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Norfolk birding (15 Viewers)
- Thread starter Edward woodwood
- Start date
Titchwell July 22nd
Today's highlights
Curlew sandpiper - 1 on fresh marsh
Little stint - 1 on fresh marsh
Hobby - 1 hunting over reserve
Paul
I forgot the most exciting news of the day...confirmed breeding of common sandpiper with 2 adults and a very recently fledged juvenile on the fresh marsh this morning. According to Birds of Norfolk, only the 9th breeding record and the first since 1980
Today's highlights
Curlew sandpiper - 1 on fresh marsh
Little stint - 1 on fresh marsh
Hobby - 1 hunting over reserve
Paul
I forgot the most exciting news of the day...confirmed breeding of common sandpiper with 2 adults and a very recently fledged juvenile on the fresh marsh this morning. According to Birds of Norfolk, only the 9th breeding record and the first since 1980
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Irene Boston
Well-known member
That is very exciting - thanks for sharing the news. I've always wondered why it doesn't happen more often that Common Sands 'stop over' on migration and go no further when they meet suitable habitat.
Lightthiscandle
David Bryant
I reckon they are under-reported: I've often seen Common Sands during the breeding season while fishing along remote strams / lakes in Norfolk. The Bure above Horstead is a reliable spot!
Jono L
Well-known member
In a short hour last night at Breydon:
The AGP flew past the hide at about 8.15 with about 20 Goldies and landed to the right of the hide. Frustratingly after only a minute or so on the deck it then flew off alone westwards and was lost to view as I repositioned myself in the hide. In the short time I had, I failed to refind it.
The spectacle at Breydon was pretty awesome, with stacks of waders, gulls and terns. There was a large tern roost within which was a fine adult Roseate Tern. Also, nearby were two adult Curlew Sands with Dunlin.
At least 20 Med Gulls (62 later apparently) were noted and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.
Cheers
Jono
The AGP flew past the hide at about 8.15 with about 20 Goldies and landed to the right of the hide. Frustratingly after only a minute or so on the deck it then flew off alone westwards and was lost to view as I repositioned myself in the hide. In the short time I had, I failed to refind it.
The spectacle at Breydon was pretty awesome, with stacks of waders, gulls and terns. There was a large tern roost within which was a fine adult Roseate Tern. Also, nearby were two adult Curlew Sands with Dunlin.
At least 20 Med Gulls (62 later apparently) were noted and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.
Cheers
Jono
Irene Boston
Well-known member
Great Scott...
Or .... Great Spotted Cuckoo just come on pager.
Salthouse Gramborough Hill then flew south to hedge by Meadow Lane at 4.20pm. Good luck to anyone who manages to go for it .... not me, unfortunately!
Or .... Great Spotted Cuckoo just come on pager.
Salthouse Gramborough Hill then flew south to hedge by Meadow Lane at 4.20pm. Good luck to anyone who manages to go for it .... not me, unfortunately!
Titchwell July 23rd
Today's highlights
Ruff - 27 on fresh marsh
Common sandpiper - 2 on fresh marsh
Spotted redshank - 2 on fresh marsh
Dunlin - 121 on fresh marsh
Curlew sandpiper - 3 adults on fresh marsh
Little stint - 2 on fresh marsh
Golden plover - 1 on fresh marsh
Knot - 1100 on fresh marsh over high tide
Greenshank - 1 on brackish marsh
Marsh tit - 1 on feeders
Eider - 29 offshore
Whimbrel - 1 on beach
Water levels on the fresh marsh are now low with large areas of mud exposed. This is required to allow the contractors access to the base of the Parrinder wall before construction of the new seawall begins.
We are able to run water out of the reedbed and in front of the Island Hide (which will be open on Saturday) creating wet areas for the waders to feed in. This morning all the knot and dunlin were feeding within 20m of the hide.
If you would like any more information about the project, please feel free to talk to one of the Titchwell team when you are visiting and where possible I will try to keep you up-to-date with all the major developments when they happen.
Paul
Today's highlights
Ruff - 27 on fresh marsh
Common sandpiper - 2 on fresh marsh
Spotted redshank - 2 on fresh marsh
Dunlin - 121 on fresh marsh
Curlew sandpiper - 3 adults on fresh marsh
Little stint - 2 on fresh marsh
Golden plover - 1 on fresh marsh
Knot - 1100 on fresh marsh over high tide
Greenshank - 1 on brackish marsh
Marsh tit - 1 on feeders
Eider - 29 offshore
Whimbrel - 1 on beach
Water levels on the fresh marsh are now low with large areas of mud exposed. This is required to allow the contractors access to the base of the Parrinder wall before construction of the new seawall begins.
