Norfolk birding (78 Viewers)

[Edward woodwood]

really like the tropicbird and Arabian Wheatear Chris - look forward to seeing the 'originals' sometime!

Arctic Tern, Little Gull and several colourful Bar-tailed Gwits at Hickling earlier on

and a Cetti's near the house this morning

Tim

 

[Edward woodwood]

walk after work in Waxham area produced 4 Rousels, 3 Whimbrel over, 5 Barwits over and a few Wheatears. Green Hairsteaks out now. No sign of Sunday's Hairy Dragonflys though

still double figure Rousels in the village

Tim

 

[Penny Clarke]

My walk after work round the back of my house by Gaywood River produced:

chaffinch, blackbird, whitethroat, sedge warbler, reed warbler, willow warbler, garden warbler, water vole swimming across river!!!! reed bunting, greenwoodpecker, 2 lapwings, pheasant, great tit, male sparrowhawk with prey, wood pigeons, heron over roydon common, mallard, herring gull, black headed gull and a pair of grey partridge on school field!!!!

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

 

[Karl J]

Don't suppose anyone was listening to Radio Norfolk about 6 - 6.30 yesterday evening were they ?

if so did you catch the name and whereabouts of the farm(think it was a farm?) in the Caister St Edmund area ? - i only caught odd bits of it at work but heard definite mentions of orchids, 3 sp. woodpeckers, bird-hides, and that its soon to be opened up for public access.

seems an interesting and as far as i can gather relatively underwatched area that might be worth a look occasionally

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Don't suppose anyone was listening to Radio Norfolk about 6 - 6.30 yesterday evening were they ?

if so did you catch the name and whereabouts of the farm(think it was a farm?) in the Caister St Edmund area ? - i only caught odd bits of it at work but heard definite mentions of orchids, 3 sp. woodpeckers, bird-hides, and that its soon to be opened up for public access.

seems an interesting and as far as i can gather relatively underwatched area that might be worth a look occasionally

I didn't hear the programme but I know that Radio Norfolk regularly used to have a farmer called Chris Skinner, who made wildlife contributions. His farm, called High Ash Farm, Caistor St Edmunds, was largely dedicated to conservation and he was a specialist in making nature wildlife recordings.

I don't often listen to the station now so I don't know if he still contributes to their output but it seems possible this is the farm you are asking about.

Website link here:

http://highashfarm.com/index.htm

Ron

 

[Edward woodwood]

14 Ouzels north of the village this morning

grand total of around 20 still in the area. A few Whinchats too but no sign of the Serin from yesterday. Anyone have any details of the sighting?

A fellow local birder also had perhaps 500 Barwits passing

 

[Penny Clarke]

My mother had 4 ring ouzels at Old Hunstanton Golf Course this morning, along with a massive count of 72 Grey Plover on the shore.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

 

[Happisbirder]

no Ouzels for me but a delightful female Redstart was most welcome near Lessingham on the return from work this morning.

A few Swallows north through Cart Gap and several Linnets on the deck whilst a summer Golden Plover called as it coasted south.

James

 

[HarassedDad]

Popped into Barton Broad briefly yesterday and managed to see the black tern - but sadly it was perched the whole time we were there, so never got to see it fly.

Lots of swifts and common terns about, plus cettis, blackcaps, willow and chiff-chaff, swallows and house martins, heron and a lovely marshie overhead.

I'd never been before, nice site but a b***r to find.

 

[Edward woodwood]

Around 20 Ring Ouzels in the village paddocks this morning.

Tim

 

[Penny Clarke]

3 Little Gulls and 6 Spotted Redshanks at Titchwell.

 

[Penny Clarke]

Going off thread here, but see Major's excellent new pics, taken in Lesvos last week (especially Bee Eater) and just to keep this on thread!!!! a Pic of Ring Ouzel at Holme.

http://www.majorwildlife.co.uk/vgItems.asp?CatId=1

 

[Edward woodwood]

4 Wood Sands Rush Hills last night

Tim

 

[Penny Clarke]

Did not start early today as weather was horrible, no sun, no inspiration, finally dragged myself out of house at a disgraceful 1pm!!!!!!!

