Norfolk birding (18 Viewers)

[mr.sim]

Looking back at my notebook the start of September 2009 was strong westerlies. Then we must have had some decent winds, as combined totals from a couple of seawatches produced 20+ Black Terns, 49 Great Skuas, c.30 Arctic Skuas, Balearic Shearwater etc. within the first two weeks. Winds obviously weren't favourable for passerine migrants, with only the odd Pied Flycatcher and Honey Buzzard being notable. The Ortolan Bunting at Cley was on 4th September though, anyone know what the weather was like for this? I remember there were numerous low pressure systems coming in off the atlantic, making favourable winds for Norfolk very scarce indeed.

Come October 2009, the winds still weren't great, but I noted that there were some South-Easterlies on 9th, which seemed to do the trick. I had quite a few Redwings miles inland here the very next day, and a trip to the local patch, Denver Sluice, revealed quite a lot of overhead passage, including Grey Wagtails, over 100 Redwings and a ringtail Hen Harrier.

By the end of the next week, so mid October, there were North-Easterly winds with a high pressure over Scandanavia. Notable birds included Paddyfield Warbler at Snettisham Coastal Park, and I saw Short-Toed Lark at West Runton, Yellow-Browed Warbler, Little Auk, Great-Northern Diver and 3 Pomarine Skuas at Holme all on 17th.

So it just goes to show that even if September is pretty poor, October can make up for it! Maybe this year the same will be true B

 

[Songkhran]

It’s good that these birds may come to us in greater numbers this winter- and of their own volition.

Yesterday, as the despair gradually seeped through my bones, even my relentlessly good humour evaporated slightly and I was a tad abrupt with some. This was compounded by a walk around Wells Woods, when I found not a single migrant- despite there being a few at Holme and The Point. I then proceeded completely to forget about the Grey Phal at Cley- and drove straight past it.

I’ve tracked down this new guide (photo below: bargain buy on Amazin.co.yuk), which may be of assistance to those floundering at the start of this near-mystical experience.

For any who doubt this, read some of Josh!’s previous posts on the topic: here we enter a neo-Zen-like realm of stasis, when we are transfixed, with eyes seemingly attached to ‘scopes, the sea takes on a quasi-purple hue and every bird passing stands out in spotlighted relief- except when there’s fog ! It is essential that we transcend the mere identification of species and wallow in the pure essence of ‘the marine’.

i have to confess John i do own a CD of the sound of waves lapping that send me off to sleep each night :smoke:

i'd say next week looks very intriguing. Monday looks very churned up and disorienating in the mid North sea, although calm inshore. i've experienced my best ever seawatch in conditions virtually identical to this, however there are no winds coming over the top in the preceding days so depends whats already in the North sea. Thurs looks like it could be an almost identical rerun of this week. However its so unpredictable at the moment just gotta be out there all the time.

Some people think wind predicting is impossible or pointless, but its the fact that its such an inexact science that makes it fascinating?

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell September 17th

Today’s highlights

Curlew sandpiper – 9 on fresh marsh
Little stint – 4 on fresh marsh
Spoonbill – 1 on saltmarsh
Whinchat – 2 on brackish marsh
Redstart – 1 near Island Hide
Black tern – 1 offshore
Bittern – 1 over reedbed
Brent goose – first of the year, 11 on fresh marsh

Paul

 

[simmojunior]

Today’s highlights

Curlew sandpiper – 9 on fresh marsh
Little stint – 4 on fresh marsh
Spoonbill – 1 on saltmarsh
Whinchat – 2 on brackish marsh
Redstart – 1 near Island Hide
Black tern – 1 offshore
Bittern – 1 over reedbed
Brent goose – first of the year, 11 on fresh marsh

Paul

Hi Paul,

Just for your information, I saw a Brent Goose fly east offshore last Saturday (10th).

 

[firstreesjohn]

Almost two much two bear

Despite spending over 3 hours searching in Wells Woods this afternoon (thanks for the HU, Stuart), I could not connect with any Phylloscs with wing-bars. Most of a (ringed) Chiffchaff was in the Dell: its head is very battered and it has been there for a while.

It seems that there could have been TWO Yellow-broweds present- but I was perpetually two steps behind.

A Redstart flashed through- and there may have been two of those, two.

It was nice to meet ‘Madstar’ again, with his two mates, who were similarly, if resignedly, inornateless.

These have been two horrible days; third day lucky ? Is it two much two hope four ?

 

[O.Reville1989]

Despite spending over 3 hours searching in Wells Woods this afternoon (thanks for the HU, Stuart), I could not connect with any Phylloscs with wing-bars. Most of a (ringed) Chiffchaff was in the Dell: its head is very battered and it has been there for a while.

