Norfolk birding (98 Viewers)

[SueBryan]

Call me old fashioned but I don't trust any hide which doesn't have a Gilleard label on it.

Ron

Agreed! Simple flaps, shelves at a height that we can rest our elbows on whilst supporting our bins at an acceptable eye-level height without breaking our backs!

 

[The_Partridge]

Simple flaps

hey

don't knock those window wheel things, they're good upper body exercise and classic 1930s German battleship technology to boot

I don't know how anyone can not love that hide to bits

all it is missing is one of those brass gear lever things with "vorwaerts ! / halb-vorwaerts / halb-zuruck / zuruck !" etched into it

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Simple flaps.

Those flaps, with their gate latches, also provide the added excitement of wondering whether they will crash down onto your head at some point. It increases alertness.

Ron

 

[black kite 1964]

All the 1930's battleships were sunk!!!

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell May 19th

Today’s highlights

Temminck’s stint – 3 on fresh marsh from Island Hide all day
Spoonbill – 1 on fresh marsh briefly @ 15:00 before flying east
Avocet – 185 on fresh marsh
Hobby – 1 over reedbed
Red crested pochard – drake on grazing marsh pool

Paul

 

[O.Reville1989]

Spotted Crake

Hey all,
Quick question: Was at Strumpshaw Fen this evening and heard two birds that I believe are Spotted Crakes.
Is this likely? I am 99% sure it wasn't Water Rail, very different calls.
Cheers
ps: Also of note, I believe the American Dunlin that was seen at Cley the other day may now be at Minsmere. Haven't reported it as not 100% but very distinctive bird.

 

[Paul Woolnough]

Spotted crake Strumpshaw

Hey all,
Quick question: Was at Strumpshaw Fen this evening and heard two birds that I believe are Spotted Crakes.
Is this likely? I am 99% sure it wasn't Water Rail, very different calls.
Cheers

There is every chance of getting a spotted crake at Strumpshaw
Something to check out / await confirmation
I am not sure anyone actually saw them but I heard two spotted crakes at Strumpshaw on the evening of June 20 2001. One was south of the river and the other somewhere in the middle of the main reserve south of the cottage where the swallowtails can be seen on the flower border.

 

[Songkhran]

fairly quiet on the patch this morning with Swallows moving along the far bank, great weather and a multiple of birds being active and singing. Then bumped into a reputable tour leader on the way back from the Spotted Reshank, sorry Red-necked Phalarope (don't think I haven't forgotten Mr Mills ; - ) Anyway mate they are Vibram Five Fingers http://www.fivefingersuk.org/classic-men-c-163.html
in a lot of ways the perfect birders shoe.

I was then walking back towards Blakeney cutting through the fruit farm. As i got to the field between the two self closing gates (east side of the Freshes) I bumped into a female Pied Fly and 1-2 Spotted) always thought this area had potential, could this be the beginning of a little unexpected something on the Point this afternoon?

 

[Happisbirder]

Spotted Crake...

Oliver, try listening to some of the Spotted Crake songs at this Xeno Canto link. Perhaps you'll get confirmation of what you heard...

James

 

[O.Reville1989]

Oliver, try listening to some of the Spotted Crake songs at this Xeno Canto link. Perhaps you'll get confirmation of what you heard...

James

That does help a fair bit! I don't really think having listened again it had that 2 part call like the Spotted Crake, so think I'm siding for Water Rail as the recording I have just doesn't have that low-high call.

 

[Locostella]

Good morning today with Little Owl, Redstart, Firecrest and Spotted Flycatcher, see link for full report and photos of Spot Fly, Redstart Photo is on home page. There not too shoddy considering I digi'ed them with a RSPB AG80 scope and an old compact camera.

http://apprenticebirdersdiary.webs.com/apps/blog/entries/show/7115493-wretham-lynford-20-05-11

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the clement weather

Regards Kieran

 

[O.Reville1989]

Good morning today with Little Owl, Redstart, Firecrest and Spotted Flycatcher, see link for full report and photos of Spot Fly, Redstart Photo is on home page. There not too shoddy considering I digi'ed them with a RSPB AG80 scope and an old compact camera.

http://apprenticebirdersdiary.webs.com/apps/blog/entries/show/7115493-wretham-lynford-20-05-11

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the clement weather

Regards Kieran

Great update and good to see Flycatchers being seen regularly now

 

[Lightthiscandle]

Garden birds

OK: the amount of food we put out in our smallish garden does attract the odd rat but it also brings in a lot of really welcome visitors too!
These were here this am!

 

[PYRTLE]

Spotted flycatcher prospecting for nest site this morning in our village, again, very pleased to see them return - thet were the commonest bird for one day last week in Lesvos nearly every bush, twig, garden had one- amazing to see such large numbers.

 

[firstreesjohn]

Headed orf into the blue yonder

A (fairly) early sortie to West Runton, teaming up with Ian (on VizMigWatch), yielded my first Turtle Dove of the year, flying west (he’d had 2 others), and male Blue-headed Wagtail.

The latter was with 2 female types (probably flavissima), all putting down amongst the cattle for only a few minutes: not even enough time for me to get my ‘scope up and on to them. They were off, with no evident provocation, other than the desire to be somewhere else.

The poorish pic shows the male in bovine shadow.

 

[Songkhran]

Spotted flycatcher prospecting for nest site this morning in our village, again, very pleased to see them return - thet were the commonest bird for one day last week in Lesvos nearly every bush, twig, garden had one- amazing to see such large numbers.

its a simple observation to make but there was a movement of Spotted Flys through Portland this week and since East Anglian migrants are presumably birds moving through the country then stopping when they get to the sea, its a site http://www.portlandbirdobs.org.uk/ worth keeping an eye on as arrivals of particular migrants can be gauged fairly accurately. Even if the weather seems unfavourable here but was condusive a couple of days previously there we can still anticipate some 'knock on', just look at what happened at spurn http://www.spurnbirdobservatory.co.uk/sightings/may11.html on the 15th of this month.

 

[stuart white]

A (fairly) early sortie to West Runton, teaming up with Ian (on VizMigWatch), yielded my first Turtle Dove of the year, flying west (he’d had 2 others), and male Blue-headed Wagtail.

The latter was with 2 female types (probably flavissima), all putting down amongst the cattle for only a few minutes: not even enough time for me to get my ‘scope up and on to them. They were off, with no evident provocation, other than the desire to be somewhere else.

The poorish pic shows the male in bovine shadow.

And you have the cheek to diss my photos !! I reckon my grey-headed photo is no worse than that and I took it in gale force winds with no tripod, telescope and phone hand held.

 

[firstreesjohn]

Sorry, Stuart: I didn't know you'd taken any grey-cheeked photos in Diss.

 

[Penny Clarke]

No birding today for me - been editing photos all day - loads of new photos added to my blog including more Great Snipe, Collared Flycatcher, Wood Warbler etc: http://pennyshotbirdingandlife.blogspot.com/2011/05/all-photographs-finally-added.html

Can't wait to get out birding tomorrow!!:t:

 

[firstreesjohn]

Club Med ?

Arriving at WRunton this mornin', I beheld the sight of 5 Med Gulls in one of the fields: 3 ads, 2S and 1S. Some yelping ensued.

Despite much walking about, with Ian’s keen eyes and ears on the prowl, we saw little else: hardly any vizmig.

Later, 2 more ad Meds flew west, followed by 2 more- this may have made a total of 9.