Norfolk birding (83 Viewers)

[PYRTLE]

Quick walk yesterday afternoon in the woodland edge at the west side of Sheringham Park revealed half a dozen woodcock but couldn't get one on the deck, so managed close flight views only. Two common redpolls on feeders this morning but no siskins this winter.

 

[stuart white]

Lynford

Had a cracking morning at Lynford today, a flock of 18 Crossbills flew over twice, we then watched a firecrest close to the paddock fairly low down in the trees, turning round 3 Hawfinches had landed in the paddock (male and 2 females), all this within half an hour of arriving! Oh if only everyday was like that. At santon downham the flock of Brambling is still close to 200. Then despite shooters being out we managed to see Willow tit at another site in the brecks. We were going to have a crack at Golden Pheasant but were hit by blizzards at 2pm. All in all a good day out.

 

[black kite 1964]

Lynford

Had a cracking morning at Lynford today, a flock of 18 Crossbills flew over twice, we then watched a firecrest close to the paddock fairly low down in the trees, turning round 3 Hawfinches had landed in the paddock (male and 2 females), all this within half an hour of arriving! Oh if only everyday was like that. At santon downham the flock of Brambling is still close to 200. Then despite shooters being out we managed to see Willow tit at another site in the brecks. We were going to have a crack at Golden Pheasant but were hit by blizzards at 2pm. All in all a good day out.

Stuyou are year listing then. Be carefull with quails!!:cat:

 

[sacha]

I went back for another look at the scaup thing yesterday. In much better light and closer swang me back towards the scaup camp. The bill looked better than I had previously thought and the head shape seemed ok. Wish I had spent more time looking at the other aythyas and I might have found the RND...

Glad to hear it! I didnt really think of a hybrid when I first saw it. As i said in previous posts i am used to seeing hybrid aythyas and I have never seen one quite so large and with such a rounded head... with the combination of grey back feathering it would be more likely to be a scaup x tufted if it was a hybrid .. but even then i would have thought it would show a few more tufted features...
1st winter drake Scaup seems more likely to me too
(but I didnt look at it too closely though!)

If the ring neck re-appears i will pop down for another look tomorrow .. i still keep missing that bird!

 

[Paul Woolnough]

ring-necked duck back at Whitlingham

For all those who've been impressed with the sudden run of good birds at Whitlingham.... the female Ring-necked Duck has turned up there this afternoon as well! Can't remember if it's been here previously, before starting its tour of the broads?

NBR 2008 page 56
Female ring-necked duck Whitlingham CP 11 to 22 November 2008. Then seen on the river Bure near Wroxham into 2009 but typically not from Wroxham Broad car park.

 

[firstreesjohn]

In the pink, but also in a bit of a Scrape !

A proposed visit to Felbrigg, in search of The Firecrest, was aborted, as the road down through The Lions' Mouth was far too dangerous. I was mindful of my off-road activities of a few weeks ago- not advisable in a limousine.

A jaunt to Salthouse beach car park produced lotsa photographers. Whilst most were either in or behind their cars, one was standing out in the open- and possibly wondering why the Snow Buntings weren’t there. Just as I was about to embark on the lengthy trek to Gramboro’, a wader flew in, giving me a Knotty problem of ID.

The 3 Reed Buntings were still on, in and around the (Gramboro’) bushes, with one ‘on the turn’ into male plumage. A male Stonechat provided back-up.
Walsey (later) had very little, but the NOA had been doing more gorse-clearing and opening up more of the vista from the top.

A visit to the Cley Visitor Centre enabled me to spy a pink bobble hat bobbing over the reeds, on the south edge of the North Scrape ! On informing the staff, the reedcutters were despatched to investigate, finding two artists who’d set up their easels, oblivious to their trespass. In mitigation, the gate by the road had been left open, with the ‘no entry’ sign hence facing the wrong way. Hey ho.

 

[Tractorboy69]

Having gone missing yesterday, the Tundra Bean Goose was back in its usual field at Sidestrand this afternoon, enabling me to get a slightly better pic of it. (Access as per previous post).

Nearby a Common Buzzard and Grey Wagtail added to the patch/self-found tally for the year.

Simon

 

[mr.sim]

3 Common Buzzard, Water Rail and Marsh Tit in the local area today. Also a possible Willow Tit - I didn't have optics as I wasn't out to do some birding, so no visual features noted, but the bird had an odd song, a bit like a Blackcap but slightly shorter. It also had the usual Marsh Tit "psi-chu dee dee dee" but I have never heard Marsh Tit do this song before. Any suggestions?