It seems that there could have been TWO Yellow-broweds present- but I was perpetually two steps behind.

A Redstart flashed through- and there may have been two of those, two.

It was nice to meet ‘Madstar’ again, with his two mates, who were similarly, if resignedly, inornateless.

These have been two horrible days; third day lucky ? Is it two much two hope four ?

Nightmare situation with the YBW! Knowing it (or they) was there but always chasing and never finding!
Early days yet for these! Will be plenty more in that neck of the woods.
Nice to finally know who firstreesjohn is as well, any luck identifying that strange call we heard near the large amount of brambles today? :t:

edit: S added to Firs for the benefit of species diversity!

 

[PYRTLE]

Walsey hills in glorious sunshine produced several chifchaffs, some a lovely lemon yellow, dozens of red admirals and a wasp sting near the unmentionabaubles! Cley gave up a female redstart, common swift and a peregrine. Hundreds of swallows on wires in our village but working through them nothing with a pale or red rump.

 

[stuart white]

so lingerers from this could well be around tommorow..maybe check Holkham Pines etc for a Yellow-browed Warbler.

You may live in the wrong county but your crystal ball was correct, we spent 2+ hours not seeing anything in the walk from lady anne's drive up to the wells end. Literally not a bird expcept the 1000+ Pink feet.

Then we hit a mega flock, it was like being in the jungles of peru, I'd say there were 100 birds up in the pine tops, mainly goldcrests, coal tits, a few chiffies, then L-t tits, blue tits, treecreeprs and chaffinches. We then struck gold a cracking YELLOW BROWED WARBLER gave breif views then several better views over the next 45 minutes. It never called. We went away happy, Burnham overy dunes were virtually birdless though.
And to top it off Norwich won 2-1, happy days

 

[Robert S J Smith]

Cley coastguards 0815-1045

Balearic S'water - 1 east @ 1010
Manx - 1 east
Bonxie - 1 east
Arctic Skua - 1 east
Red-throated Diver - 17 east & 4 west
Gannet - hundreds...
Razorbill - 1 east
Ducks - Gadwall (5 east), Red-breasted Merg (1 west), C Scoter (30 west 2 east), Brent (21 west), Wigeon (50 west), Teal (106 west) and 3 Shoveler.

Pats Pool - 3 Curlew Sands

Gam'hill - 1 Wheatear

Wells Dell - 2 Redstarts & a Bullfinch

Cley (evening)

Bonxies - 2 east
Manx S'water - 3 east
Arctic Skua - 4 east
Red-throated Diver - 2 east

Rob & Locostella

 

[O.Reville1989]

Cley coastguards 0815-1045

Balearic S'water - 1 east @ 1010
Manx - 1 east
Bonxie - 1 east
Arctic Skua - 1 east
Red-throated Diver - 17 east & 4 west
Gannet - hundreds...
Razorbill - 1 east
Ducks - Gadwall (5 east), Red-breasted Merg (1 west), C Scoter (30 west 2 east), Brent (21 west), Wigeon (50 west), Teal (106 west) and 3 Shoveler.

Pats Pool - 3 Curlew Sands

Gam'hill - 1 Wheatear

Wells Dell - 2 Redstarts & a Bullfinch

Cley (evening)

Bonxies - 2 east
Manx S'water - 3 east
Arctic Skua - 4 east
Red-throated Diver - 2 east

Rob & Locostella

A'hem! I may have been there to Just kidding! Was an awesome day with you guys! Should definitely do it again soon! Like...tomorrow? :t:

 

[Robert S J Smith]

Sorry mate, Kieran was reading out the days numbers to me.

We're gonna check out the weather and see what its up to before venturing out will text you whats happening when we know.

Rob :t:

 

[O.Reville1989]

Sorry mate, Kieran was reading out the days numbers to me.

We're gonna check out the weather and see what its up to before venturing out will text you whats happening when we know.

Rob :t:

I'm only messing! You spotted most of the stuff to be fair! Quite pleased with my Great Skua sightings though
Ok lad sounds good to me!
Oli

 

[Penny Clarke]

Coastguards, Cley - 10.11am 1 Balearic Shearwater going east. 1 Red-throated Diver, 5 Brent Geese west, 1 Lapwing, 1 Peregrine, 1 Black Tern east at 11.02am, several gannets, 1 Arctic Skua at 11.23am.

Gramborough Hill - Red Arrows display, but no birds at all.

Walsey Hills NOA - quite a few chiffchaffs, especially in the bottom willows, tit flock but nothing exciting with them.

