Norfolk birding (94 Viewers)

[firstreesjohn]

Barton Broad

Question: How close are the Smew, usually, please ? I haven't seen a drake for years. Thanks.

Answer: Several hundreds of yards away, at their closest. Thanks, John !

They seemed to appear on the right this afternoon, as one looks from the viewing platform. There was also a redhead Goosander in that area, which made me keep looking there- deeper water ? The sole remaining (?) redhead Smew was there, too. The drakes flew around a few times, giving excellent Smoo, before alighting behind the green tern rafts, close into the bank. The pic just about enables one to see the Dusty Springfield eye-shadow effect. Well worth the hour or so of waiting, before their appearance.

Tim A counted 42 Goldeneye and gripped most of us off with a fleeting flight flourish of a (Great) Bittern.

A few Redpolls and Siskins flew over, invisibly.

Oh yes! And there was some drake duck or other, which didn't remind me at all of a flycatcher. Actually, he was rather smartly chestnut in the sun.

 

[Tractorboy69]

The two Shorelarks were still at Snettisham today, at the southern most end of the shingle beach where it peters out alongside a creek.

Also the 2 Pale-bellied Brents (with 1 Dark-bellied bird) were still in the field by Trimingham cliff-top wood at dusk.

Simon

Edit: Couple of record shots now added

 

[James Emerson]

A quick early morning visit to Whitlingham, and we were just in time to see the Red-necked Grebe which had just been found. Gutted that a Bittern was seen later though!

 

[Andy Musgrove]

A quick early morning visit to Whitlingham, and we were just in time to see the Red-necked Grebe which had just been found. Gutted that a Bittern was seen later though!

Ditto. Can someone please explain what has happened to Whitlingham this year please? It appears to have been removed and replaced by a decent birding site. (Just hope no-one notices and switches them back again!)

Managed to pop in for the Red-necked, my second here following one found on the Feb 2006 WeBS count. Today's could have had the good manners to have been around yesterday when I did the Jan 2010 WeBS count. However, yesterday's count of "2 (possibly 3)" Smew has now been updated, as saw all three together today.

 

[dendroica]

Can't explain why Whitlingham continues to enjoy a pretty impressive selection of stuff, but, like you, I hope it continues!

GN Diver, Scaup, Smew (only 1 that I could see today) and Red-necked Grebe still there late morning. Also 2+ very vocal Marsh Tits along the road opposite the Broad as well as a Buzzard over E of the broad..

 

[rob lee]

Can't explain why Whitlingham continues to enjoy a pretty impressive selection of stuff,

Something to do with the recent weather i would have thought, there`s still plenty of displaced Woodcock & Snipe up here on the coast

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell January 18th

Today's highlights

Smew - 3 redheads on grazing marsh pool
Twite - 30 feeding on brackish marsh
Red kite - 1 hunting over saltmarsh
Bittern - 2+ in reedbed
Marsh harrier - 14 to roost in reedbed
Hen harrier - ringtail to roost in reedbed

Paul

 

[David Norgate]

Thanks for the continued Titchwell updates, Paul.
I am thinking of heading up to the NW tomorrow. Any news, sightings and where to watch from details of known (or not known!!) birds in the area? PMs would be fine!! Haven't been up for a while!!

 

[sacha]

I too went over to Whitlingham today and saw the impressive list of birds there:

The G N Diver was showing well, redhead Smew, fem Goosander, Ruddy Duck, Red N Grebe and imm male Scaup! Not bad in 1 hour. I had a quick look around the station for the Waxwing that has been there recently but couldn't find it.

 

[Tractorboy69]

Having arrived at Sheringham for the Glaucous Gull just before 1.30, I watched it for about a minute on the beach and the groyne out from the seawatching shelter before it flew and headed puposefully off along the beach to the east.

Obviously it was heading towards my patch and knowing that there is always a good gathering of Gulls on the beach at West Runton, I very quickly made my way back along the coast road and down to the beach car park there.

