Norfolk birding (14 Viewers)

Dave Appleton · Oct 21, 2012

Or more likely by Tuesday or Wednesday the forecast for Thursday will have changed completely and be showing westerlies! Stop worring about Thursday and get out birding on Monday! Wish I could, but sadly work stands in the way!

Songkhran · Oct 21, 2012

Interesting to think what could show up this week. However and I hope I'm wrong it might just end up being a quiet Autumn (year) for Norfolk. We gave it a good bash and the only thing that looked even vaguely migranty were a few Thrushes and a Black Red in what seemed like pretty decent conditions (finally NE winds). Both the South coast and the North have had at times pretty spectacular birds (when I was in Sussex there were impressive numbers of hurundines, common migrants and overhead passage). Maybe its just our turn for a quiet one, surely there could be some viz mig going on in SWs and more in today? And maybe thats a good thing - makes us appreciate what we usually get - anyway lets hope I'm wrong - - I'm sure that might be quoted a few times!!
Anyway I'm hoping for a Little Auk autumn and strong Northerlies with a NE element might produce which good no's of juv Poms and wildfowl.
Its pissing down right now with ok winds so lets hope thing start happening tomorrow, but not going to cry if it doesn't, just enjoying Norfolk for all that it is.

The sniper · Oct 21, 2012

I do hope stuff turns up this week,am back up for a couple of days Wednesday/Thursday,if noti will have fun trying anyhow,happy birding folks

firstreesjohn · Oct 22, 2012

David Norgate said:
or would that be Clarkson!

As I’m sure you’re aware, Dave, cannibalism is illegal- however, ‘tasty’ he might be. (I do hope I’ve not misunderstood the sense in which you use that word.) Pork or veal are the usual comparisons made, when the taste of human flesh is described.

As for PU, Clarkson did not say it was ‘great’, but that he was offered grated Puffin on his (portion of) whale. He also did not say if it was washed down with Frater Cola.

Pomskua said:
it might just end up being a quiet Autumn (year) for Norfolk. Maybe its just our turn for a quiet one, - makes us appreciate what we usually get

Very true, Josh- notwithstanding all I’ve said before.

I, for one, wouldn’t mind tinkling the Ivories (agh! more bell sounds?) for County- even if I’m an organist, rather than a pianist.

Dave_A said:
Don't wish winter upon us, its just gone mid october, we've got light easterlies/north easterlies all week, bring on the Pallas's, Bluetails, blue robins etc etc.

Spot on, Dave.

Dave Appleton said:
get out birding on Monday!

I will be; but, currently, I can only just make out the sea, it’s so foggy. It was raining much of the night, too. Not sure that bodes well.

To contradict myself: there are hundreds and hundreds of Redwings & Fieldfares currently (0840h) 'dropping out of the sky'.

firstreesjohn · Oct 22, 2012

firstreesjohn said:
there are hundreds and hundreds of Redwings & Fieldfares currently (0840h) 'dropping out of the sky'.

Much less than 1% attached.

Robert S J Smith · Oct 22, 2012

Redwings & Fieldfares pooring in by there 100's at Holme this morning.

BirdBeard · Oct 22, 2012

Managed to get within feet of a very friendly Twite and then almost tripped over a beautifully coloured Richard's Pipit this morning at Waxham. Both birds were towards bottom of dunes just to left of the beach entrance (at the church). 100s of Redwings all over the place + 4 Fieldfare and a Willow Warbler.

Yours happily,
Birdbeard

PYRTLE · Oct 22, 2012

Spectacle in the fog - as others have said, this morning saw thousands of redwings, fieldfares and blackbirds at Gramborough-in-the-mist whilst nearby fleeting glimpses of at least two ring ouzels as they flashed inland at Little Eye. A quivering redstart amongst many robins added to the expectation and some playful "chase me" crests amongst the shingle vegetation required scrutiny but to no avail. One redpoll in a small group of vocal bramblings didn't pitch down, but a wheatear sat atop a fence post. Back home in t'village, many of the thrushes were nervously feeding on hawthorn hedges - surprised how quickly they move through. What a great morning.

