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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Norfolk birding (33 Viewers)

At least 1 Tundra Bean Goose in the flock of Pink-feet containing the Lesser Snow Goose between Field Dalling and Saxlingham yesterday for anyone with the patience!

Cheers
Chris
 
Good Views of Hawfinch at Lynford Arboretum today actually in the Arboretum part. Moving onto Santon Downham there were 5 Crossbills drinking out of a puddle just before the railwayline within a few feet of me. I cursed that I did not have my camera with me. At Welney the 3 Tundra Bean Geese were by a distant haystack viewable from the Visitor Centre. A flock of 20+ Corn Buntings were on wires near Ten Mile Bank.

Sue
PS My recent trip report to Ghana can be seen at:

http://www.freewebs.com/suebryan/ghana20072008.htm
 
Rather pleasent drive around North Norfolk today with birding chum produced some nice sightings, stopped off at Saxlingham to view the rather distant Snow Goose feeding with the Pinks etc ..one or two Barnies were supposedly present among the flock but we didn't manage to pick any out ..it was bluddy freezin up on that hill!!

A brief stop at the edgefield tip to view the gulls, the stinking fumes had us both wretching after 2 minutes so we left for Wells Harbour where we saw among others..

Golden Eye 5
Red Breasted Merganser (1 male)
Med Gulls 2

Later we walked out on the beach to watch a group of a dozen or so Common Seals putting on a show for families and walkers by, some of which went home very happy after procuring excellent close views through our spotting scopes ..free of charge of course;)

Later had views of five different Barn Owls, two while driving through the Egmere? area (one of which was being watched by a possible Nigel Blake? from the roadside verge!) plus another three together hunting on the Sculthorpe Moor reserve. We looked briefly but didn't get lucky with the Willows.

Last sighting was a Woodcock seen from the car while stuck in traffic along Sweetbria Marsh near Norwich!!

Matt
 

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Connor Rand said:
You'll get better views and it will be easier at Salthouse, but probably more birds at Thornham if you are prepared to put the time in (but mostly calling in flight. They're hard to see on the deck here...) Also probably more chance of dipping if you go to Thornham.

Connor
Click to expand...

Thanks Connor:t:
 
East Norfolk today

3 Tundra Beans, and a couple of unusual birds that had us guessing for a while as to possible parentage.
2 Lapland Buntings,
9 Whoopers (thanks Steve!),
Pom Skua

6 Wapits yesterday (thanks again Steve)

and thanks to Ilya, I've managed to add a shoutbox to the diary page - so get those rumours and insults flying...
 
Last edited:
Fantastic morning out today:

Started off at Tottenhill Gravel Pits, with lots of Golden Eye, but no smew.

On the Ten Mile Bank road I had 3 Corn Buntings sitting on wires and some Bewicks Swans distantly. Also 7 red legged partridges in field by road.

At Welney I saw 1 Scaup, right in front of main hide (can't get to others hides, path completely flooded) and also watched a young man wading in the water up to his neck almost! in front of the hide, wheelbarrow full of seed feeding the swans. Whooper swans, mute, pochard etc. Back on the viewing platform, next to cafe, I scanned around with scope to try and find the Tundra Bean Geese which were supposed to be here and I found them distantly, much to the delight of a group of birders also trying to find them - there were 3, 2 not showing very well and 1 showing quite well.

It was raining steadily now - the man at the desk told me someone had seen the Great White Egret 3 miles up the road by a railway bridge, so off I went to try and find it, but no joy and no sign of any other birders either, perhaps I got the wrong bridge!!! Just before I passed Welney Reserve Centre a barn owl came right across me!

Denver Sluice - Grey Wagtail, skylark and several cormorants.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

(Year List 114)
 
Last edited:
matt green said:
Rather pleasent drive around North Norfolk today with birding chum produced some nice sightings, stopped off at Saxlingham to view the rather distant Snow Goose feeding with the Pinks etc ..one or two Barnies were supposedly present among the flock but we didn't manage to pick any out ..it was bluddy freezin up on that hill!!

A brief stop at the edgefield tip to view the gulls, the stinking fumes had us both wretching after 2 minutes so we left for Wells Harbour where we saw among others..

Golden Eye 5
Red Breasted Merganser (1 male)
Med Gulls 2

Later we walked out on the beach to watch a group of a dozen or so Common Seals putting on a show for families and walkers by, some of which went home very happy after procuring excellent close views through our spotting scopes ..free of charge of course;)

Later had views of five different Barn Owls, two while driving through the Egmere? area (one of which was being watched by a possible Nigel Blake? from the roadside verge!) plus another three together hunting on the Sculthorpe Moor reserve. We looked briefly but didn't get lucky with the Willows.

Last sighting was a Woodcock seen from the car while stuck in traffic along Sweetbria Marsh near Norwich!!

