Norfolk birding (86 Viewers)

[Irene Boston]

Hi Irene,
You may know that I now only work two days a week. Guess which two? Yep! Thursday and Friday. I'll pop in for 1/2 hr or so tomorrow before School, so will probably be one (or maybe even two) dips up on you before Saturday!

That's what I call rotten luck! Well, fire, famine or flood permitting, I shall be clocking up my next dip on Sat morning no doubt...

Irene

 

[Penny Clarke]

Black bellied dipper now on: http://www.cleybirds.com/Cley 2009.1.htm

 

[mr.sim]

I've recently finished designing my diary. Please feel free to view it here if you have time :t:

 

[Tractorboy69]

Purple Sand at Sheringham

For anyone up this way over the weekend, the Purple Sand is still at Sheringham.

It was originally on the rock piles around the end of the groynes out from the end of the High Street (easiest to park by the seawatching shelter and walk a couple of hundred yards east), then it flew along onto the exposed rocky foreshore beyond the far east end of the prom i.e almost below Beeston Bump.

Also now that the lake has thawed out, at least one (female) Mandarin has returned to Felbrigg Lake.


Simon

 

[Birding Bob]

Hi

There is also a Purple Sand showing at RSPB Snettisham from 3rd hide infront of the photography hide.

Regards

Robert

http://robertsnorfolkbirding.blogspot.com/

 

[Connor Rand]

Hi all,

back online following a week absence due to a nasty virus hitting my computer, so apologies if this feels like going back in time or I haven’t yet had a chance to reply to any PMs or emails. Well what a fantastic start to the new year, with the Killdeer at Saddlebow. Having been in the area all morning (coincidentally having a look at every channel bar the one the Killdeer was in of course) and having a good collection of birds (2 Smew, 1 imm. drake Scaup, 2 Goosanders) Irene and myself had 'gulled' Blackborough End Tip with no success and were at Dersingham Bog when news came through thanks to a kind phonecall. We arrived on site at c.13: 36 with David and Jaquie and David B. amongst others already there. I was able to have a few glances through someone else’s scope and a look through my scope before the bird flew as I got my camera out. It flew directly over the crowd calling and giving good views before veering south-west. A much-welcomed Norfolk tick (having agonisingly been in France for the Blakeney bird). Sincere commiserations to those who dipped – I normally tend to be one of the unlucky ones! Special mention to Pomskua who happened to miss it by about 40 seconds...

A few other bits recently as well, had the Great Grey Shrike on Dersingham Bog not long back and perhaps added an addition to the Dersingham Bog list in the huge surprise of 2 Whooper Swans south calling.

Good to see you on the forum Robert - haven't seen you at Holme for a while.

Some bits of interest - rarities submitted to the BBRC for this autumn from Norfolk include Baird's Sandpiper at Cley NWT, Lesser Kestrel at Stiffkey (seem to remember something about this), Yellow-breasted Bunting near Thornham Harbour and Arctic Warbler on Scolt Head Island - see http://www.bbrc.org.uk/The Records-for WIP on web.xls

 

[dbradnum]

Some bits of interest - rarities submitted to the BBRC for this autumn from Norfolk include Baird's Sandpiper at Cley NWT, Lesser Kestrel at Stiffkey (seem to remember something about this), Yellow-breasted Bunting near Thornham Harbour and Arctic Warbler on Scolt Head Island - see http://www.bbrc.org.uk/The Records-for WIP on web.xls

And not forgetting Fregata storm petrel off Sheringham in 2007 still doing the rounds... has there been any mention of this here that I've missed? Would be interested to hear more (PM if more appropriate).

 

[Birding Bob]

Hi all,

back online following a week absence due to a nasty virus hitting my computer, so apologies if this feels like going back in time or I haven’t yet had a chance to reply to any PMs or emails. Well what a fantastic start to the new year, with the Killdeer at Saddlebow. Having been in the area all morning (coincidentally having a look at every channel bar the one the Killdeer was in of course) and having a good collection of birds (2 Smew, 1 imm. drake Scaup, 2 Goosanders) Irene and myself had 'gulled' Blackborough End Tip with no success and were at Dersingham Bog when news came through thanks to a kind phonecall. We arrived on site at c.13: 36 with David and Jaquie and David B. amongst others already there. I was able to have a few glances through someone else’s scope and a look through my scope before the bird flew as I got my camera out. It flew directly over the crowd calling and giving good views before veering south-west. A much-welcomed Norfolk tick (having agonisingly been in France for the Blakeney bird). Sincere commiserations to those who dipped – I normally tend to be one of the unlucky ones! Special mention to Pomskua who happened to miss it by about 40 seconds...

