[Sandra (Taylor)]

[quote=Penny Clarke;1139819]Hi Sandra

Weather doesn't look exactly brilliant does it I work all day on Sunday now so rely on a lovely sunny Saturday, I don't think I am going to get one!!!! They sometimes get it wrong, hopefully you may have a sunny day and if you don't, you can go in a cosy pub and have a scrummy pub lunch and a or sit in the Cley Visitor centre while eating a lovely dessert and scan across the marshes. Have a lovely time anyway.

Thanks for that Penny - now the weather has changed again - there's no sign of rain for the days we will be there. Turning colder with sunny intervals. I can put up with that! So things are looking up. Yes - I know things could change back! But all packed and ready to go now.

Hope we bump into you!

Sandra

[Penny Clarke]

Didn't go out until very, very late today - arrived Titchwell 4.30pm.

Didn't see anything unusual, but huge numbers of brent geese gathering, pintail, golden eye, spotted redshanks, red shanks, godwits, several little egrets, little grebe, shoveler, avocets, lapwing, pied wagtail, 2 marsh harriers, ringed plover, heard bearded tits, cettis warbler singing.

Best Wishes Penny

[On-Firecrest]

Hi all,
I went for the Wacton dark breasted barn owl today, it showed well almost constantly between 3to 5pm. There's a few record shots on my blog and i'm going to properly write it up tommorow.
cheers
steve

[postcardcv]

Popped down to Salthouse before work today, still at least three Lapland buntings in with the snows, showing extremely well.

[matt green]

Originally Posted by On-Firecrest

Hi all,
I went for the Wacton dark breasted barn owl today, it showed well almost constantly between 3to 5pm. There's a few record shots on my blog and i'm going to properly write it up tommorow.
cheers
steve

Very nice pics of the Owl, Steve

I was on the site myself this afternoon, though I was watching from the other end of the common away from the crowd!!!

Fast turning into the most photographed Owl in Norfolk!!...shame the Shorties didn't hang around for you!

Matt

[J Moss]

Quality day today. Holkham Park finally produced that mythical Lesser-spotted Woodpecker after 6 previous visits (including one 4 hour slog on a lovely sunny day) and 2 hours today, from 10. I pretty much walked into it! It was creeping along the head height branches of the Sweet Chestnuts to the right of the monument (facing the lake). Beautiful male. I was able to watch it for a good 5 minutes in the sun before it made its way high into the tree tops and dissapeared. First one I've seen in Norfolk. Also seen were the usual GSWs, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, about 30 Redwings, Tufted Ducks, Shovelers and Pochards on the lake.

Holkham Pines and Lady Annes Drive produced c700 Pink-feet with one Ross's Goose (unrung, for what its worth) and 3 Barnicle Geese, 1 male Goldeneye on the saltwater pool, 1 Barn Owl roosting in Meals barn and 1 fem Marsh Harrier. A large finch flock around Joe Jordan hide contained about 40+ Goldfinches, slightly fewer Chaffinches, c12 Brambling, 1 Siskin and the usual tits and Goldcrests knocking loosely about. Still had some lingering hopes of seeing the Firecrest thats been seen, and on the home stretch back to the end of Lady Annes Drive, BAM! There it was. One of my fav birds. This was turning out to be one of my better days...

Warham roost produced 4 female-type Hen Harriers, 3 Marsh Harriers (1 male), 1 Barn Owl, 1 Merlin and a Peregrine harrassing 2 Hen and 2 Marsh Harriers!

Owl roost turned up one very brief Long-eared view in blustery conditions, 2 Barn Owls, 2 Woodcock, a couple of Snipe, 6 Teal and one Tawny calling

Whew, I'm shattered!

Jason

[Selsey Birder]

Originally Posted by J Moss

Quality day today. Holkham Park finally produced that mythical Lesser-spotted Woodpecker after 6 previous visits (including one 4 hour slog on a lovely sunny day) and 2 hours today, from 10. I pretty much walked into it! It was creeping along the head height branches of the Sweet Chestnuts to the right of the monument (facing the lake). Beautiful male. I was able to watch it for a good 5 minutes in the sun before it made its way high into the tree tops and dissapeared. First one I've seen in Norfolk (total 230 now). Also seen were the usual GSWs, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, about 30 Redwings, Tufted Ducks, Shovelers and Pochards on the lake.