Matt
Click to expand...

Fantastic pictures Matt!!!

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
On a lighter theme

Did anyone watch "Kingdom" tonight on ITV? I enjoy it for the humour and the Norfolk scenes.
Anyhow for those who didn't see it there was a group of naturists who wanted to go starkus at Holme nature reserve, but the couple who lived in the Norfolk Wildlife Trust House strongly objected. There was a scene - a sight for sore eyes - showing the naturists in the car park of the Wildlife Trust.
Later in the programme it showed the naturists in the car park wearing only aprons and a compromise was reached that they could take them off when they got to the beach. Ah well it takes all sorts.
Presumably Holme reserves must have been closed for the period of the filming. Hate to think what would have happened if a mega rarity had turned up the day before filming was due to have started, and hundreds of twitchers turned up the following day!
Just goes to show what birders could be confronted with in the pursuit of their hobby. Some years ago I was birding on the beach at Theddlethorpe on the Lincolnshire coast when totally by chance I came across a group of naturists. Needless to say I kept a very safe distance away.
Cheers
Richard
 
Penny Clarke said:
Hi Sue

Must have just missed you!!!!!

See my post above.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
Click to expand...

Hi Penny
It was me who waved to you from the white van as you were just getting back into your car by the level crossing at Ten Mile Bank. I like the new car !!!
About half a mile further down there were 20+ Corn Buntings on the wires with a few Goldfinches.
Have a good day
Sue
 
Anyone seeing Shorelarks anywhere recently between Wells and Salthouse?

Don't seem to be many reports of them this year..

Any advice would be greatly appreciatedB :)

Matt
 
SueBryan said:
Hi Penny
It was me who waved to you from the white van as you were just getting back into your car by the level crossing at Ten Mile Bank. I like the new car !!!
About half a mile further down there were 20+ Corn Buntings on the wires with a few Goldfinches.
Have a good day
Sue
Click to expand...

Ahhhhhhh..... sorry Sue, I wondered who that was, couldn't see who was in the van, just saw someone waving!!!!!

Car is an improvement on the old rust bucket, thanks!!

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
Just back from six mainly wet days in Norfolk, firstly based at Old Hunstanton (three nights B and B for the price of two at Lakeside) and then at Sea Palling, where I had a drink or two with Tim Allwood, Ilya Maclean et al. on Saturday night.

I was mainly looking for colour marked Pink-feet (up to 48 this winter if you are reading this Andrew!) but managed to see 116 speces along the way, despite the rain. Amazingly I never saw a Fieldfare, and I forgot to stop in Cromer to see the Waxwing.

Highlights -

White-crowned Sparrow at Cley with a crowd of six other birders
Nine Spotted Redshanks and a super-obliging Woodcock at Titchwell
Splendid flocks of Pink-feet with a few Tundra Beans etc lurking amongst them (can't get excited by the two separate Ross's though)
98 Taiga Beans and 105 White-fronts at Cantley
48 Marsh Harriers in the air at once at Stubb Mill on Friday evening
Nice views of 5 Lap Bunts flying around me at Burnham Overy Staithe
Great Grey Shrike about a mile away on Roydon Common thanks to white-van-man.

Steve
 
Steve Lister said:
Just back from six mainly wet days in Norfolk, firstly based at Old Hunstanton (three nights B and B for the price of two at Lakeside) and then at Sea Palling, where I had a drink or two with Tim Allwood, Ilya Maclean et al. on Saturday night.

I was mainly looking for colour marked Pink-feet (up to 48 this winter if you are reading this Andrew!) but managed to see 116 speces along the way, despite the rain. Amazingly I never saw a Fieldfare, and I forgot to stop in Cromer to see the Waxwing.

Highlights -

White-crowned Sparrow at Cley with a crowd of six other birders
Nine Spotted Redshanks and a super-obliging Woodcock at Titchwell
Splendid flocks of Pink-feet with a few Tundra Beans etc lurking amongst them (can't get excited by the two separate Ross's though)
98 Taiga Beans and 105 White-fronts at Cantley
48 Marsh Harriers in the air at once at Stubb Mill on Friday evening
Nice views of 5 Lap Bunts flying around me at Burnham Overy Staithe
Great Grey Shrike about a mile away on Roydon Common thanks to white-van-man.

Steve
Click to expand...

Good to meet you Steve and sounds like you had a reasonable time's birding.

Hawfinch on Barnham Cross Common this lunchtime.
 
I may have a pass to come to Norfolk this weekend, and like many other will be trying to see all the goodies that you guys are hoarding!

I have caught up with shorelarks at Holkham for the past two winters and notice a solitary report of 20 earlier this month, but only one report. Any other gen?

(PS cue sparrow departure Fiday night)
 

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