A few other bits recently as well, had the Great Grey Shrike on Dersingham Bog not long back and perhaps added an addition to the Dersingham Bog list in the huge surprise of 2 Whooper Swans south calling.

Good to see you on the forum Robert - haven't seen you at Holme for a while.

Some bits of interest - rarities submitted to the BBRC for this autumn from Norfolk include Baird's Sandpiper at Cley NWT, Lesser Kestrel at Stiffkey (seem to remember something about this), Yellow-breasted Bunting near Thornham Harbour and Arctic Warbler on Scolt Head Island - see http://www.bbrc.org.uk/The Records-for WIP on web.xls

Cheers Conner

I also had a group of eight Whooper fly over early this month I think. Defintly weren't Mute.

Regerds

Robert

http://robertsnorfolkbirding.blogspot.com/:king:

 

[Tractorboy69]

Goosander at West Runton

Highlight of a days birding around the patch today was the unusual sight of a Goosander roosting on the rocky shoreline off West Runton beach car park late afternoon.

It was asleep when I found it but after a few dog walkers passed by, it eventually woke up and after a quick look round flew off strongly inland.

Checked Felbrigg Lake just in case it had gone there to roost but no sign, but the female Mandarin was still there and as usual it appears to be very attached to a drake Mallard! Also two Common Buzzards over the lake at dusk.

Simon

 

[Tractorboy69]

And not forgetting Fregata storm petrel off Sheringham in 2007 still doing the rounds... has there been any mention of this here that I've missed? Would be interested to hear more (PM if more appropriate).

David

I'm sure pomskua knows the full story, but my understanding of the record from someone who was there but didn't see it, was that it was seen by a few observers, including one very experienced seawatcher. It was seen briefly a few occasions as it moved through the troughs and the usual debate as to whether it was a Storm or Leach's ensued, but on the third or fourth view it was seen to have white underparts!

Unfortunately the views were not conclusive to pin it down to any specific species hence being submitted as Fregata Sp.

To confuse matters it seems to have been reported in some publications as a Wilson's and although it was promptly reported it only came on the pager as a petrel sp, so guess, like myself, people would have assumed it was a Storm/Leach's so maybe no one made the effort to pick it up further along the coast which in hindsight was obviously a mistake!

Simon

 

[mr.sim]

13 Goosander at Denver Sluice this morning along with a flock of 15 Teal and 6 Tufted Duck - but no Scaups...

Note: The road through Denver village to get to the sluice (Sluice Road) is not completely closed at the moment despite signs saying so. Work is only being done on one side of the road at the moment so temporary traffic lights are in place and single file traffic is allowed through.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell January 17th

Today's highlights

Black brant - adult on fresh marsh
Jack snipe - 1 on fresh marsh
Water pipit - 1 on fresh marsh islands from Parrinder Hide
Spotted redshank - 9 on fresh marsh
Ruff - 18 on fresh marsh
Red necked grebe - 1 offshore
Long tailed duck - drake offshore
Eider - 10 offshore
Snow bunting - 24 at Thornham Point
Twite - 10 at Thornham Point
Short eared owl - 1 hunting over saltmarsh at dawn and dusk
Common buzzard - 1 over saltmarsh
Bittern - 1 from Fen Hide during morning only

Paul

 

[Irene Boston]

Black-bellied Dipper - dip 11

Glandford Dipper... does anyone regularly watching the area know if it frequents any other stretches of the Glaven, e.g. Letheringsett Mill which has hosted the species before?

I can't claim to watch the area regularly as I'm in Dersingham, but I can claim to have dipped regularly, so I don't know if that counts?! I'm not sure if it's been seen on any other stretches, but I spent this morning checking some of the following:

Letheringsett ford - water level too high and all the stones covered. It used to be possible to follow a permissive path south of here, but I think the access agreement came to an end?
Letheringsett Mill now has private signs up, so that stretch is no longer viewable.
It's possible to view a short stretch of the river at Letheringsett if you stand on the bridge on the main A148, at the risk of life, limbs and eardrums.

From the usual spots by the bridges at Natural Surroundings, if you walk back towards the road and following the permissive footpath left (south) into fields, it's possible to walk parallel to the river / Bayfield Lake and scope some sections of it distantly. After about half a mile, the path squelches left to cross a footbridge over the river and turns right, which gives you a view of another short stretch. But then this path goes left uphill away from the river (never followed this bit yet to see if it leads back round or gives more of a view from higher up).

