Norfolk birding (30 Viewers)

Right, I can see people are starting to get into a hissy fit again. Time to put things into perspective....

IM A GRANDFATHER!!!!!!!! SIX BABY BLUE TITS FLEDGED FROM BACK GARDEN BOX TODAY AND ARE CALLING FROM VARIOUS HIDING PLACES UNDER BUSHES ETC!!!!!!!!

Hope you got to sea the see this morning Josh! Watched from Cley Coastguards for an hour after an early (no) stint in the North Hide and several Gannets and Kittiwakes were passing east with some largish flocks of Auks moving in the same direction too. Most of this seemed to tail off by c.8:30 but our last birds were the best birds... 7 Manxies west through mid-water.

Of note on the marsh were c.117 Blackwits, 2 Barwits, 2 LRP's and a Common Sandpiper. Two snoozing Spoonbills that were south of the Eye Field disappeared in an unknown direction but sometime later 2 first summers and a sub-adult (maybe a 3cy bird? See here) flew in from the east, landing briefly before heading west over Blakeney Freshes...

James

Titchwell mega!

A Titchwell mega today in the shape of a nuthatch on the feeders by the centre. Also present:
Bittern lots of flight activity today with one of our volunteers based on the west bank path having no less than fourteen flight views!
Red crested pochard male on grazing meadow pool
Med gull freshmarsh
Spotted flycatcher fen hide
Bearded tit family party of five grazing meadow

Mega thrush in Sheringham today

This huge, black bird was collecting for one of our avian charities. She deserves credit for her efforts and I hope a lot of money was raised.

Thanks to all those who sent kind words on my ascension into the 7th decade.

Some seem to have missed the thrust of my allusions to Boney M (the group) and what I imagined were a few of their more famous recordings.

Sea spray therapy

Back on the old patch today. The symbolism began when I bought a horribly crumbly apple in Blakeney. Ruminating over this on the bus I decided that the apple was supposed to be a braeburn and it would be far wiser to buy local produce in the future. After alighting at Weybourne, I popped into the shop, not only did I find a bottle of Suffolk produced apple juice but also some delicious victoria sponge, both of which kept me going for the whole afternoon.
Down at the beach there were Sand Martins everywhere. The decision I've come to is that I'm no longer going to go birding with my binoculars and over time i'll phase out the scope, so I was completely unburdened and able to enjoy the martins in all their dynamic glory. The birds accompanyed me for a good couple of miles and on occasion zipped past me within touching distance.
While walking through the cottages I noticed a recently fledged Linnet and was able to creep up to it so I could see every feather on its head. It only flew off when I began to take my hand out of my pocket to see if it would hop onto my hand!
Shortly afterwards I had the mystery bird of the day. Apparent white rump but much smaller than a Wheatear with a less undulating flight, a couple of walkers overtook me and their slightly hurried pace must have spooked it as it was up over the hill and long gone in the blink of an eye - maybe one of the locals will pick this up.
A little later I started following a sunken row of hedgerow up away from the cliffs. This area was alive with birds, the highlight being a pair of Stonechat, the resplendent male hovering in the air imperilously as I pushed him from perch to perch.
Later still I came across a Roe Deer grazing in the overgrown weeds along the path. As hunter gatherers, humans a perfectly designed to stalk and eventually overcome this kind of prey and although it bounded off a couple of times, it spent most of the time either watching me respectfully or feeding in an unconcerned manner.
Looping back to the cliff, I found an area that had crumbled and got onto the beach itself. I attempted to walk in the crashing surf but the tide was in and the first waves almost knocked me off my feet.
Retreating to the safety of the first pebbled ridge i immediately noticed there has been yet another wreck of starfish and the sea almost seemed to be dropping them down in front of me as I walked through them, mixed in were plenty of crab carcasses and a few lobster.
The natural tragedy of the situation combined with the violence of the waves had me back along the tranquillity of the path in a short time reassured by the presence of flowering plants and blue butterflies. The afternoon however ended in epic style, when with dark rain clouds fast approaching I suddenly found myself in the midst of a gang of Fulmars. Lying belly down in the soft grass I watched transfixed as these little albatrosses alternately hung and quivered in the updrafts, again virtually within touching distance. They seemed to be wheeling around in aimlessly celebratory circles and just once or twice inquisitively catching my gaze. This entire experience had been elevating in every sense of the word.

Josh! said:

Mmm, we all love a surprise do we not :-O, I think I left the seewatch too early but someone else had a good selection of waterbirds :t: not sure how much stringpressing was going on though

Anyway mate if you could do with another pair of eyes could I possibly tag along with you guys on your Cley day, a bit like last time. Double Mmm - Golden sewage works not a good combo my friend o

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You can but you'll have to pay, mates rates, just add 20%

The Orioles were nails today, some poor chap spent 16 hours looking in one spot on wednesday and thursday and never saw one. They are getting as hard to see as the Gurney's Pitta !

