it this week.

Incidentally, on the way home we stopped off at each of the laybys on the Acle straight, where saw two Marsh Harriers, two close Kestrels, a Little Egret, several Fieldfares and thousands of Lapwings amongst other things. Not a complete wash out.

Ron
 
AFAIK the Penduline Tit hasn't been seen since Tuesday 10th, certainly only negative reports on RBA since then. There's an awful lot of reeds throughout the Yare valley though... :eek!:

James
 
Thanks James. I might give the place another go this afternoon.

Incidentally, after we failed to get parked at Strumpshaw I thought I would try to find Brundall Church Reserve (I think that's what it's called) but as I didn't really know where it was, apart from near the station, I failed at that one too. Has anyone got any directions to get to that reserve, please?

Ron
 
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