Norfolk birding (9 Viewers)

[robinchittenden]

Slight scare with a Gull photographed at Salthouse. What with there being a Thayer's about. Norfolk page at http://www.birdlineeastanglia.co.uk

'Viking Gull' (Presumed Herring X Glaucous Gull hybrid)
Salthouse 14th November 2013

Thanks to RM for ID 'guess'.

 

[Bilvo]

What with there being a Thayer's about.

Was there?? Very surprised at the lack of discussion regards the Thayers, especially with it being a first for Norfolk...

Call me sceptical but the reported bird was seen at dusk and at first light the following morning when it left the roost. With the light at both those times of day being poor (especially in the morning when the bird flew off 40 minutes before sunrise) and the bird reported as a juvenile am I the only one thinking this is a miss-id'd juvenile Herring Gull???

Its interesting looking at the Cley Bird Club website, under the birds records section "Interesting birds seen in the last 5 days" there is no mention of the Thayers. http://www.cleybirdclub.org.uk/cbc/records_overview.asp?pageid=13

It's a bit like the Pacific Swift reported on the 27th October, which turned out to be a House Martin...

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell November 15th

Today's highlights

Short eared owl - 1 showing very well this afternoon
Hen harrier - ringtail at the roost
Ruff - 90 on drained grazing meadow pool
Water pipit - 1 on drained grazing meadow pool
Slavonian grebe - 1 offshore
Long tailed duck - drake offshore
Great skua - 2 offshore

Paul

 

[rob Wilson]

The norfolk bird fair site has been redesigned check out the site at www.norfolkbirdfair.com
tickets now on sale

 

[HabbinAlan]

Regular reader but not contributor on here.

I'm fairly sure that we saw a juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard at Holkham yesterday evening. It was too distant for decent photos but the strong line between light streaked chest and brown belly were very clear and tail/wing markings looked right.

It was on the marsh roughly halfway between the hide and the main entrance. I guess it was the bird seen at Cley earlier in the day (behind the visitor centre, heading west).

alan

 

[GeoffBowen]

Paston Swift

It's a bit like the Pacific Swift reported on the 27th October, which turned out to be a House Martin...

I can't let this go unchallenged, I was was of the two birders who saw a swift with a white rump at Paston on 27th Oct, our views were not good enough to be sure of the identity of this bird, but it most suredly was NOT a House Martin. I don't know where this rumour started, this is the first mention I have heard of it, but we didn't see a hirundine of any description that day. There may have been a sighting of a House Martin by someone on the 27th, but that does not mean to say the bird John & I saw was anything other that a swift

 

[Locostella]

Was there?? Very surprised at the lack of discussion regards the Thayers, especially with it being a first for Norfolk...

Call me sceptical but the reported bird was seen at dusk and at first light the following morning when it left the roost. With the light at both those times of day being poor (especially in the morning when the bird flew off 40 minutes before sunrise) and the bird reported as a juvenile am I the only one thinking this is a miss-id'd juvenile Herring Gull???

Its interesting looking at the Cley Bird Club website, under the birds records section "Interesting birds seen in the last 5 days" there is no mention of the Thayers. http://www.cleybirdclub.org.uk/cbc/records_overview.asp?pageid=13

It's a bit like the Pacific Swift reported on the 27th October, which turned out to be a House Martin...

Comparing two situations that you seem to know very little about, Bilvo, not wise.

Presumptions like this about peoples birds is one of the biggest problems in the scene, in my opinion. With the class of observers that watch the gull roost at Cley, I would be very surprised if this Thayer's type is not a very interesting and educational specimen, rather than a misidentification.


Kieran

 

[Mark Batten]

Kieran. Thayers type seen at the Cley roost dismissed as a mis id as unlikely as an away win for Norwich at the Emirates!

 

[PYRTLE]

The finders of the red breasted flycatcher near the pill box by the beach car park at Cley kindly showed me some photos, just in case it was a "Taiga". A kind couple, I suggested they submit the find onto the county recorders for inclusion in the Norfolk Bird and Mammal Report.
Sorry for disturbing your late lunch Penny.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell November 16th

Today's highlights

Short eared owl - 1 showing well again today
Hen harrier - ringtail over saltmarsh mid morning, male west over main path this afternoon
Water pipit - 2 on grazing meadow
Ruff - 66 on grazing meadow
Whooper swan - 2 on fresh marsh early morning
Slav grebe - 1 offshore
Velvet scoter - 1 offshore
Great Northern diver - 1 offshore

Paul

 

[Penny Clarke]

1 female PARROT CROSSBILL was seen this morning at Holt with approx a dozen plus Common Crossbills – what a fantastic monster bird:t: These were fairly mobile in the clearing (where the Roller was) opposite the Edgefield sign. Thanks to Julian B. for the call and Jim S.:t: At the time when the pager message came out that there were 12 Parrot Crossbills, we certainly did not see 12! Not saying that somebody didn't see 12, but there certainly wasn't 12 when I and lots of others were there at that time.