 

[Andy Musgrove]

3 Common Buzzard, Water Rail and Marsh Tit in the local area today. Also a possible Willow Tit - I didn't have optics as I wasn't out to do some birding, so no visual features noted, but the bird had an odd song, a bit like a Blackcap but slightly shorter. It also had the usual Marsh Tit "psi-chu dee dee dee" but I have never heard Marsh Tit do this song before. Any suggestions?

Nov 2009 edition of British Birds has an excellent summary of Marsh/Willow Tit identification, including on the song variants. Both species do occasionally give "brief jumbles of wheezing and musical notes" which sounds the closest thing to "a bit like a Blackcap" - don't think it adds anything to the id process for you, so if the call sounded like Marsh then that's probably what it was.

Cheers

Andy

 

[Andy Musgrove]

I went back for another look at the scaup thing yesterday. In much better light and closer swang me back towards the scaup camp. The bill looked better than I had previously thought and the head shape seemed ok. Wish I had spent more time looking at the other aythyas and I might have found the RND...

Well done Jono for getting a close view at last. Sounds like it probably is a Scaup then - might try and have another go tomorrow.

Cheers

Andy

 

[Sue G]

A proposed visit to Felbrigg, in search of The Firecrest, was aborted, as the road down through The Lions' Mouth was far too dangerous. I was mindful of my off-road activities of a few weeks ago- not advisable in a limousine.

A jaunt to Salthouse beach car park produced lotsa photographers. Whilst most were either in or behind their cars, one was standing out in the open- and possibly wondering why the Snow Buntings weren’t there. Just as I was about to embark on the lengthy trek to Gramboro’, a wader flew in, giving me a Knotty problem of ID.

The 3 Reed Buntings were still on, in and around the (Gramboro’) bushes, with one ‘on the turn’ into male plumage. A male Stonechat provided back-up.
Walsey (later) had very little, but the NOA had been doing more gorse-clearing and opening up more of the vista from the top.

A visit to the Cley Visitor Centre enabled me to spy a pink bobble hat bobbing over the reeds, on the south edge of the North Scrape ! On informing the staff, the reedcutters were despatched to investigate, finding two artists who’d set up their easels, oblivious to their trespass. In mitigation, the gate by the road had been left open, with the ‘no entry’ sign hence facing the wrong way. Hey ho.

This is nothing unusual. They go in even if the gate IS shut and the 'no entry' sign showing! Last year an artist even set up with easel in front of wiggy hide and was most afronted to be chucked off, saying she wasn't disturbing the birds! (of course there weren't any there to be disturbed by then!)

 

[sacha]

Did a 'trial run' walk up Blakeney Point, in preparation for when migrants start appearing! Beautiful sunny day.
Highlight was a Purple Sand that flew up from the top of main shingle ridge .. almost at our feet before we noticed it!
Not much else of note seen... 1 Fieldfare, 2-3 Redwind and a hunting Barn Owl. Sea was surprisingly quiet. ... Just seen the RN Duck is back at Whitlingham ... will save that for later in the week if it sticks.

 

[gnome]

Request for info on Wolferton & Snettisham

Hi all, I'm doing a quick birding visit (from Oxford) to the Snettisham area on Tuesday and as I don't know the area at all and will be on a tight time schedule I'm aiming to plan things out in advance as much as possible. I'm after the golden pheasants at Wolferton & also the shore larks at Snettisham.

I am guessing from the map that the famous Wolferton triangle is here. Am I correct in understanding that I should get there early and just drive around slowly looking out for the birds in the woods in the middle of the triangle?

As far as the Snettisham shore larks are concerned, am I right that the last of the chalets is here? Where is a good place to park, can I do so near the chalets? Is it worth visiting Snettisham RSPB at this time of year?

Is there anything else reasonably close by that might be worth going for? I'd love to catch up with snow and lapland buntings and twite as well if there are some reliable spots that someone can point me to.

Thanks in advance

Gnome

 

[David Norgate]

gnome
Golden Pheasants: they are seen in the first 'triangle' of roads made by the A 149, although 'cruising' can provide the occasional view, I often find it best to sit and wait for the birds to appear. I saw them recently on the southern side of the 'triangle', by parking c 200 yards SE of the crossroads - others might tell you different!

