Norfolk birding (81 Viewers)

[Penny Clarke]

At Holme NOA - Holme Bird Observatory today:

Over 2,000 Pink-feet were on the marsh and two Barnacle Geese were among them. Short-eared Owl, Tawny Owl (calling),Two Stonechats were along the approach road and the two Waxwings were again on wires opposite the car park in the afternoon. A female Blackcap was in the scrub.

Also Birdline:
Black eared kite still seen east of the small copse near the pumping station, south of the RSPB reserve at Snettisham. Glaucous gull at Cley NWT midway between North hide and east bank feeding off a dead seal on the beach, a Rough legged buzzard seen at Thorpe Marshes at 12.40pm and then headed off south towards Haddiscoe.

Wonderful to hear the waxwings have been there all week, might just have to go and see them again!!

 

[Karl J]

Do you mean weybread pits?,south east of harleston town

Matt

Was Flixton, matt. Spent a thoroughly satisfying day in deepest south Norfolk yesterday

around Thorpe marshes, Wheatacre, Burgh St Peter - big loose mixed flock of mostly Linnets & some Goldfinches & Greenfinches etc in a set-aside, but only a few winter thrushes about. 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 male Bullfinch, 1 Marsh Harrier

via the lovely Ellingham Mill then Bungay and Flixton Gravel Pits - a mix of ducks Pochard, Tufted ducks, Wigeon etc, and best of the bunch were about 30 Pintail, nice. 30 flyover Lapwings

from there not fancying the main A143 i came across a little lane skirting along the edge of an interesting & perhaps promising looking marsh (Mendham ? marshes ?) as far as Shotford bridge near Harleston. From where the country lanes up to Norwich (thro Shelton, Hempnall, Shotesham etc) were so deserted i only saw a handful of cars all the way.

Plenty of birds about though in what i had (obviosly incorrectly) assumed was a pretty birdless area - found a flock of Yellowhammers in a freshly ploughed field, saw 2 & heard one other 'yaffling' Green Woodpecker, a mixed flock c.100 Fieldfare & Redwing, Jay, Gt Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, plenty of singing Skylarks, a good few tit / finch flocks in the hedgerows and about 10 Meadow Pipits at the Caistor roman site. All in all well worth the effort, nice area.

edit - loadsa Snowdrops too,.... (how did i forget to say that first time?)

 

[DaveB]

Black-eared Kite

Hi,

We're thinking of trying for the Black-eared Kite again this sunday. Fingers crossed it will be kind to us this time.

Does any of you chaps know if the Lesser Yellowlegs, Shorelark and Snow Bunts are still about?

Thanks!

DaveB

 

[Penny Clarke]

Hi,

We're thinking of trying for the Black-eared Kite again this sunday. Fingers crossed it will be kind to us this time.

Does any of you chaps know if the Lesser Yellowlegs, Shorelark and Snow Bunts are still about?

Thanks!

DaveB

Good luck with the Black eared kite. There was no sign of the Lesser Yellowlegs on Saturday 10th, so don't think it has been seen since. Shorelark and snowbuntings can be seen from Snettisham sometimes, so you might see those along with the kite! or try Holkham Gap. I don't know of any definate sitings at the moment though, I am sure someone on here will though.

Best Wishes Penny :girl:

 

[SueBryan]

Good luck with the Black eared kite. There was no sign of the Lesser Yellowlegs on Saturday 10th, so don't think it has been seen since. Shorelark and snowbuntings can be seen from Snettisham sometimes, so you might see those along with the kite! or try Holkham Gap. I don't know of any definate sitings at the moment though, I am sure someone on here will though.

Best Wishes Penny :girl:

Shorelark still present about 200yards west of coastguards at Cley. Snow Buntings still at Salthouse. Glaucous Gull at Cley on beach,feeding on dead seal. (Piccy on my web site)
Sue

 

[DaveB]

Thanks Penny and Sue!

Not 100% sure if we will make the trip as we need a car full to share expenses, but any info is good to know.

We've tried twice for the Kite and both times it has been the day after it has moved. The first visit, it went to Cley and the second it returned to Snet. third time lucky |=)|

DaveB

 

[Edward woodwood]

beautiful morning out here

had a stroll around Horsey - six cranes, which Holly picked up about a mile away on call. Ended up with two almost overhead and quite low. Possibly the best views i've ever had of them - against a gorgeous blue sky. Marsh Harriers getting amorous in the spring-like weather. Few Cetti's and Stonechats much more in evidence.

 

[Penny Clarke]

Yes it certainly has been a beautiful day here too, very spring-like.