We are able to run water out of the reedbed and in front of the Island Hide (which will be open on Saturday) creating wet areas for the waders to feed in. This morning all the knot and dunlin were feeding within 20m of the hide.
If you would like any more information about the project, please feel free to talk to one of the Titchwell team when you are visiting and where possible I will try to keep you up-to-date with all the major developments when they happen.
Paul
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
Plagues of locusts, boils and flies I've read of- but ladybirds ? Gatekeepers ?
Ambling strollingly from the beach car park at Salthouse this afternoon, I noticed even more 7-spot Ladybirds than hitherto- a veritable plague of Pentateuchal proportions. Dozens and dozens were everywhere, including in the reeds. To add to this, the Gatekeepers seemed to have increased, if that were possible, since yesterday.
Aiming to ID the dragonfly I was unable properly to get on to the previous afternoon, I made my way towards the (apparently still circulating) Blyth’s Reed's bramble patch. As I did, I noticed some half a dozen Mipits and Linnets on its top behaving rather oddly. One of the Linnets was calling in a shrill trill I’d not heard before. As I approached the bush, a cuckoo flew out and away, causing me to think unbelievingly, ‘that looks like a Great Spotted Cuckoo’. It seemed to go down in the easternmost clump of shrubbery.
Just in case, I went around the top and flushed it again, almost as I was about to give up. I was now certain of its ID. This time, it flew over the field and into the hedge which runs along Meadow Lane, disappearing at once. I rang RBA and a few local birders immediately; the latter could assist in its relocation- or so I thought. This proved not to be the case and, after a long while, I started trudging disconsolatedly back towards the car park- only to flush it once more from its original bush.
A few of my trademark stentorian bellows alerted some of the birders (and the cows in the field, which started to moo loudly in discordant chorus!) on Meadow Lane (only a quarter of a mile away) to its airborne progress in their direction. Even so, a few didn’t notice it fly over their heads. More and more people then arrived and started to see it.
I’m getting a bit fed up with rare birds that disappear for ages straight after I find them: this kind of thing does nothing for my stress levels. I hope, too, that others have managed better results than my hopeless photo here.
Ambling strollingly from the beach car park at Salthouse this afternoon, I noticed even more 7-spot Ladybirds than hitherto- a veritable plague of Pentateuchal proportions. Dozens and dozens were everywhere, including in the reeds. To add to this, the Gatekeepers seemed to have increased, if that were possible, since yesterday.
Aiming to ID the dragonfly I was unable properly to get on to the previous afternoon, I made my way towards the (apparently still circulating) Blyth’s Reed's bramble patch. As I did, I noticed some half a dozen Mipits and Linnets on its top behaving rather oddly. One of the Linnets was calling in a shrill trill I’d not heard before. As I approached the bush, a cuckoo flew out and away, causing me to think unbelievingly, ‘that looks like a Great Spotted Cuckoo’. It seemed to go down in the easternmost clump of shrubbery.
Just in case, I went around the top and flushed it again, almost as I was about to give up. I was now certain of its ID. This time, it flew over the field and into the hedge which runs along Meadow Lane, disappearing at once. I rang RBA and a few local birders immediately; the latter could assist in its relocation- or so I thought. This proved not to be the case and, after a long while, I started trudging disconsolatedly back towards the car park- only to flush it once more from its original bush.
A few of my trademark stentorian bellows alerted some of the birders (and the cows in the field, which started to moo loudly in discordant chorus!) on Meadow Lane (only a quarter of a mile away) to its airborne progress in their direction. Even so, a few didn’t notice it fly over their heads. More and more people then arrived and started to see it.
I’m getting a bit fed up with rare birds that disappear for ages straight after I find them: this kind of thing does nothing for my stress levels. I hope, too, that others have managed better results than my hopeless photo here.