Shorelarks: it is best to park in the RSPB carpark (marked on the map, to the north east) and follow the path to the reserve. The Shorelarks are often see on the 'beach' immediately south of where the path meets the seawall. There is no vehicular access to the chalet area - this is strictly private.
I also saw a small flock of Snow Buntings here, continue walking south and watching the beach. A Purple Sandpiper had overwintered on the pools, I saw it from Shore Hide.

There have been Twite seen at Titchwell, although I haven't heard any recent reports. Brancaster Staithe was good for them last year, but again I haven't heard anything from there recently>

Lapland Buntings are very few and far between - they could be anywhere (or nowhere!)

Good luck

 

[Andy Musgrove]

Relocated the Ring-necked Duck at Whitlingham this morning, to round off an amazing month at the site. Who'd have believed this lake would have GN Diver, 5 grebe species, 3 Smew, Scaup (OK, I'm more convinced today) and RN Duck all in a month? Another new arrival (I think) today was a female Goldeneye - they're not particularly common here. So, what next? The smart money has got to be on the Black-throated Diver, at Swanton Morley today, being sucked in by the Whitlingham bird magnet next surely? Alternatively, this has got to be site of choice for Norfolk's first Lesser Scaup...? Or will February see a return to normal?

 

[HarassedDad]

And willow tits on the bird feeders in the car park in front of the cafe! And Ruddy the other day (and did someone report fudge?) I suspect it all go back to normal soon enough, but it's fun while it lasts.
All I managed today was the RNGrebe and RNDuck (asleep and just an indistinct blob on the island) and both thanks to kindly folk who put me on to them - I'm missing my scope.
Highlight of my weekend though has to be the hen harrier flypast we got at fritton wood yesterday: definitely the closest I've ever been to one, at around 25 yards. Cracking bird. The RL Buzzard by contrast was just a dot on a fence post in the far distance.

 

[dbradnum]

And willow tits on the bird feeders in the car park in front of the cafe!

Really?

 

[Jono L]

Awesome raptor fest first thing today at Haddiscoe.

Having only got a brief view of the rough-leg yesterday. It was in the usual place and showing, but I had to walk away from it to thaw out my toddler. So, back again, this time with Reg Land. On arrival, Chris Baker put is in the right area and shortly the Rough-leg got up on to a post. We watched the bird off and on for the next hour or so. The bird spent a lot of time on the deck, occasionally flying short distances and frustratingly landing out of sight. Mid-morning, the bird flew east behind the clump of trees in the marsh, out the other side and chased another Buteo off the ground. To our amazement, this bird turned and flew past us and away, landing on the grass in front of us, showing big black carpals, black belly and bright white basal tail; another Rough-leg! The original bird landed in an ash tree nearby, so both were on show together. If this wasn't good enough, the original bird flew past the new bird on to a gate post, prompting the 'new' bird to have a go at it; they both ended up on the grass fighting! I have a fuzzy pic of this on my blog, plus some distant shots of the two birds.
The new bird looks like an adult male, being smaller and much darker, with frosty breast sides and white on the rear crown. It seemed to have barring on the tail end too. After their brief grapple, the new bird remained sitting in the grass and the original bird flew off south a short way. Awesome!
Besides this, we also had a close ringtail Hen Harrier and several Marsh Harriers, a Fox and a huge flock of pinks up and then down, over near Reedham. Several Beardies pinging about in front of where we were standing and a Cetti's.
Cheers,

 

[John P]

And Ruddy the other day

All our local ones were shot by FERA last week, if you don't want the same fate to overtake yours it may be best to keep the locations quiet.

 

[Happisbirder]

Relocated the Ring-necked Duck at Whitlingham this morning, to round off an amazing month at the site. Who'd have believed this lake would have GN Diver, 5 grebe species, 3 Smew, Scaup (OK, I'm more convinced today) and RN Duck all in a month? Another new arrival (I think) today was a female Goldeneye - they're not particularly common here. So, what next? The smart money has got to be on the Black-throated Diver, at Swanton Morley today, being sucked in by the Whitlingham bird magnet next surely? Alternatively, this has got to be site of choice for Norfolk's first Lesser Scaup...? Or will February see a return to normal?

A good local birder recently found what he thought may have been a Lesser Scaup in the Broads but it was checked out by a few people who thought it not quite right to be one, so presumably a hybrid (?). Keep your eyes peeled and beware...

James