Also from Natural Surroundings, you can walk north towards Glandford ford - again, viewing some bits of the river. The ford can also be accessed from the turning opposte Cley Spey in Glandford village.

I'm sure there are other bits which I must learn how to get at, but I've not heard anyone who's seen it other than from those bridges at Natural Surroundings.

Needless to say, I dipped ... again. I've got dipping this bird down to a fine art now! But a SEO and cracking male Hen Harrier to end with at Warham Greens brightened the day somewhat.

Irene

 

[thorin]

Anyone know if the GG Shrike is wintering on Dersingham bog again, if so any directions.

cheers nick

 

[Birding Bob]

Anyone know if the GG Shrike is wintering on Dersingham bog again, if so any directions.

cheers nick

Hi Nick

I last saw the Shrike on Monday so I guess it is wintering and it was around the Boardwalk.

Hope this helps Nick

Robert

http://robertsnorfolkbirding.blogspot.com/:king:

 

[Irene Boston]

Anyone know if the GG Shrike is wintering on Dersingham bog again, if so any directions.

It's also been seen in the Castle Rising area (at least I'm assuming it's the same bird), so it might be an idea to check there too.

Irene

 

[Songkhran]

David

I'm sure pomskua knows the full story, but my understanding of the record from someone who was there but didn't see it, was that it was seen by a few observers, including one very experienced seawatcher. It was seen briefly a few occasions as it moved through the troughs and the usual debate as to whether it was a Storm or Leach's ensued, but on the third or fourth view it was seen to have white underparts!

Unfortunately the views were not conclusive to pin it down to any specific species hence being submitted as Fregata Sp.

To confuse matters it seems to have been reported in some publications as a Wilson's and although it was promptly reported it only came on the pager as a petrel sp, so guess, like myself, people would have assumed it was a Storm/Leach's so maybe no one made the effort to pick it up further along the coast which in hindsight was obviously a mistake!

Simon

pretty much summed it up Simon, (glad to have you on board).The bird was seen in mid November during onshore winds, long after the main passage of seabirds had gone through, i was at work, i would have been down there otherwise! The very experienced birder got on it and was originally called as Leaches. was at this point watched by two observers, but the finder was later able to watch it for longer and crucially to see the underparts.
He had no idea what it was at the time but noted that the white extended right down the flanks and completely covered the underparts, he also noted that it had white underwing coverts. He said the wings where shorter and more rounded than Leaches. Fregetta petrels apparently have a quite characteristic habit of 'foot-skimming' the surface of the water but this behaviour was not noted.
Unfortunately at the time another experienced birder who used to be the voice of birdline east anglia was unfortunately not able to get on it. Further research afterwards pointed to a fregetta petrel - either White-bellied or Black-bellied Storm-Petrel. The observer has said he cannot be sure of which but the main part of the submission is to alert other seawatchers that this species could be a potential vagrant to Britain.

In a situation like this you can either have no opinion or believe it or not. This bird has been thoroughly discussed down the shelters and like most controversial seabirds some are firmly in the camp that it was a Leaches including the other observer. Having done a fair bit of seawatching with this chap last year, i have full respect for his abilities and he's sharp, confident and accurate, i'm inclined to believe this bird was a fregetta petrel...

anything can happen on a seawatch!!!

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=white-bellied storm petrel&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

http://images.google.co.uk/images?u...black-bellied+storm+petrel&btnG=Search+Images

 

[Songkhran]

Needless to say, I dipped ... again.

Irene

still full credit for actually checking other areas rather than the one area that the bird has been seen in - the little bugg£r must be along there somewhere!

 

[Irene Boston]

the little bugg£r must be along there somewhere!

I think by now it recognises my car and zips off up or downriver! I'm sure I've only touched the surface of the area really - the large scale OS reveals several more potential spots where roads and/or fords seem to be accessible. I suppose a lot depends how large its winter territory is ..... my guess would be, not horrendously large, but what is a feature of the area is how much of the river in the Glandford / Letheringsett area is just tantalising out of sight!

Irene

 

[Penny Clarke]

My best ever views this afternoon of a Jack Snipe at Titchwell from Parrinder hide in front of the bricks jutting from the water along with a water pipit, and a short eared owl over the marsh made up for having the car in the garage until lunchtime! Zipped up to Choosely but too late in day for any corn buntings/yellow hammers!

Best Wishes Penny:girl: