[Tim Allwood]

good morning

seeing as other areas have their own threads and seeing as Norfolk is such a ppular place with people always asking for info it seems remarkable that we don't have a thread for Norfolk birding.

So here's one.

Hopefully people can post helpful info, recent sightings, where to stay, where to get a good pint and all the other kind of birding stuff that pops into our minds form time to time as we drift through life...

Tim

[Tim Allwood]

this link provides a wealth of info on birding in Norfolk and should be useful place to start for those who aren't all that familiar with the county

http://www.fatbirder.com/links_geo/e...d_norfolk.html

[Keith Reeder]

Nice one Tim - I'll be down there again later this year, and I'd certainly find an active Norfolk thread to be very useful.

As you say - why has it taken so long?

[Gavin Haig]

Originally Posted by Keith Reeder

As you say - why has it taken so long?

Just needed someone to take the plunge - well done Tim. Look forward to following this thread......and Tim, hope you're going to treat us to reports of some of YOUR endeavours (at Waxham et al.)??

[Karl J]

hi there. went up around the Horsey & Hickling lanes the other day - 3 harriers, 1 Kestrel & a GS Woodpecker from Stubb Mill, with a singing Blackcap in the bushes that wouldn't come out.

2 Hobby's along the lane behind Rush Hill / Potter Heigham church (... that lane has been resurfaced recently & the council hasn't bothered clearing up the excess stones so watch out)

2 Yellow Wagtails between Hemsby & Winterton

And i see the poppies are in flower now too, very nice.


£2.20 for a cup of tea & choc-chip cookie at horsey mill tea stall. ... On the subject of tea drinking there's a good little cafe on Overstrand clifftop that does decent food, ok prices and serves you tea in a teapot that comes complete with a second pot of hot water. Nice view out to sea too

(btw Tim, weren't you trying to get a 4x4 up onto Waxham beach Saturday morning was it ? Honestly, some people)

[HarassedDad]

On the subject of Horsey, can I recommend Summerton Staith, just down the road. From Horsey Mill head down the coast road towards Winterton. Just after the first S bend you'll see the staith on your right - there's a small car park just by the phone box) Take the path to the right of the staith for a short (half-mile?) ramble with excellent views over towards the raptor roost at Hickling. This is a great spot for close views of Marsh Harriers. We had a male within 60yds last week hunting the dyke in the field between the path and Horsey Mill.

[Tim Allwood]

cheers Dad

I'm off to Horsey in a few minutes to have a look at the seals: Park at Nelson Head track just past the pub, walk to coast and then south until you encounter the seals. Keep a sensible distance - you can get amazing photographs...

Honey's are back at Ryburgh and Monty's at the recent site - PM for Monty's details if you don't know where to go.

[Tim Allwood]

there's a dead Harbour poropise 3/4 mile south of end of Nelson Head Track on the beach.

bit gruesome but very fresh - see http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=59919

worth a look if you're nearby

Tim

[stew the smew]

Tim, you couldn't by any chance recommend a nice town with a few decent boozers close to a good spot for birding could ya?

I'm going to Birmingham for my birthday in a couple of weeks, one of the conditions being we shoot over to Norfolk for a Friday night drink/Saturday morning twatch.

We'll be going over via Peterbrough to pick another couple up so I think we'd be looking at somewhere northish however I will travel to any hotspot in the area.

Cheers,

Stew

[Tim Allwood]

Hey Stew

Red Lion in Stiffkey is great

Jolly Sailors in Burnham Deepdale

Ostrich Inn South Creake nr Montys site

Three Swallows in Cley

Dun Cow in Salthouse

King's Head in Letheringsett

King's Head in Holt

Nelson in Burnham Deepdale

all nice, esp those on coast road

Tim

[Tim Allwood]

Woodchat at Metton, couple of miles south of Cromer

Temm's Stint at Buckenham

flock of Crossbills (c.40) best seen from Kelling Camp site. Drive into camp site, owner friendly etc...

might be worth checking Horsey / Hickling area for Red-foots in next few days... and keep an eye open on coast for green birds trilling overhead!

[josh jones]

Originally Posted by Tim Allwood

Hey Stew

Red Lion in Stiffkey is great

Jolly Sailors in Burnham Deepdale

Ostrich Inn South Creake nr Montys site

Three Swallows in Cley

Dun Cow in Salthouse

King's Head in Letheringsett

King's Head in Holt

Nelson in Burnham Deepdale

all nice, esp those on coast road

Tim

couldn't agree more Tim. White Horse in Brancaster Staithe is cracking, as is the Lifeboat in Thornham - the latter can get busy...

... anyway back to the birds...

[nigelblake]

Originally Posted by stew the smew

I'm going to Birmingham for my birthday in a couple of weeks, one of the conditions being we shoot over to Norfolk for a Friday night drink/Saturday morning twatch.
Stew

Just pondering what a twatch is, sounds like lots more fun than a twitch!!!