Robert S J Smith · Oct 22, 2012

Large Thrushes slowing down in numbers but Robins increasing rapidly!

tonyfenn · Oct 22, 2012

RED FLANKED BLUETAIL at Stifkey campsite wood

postcardcv · Oct 22, 2012

tonyfenn said:
RED FLANKED BLUETAIL at Stifkey campsite wood

I was chatting to a friend this morning and said that there would be one in Norfolk today... I knew it would happen as I have been up half the night with a vomiting daughter which means she'll be off school until Wednesday at least. I really hope it sticks.

peteh · Oct 22, 2012

Seems I defo chose the wrong week out the two to visit Norfolk! Arghhhhh. I'm not rocking backwards and forwards here or anything honest !!

stuart white · Oct 22, 2012

Burnham Overy

As soon as we arrived at BO Staithe you could tell it was going to be a good day, the first birds I saw were a flock of Brambling right by the sea wall, we counted at least 5 Ring Ouzels just walking out to the dunes along with 100's of Fieldfare & Redwings and further small flocks of Bramblings (50+ conservative estimate). It was amazing walking along the bank in the fog flushing thrushes everywhere.
Gun Hill produced another 5 Ring Ouzels, Redstart & Black Redstart. The mist kept all the thrushes low, they were literally everywhere. A truly fabulous experience, I've never seen anything like it.
As lunch time approached more and more Blackbirds were appearing along with song thrushes and Robins.
We then did some pagering and saw the attached little gem in Stiffkey campsite wood. I wonder what else is lurking out there !?
Also pictured a small flock of Brambling in the fog, sort of captures the atmosphe !
Happy days

Paul Eele · Oct 22, 2012

Titchwell October 22nd

Today’s highlights

Wow, what a day. Massive movement of winter thrushes through the reserve today.

Ring ouzel – 17 through reserve today
Brambling – 107 through today
Firecrest – 1 on saltmarsh with goldcrests
Willow warbler – 2 on east trail
Black redstart – 1 reported from saltmarsh

Paul

davethebird · Oct 22, 2012

Red-flanked Bluetail

How nice to have a good bird nearly on the door step. B

The bird was showing well when I got to the woods but was a bit distant for my lens. Then it crossed the path and came much closer to me.

I promised a few people that I would post these images - including Mike who found it.

putnoebabes · Oct 22, 2012

Just my luck, after living at E Runton since March, we have vacated the site to go back to Bedford THIS MORNING, after weeks of seeing diddly squat. Took the dog for a walk, saw and heard loads of winter thrushes, then the pager kept going off halfway home, RFB, OBP etc........oh well, next year!!!!!!
While I think, thanks to everybody who helped me out in various ways this year, especially Phil Mick and Rob at Sheringham sea watch point, Simon C (Tractorboy) and Firstreesjohn, who pulled me out of the ditch at the Salthouse Bee-eater site!
See you all next year, Graham

Robert S J Smith · Oct 22, 2012

Holme totals dawn - dusk

Okay I must admit that I gave in note taking after a while as I was missing Thrushes coming in off by there 100s but here's what I reckon I had personally numbers wise today at Holme.

Redwing coming up 10,000, Fieldfare 5000 easy, Blackbirds 500, Song Thrushes low 100's, Brambling 300, Hawfinch 1, Ring Ouzel 30+, Black Redstart 5, Common Redstart 2 and Robins 500+

I think that's about it...

NO OBP was at the opposite end of the reserve when found!!!

Cortonbirds · Oct 22, 2012

Got off work at 3pm to be on the patch at 4pm in the light of a report of a large arrival in thick fog and north east wind. Only had time to check a very small area but I witnessed some of the action. At Corton Church area 250 plus Redwing were present, many settled fieeding out in the field along with smaller numbers of Blackbird, Song Thrush and Fieldfare. Parking at the MoD entrance i walked the entrance track all the way to the coast and flushed very many Redwing out of virtually every tree! A conservative total of 500 plus including huge flocks sweeping out from cover and ditching into the compound. Many were feeding on the edge of the stubble. The numbers progressively got larger as I reached the sea end, presumably birds ditching into the first cover on arrival from the sea in the dense fog. Also here were a wonderfully confiding flock of 6 Brambling, probably exhausted. As expected the indicator site of Hopton railtrack also indicated this was a very large arrival indeed with 200 plus Redwing, 2 Brambling, 5 Fieldfare and a single flock of 50 plus Chaffinch. From here i walked back out to the sea along the Potters hedge and noted 250+ Redwing, again getting more numerous towards the coast including a flock of around 120 in the very first largish tree from the sea. So around 1000 Redwing seen in a very small area of coast, a truly wonderful spectacle, the likes of which I have rarely seen before. A similar arrival occurred late last autumn but this was even more impressive.

O.Reville1989 · Oct 22, 2012

davethebird said:
How nice to have a good bird nearly on the door step. B

The bird was showing well when I got to the woods but was a bit distant for my lens. Then it crossed the path and came much closer to me.

I promised a few people that I would post these images - including Mike who found it.

Amazing Dave! That first photo especially.
Very annoyed I missed the chance to photograph this little gem.

Cortonbirds · Oct 22, 2012

In many respects this seems to be similar to the big fall of Thrushes in Norfolk on 18th October 1990. Shame it didnt occur on a weekend as im sure more rares would have been found.

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