The Red-breasted Fly got me running, thanks Pat:t:

Full update on blog.

Penny:girl:

 

[John Fordham]

The finders of the red breasted flycatcher near the pill box by the beach car park at Cley kindly showed me some photos, just in case it was a "Taiga". A kind couple, I suggested they submit the find onto the county recorders for inclusion in the Norfolk Bird and Mammal Report.
Sorry for disturbing your late lunch Penny.

Hi Pyrtle,
I was luckily one of the finders of the RB Flycatcher and immediately sent out news. Sadly just a few of us saw it. Do you know if the couple you spoke to are definitely submitting a report? If not, I can do this. Although I don't have a picture of my own, I am in contact with someone who did get a great picture and am sure I could attach that to a report.

Regards
John

 

[Paul Woolnough]

At the time when the pager message came out that there were 12 Parrot Crossbills, we certainly did not see 12! Not saying that somebody didn't see 12, but there certainly wasn't 12 when I and lots of others were there at that time.
Penny:girl:

I was told the 12 figure quoted was a misunderstanding.
The female bird and perhaps one or two others.
Thus one or two birds = 1/2 not 12

 

[PYRTLE]

Hi Pyrtle,
I was luckily one of the finders of the RB Flycatcher and immediately sent out news. Sadly just a few of us saw it. Do you know if the couple you spoke to are definitely submitting a report? If not, I can do this. Although I don't have a picture of my own, I am in contact with someone who did get a great picture and am sure I could attach that to a report.

Regards
John

Morning John,
I think the couple, who live fairly near to me, are going to submit the sighting along with one or two reasonable photos, but I hope as one of the co finders you can also do that. Thanks for sending out the news so quickly. Sorry Penny I gave you a duff gen site ...it should have been near the pillbox, not the new sluice, apologies for any indigestion.
Heading for Parrot country this morning, need to go birding today.

Best wishes, Pat

 

[John Fordham]

Morning John,
I think the couple, who live fairly near to me, are going to submit the sighting along with one or two reasonable photos, but I hope as one of the co finders you can also do that. Thanks for sending out the news so quickly. Sorry Penny I gave you a duff gen site ...it should have been near the pillbox, not the new sluice, apologies for any indigestion.
Heading for Parrot country this morning, need to go birding today.

Best wishes, Pat

Many thanks, Pat. It turns out that my contact with a picture was the husband of the couple you were speaking to and he informed me that report already sent in by his wife.

Happy birding.I'm now back in London. Sob.:-C

Cheers
John

 

[Bird Hard 2]

I was told the 12 figure quoted was a misunderstanding.
The female bird and perhaps one or two others.
Thus one or two birds = 1/2 not 12

Most of the people that were stood around me that I knew to be good birders, thought all 12 birds were Parrots (at least all the birds they could get decent looks at). I'd agree too - I didn't see any Crossbills that didn't have a bulging lower mandible and didn't look bull-necked. I was quite intrigued by the comments I could overhear like "Oh, here's THE female". I witnessed at least 4 different birds referred to as 'THE female', sometimes when there were at least 3 female Parrots on show at the time.

 

[RobLucking]

What struck me about the 12 crossbills yesterday at Edgefield was the rate at which they were going through unopened Scots pine cones. I always understood that common crossbills couldn't get into Scots pine cones until they open in the spring and consequently at this time of year they feed mostly on larch and spruce cones which are easier for them to get into.

Most of the people that were stood around me that I knew to be good birders, thought all 12 birds were Parrots (at least all the birds they could get decent looks at). I'd agree too - I didn't see any Crossbills that didn't have a bulging lower mandible and didn't look bull-necked. I was quite intrigued by the comments I could overhear like "Oh, here's THE female". I witnessed at least 4 different birds referred to as 'THE female', sometimes when there were at least 3 female Parrots on show at the time.

 

[93Birder]

Crossbills to one side, is there any details on the Northern Harrier reported at Welney a couple days ago? I can assume it's the Ouse bird just moving around? Cheers

 

[john miller]

At least 40 Snow Buntings were around Salthouse beach carpark to Little eye for a time this pm.
At last connected with the Parrots, had to be on about the dullest day of the week. Pics below.

John
www.kellingnature.zenfolio.com

 

[stuart white]

What struck me about the 12 crossbills yesterday at Edgefield was the rate at which they were going through unopened Scots pine cones. I always understood that common crossbills couldn't get into Scots pine cones until they open in the spring and consequently at this time of year they feed mostly on larch and spruce cones which are easier for them to get into.

Also how they cut the cone off and then carry it to another perch to feed ! Don't think I've ever seen a common do that. Awesome beasts