After a quick scan of the beach to the west there was no sign of it, but scanning along to the east, I was thrilled to pick it up flying east along the tideline towards East Runton where it fortunately joined a group of other gulls on the beach. It was briefly flushed by a walker but after landing on the sea it quickly returned to the beach and a few others arrived hot-foot from Sheringham.

Another dog walker flushed it again but this time it fortuitously decided to head back towards us and did a splendid fly-by along the beach in front of the ten or so people gathered and then headed back to Sheringham. Crap record shot of it as it flew past us attached.

Of interest a Bat Sp was flying round Felbrigg Park at dusk whilst I was Woodcock watching.

Simon

 

[Paul Woolnough]

I too went over to Whitlingham today and saw the impressive list of birds there:

The G N Diver was showing well, redhead Smew, fem Goosander, Ruddy Duck, Red N Grebe and imm male Scaup! Not bad in 1 hour. I had a quick look around the station for the Waxwing that has been there recently but couldn't find it.

Something to do with the recent weather i would have thought, there`s still plenty of displaced Woodcock & Snipe up here on the coast

Rob Lee is right, Whitlingham has attracted displaced birds from elsewhere it would not normally get.

I saw all the birds Sacha watched today, this lunchtime.

I wrote out a Whitlingham Country Park list at Christmas. Out of recent good birds I have seen there: black-necked grebe, goosander, great northern diver, red-necked grebe, ruddy duck, scaup and smew, the scaup is the only one I have had on the Broad in the past. Plus bittern and shag which would also be new for Whitlingham dipped!

As for seeing red-necked grebe Penny, anywhere but King's Lynn!
I have seen red-necked grebe since November 2009 at Titchwell, Holkham, Grafham Water and now Whitlingham Great Broad. When is Suffolk I was told there was another one on the Orwell but the walk was a bit long. Did not bother to go and see that one.

No its is nice to see birders flocking to Norwich for birds for a change.
And nice the birds showed. I did not see the Wolferton or any rough-legged buzzard in 2009 nor did I see the golden pheasants there either!

 

[Mark Grantham]

Just for info, the general consensus is that the 'Scaup' at Whitlingham is actually a hybrid, but if anyone has good photos of the bird then it'd be good to see them.

 

[sacha]

Just for info, the general consensus is that the 'Scaup' at Whitlingham is actually a hybrid, but if anyone has good photos of the bird then it'd be good to see them.

Interesting! It was one of the first birds i noticed when scanning and straight away thought... 'nice, there is a Scaup'. I had no idea there was one there (so counting it as found for the year!). I approached another birder who said it had been there since the day before. Looked like a typical 1st year male to me! Large size, rounded head, a few adult grey feathers appearing on the upper back. Can't see why it isn't a Scaup? I must admit I didn't look at the bill too closely as I know that can be a good give-away for hybrids...
Out of interest, why is hybrid being considered?

 

[Penny Clarke]

Rob Lee is right, Whitlingham has attracted displaced birds from elsewhere it would not normally get.

I saw all the birds Sacha watched today, this lunchtime.

I wrote out a Whitlingham Country Park list at Christmas. Out of recent good birds I have seen there: black-necked grebe, goosander, great northern diver, red-necked grebe, ruddy duck, scaup and smew, the scaup is the only one I have had on the Broad in the past. Plus bittern and shag which would also be new for Whitlingham dipped!

Not sure Black Kite 1964 that Shetland isn't a good place (for birding). Hasn't Dennis Coutts seen 406 species on his Shetland County BOU list. No one has 400 BOU in Norfolk.

As for seeing red-necked grebe Penny, anywhere but King's Lynn!
I have seen red-necked grebe since November 2009 at Titchwell, Holkham, Grafham Water and now Whitlingham Great Broad. When is Suffolk I was told there was another one on the Orwell but the walk was a bit long. Did not bother to go and see that one.