Arrived at Holme about 8.45am(ish) and along the approach road had the best ever views of a female Merlin flying low in bounding pattern in front of me and eventually landing on a post, my car acted as a brilliant hide and I got quite close, fantastic sight in the beautiful sunlight and as she turned her head the yellow around the eye glinted in the sun. Parked up on NOA carpark, no sign of the waxwings yet. Walked directly over towards dunes and walked along path towards the NOA seawatching point! Saw a Great Crested Grebe on the sea. Was meeting a friend (I was late again!) so walked to HBO, saw a female Blackcap just in bushes by the Observatory. Had a quick chat with Sophie. Saw 2 Canada Geese on the marsh. A lady came up to Obs. who had just seen one of the two Waxwings sitting on the wires again opposite NOA carpark!!! So after a cup of tea and chit chat (wasn't in a hurry because I saw them last Saturday) wandered with a friend to carpark - and the 2nd Waxwing had arrived now aswell, both sitting on the wires in brilliant sunshine, wow they looked stunning! well they did until impatient photographers got too close too quickly (crap fieldcraft) and then flew off a great speed towards 'Sunny Hunny'!!!! Saw a fieldfare in the buckthorn as well.

Went on to Wells with a friend for fish 'n' chips on the key, lots of Brents in the harbour, turnstone etc.

Went on to Holkham (tons of people and armfuls of dogs here, looked like a bank holiday!!!!!) Had close views of a female Marsh Harrier over the marsh. Walked as far as Joe Jordan Hide, saw a female Golden Eye and a Little Grebe on the Salt Pool, loads of goldcrests in the tall pines by Joe Jordan's hide and also heard something I have never heard before and I can't possibly describe on here what it sounded like, did see it fly (well sillouhette!), it was something similar size of robin (ish!!!), so if anyone's about there tomorrow keep yours peeled!!! Several great tits, blue and coal, chaffinches. Would have probably have seen more but I was with someone and I was probably doing most of the talking!!!! which is why I find it much more productive to go birding on ones own!!! Back at the carpark saw lots of Pinkfeet coming in, Shovelar, Shelduck, Wigeon,

Drove back to Holme to NOA and saw one Stonechat before dropping into parents for tea and buns!!!

Lovely day

Best Wishes Penny :girl:

 

[Penny Clarke]

Shorelark still present about 200yards west of coastguards at Cley. Snow Buntings still at Salthouse. Glaucous Gull at Cley on beach,feeding on dead seal. (Piccy on my web site)
Sue

Hi Sue

Off thread here I know, but just been looking at your website and I am extremely envious - you have just seen a WALLCREEPER in France Wow - that is my dream bird to see! If you ever nip across the channel again to look for Wallcreeper let me know, I'd give the world to see one!!!!!! Hope you are well.

Best Wishes Penny

 

[J Moss]

Hi Penny

Dunno if its the same bird, but I found a Mynah down that way sometime around Sept/Oct. Had a blue/purple sheen to it, and the call was a loud, piersing "sooo - sooo - sooo", with the pitch per note going "high - low - medium". The "sooo" sounds are like if you whistle loudly breathing in. However, the mynah was around blackbird sized.

Jason

also heard something I have never heard before and I can't possibly describe on here what it sounded like, did see it fly (well sillouhette!), it was something similar size of robin (ish!!!), so if anyone's about there tomorrow keep yours peeled!!!

 

[Penny Clarke]

Hi Penny

Dunno if its the same bird, but I found a Mynah down that way sometime around Sept/Oct. Had a blue/purple sheen to it, and the call was a loud, piersing "sooo - sooo - sooo", with the pitch per note going "high - low - medium". The "sooo" sounds are like if you whistle loudly breathing in. However, the mynah was around blackbird sized.

Jason

Hi Jason, brilliant description by the way!! but was smaller than blackbird. Thanks anyway.

Best Wishes Penny

 

[POP]

Rather delightful stroll around Nth Norfolk yesterday,90 species seen including Glaucous
Gull and Snow Buntings at Salthouse (memory's of Weybourne Willy) Only Meadow pipits no Rock or Water ones.2 Marsh Harriers at Cley.2 Waxwing's on the road to Holkham,4 Whitefronts just past the hall.14 Corn Buntings at Chosely Barns (no Grey Partridges).Noisy Cetti's at Titchwell not much on the sea but a Med Gull was nice. At Thornham 12 Twite,on to Hunstanton 5 Longtailed Duck,started going a bit downhill from here dipped on the Kite.But not a bad day for February.

POP

 

[HarassedDad]

Went to horsey yesterday for the seals (180+ on the beach!) and was treated to a magnificent barn owl crossing the path in front of us. 6ft away and as it crossed it swiveled its head and looked at us - the colours in the sunshine were just breath-taking.

Also a tree sparrow briefly in the hedge near the pub and a solitary bean goose in a field on the left of the track up to the beach. Lots of stonechats about.