Arrived Abbey Farm at Flitcham 1.15pm. Birds seen: 150 black headed gulls on the scrape!!!, lapwings, 1 song thrush, blackbirds including one with white feathers with a beak full of worms, lots of fluffy babies about too, mute swan, egyptian geese + young, coots and moorhens with young, chaffinchs, jackdaws, tufted ducks, greylags with young, goldfinches, canada geese, oystercatchers, jay, shelducks, red legged partridge on back fields along with brief view of marsh harrier, greenfinch, great and blue tit. Still not seen the little owl!!!

Arrived Choosley Barns at 3.15pm. Yellow hammers, chaffinches, 1 pied wagtail, 1 turtle dove sitting on wire, 1 reed bunting, whitethroat in hedge along with garden warbler singing. Walked along track but saw nothing, was hoping for a shrike or something PLLLLLEEEEASSSSEEEE!!!!!!!

Arrived Titchwell 4pm. Sat at tables and had a vege pasty and carrot and walnut cake with cream, yum yum!!! (note diet continuing!!!). Sun at long last decided to appear!!!!! Whinchat just in fields to left of main path (there were 3 altogether!), swallows, house martins and swifts, blackcap (male), reed warbler, 1 snipe in middle of scrape, shoveler (lots), avocets, curlew sandpiper from Parrinder Hide along with 2 common sandpipers, little egret, sedge warbler singing, 2 redshanks, pied wagtails, a linnet decided to bathe at water's edge, 22 turnstone flew in!, 1 heron, 1 spotted redshank, 3 black tailed godwit, 1 ruff. There were some little gulls somewhere on the reserve, but I couldn't see them! Anyway, back onto main path approx 50 grey plover in their stunning summer plumage and at sea at least 500+ common scooter. 1 carrion crow. Another BF tick!!!!!! - met 'Majorwildlife' along the bank. We walked around the Fen path and saw/heard cetti's warbler, 1 chiffchaff, cuckoo, turtles doves calling and some long tailed tits. Back to carpark and then on to parents for chitchat and home again!! Work tomorrow but not in the afternoon , so hopefully the sun and birds will be out tomorrow for me and everyone else.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

 

[Edward woodwood]

Walked down to Nelson's Head with Holly and Ilya, then back along the road

lots of Whimbrels, Yellow Wags, a Short-eared Owl and Ring Ouzel of note

 

[Penny Clarke]

Had to work until 1pm, flew home, lunch etc and arrived at Holme HBO at about 3.30pm, nothing much there today, apart from usual birds, so left and went on to Redwell Marsh arriving at 5pm and saw 3 yellow wagtails right in front of the hide, beautiful, with 1 pied wagtail, 1 cuckoo, pair of gadwall, pair of shoveler, 2 pairs shelduck, 2 avocets.

Went on to Burnham Norton Marshes 6pm - on route I passed BF's NorfolkBirder (Chris) and a friend on bikes - doing their birding on a bike day (on whatever its called - crazy people!!!!). The first thing I saw was amazing, at least 30+ yellow wagtails flitting about after flies amongst the cattle to left of path!!!!!!!!! It was a real job to count them accurately as they were moving and interchanging with each other amongst the cattle so quickly! Also 2 Spoonbills on far side in pools!!!!!!! Lucky day today!!!! Tried to get a distant shot with the camera but just as I was about to press the shutter, they flew off to Titchwell - how do I know that you're asking, well because Chris text me a bit later to say 2 spoonbills dropped in at Titchwell at 8.24pm!!!! Other birds seen: canada geese, reed and sedge warblers, 6 egyptian geese, 60+ Brent geese which were put up by light aircraft, 3 redshanks, common whitethroat singing on bramble by carpark, lots of avocets, cuckoo, few wigeon, pochard, teal and tufted ducks, curlew, greenfinch, 2 goldfinches and long tailed tits x 4 by carpark, lots of lapwings, garden warbler singing, lots of black headed gulls, heron, little egret, cettis warbler errupted into song as I turned the last section of path back to carpark, blackcap singing, jackdaws, blue tit, blackbirds, swallows, house martins, swifts. As I stood in carpark having a cup of tea, a swallow, blackbird and greenfinch all sat within inches of each other on the telegraph wire! Left here 8pm! Went to Choosely (when I got Spoonbill text at Titchwell !), only saw pair of red legged partridge and then carried on home.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

 

[J Moss]

Who says you have to get up early to see anything!