The Ark Royal in Wells next the Sea serves a damn good pint of Woodfordes Wherry ale.

[Tim Allwood]

Originally Posted by nigelblake

Just pondering what a twatch is, sounds like lots more fun than a twitch!!!

The Ark Royal in Wells next the Sea serves a damn good pint of Woodfordes Wherry ale.

A Twatch - Collective noun for a group of twitchers Nige?

Ark Royal fish n chips very good too

Golden Fleece in Wells... for those who want a little bit of weekend excitement

not much birdwise... poss Black Kite in the north but flowers, dragonflies and butterflies are coming on well... feel free to post details of interesting stuff on here...

Tim

[stew the smew]

Great stuff Tim thanks a lot mate.

Was looking at Wells for a place to stay possibly.

We got told off by some experienced birders for referring to it as 'twitching'. twotch and twetch didn't sound quite right although I quite like twutch myself.

So twatching has stuck.

Happy twatching one and all!

Stew

[HarassedDad]

I've created a public calendar which lists all public wildlife events for the next few months in Norfolk. Hopefully this link will work:
http://www.google.com/calendar/rende...public%2Fbasic

[trealawboy]

Originally Posted by HarassedDad

I've created a public calendar which lists all public wildlife events for the next few months in Norfolk. Hopefully this link will work:
http://www.google.com/calendar/rende...public%2Fbasic

Excellent, works a treat for me!

[Rob Smallwood]

Just back from Tim's back yard - great few days.

Landed lucky with the Pacific Golden Plover - was in the Rush Hills scrape hide on own when news broke, and just as we were grilling this slim, tall Goldie with black extending beyond the legs - we never found out who reported it - perhaps someone viewing from the boat only access hide? Was rather fun to watch the locals come running up the footpath!

Hickling reserve turned up the usual Cranes, Beardies, Hobby & Marsh Harrier with a few Swallowtails on the wing. The PGP was with a Little and a Tem Stint.

Spoonbill at Sathouse, Nightjar and Barn Owl in Salthouse churchyard were nice, as were the array of raptors.

As we seem to be very close to "outing" the world's worst kept secret, the Monty's have moved aroad further west and showing fantastically - more than I can say for the Ryburgh HB's!

Finally called in a Weeting where the Stone Curlews are showing well, so lets leave the other, less well protected sites alone eh?

[Tim Allwood]

glad you enjoyed it Rob

not many connected with the PGP

Rustic Bunt at Overstrand but elusive... spoonie still Salthouse, expect the odd Quail to be calling and might be worth checking a few of the fens/broads at night like Hickling or Strumphaw for Spotted Crakes calling - like a tap drip

might make the coast early b4 the footy tomorrow

[dbradnum]

If you look at the surfbirds rarity page, there's an excellent shot of the PGP by Andy Kane - I believe he's got access to the "boat only" hide, and it seems likely he found it. The photo certainly looks far too good to have been taken from the regular hide.

Changing subject, that Rustic Bunting is very tempting... it's one of the more straightforward sibes that I'm still missing! Get someone to nail it down for me, Tim...

[Rob Smallwood]

My sister is still in Norfolk and just called to say she'd had cracking views of the Rustic in the open feeding on grass seed on the lawn there - so get there now!

[Karl J]

Swallowtail butterflies at Upton Fen today.

1 Hobby

dragonflies too, but haven't seen any Norfolk Hawkers yet (hope the Hobby's haven't eaten them all)

wildflowers coming along nicely

Sunshine .... yay ...

[Tim Allwood]

Swallowtails and Norfolk Hawkers are out at Strumpshaw and I managed to get some cracking views today, including both species next to each other on the same plant.

Can be seen on the public path to the west of the reserve in the garden of the house on the right, in amongst the flower bed or feeding in the rougher grass further back and right. Several on the reserve too and a few interesting plants like Milk Parsley, Marsh Pea, Saw Sedge and Hemp Agrimony etc...

no Spotted crakes have been calling yet though

[matt green]

Originally Posted by Tim Allwood

Swallowtails and Norfolk Hawkers are out at Strumpshaw and I managed to get some cracking views today, including both species next to each other on the same plant.

Can be seen on the public path to the west of the reserve in the garden of the house on the right, in amongst the flower bed or feeding in the rougher grass further back and right. Several on the reserve too and a few interesting plants like Milk Parsley, Marsh Pea, Saw Sedge and Hemp Agrimony etc...

no Spotted crakes have been calling yet though

don't suppose you noted any avocets etc at buckenham?

matt

[Tim Allwood]

Hi Matt

I didn't drop in there, was too bloody hot. There were Black Terns reported there earlier

Any keen to see Swallowtails could also try How Hill or Catfield Fen reserves

Tim