Norfolk birding (20 Viewers)

[stuart white]

Arctic Redpoll

Here are some more pictures taken yesterday by Dave Holman,
they clearly show a single thin dark shaft on the white undertail coverts
frosty upperparts, fairly fine streaking on a white flank
biscuit buff coulour round face and throat and bold white wing bars
the white unstreaked rump is just about discernable.

There is a second bird which I believe is shown in Sean Nixon's pictures which is very similar but has 2 dark shafts on the UTC's
slightly bolder streaks on the flank and a slightly longer bill. The two have been seen side-by-side today
at the moment its easy to pick up the couse's as its got a half grown tail, but when its fully grown you will proabbly need to see the UTC's to be certain you are looking at the right bird.
Don't you just love redpolls !

 

[firstreesjohn]

Have they winged it ?

A trip to Norwich, to have my neck loosened, saw me within 5 minutes of George Fox Way. Unfortunately, I didn’t seem to be as close to the Waxwings that have been inhabiting the cul-de-sac. Workmen were lacerating berry bushes by an adjacent UEA building, which may account for my loss.

A short chat with a pleasant resident (yes, many do exist; we haven’t alienated all of them) may have convinced her to look up ‘Waxwing’ on GoogleImage and then go and see the birds themselves, if they return.

Reaching home later, I was able to witness the dramatic sky below, looking north from Sheringham sea front.

 

[Johny121]

Workmen were lacerating berry bushes by an adjacent UEA building, which may account for my loss.
Seems to be the Norm on campus, walking around I saw a lot of young trees and bushes cut down, a huge oak on the boardwalk had been felled, probably in case it fell on a student like myself and we attempted to sue the University. A beautiful cedar/pine near the walled gardens has also been felled, fantastic tree that was no danger to anyone, gone for no apparent reason.

Great picture however

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Workmen were lacerating berry bushes by an adjacent UEA building, which may account for my loss.
Seems to be the Norm on campus, walking around I saw a lot of young trees and bushes cut down, a huge oak on the boardwalk had been felled, probably in case it fell on a student like myself and we attempted to sue the University. A beautiful cedar/pine near the walled gardens has also been felled, fantastic tree that was no danger to anyone, gone for no apparent reason.

I suspect if a huge oak fell on you, you wouldn't be in a fit condition to sue anybody! :eek!: It is always very sad to hear about the removal of healthy trees, though.

Ron

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell December 9th

Today’s highlights

Coues’s arctic redpoll – 1 with redpoll flock although mobile between the visitor centre and picnic area
Mealy redpoll – 1+ with redpoll flock
Spotted redshank – 9 on fresh marsh
Snow bunting – 6 on beach
Chiffchaff - 2 on Meadow Trail
Pintail - 70- on fresh marsh
Spoonbill - 1 along Gypsy Lane

Paul

 

[Paul Woolnough]

Redpolls

Thanks for posting those pictures Stuart.

At Titchwell Saturday 3 December when four redpolls were on the feeders mid afternoon. Three lessers, with the fourth paler underneath - a mealy. Another birder had this mealy in his scope, which I looked through. Saw bird before it flew - no white rump like on the coues!

I have seen an Arctic redpoll in 2011. An elusive bird at May Day Farm in the Brecks mid-March. A few lessers about. Watched a mealy for sometime. Eventually the Arctic, seen the day before reappeared. As with this bird not an distinctive "snowball" Arctic redpoll but an Arctic nevertheless.

 

[deboo]

good idea NSC, some things are best left unexplained.

But credit where credit is due eh Steve?

Not that it really matters anyhoo, but Tim was probably the first to start a county thread on BF....and look how they've become a continuing +point for the site.

Well played in my book.

xxx

Wim Allblood o

 

[firstreesjohn]

It looks as if I should have waited until a lot later, to see anything of an Arctic bent.

The first bird that confronted me in the car park at RSPB Titchwell was a Chiffchaff. Occasionally calling weakly, it flitted about, mainly in the sun.

Much desultory wandering about yielded a few Redpolls of a darker hue. I was particularly struck by the whitish ‘tramlines’ on the back of the one below.

Another Chiffchaff was by the feeders- the other was still by the car park, when I returned.

Driving back the ‘country way’ gave no GGShrike south of Burnham Market (is the concrete pad made of concrete?), but a few small groups of Bullfinches.

 

[lostinjapan]

Think the Coue's Arctic Redpoll was reported at 10am and then again around 2.30. We got there too late today.