Well done, especially with the Yellow Wagtails. Yet to be luck enough to see these.

Jason

 

[teamsaint]

some highlights from my trip to norfolk 4-6th may. we saw lots but also missed plenty including bittern and red-necked grebe whilst we were at titchwell and just as we were leaving there we heard the wardens on their walky talkies saying curlew sand jut dropped into freshmarsh because we were listening to their frequencto

friday 4th: arrived in the afternoon then walked up east bank, highlights were 5 bearded tits excellent views, c8 marsh harrier over the reedbeds, c500 sarnies arnolds marsh, 2 sum plum knot and c30 sum plum barwits also there. then best bit was 2 spoonbills right over our head before dropping down over by pats pool, then nightingale at salthouse heath, sum1 else had nightjar there

saturday 5th: 4AM start for holkham barn owl hunting over dunes, 2 marsh harrier, pinkfoot, cukoo, 3 Little Egrets commoner warblers but not much else, then 2 monties and lesser whitehroat undisclosed, after breakfast 4 monties and lesser whitethroat undisclosed, c30 corn bunting choseley plus little owl in a tree and 3 grey partridge, then titchwell c400 scoter (inc 2 velvets but only one of us saw them), 4 little gulls, 2 whinchats really smart ones, ruffs, spotshank, sanderling, grey and golden plovers, cuckoo, warblers, 3 common sands, 2 whimbrel, ruddy duck, little tern, auk sp. past, 80 sp in total, then cley 2 temminck's stint north scrape plus common sand, then after dinner look for barn owls salthouse none seen. also c500 brents between stiffkey and cley and common sand on flooded field by stiffkey fen

sunday 6th: quick stop Tottenhill GPs great crested grebes, hirundines, gt. sp. woody then Welney: Corn Bunting, Common Terns, 2 male Garganey in front of hide, Greenshank, Hobby flying around in front of hide, Little Egret, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Pintail, Ruddy Duck, Scaup, Spotted Redshank, 5+ Whooper Swans, 6 Yellow Wags, then Weeting 2 Stone-curlews from hide but nothing else of interest

 

[Norfolkbirder]

Low carbon footprint daylist!!

Hi guys,

For those of you don't know me I have participated in a non-motorised day list for the last 4 years normally accompanied by Oscar Campbell (now in the UAE!) or & Pete Dolton. Our best score was in 2005 when we managed 131 - this was also the year when I did a full year list by bike, so on that ocassion I cycled up the night beforeand abck the following evening to ensure all species counted (a round trip of 100 miles).

Yesterday we managed a new record!! We did allow ourselves a car to & from home to our chosen start & endpoint at Titchwell.

We started at Titchwell at 3.15am, it was not a good start overcast and windy, we did not get any of our target species Bittern, Water rail, Gropper or Cetti's. Disappointed we left at around 3.50am and cycled off to Sandringham. Things did not get any better as we arrived late cycling into a stronger than expected headwind - hence we missed Woodcock, no Barn owl, the woods were quiet, and the best birds were Marsh Tit, treecreeper & Great Sp. Woodpecker, more concerns as Nuthatch, Green Wpecker, Redpoll & Siskin failed to materialise. On towards Wolferton and things slowly improved, Siskin, Golden Pheasant, Tree Pipit,Tawny Owl, Woodlark & Firecrest were all nailed very quickly and we both stopped whinging and perked up.

