Norfolk birding (6 Viewers)

[sacha]

Funny looking bird amongst the Brents at Cley this afternoon. Assumed leucistic?

There was a recent paper in Birding World covering the various plumage anomalies and variations.. It talked about 'brown' plumage and other forms. In old speak it is leucistic.
It has been in the area a while
Weird chocolate looking thing
Sacha

 

[paulptct]

Firecrest

I'll be heading south today, can anyone give me a map ref or directions for the Gunton Firecrests.
Thanks in advance.

 

[john miller]

Funny looking bird amongst the Brents at Cley this afternoon. Assumed leucistic?

There were two around last winter, presume this is a returning bird.

John

www.kellingnature.zenfolio.com

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell November 11th

Today's highlights

Snow bunting - 8 on beach
Black throated diver - 1 offshore
Slavonian grebe - 2 offshore
Avocet - 6 on fresh marsh
Water pipit - 1 on fresh marsh
Starling - 5420 west 10:00 - 13:00

Snettisham this morning 07:00-08:00
Pink footed goose - 10820 left roost
Starling - 50,000 south
Fieldfare - 20,000 south
Redwing - 1,000 south
Peregrine - 1 hunting over mud

Paul

 

[Bilvo]

Some very nice views of Short-eared Owl yesterday at Titchwell.

Cheers

Graham Clarke

http://grahamsphoto.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/neither-autumn-or-winter.html

Fantastic photos Graham :t:

 

[QuentinDupriez]

Hi all,

Does anyone know more (location, access) about the Parrot Crossbills in Holt ?

Thanks !
Quentin

 

[Phil Andrews]

Hi all,

Does anyone know more (location, access) about the Parrot Crossbills in Holt ?

Thanks !
Quentin

12+ in the car park of the Country Park briefly this morning before flying off and not seen since

 

[Locostella]

Hi all,

Does anyone know more (location, access) about the Parrot Crossbills in Holt ?

Thanks !
Quentin

Hey Quentin,

From what I hear, the birds were seen by a very reliable source from the carpark of the country park this morning. If it's directions your after, the entrance to the park is around 1/3 of the way between Holt and the village of Edgefield (arriving from the Holt side) and is signposted. As well as here, there is much habitat suitable for crossbills, including large parts of Holt Lowes (Roller site) and opposite the Lowes, but not all fully accessible.

In terms of the sugar Brents, I believe the birds are now in their 3rd year of wintering in Norfolk. First turning up in 2010, but I may be wrong.

Hope this is of some help.

Kieran

 

[93Birder]

Hey Quentin,

From what I hear, the birds were seen by a very reliable source from the carpark of the country park this morning. If it's directions your after, the entrance to the park is around 1/3 of the way between Holt and the village of Edgefield (arriving from the Holt side) and is signposted. As well as here, there is much habitat suitable for crossbills, including large parts of Holt Lowes (Roller site) and opposite the Lowes, but not all fully accessible.

In terms of the sugar Brents, I believe the birds are now in their 3rd year of wintering in Norfolk. First turning up in 2010, but I may be wrong.

Hope this is of some help.

Kieran

I feel like another trip to Bacton Woods is looming...

 

[richardm]

Just to save too many wasted visits...
I saw these birds this morning - however, they were in the car-park only briefly. I 'scoped four of them, and three at least looked good Parrots; I only knew there were more than six when the flock flew off; all of them uttering the same loud ringing calls, so I reckoned a pure flock. I estimated a dozen or maybe 15 birds. They had been silent when perched, snipping off (but failing to open and soon dropping) a few cones. The flock appeared to head off south towards the Lowes but they never returned to the car-park and subsequent searching failed dismally. In my experience of the Country Park, the advice is simple: do not to expect any crossbill sightings easily at this huge site, if at all..! Bacton Woods is a walk in the park compared to the Holt CP/Lowes area!

 

[paulptct]

Bacton Woods is a walk in the park compared to the Holt CP/Lowes area!

Richard, is there a specific area of Bacton Woods that you can recommend, with directions please.

 

[paulptct]

Bacton Woods is a walk in the park compared to the Holt CP/Lowes area!

Richard, is there a specific area of Bacton woods that you can recommend, with directions please.

 

[sacha]

Richard, is there a specific area of Bacton woods that you can recommend, with directions please.

Walk south from the car park, past small lake. Where main path bends round and loops back round to the car park. This area has the largest pines. Just a case of walking round and listening.
Big area and flocks move a lot but as Richard says easier than Holt CP to cover.
Not heard of any Crossbill flocks reported from there either for a while
Sacha

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell November 12th

Today's highlights

Twite - 8 on east beach late afternoon
Snow bunting - 2 on beach
Goosander - 4 west
Marsh harrier - 15 roosted this evening

Paul

 

[richardm]

Andy Stoddart relocated the Parrot Crossbills in Holt CP and varying numbers then showed several times near the car-park.
We saw a flock of ten birds several times, but 1, 2, 6 also seen ... so 10+ Parrots there today, maybe still 12-15-ish in total... all adults, with males and females in roughly equal proportion.
A few lenses were pointed this afternoon, e.g. Steve Gantlett's here:
http://www.birdingworld.co.uk/Norfolk Birds Gallery1.htm
Late morning/early afternoon may be favourite, and the best tactic may be to loiter at the car-park, listening; you'll hear them long before seeing them!
Remember to buy a p&d ticket though, as the parking inspectors are very active here..

Richard

 

[Locostella]

Parrots

Just a quick record shot and some digi-video from todays Parrots at Holt.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCtBwwD88DE

 

[QuentinDupriez]

Thanks for your answers !

At least 10 Parrots were showing well from the car park at 1250.

Quentin

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell November 13th

Today's highlights

Snow bunting - 50 at Thornham Point mid morning then flew west across Thornham harbour towards Holme
Twite - 10 on east beach near old tanks
Crossbill - 1 west over visitor centre
Short eared owl - 1 hunting the grazing meadow all day
Hooded crow - 1 on reserve briefly this morning
Water pipit - 1 in drained grazing meadow pool
White fronted goose - 1 with greylag flock
Spotted redshank - 4 on saltmarsh

Paul

 

[Yashca]

Hi there, hope you don't mind me posting this on the main thread, but I was hoping to visit Norfolk from out of county tomorrow - hoping to try and see Thayer's Gull and Parrot crossbills. Unfortunately I've managed to drop and ruin my scope today, so I wondered if anyone else was looking for parrots tomorrow that may be willing to team up?

Finger's crossed.

 

[93Birder]

Hi there, hope you don't mind me posting this on the main thread, but I was hoping to visit Norfolk from out of county tomorrow - hoping to try and see Thayer's Gull and Parrot crossbills. Unfortunately I've managed to drop and ruin my scope today, so I wondered if anyone else was looking for parrots tomorrow that may be willing to team up?

Finger's crossed.

The parrots were bloody hard work today! Basically everyone spent the day in the car parking waiting no offence but not really my thing, I wondered off to the tip to look for some gulls and on the way back had 4 flying over calling flying towards the pond. Quickly rushed back to tell everyone else, people didn't seem to believe me... A couple did and followed and we had good views of a male just in front of the pond as well as 2 other birds. But besides that no other sightings all day.