No its is nice to see birders flocking to Norwich for birds for a change.
And nice the birds showed. I did not see the Wolferton or any rough-legged buzzard in 2009 nor did I see the golden pheasants there either!

Since black kite's post and mine have been deleted, some people will wonder where the above quote has come from!!! Apparently someone highlighted my post had nothing to do with birds which ok agreed. So just to make sure THIS does not get deleted I have just seen a robin and a blue tit outside the window at work!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

 

[Paul Woolnough]

Since black kite's post and mine have been deleted, some people will wonder where the above quote has come from!!! Apparently someone highlighted my post had nothing to do with birds which ok agreed. So just to make sure THIS does not get deleted I have just seen a robin and a blue tit outside the window at work!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

If Fair Isle birds count as Shetland county list birds, no wonder Dennis Coutts has over 400 on his list there.

Very tempted to delete rather than edit my post. I have now thoroughly checked my hand written notes of 17 plus years and find that some of the birds on my earlier post, which I quoted as site firsts for Whitlingham, are of species I had seen there before.

Indeed I was able to add black tern and green-winged teal to my Whitlingham list.

 

[Andy Musgrove]

Interesting! It was one of the first birds i noticed when scanning and straight away thought... 'nice, there is a Scaup'. I had no idea there was one there (so counting it as found for the year!). I approached another birder who said it had been there since the day before. Looked like a typical 1st year male to me! Large size, rounded head, a few adult grey feathers appearing on the upper back. Can't see why it isn't a Scaup? I must admit I didn't look at the bill too closely as I know that can be a good give-away for hybrids...
Out of interest, why is hybrid being considered?

I was going to go back this morning for a closer look but confounded by the fog - I thought it (assuming it is the same bird?) looked closer to a hybrid on Saturday, on head shape and size, but I'd be keen to get a better look now given the differences in opinion.

And I see there is now a Slav being reported at Whitlingham too! Just Pied-billed to go....

Andy

 

[sacha]

I was going to go back this morning for a closer look but confounded by the fog - I thought it (assuming it is the same bird?) looked closer to a hybrid on Saturday, on head shape and size, but I'd be keen to get a better look now given the differences in opinion.

And I see there is now a Slav being reported at Whitlingham too! Just Pied-billed to go....

Andy

Yes, maybe i should have looked at the bird a bit more closely too. But still think it was just a 1st winter male Scaup. It certainly appeared larger than the Tufteds it was with and head seemed 'rounded'. If it was/is a hybrid it would have to be Tufted x Scaup as Tufted x Pochard (from my experience) can look more like Les Scaup or show more fatures of Tufted. I didn't look at the bill closely but if that has just a small black nail then i can't see why it is a hybrid. Let me me know what you think Andy, when you see it again. I will then take it off my year list if it isn't one.

Whitligham does seem to have a habit of attracting hybrids .. but also a fair share of decent birds recently.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell January 19th

Today's highlights

Smew - 3 on grazing marsh pool all day
Bittern - 2 around reedbed all day including 1 showing well from Fen Hide
Mealy redpoll - 1+ with goldfinch flock around the visitor centre
Hen harrier - ringtail over reedbed at dusk
Spotted redshank - 1 on fresh marsh

Paul

 

[Paul Woolnough]

The scaup or hybrid is not the most clearly marked of its species to say the least.

I hope to get down to see it again and get the slav too. If I do get the slav I can claim all five grebes year-ticked at Whitlingham this year. Would be my third slav there: the previous two stayed to give people a chance to see them.

Will save a trudge and search through the swell for a slav off Titchwell or Holkham.

 

[Jono L]

I am in the aythya hybrid camp. Forehead sloping giving wrong headshape, whitish subterminal band to bill, plenty of black on nail too. I suspect it should be more advanced now if it was a scaup too. Most 1w I have seen in recent years are almost adult like in late winter.
Just my opinion based on distant views yesterday.
Cheers