Josh sounds like you had a good day . Thats my kind of birdwatching , not chasing some lost rareity that should not be here in the first place. Though with my eyes I do like to have my bins with me too.

Spotted Flycatcher and loads of chiffchaffs at Friary Hills after deluge of rain, whilst I stood under an oak tree late afternoon!

2 Little gulls and 100+ Black tailed Godwits from Daukes Hide this evening.

2 Nightjars churring and seen at Salthouse Heath.

Full update on blog.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

Josh! said:

Back on the old patch today. The symbolism began when I bought a horribly crumbly apple in Blakeney. Ruminating over this on the bus I decided that the apple was supposed to be a braeburn and it would be far wiser to buy local produce in the future. After alighting at Weybourne, I popped into the shop, not only did I find a bottle of Suffolk produced apple juice but also some delicious victoria sponge, both of which kept me going for the whole afternoon. etc etc.

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Blimey Josh! I always said you'd be a great writer (especially when you're lucid!) but that's a bit radical isn't it, no bins?

Turtles

Here we go! Two together!
I reckon we have 16 species paired up / nesting / feeding young in and around our smallish garden!

Lightthiscandle said:

Here we go! Two together!
I reckon we have 16 species paired up / nesting / feeding young in and around our smallish garden!

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Are you going to hold an open house for viewing? 3

James

Titchwell Saturday May 28th

Today's sightings:
Bittern several flights over the west bank path south of Island hide
Greenshank 1 freshmarsh
Black tailed godwit 15+ including several summer stunners!
Knot 200 beach
Pintail female with young
Cuckoo reedbed
Red crested pochard grazing meadow pool
Spoonbill in flight heading east
Curlew sandpiper 1 freshmarsh (partial summer plumage)
Cetti's warbler 2+ around Meadow trail
Bearded tit 2 grazing meadow pool

Josh. No bins. No scope. Are you going native!!!! Look forward to you next Corys description! Expensive day out in London bought a rather nice camera lens!

The capital was invaded with visitors from Spain who were high on life or perhaps expresso coffee! Not looking too good for the prawn sandwich fans with five minutes to go!!! Come on Barca!!

black kite 1964 said:

Not looking too good for the prawn sandwich fans with five minutes to go!!! Come on Barca!!

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that wasn't a football match

that was a crucifixion

B

stuart white said:

You can but you'll have to pay, mates rates, just add 20%

The Orioles were nails today, some poor chap spent 16 hours looking in one spot on wednesday and thursday and never saw one. They are getting as hard to see as the Gurney's Pitta !

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your on mate, if you let me off maybe we could call it sponsor money your contribution was a little stringy sorry stingy

Sue G said:

Blimey Josh! I always said you'd be a great writer (especially when you're lucid!) but that's a bit radical isn't it, no bins?

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black kite 1964 said:

Josh. No bins. No scope. Are you going native!!!! Look forward to you next Corys description! Expensive day out in London bought a rather nice camera lens!

aha i do have a little trick up my sleeve regarding seawatching so watch this space! Anyway we have had Cory's go past at Sheringham that you could see with your naked eye, and the close birds with which there are a lot on big seawatches are quite often missed by people trying to pick them up with their binos, last year on the big seawatch at Cley many of the Skuas were cutting over the beach or behind the shelter, i do think there is a lot to be said for this approach, James Mccallum used to do it when looking to passerines and look at the stuff he's found. However nothings set in stone but its good to experiment.

The capital was invaded with visitors from Spain who were high on life or perhaps expresso coffee! Not looking too good for the prawn sandwich fans with five minutes to go!!! Come on Barca!!

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back home hope the pics look ok

the flycatcher was in the back garden at salthouse
the owl on salthouse fen
wren outside the door at titchwell

digiscoped little gull

Do I get the impression there are more spot flys around than usual? It could also be that people are making a note as they are so scarce now!

Josh. As for your new approach to seawatching - bit like the Sinclair C5 - I can not not see it catching on!

Josh’s birding equivalent of going commando

I believe the late, great RAR eschewed the use of telescopes.

However, I’m not sure of the response of the BBRC, when confronted with 1x20 in the ‘Optical aids’ section, for Bulwer's Petrel just south of the Sheringham Shoal !

I’m sure this is a wind up; often necessary for a good sea-watch.

Off to Stick Country this a.m. for the Whit week, the volcanic ash cloud temporarily having dispersed.

firstreesjohn said:

I believe the late, great RAR eschewed the use of telescopes.

However, I’m not sure of the response of the BBRC, when confronted with 1x20 in the ‘Optical aids’ section, for Bulwer's Petrel just south of the Sheringham Shoal !

I’m sure this is a wind up; often necessary for a good sea-watch.

Off to Stick Country this a.m. for the Whit week, the volcanic ash cloud temporarily having dispersed.

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and they used to say he could id LTS without bins

have great time John, could we have some nice photos of Collared Fly