Went to Winterton for a bacon butty and I've rarely seen it as full - bank holiday numbers. Mind you with butterbur in flower, hosting hoverflies, skylarks singing fit to burst in a blue sky, and us shedding layers cos we were too warm I could have believed it was easter.

 

[SueBryan]

Hi Sue

Off thread here I know, but just been looking at your website and I am extremely envious - you have just seen a WALLCREEPER in France Wow - that is my dream bird to see! If you ever nip across the channel again to look for Wallcreeper let me know, I'd give the world to see one!!!!!! Hope you are well.

Best Wishes Penny

Hi Penny
Wallcreeper was one of my elusive dream birds too. It was very easy to do. Cheap Ryanair flight from Luton to Nimes. Hired Car. Only a few miles to Les Baux. Cheap accommodation in Arles. I reckon you could go one day and back the next easily!

Today started at Thornham and watched a Barn Own for 1/2 hour plus a Sparrowhawk flying through with lots of Golden Plovers swirling around. AND then my car wouldn't start as I had left the lights on! Kind chap at the Lifeboat jump-leaded it and so I have returned home..........grrrrrrrrrrrr.
Sue

 

[Binoculators]

Had a brief scope out over Breydon Water this afternoon. Thousands of Golden Plover, Lapwing and Wigeon. Plenty of Dunlin, Redshank, Shelduck and Curlew. A few Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher. A Barn Owl put in an appearance on the marsh behind too.

After this I had a quick look at Gapton Marsh on the way home to see if the Short Eared Owls were still there. Couldn't see them this time but watched another Barn Owl for ages, it must have come within a few feet of me. It eventually landed in some long grass and then popped back up screeching in a fight with another bird (which I didn't know was there), the bird in question then flew right past me and was a lovely Kestrel.

A couple of weeks ago this Barn Owl was fighting with SEOs and this week fighting with a Kestrel (Barn Owl won this by the way, Kestrel retreated very quickly), now I don't know about you but it seems a bit of a trouble maker - perhaps it should be given an ASBO.

 

[Edward woodwood]

22 Cranes today in several parties including two feeding for 2.5 hours and two flying almost overhead to roost.

13 Herons flying to roost

2 Water Pipits on waterlogged fields - first on the patch this year.

Kingfisher, Barn Owls, Cetti's, Marsh Harriers, 1000 Lapwing, several '000 Pinks

 

[Karl J]

was nice & springlike on the way to Norwich this morning, the beginnings of a dawn chorus with the tits / finches & wotnot. A couple of Yellowhammers on telegraph poles almost making a complete song, wont be long now i guess. Skylarks up in songflight, nice

First drumming Greater spotted woodpecker of the year, in Mautby (actually 2 in the same tree) and a singing Cetti at Stokesby

& a Red Admiral butterfly, in Norwich's Magdalen Street of all places

 

[matt green]

Had a good three hours stroll around buckenham marshes this afternoon, following the river as far as fleet dike sluce gates.Quite often this spot gives some fantastic close views of marsh harriers and the occasional hen harrier.
All that was seen today where a flock of about 40+ barnicle geese with the
accompanying greylags and canada,I had fancied my chances with some beans but they must have been further east around cantley?

Aswell as hearing four cettis warblers the walk back along the river produced a good number of waders on the scrapes including a few black tailed godwits,ruff,redshanks and a possible group of three greenshanks?
Also nice to see some nice large golden plover flocks with the lapwings,several times they all panicked and caused me to scan for the peregrines but none were seen.I also tried to look for the water pipits but not having a scope this proved pretty much fruitless.Only one marsh harrier was seen,along with kestrel and a sparrow hawk hunting over the woods at buckenham farm estate.
The walk back towards strumpshaw fen produced some nice views of winter thrushes and yet more lapwings,all enjoying feeding together on the freshly ploughed/rolled and weather washed fields behind buckenham station.One last sighting of a female stonechat at strumpshaw gave nice close views while she waited for me to pass before swallowing her caterpillar/grub she found along the riverside!

Unfortunately I didn't have time to check out strump's plush new tower-hide,
that will have to wait another day.I did however manage to attempt some shocking examples of digi-binning and a few views of the river at buckenham around by the old ferry drainage mill!

Matt

 

[SueBryan]

A quick walk along Old Hunstanton Beach late this afternoon saw 3 Great-crested Grebes, 2 of which were in courtship mode. Although I have often watched courtship of G-c Grebes on lakes and reservoirs before I don't think I have ever witnessed this behaviour on the sea before.
Sue

 

[davebenj]

HiAll
Good views of the Glaucous Gull today feeding on the dead seal on the beach at Cley (East Bank end)

You missed out on another tick for the day!
I was on the beach fishing/seawatching around the afternoon high tide - I was the last fisherman east of the cafe.