As we reached the bottom of Snettisham 4 Wheatear were running around, we kicked up several Grey partridge, several Yellow Wags went over, Med Gulls were present at their nests, and all the expected shoreline waders were soon safely on the list. Better was 4 Greenshank & Common sandpiper. First real surprise & bonus bird overhead and a migrant - Grey Wagtail calling, no doubt, overhead on the move in May!!?? Next we scored with the trust femal Scaup still present and seen on every bird race in the last 4 years

As we headed through the Coastal park we scoured the skyline, every time the sun came out the warmth increased - we got Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier but no Buzzard. It took till nearly 1100 - when the warmth encouraged a Buzzard up into the skies! But that was 109 - and we had plenty of time, a few telephone calls and a plan took shape. Up to Hunstanton, Fulmar - slam dunked 110. Then on to Holme, where Eider , Pochard, & Whimbrel made it 113, the only negative was a Garganey that had gone missing. Back on the bikes we headed up to Choseley, 4 out of 5 here in rapid succession - Corn Bunt, Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer no sign of the Little Owl took us to 116.

Incredibly we still needed Rook and many stops en-route towards Holkham eventually produced a small group - 117. Montys kept us on tender hooks fro several minutes, I had a male distantly in the scope but couldn't get Pete on it, then Pete shouted me across the road and a male came gliding over the hedgerow - yes... 118. Off to Holkham Park, 119 Great Crested Grebe and just as we were about to give up and coming through the car park, a great call from Pete to stop cycling.......we looked at each other, brilliant Nuthatch calling away 120.

Next up Holkham fresh marsh, a few "lazy" Pinkfeet & Wigeon would do 121 & 122 but no sign of the Cranes.

On to Burnham Norton this was where we thought we had made a big mistake -no sign of any Spoonbill just scoping from the road.

We head off and we get a text from Penny Clarke saying there was a nice Garganey at Holme, oops it wasn't there three hours ago - was it?! Then half an hour on and she texts saying she is watching the Spoonbills at Burnham - it's too late we have just arrived hot & bothered at Titchwell.

The great thing about leaving Titchwell to last is you know you gonna increase your total, and toady was no different. The first pool and we score in seconds with Bearded Tit, Ruddy Duck, & Little Gull 125. We rush back to the CP area for Whinchat present all day til 1 hr ago - but now no sign.

Spotted Red flies over calling 126, down to the sea and 900+ Common Scoter make it 127. Disappointment as there are still no Ruff or Snipe to be seen, we bump into Mark Bradbury and apparently both were present last night.

We sit with Mark, whose wife then asks if we need Barn owl? Yep sure do, "just out here a few minutes ago.........and there it is! Hunting the marsh out in front of us 128. The next species we thought was going to require a ride in the dark back up to Choseley, but incredibly sat next to Mark looking out over Titchwell marsh , he enquired if we had seen Little Owl and we told him no. When he said he had one in his scope we thought he was pulling our leg - but surely enough there in his scope at least a mile away was the familiar shape of the Little Owl sat on it's favourite perch in it's favourite tree!!!! Sublime & ridiculous 129. First Pete, then me thought we could hear the Bittern, a few minutes later it started up with a bit more gusto and we both high fived as we went to 130.

A fitting moment saw us draw level, I picked up in the distance thru the scope what i assumed were two Little Egrets, but as they came closer my suspicions arose - could they be? It looked more & more likely as they came into range yes indeed they were - I shouted out "Two %"£ing Spoonbills voming coming in over the marsh, they landed 100 metres away -fantastic 131.

As the light faded we strained our ears we needed one more species to topple the record, no Cetti's incredible I thought - then suddenly Pete called it as we heard the delightful squeals of Water Rail 132!!!!!!

18 hours in the field just under 60 miles ridden & 132 species recorded - anyway fancy the challenge next year???

Chris

 

[Connor Rand]

Wow Tom sounds like you had a great time. Today at Holme NOA I had 1 singing male Firecrest, giving stunning views! 5 Gannets west, 4 Wheatears around the forestry, 5 Yellow Wags west and a Tawny Owl sat in full view in an elder bush! A female Ring Ouzel was also reported and there was a reasonable passage of Swifts and Swallows. See www.noa.org.uk for full sightings.