Holkham Pines and Lady Annes Drive produced c700 Pink-feet with one Ross's Goose (unrung, for what its worth) and 3 Barnicle Geese, 1 male Goldeneye on the saltwater pool, 1 Barn Owl roosting in Meals barn and 1 fem Marsh Harrier. A large finch flock around Joe Jordan hide contained probably 40+ Goldfinches, slightly fewer Chaffinches, c12 Brambling, 1 Siskin and the usual tits and Goldcrests knocking loosely about. Still had some lingering hopes of seeing the Firecrest thats been seen, and on the home stretch back to the end of Lady Annes Drive, BAM! There it was. One of my fav birds. This was turning out to be one of my better days...

Warham roost produced 4 female-type Hen Harriers, 3 Marsh Harriers (1 male), 1 Barn Owl, 1 Merlin and a Peregrine harrassing 2 Hen and 2 Marsh Harriers!

Owl roost turned up one very brief Long-eared view in blustery conditions, 2 Barn Owls, 2 Woodcock, a couple of Snipe, 6 Teal and one Tawny calling

Whew, I'm shattered!

Jason

Congratulations Jason,

That Lesser Spot is a mythical bird, i spent hours there two weeks ago. I heard it call and drum in the area you describe, but could never tie the blighter down. Delighted your persistence paid off for you today.

[J Moss]

Thanks Ian. It was a lot of work (a good 16 hours spent searching, at least!), but definitely worth it in the end. I envy your Pallas' Warbler. We got plenty of Yellow-brows out this way last autumn, but only one or two Pallas'. A bird I'd really love to see.

Jason

[Selsey Birder]

Thanks Jason,

I had waited a long time for that little devil and it was worth every minute !!!

[J Moss]

Btw, year list is now on 141, and Norfolk list is up to 230, with Lesser-spotted Woodpecker added. I'm sure someone out there finds that absolutely fascinating!

Jason

[Connor Rand]

A good morning out in the Sandringham/Wolferton/Dersingham Bog area, a Golden Pheasant heard on the Wolferton Triangle, a Sand Martin over the boardwalk at Dersingham Bog (!), a small group of c. 5 Crossbills heard in that area as well and 2+ Woodlarks, as well as good numbers of commoner species such as 40+ Siskins, 5 Stonechats, 14 Meadow Pipits.

Also a singing male Firecrest 'nearby'

Cheers,

Connor

p.s more on my blog.

[kittykat23uk]

Ended up at Wacton common today the SEO was showing well. :)

[matt green]

Originally Posted by kittykat23uk

Ended up at Wacton common today the SEO was showing well. :)

If I'd have known you were there I would have popped over! I was up the other end by the hall!!

Dark Breasted still showing well also..

Matt

[Ilya Maclean]

A few bits and bobs this weekend, including Rough-legged Buzzard (not twitched), a couple of Chiffchaffs and Willow Tits and a Long-tailed Duck. Details (as ever) on my website.

Edit: ps nice pics Matt and well done on the lesser-pecker Jason. Took me four goes to get the one at Santon Downham, so I can sympathise with the effort required!

[kittykat23uk]

Originally Posted by matt green

If I'd have known you were there I would have popped over! I was up the other end by the hall!!

Dark Breasted still showing well also..

Matt

We thought we might have seen you! Unfortunately we were't out for long as we had planned to bird earlier in the day when the weather was a bit warmer, but just happened to be in the area having stopped off at the Banham Barrel and thought we'd pop in to see the owls. Looks like your patience is paying off- you are getting some great shots of the owls!

[Songkhran]

Been Mainly patching it recently and nothing spectacular but rewarding nonetheless.
Small passage of Stonechat noted, 13 between Kelling Heath and Weybourne Heath on thurs, the 5 at Weybourne having disappeared by Sunday, they could have been 5 of the 6 at the back of Besston Bump in newly ploughed field on Sunday.
Also on Sun, a Jackdaw showing strong characteristics of Nordic on Beeston Regis. Jacks seem to be an 'unpopular bird', but searching through Jacks was enjoyable because 1) Jacks are super cool birds that get criminally ignored and 2) rewarding to be taking a closer look at something quite common and adding a new dimension to it. The Nordic showed a whitish collar/ thick crescent on the side of the neck but not blinding white, theres very little info on them and some sources state that some of the Nordics interbreed with the western race - so problematic to claim a definite Nordic. Recent bird report paint a picture that a Nordic is about as frequent in Norfolk as something like a Black-necked Grebe or Little Bunting! but presumably they are extremely underreported.