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Penny Clarke
Well-known member
July 23rd - evening
WOW - THANK YOU JOHN soooooooooooo much for finding the GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO. It has been a bird I have dreamed of seeing for such a long time. Thank you very much also to MG, PS and CR for ringing me also.:t:
Flew from King's Lynn - every imaginable obstacle was in my way, caravans, tractors, even a combine harvester delayed my journey, along with general work traffic. Arrived and parked just before Beach Road next to Pete S. who had already seen it and pointed me in the right direction. The first thing I heard was 'its just flown':-C BOTHER!!! anyway, just past the Beach Road turning there is a track on the right and that was where most people were standing - while standing with others it flew, but I did not see it!!!!!! Walked, ok I ran with others up the track to stand for quite a while to watch very carefully a bush where it was last seen to go in. Eventually it came out giving me brief views of it flying off up the hill (6.10pm) - AT LAST! Several of us walked to the end of the track around the bush where it had come out of and walked the other side of the hedge and up the edge of the field to have stupendous views of it sitting in an oak tree - this is where David A took his picture from on Surfbirds I think (nice pic:t. I got a few smudgy, distant record shots - wish I had had the guts to stand where a well known photographer stood!!!! Anyway - while watching this awesome bird I was on the phone to young Connor who was minutes away in the car - suddenly the bird took off over the hill beyond and about 30 seconds later I could see Connor at the bottom of the hill - I could have cried for him! When I met him at the bottom of the hill, he looked absolutely gutted:-C Anyway going back along the track towards the road again, someone had seen it go into some allotment/garden areas down the hill roughly inland of the fish n chip shop. Several people kept on looking. I then went off on my own and walked back to my car - since I had not even had any lunch I decided the fish n chip shop would do very nicely so went in and ordered vege burger and chips. I decided that it would be much more sensible to wait outside rather than in, just in case, you never know! And as I walked out of the shop I caught the back end of the Great Spotted Cuckoo who had just dived over the chip shop, over the A149 and was heading for the marshes towards Little Eye! Phoned Connor and alerted him which enabled him and others to pick it up flying towards the pill box. It landed on a bramble bush and sat for a while and then flew east to Gramborough Hill. Collected burger and chips and drove down Beach Road to watch it again on a bramble below Gramborough Hill and then it flew over marsh towards A149 where it was picked up later again by Connor, Billy, Ray etc at just before 9pm! I finished the evening with a seawatch at Coastguards where several gannets were going past on the horizon and a stunning rainbow and sunset.
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
P.S. I am especially glad Connor saw it being as he fell for my Great Spotted Cuckoo April fool in 2008!!!
WOW - THANK YOU JOHN soooooooooooo much for finding the GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO. It has been a bird I have dreamed of seeing for such a long time. Thank you very much also to MG, PS and CR for ringing me also.:t:
Flew from King's Lynn - every imaginable obstacle was in my way, caravans, tractors, even a combine harvester delayed my journey, along with general work traffic. Arrived and parked just before Beach Road next to Pete S. who had already seen it and pointed me in the right direction. The first thing I heard was 'its just flown':-C BOTHER!!! anyway, just past the Beach Road turning there is a track on the right and that was where most people were standing - while standing with others it flew, but I did not see it!!!!!! Walked, ok I ran with others up the track to stand for quite a while to watch very carefully a bush where it was last seen to go in. Eventually it came out giving me brief views of it flying off up the hill (6.10pm) - AT LAST! Several of us walked to the end of the track around the bush where it had come out of and walked the other side of the hedge and up the edge of the field to have stupendous views of it sitting in an oak tree - this is where David A took his picture from on Surfbirds I think (nice pic:t
. I got a few smudgy, distant record shots - wish I had had the guts to stand where a well known photographer stood!!!! Anyway - while watching this awesome bird I was on the phone to young Connor who was minutes away in the car - suddenly the bird took off over the hill beyond and about 30 seconds later I could see Connor at the bottom of the hill - I could have cried for him! When I met him at the bottom of the hill, he looked absolutely gutted:-C Anyway going back along the track towards the road again, someone had seen it go into some allotment/garden areas down the hill roughly inland of the fish n chip shop. Several people kept on looking. I then went off on my own and walked back to my car - since I had not even had any lunch I decided the fish n chip shop would do very nicely so went in and ordered vege burger and chips. I decided that it would be much more sensible to wait outside rather than in, just in case, you never know! And as I walked out of the shop I caught the back end of the Great Spotted Cuckoo who had just dived over the chip shop, over the A149 and was heading for the marshes towards Little Eye! Phoned Connor and alerted him which enabled him and others to pick it up flying towards the pill box. It landed on a bramble bush and sat for a while and then flew east to Gramborough Hill. Collected burger and chips and drove down Beach Road to watch it again on a bramble below Gramborough Hill and then it flew over marsh towards A149 where it was picked up later again by Connor, Billy, Ray etc at just before 9pm! I finished the evening with a seawatch at Coastguards where several gannets were going past on the horizon and a stunning rainbow and sunset.Best Wishes Penny:girl:
P.S. I am especially glad Connor saw it being as he fell for my Great Spotted Cuckoo April fool in 2008!!!