However, we jammed in on the Great Grey Shrike. It was on the right hand-side of road, less than a mile S of Burnham Market, feeding in roadside bushes and along a wide hedge with 2 small ponds on either side with an area of long grass on one side, among fallow arable fields. There were 2 Green Sandpiper on the ponds..no sign of a concrete pad.

Cheers

Sean

 

[O.Reville1989]

Think the Coue's Arctic Redpoll was reported at 10am and then again around 2.30. We got there too late today.

However, we jammed in on the Great Grey Shrike. It was on the right hand-side of road, less than a mile S of Burnham Market, feeding in roadside bushes and along a wide hedge with 2 small ponds on either side with an area of long grass on one side, among fallow arable fields. There were 2 Green Sandpiper on the ponds..no sign of a concrete pad.

Cheers

Sean

Those rare and elusive Concrete Pads....Real blocker for a lot of people!

Have attached a few pictures of the Coue's from today, had to wait until nearly 3pm to get the bird having missed it earlier in the day.
Edit: It been pointed out to me that photos 2-4 are not of the Coues (Apologies, went against my gut instinct on the advice of another). Photo 1 does seem to be the right bird though.

 

[SW London birder]

I've just picked up this thread. I saw this bird last Friday week (2nd Dec) when it was knocking about with a couple of Mealies and some Lessers. My initial reaction was that it could be Coue's but longer views made me re-evaluate it. As it was interesting I spent quite a bit of time with it and shot off a few hundred photos. While it does have quite a few pro-Coue's features including:
1. Nearly (but not completely) white rump
2. Single dark streak on v white UTCs
3. That 'chamois leather' colouring on face and upper breast.

But longer views showed:
1. Real warm tones in the mantle
2. Ground colour of flank streaking is darker than any Coue's I've seen
3. Long billed bird and overall face shape doesn't look quite right

Individually the anti-Coue's points above may not be deal breakers, but taken together they seem (at least to me) to push it into the Mealy bucket.

Some photos attached showing warmer mantle and flank base colour (as well as rump and UTC patterns).

Some more detail and photos here.

Was I just being too cautious? Any views?

Cheers
Matt

 

[Johny121]

I suspect if a huge oak fell on you, you wouldn't be in a fit condition to sue anybody! :eek!: It is always very sad to hear about the removal of healthy trees, though.

I guess not , it is, Im unsure to why they do it.


Cley yesterday, no optics as I was showing a friend the area in general. Good flock of Snow Buntings overhead calling, flushed them twice by accident and was awarded great views, I tried to make them as interesting as I could for my non-birder friend, I think she liked them!

 

[Songkhran]

Cley yesterday, no optics as I was showing a friend the area in general. Good flock of Snow Buntings overhead calling, flushed them twice by accident and was awarded great views, I tried to make them as interesting as I could for my non-birder friend, I think she liked them!

No bins birding is the way!!!

Oh yeah looks like a little romance on the cards for more than one of us then

 

[firstreesjohn]

An easy today, after my aguë in the week.

A Wells wander (sadly, unaccompanied) revealed no smaller birds of note. However, one species of duck on Abraham’s Bosom multiplied exponentially: Goldeneye increased from drake and brownhead, on my arrival, to 2 drakes and 3 brownheads, by my departure.

A difficult shot, into the low sun:

 

[Johny121]

No bins birding is the way!!!

Oh yeah looks like a little romance on the cards for more than one of us then

Blackberry before buntings sadly. haha one can hope!

 

[jimbob]

Blackberry before buntings sadly. haha one can hope!

Not that I go round dishing out romantic advice on birding threads, but I once took a girl to see the seal pups at Horsey followed by lunch in the Nelson's Head. Back of the net....

Jim.

 

[O.Reville1989]

Not that I go round dishing out romantic advice on birding threads, but I once took a girl to see the seal pups at Horsey followed by lunch in the Nelson's Head. Back of the net....

Jim.

Back of her net? :t:

 

[Songkhran]

Not that I go round dishing out romantic advice on birding threads, but I once took a girl to see the seal pups at Horsey followed by lunch in the Nelson's Head. Back of the net....

Jim.

you didn't write anything in the sand by any chance!!

if so, you bugger I can't use it

 

[NoSpringChicken]

With Pomskua's quote being attributed to me and Jimbob's quote being attributed to Pomskua, along with Tim Allwood's revolving Username, I don't think I will ever believe anything posted in this thread again!

Ron

 

[Pitvar]

Here are a couple of shots from Sunday 11th of what I believe is the Coues's - the pale rump is just about visible in the photo but was very distinctive as the bird flew between the trees it was feeding in - a real white flash as it flew. There were also at least one Mealy and two Lessers present.