Also in same field a leucistic Woodpigeon and nearby Chiffchaff, patch has produced Merlin, Barn Owl, Woodcock and flock of around 300 Siskin in last few days, waiting for the first hirundines...

[J Moss]

Thanks to excelent advice from Connor, I managed to see both Woodlark and Crossbills at Dersingham Bog this morning. The Woodlark caught my attention in songflight over my head, and then proceded to feed in the low-cut heather for most of the morning. A group of 4 Crossbills flew over calling , but flew out of view, so no good views sadly. Also seen were c6 Brambling and the other usual Mipits, Stonechats, Siskins and Reed Buntings.

Titchwell produced 3 Med Gulls (1 adult over the sea and 2 2ndW birds from Parrinder), 2 Spotshanks and the Black Brant, along with the other bumph (too tired to recite)

Jason

[Connor Rand]

Glad you had sucess Jason- well done.

[Penny Clarke]

I have started a Birding in your lunch break thread if anyone wants to add to it


http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=108395

[Penny Clarke]

Today I went to Bawsey in my lunchbreak. Even though its very close to King's Lynn I have never actually been there!!!! It looks fantastic. Short turfed grass with a path following the vast pit, loads of gorse in flower, birches and pines, it was MUCH better than I imagined it to be. But does look a bit lonely if you know what I mean.

Between 1.10 and 1.50pm:

A fantastic flock in the pines of Siskens, Greenfinches, chaffinches and goldfinches - its a long time since I have seen this many finches together, some were feeding off the pines cones and some were feeding on the ground, I couldn't believe how many there were! Also jackdaws, rooks, carrion crows, jay, pied wagtail. On the water; black headed gulls, common gulls and black backed gulls, 15 canada geese, loads of greylag geese, 2 egyptian geese and moorhens and coots dabbling by the water's edge. I was having such a lovely time, I almost forgot to go back to work!!!

Best Wishes Penny

[JimMorris]

Nice photos Matt, especially No 3. I hope they are still around when I visit Norfolk for a few days at the end of April

[matt green]

Originally Posted by kittykat23uk

Looks like your patience is paying off- you are getting some great shots of the owls!

Thanks!!

Though the other eighty odd pics taken the other day were total sh...

I was taking to the farmer who lives by the common recently and he remarked how few mice have been trapped in his barn...the mild weather seems to have aided something of a food explosion which may explain why there has been so many Owls attracted to the site recently. It certainly is quite a surreal experiance watching the two Short Eareds and Barn Owls all out hunting together ..often robbed of catches by the resident Kestrel!!

Matt

[Penny Clarke]

Originally Posted by Connor Rand

Indeed, all over the dunes, and they seem to be getting earlier and earlier in the morning every year

Connor

Hi Connor

In Lynn News today, follow up from previous dog ban letter!

Note the paragraph which mentions that dogs might be banned from Holme, that would be the most fantastic thing to happen!!!!!!

http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/Dog-b...ast.3836999.jp

Best Wishes Penny

[On-Firecrest]

Hi all,
Does anybody have any Firecrest Gen, they're willing to share with me?(via pm if nessecary)preferably in the brecks...i think it's about time I saw one of my biggest bogey birds.
Thanks in advance.

[matt green]

Originally Posted by On-Firecrest

Hi all,
Does anybody have any Firecrest Gen, they're willing to share with me?(via pm if nessecary)preferably in the brecks...i think it's about time I saw one of my biggest bogey birds.
Thanks in advance.

Lynford arboretum, by the red brick italianate pavilion thing! ..was told the bushes around the area was quite reliable...though obviously not guaranteed!

Most reliable spot I know of is by the first blue dog turd bin from the walk at Lady Anns Drive on the way to the Washington hide..(Holkham NNR)

Good luck!

Matt