Coastguards, Cley - 6.30pm - 3 Arctic Skuas east, 1 Red-throated Diver west. 13 Common Scoter, 1 Yellow Wagtail.

Full update on blog.

Penny:girl:

 

[firstreesjohn]

The Simpsons

it was like being in the jungles of peru, I'd say there were 100 birds up in the pine tops

That’s where I went wrong, Stuart. I didn’t find a flock anything like this size. Fortunately, though, was not captured by Shining Path guerillas, either.

Re #13186: it’s ‘firstreesjohn’, pleez ! You’ve completely deprived me of my species diversity- using Simpson's Index, of course. (No ! not Homer, silly.)

 

[David Norgate]

OMG poss Sandhill Crane flew south at West Walton y'day! Now that would have been a sight!

We were at Sheringham y'day waiting for it to drift over there (only a poss Tawny Pipit for our efforts) must have followed down the wash, rather than across the coast!

 

[firstreesjohn]

The Long March. Yes, I know it's September.

I decided it was time to go on the long, muddily salty walk out to a quasi-mythical, neo-island off the north coast, which shall remain nameless.

The only thing which obtruded on my consciousness as I trudged north was what I believe was a Merlin. This, however, was not the bird, but was attached to a Spitfire fighter- part of a weekend of active nostalgia for WWII in the locality.

Arriving at the site, I was struck by even more silence than usual. This was because there were NO passerines. This situation persisted to the westernmost sycamore copse, save for the faint calls of distant Goldcrest !

Redemption arrived in the shape of a Pied Flycatcher, announced by some soft ticking. It proved impossible, for some reason, to shoot it satisfactorily when perched side on.

Accompaniment was provided by 3 Chiffchaffs. Yesterday, Ashley Mc had had only 2 Chiffchaffs and nothing else. Therefore, the number of observed migrants had increased by 100% in 24 hours.

Just before leaving the pines, hundreds of Pink-feet noisily decided to land on a sand-hill (don’t panic!) or, more properly, sandbar. Is this normal behaviour ? I can’t remember having seen this, before.

On the way back, a Little Egret croaked, as it flew past me. I croaked back at it and it proceeded to do a 360° circuit over my head, before continuing on its way. Remarkable- that’s why I’ve remarked on it.

 

[petehasset]

I decided it was time to go on the long, muddily salty walk out to a quasi-mythical, neo-island off the north coast, which shall remain nameless.

The only thing which obtruded on my consciousness as I trudged north was what I believe was a Merlin. This, however, was not the bird, but was attached to a Spitfire fighter- part of a weekend of active nostalgia for WWII in the locality.

Arriving at the site, I was struck by even more silence than usual. This was because there were NO passerines. This situation persisted to the westernmost sycamore copse, save for the faint calls of distant Goldcrest !

Redemption arrived in the shape of a Pied Flycatcher, announced by some soft ticking. It proved impossible, for some reason, to shoot it satisfactorily when perched side on.

Accompaniment was provided by 3 Chiffchaffs. Yesterday, Ashley Mc had had only 2 Chiffchaffs and nothing else. Therefore, the number of observed migrants had increased by 100% in 24 hours.

Just before leaving the pines, hundreds of Pink-feet noisily decided to land on a sand-hill (don’t panic!) or, more properly, sandbar. Is this normal behaviour ? I can’t remember having seen this, before.

On the way back, a Little Egret croaked, as it flew past me. I croaked back at it and it proceeded to do a 360° circuit over my head, before continuing on its way. Remarkable- that’s why I’ve remarked on it.

There was about 100 Pink Footed Geese over Waxham about 7pm this eve also Sparrow Hawk , Chiffchaff & Sandwich Terns on the sea ,

 

[Tideliner]

It used to be quite normal for the pink feet geese ( 1042 today ) to use the roost as a day resting area particularly during moon periods, but they will only do so as long as the site is quiet and nobody is walking out on the sands or marsh edge. Alass there are too many people out there some days for them to do it so often these days as once disturbed , they will not do it again for days or sometimes weeks ( last year it was over a month arfter two birders put them up ). I did not see the spitfire , but mid morning there was a hurricane flying east. It came right over my head.

 

[Penny Clarke]

Cley Coastguards

Seawatch - 7am-10am.

Highlight being a Lapland Bunting which flew straight past us in the shelter at 9.20am. Tons of Swalllows going west and a good selection on the sea.

Full update on blog.

Penny:girl:

 

[O.Reville1989]

Black-Throated Diver Holkham today! Looks like it isn't too early for them after all! Always chance of a miss ID but gotta at least give the benefit of the doubt!