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Songkhran
Well-known member
Ive just moved to Blakeney and will be exploring the area as much as possible. Had 2 Spoonbill and a Green Sand on the flooded area directly to the East of the Village. Then was woken up by a Quail which was calling again in the evening but more distantly.
6 Manx Shearwaters flew East past Cley at 14.58. Then the peace was shattered with the news of the Great Spotted Cuckoo. A good start
Mark Fleming
6 Manx Shearwaters flew East past Cley at 14.58. Then the peace was shattered with the news of the Great Spotted Cuckoo. A good start
Mark Fleming
Mark Grantham
Well-known member
Happisbirder
Always looking, seldom finding...
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
Were they just a tad cuckoo ?
Returning to the site of yesterday's quite good spot (Gramborough Hill), I was dismayed to find a whole load of birders on the skyline, overlooking the bushes where the Cuckoo had been and, as I understand, feeding on fat, juicy caterpillars this morning. Not just there, but standing in front of the bush from which it was first flushed.
A bird would have to be more than cuckoo to fly anywhere vaguely in the vicinity of that lot. Fieldcraft ?
On a lighter note and of different hue from the increasing (is it possible?) numbers of 'red' ladybirds, a 14-spot yellow one- Propylea 14-punctata. This was on the top of Gramboro'- where I sat down below the skyline, before anyone says anything. Unfortunately, it didn't blow up too well.
Also sweet (didn't taste them, honest, guv) was the pair of young French Partridges behind the Visitor Centre at Cley. They seemed completely oblivious to the dangers that humans pose. Mum (?) was incredibly brave in shepherding her offspring.
Returning to the site of yesterday's quite good spot (Gramborough Hill), I was dismayed to find a whole load of birders on the skyline, overlooking the bushes where the Cuckoo had been and, as I understand, feeding on fat, juicy caterpillars this morning. Not just there, but standing in front of the bush from which it was first flushed.
A bird would have to be more than cuckoo to fly anywhere vaguely in the vicinity of that lot. Fieldcraft ?
On a lighter note and of different hue from the increasing (is it possible?) numbers of 'red' ladybirds, a 14-spot yellow one- Propylea 14-punctata. This was on the top of Gramboro'- where I sat down below the skyline, before anyone says anything. Unfortunately, it didn't blow up too well.
Also sweet (didn't taste them, honest, guv) was the pair of young French Partridges behind the Visitor Centre at Cley. They seemed completely oblivious to the dangers that humans pose. Mum (?) was incredibly brave in shepherding her offspring.
Attachments
Titchwell July 24th
Today's highlights
Spoonbill - 1 on fresh marsh
Curlew sandpiper - 4 on fresh marsh
Spotted redshank - 1 on fresh marsh
Whimbrel - 3 on fresh marsh
Little stint - 1 on fresh marsh
Greenshank - 5 on brackish marsh
Eider - 20 offshore
Bittern - 1 on grazing marsh pool
Hobby - 1 south over Fen Hide
Paul
Today's highlights
Spoonbill - 1 on fresh marsh
Curlew sandpiper - 4 on fresh marsh
Spotted redshank - 1 on fresh marsh
Whimbrel - 3 on fresh marsh
Little stint - 1 on fresh marsh
Greenshank - 5 on brackish marsh
Eider - 20 offshore
Bittern - 1 on grazing marsh pool
Hobby - 1 south over Fen Hide
Paul
PYRTLE
Old Berkshire Boy
Follow firstreejohn (finder general)
Apart from the irrational braying, this guy is hot when it comes to recent self founds and is on course for a hatrick of Blyth's this autumn....now that would be an unbeatable record!.....but maybe its time to go west young man -Cley and Salthouse are hogging it this year. Well done again Sir J.
Apart from the irrational braying, this guy is hot when it comes to recent self founds and is on course for a hatrick of Blyth's this autumn....now that would be an unbeatable record!.....but maybe its time to go west young man -Cley and Salthouse are hogging it this year. Well done again Sir J.
dbradnum
Well-known member
"Along the track just north of the quags".... which is the one that turns west and becomes Meadow Lane, isn't it? Or do they mean the one running north to the sea from the NE corner of the pool? Either way, the cuckoo is still basically in the same place.
Songkhran
Well-known member
getting to know the area today, Blakeney Harbour had 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 13 Greenshank, 2-3 Whimbrel, lots of summer plumaged Golden Plover and Dunlin - muddy but worth it, The Blakeney floods had 5 Green Sandpiper, one Buddleia was brimming with Peacocks, Painted Ladies and Large Whites,
Mark Fleming
Mark Fleming
