• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Norfolk birding (30 Viewers)

1) Are there any big Pinkfeet flocks at the moment?

5) Where is East Hills?

Several thousand at Holkham yesterday close to A149 west of LAD and not easily watchable as would be flushed by someone on foot and nowhere to park car and watch flock

5. Presume question was asked as RLBuzzard has been seen in area. Best viewed distantly from east end of Wells Quay or from Warham Green. Walking out there not to be attempted.
 
1 - one way of finding the pinks during the day is just to drive around the lanes inland of the coast, and watch for flocks flying over, and follow their course. If you draw a rectangle between Thornham to the NW and Walsingham to the SE, then there should be some decent size flocks out there.... though obviously they do wander more widely! Haven't heard any specific details in the last few days, though.

2 - TF829441
3 - TG167426, I believe
5 - TF927457... but don't even think about going out there unless you know exactly what you're doing with regard to tide times and the precise route across the saltmarsh.


teamsaint said:
2) Grid reference for car park at Burnham Norton?
3) Grid reference for layby at Beeston Common?

5) Where is East Hills?
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Ruralchill said:
Hang on, so the Bittern has been surpressed, but just not for 6 weeks. It was seen Y'day before dark when the message came out on the pager and, unless I read it wrong postcardcv saw it in the week.
I'm not saying this is a problem, but I am saying that we may as well call it as it is and try not to cover it up in flowery language.
I have just received a PM about the other birds and the situation was explained quietly and privately. This is the way supression should be handled, not with stories and covers!!!

Take care (and don't take me too seriously)
I'm just glad I was able to share this remarkable sighting

David
Click to expand...

i didn't know i had flowery language, must be that wasted English degree;)
Ok, bird was suppressed initially (over weekend), or (and this is a bit flowered up) - news went out to locals first and then spread very quickly as you'd expect it would, everyone was behaving this morning, so no problems right? Suppression doesn't really bother me as i like finding my own stuff as i'm sure you do to from your decent sighting this year.
 
Ruralchill said:
Agree with all your comment pomskua!
Keep up the good bird finding, so I can come and see them!!
Click to expand...

ah i'm glad my 'i'm not bothered about suppression' wasn't misconstrued (sorry flowery!) as i'm a suppressor cos i want to share finds with other people, its just that i don't care if other people suppress, if this Bittern had been covered up and i'd only found out about it afterwards, the only irritation i would have felt would have been that i'd been too stupid and bone idle to not have been checking one of the best areas on the patch.
 
I have to say I was disappointed today with the fieldcraft shown at the Bittern. The pond was just about encircled. I saw one woman actually walk over to the bird and try to use a hand held.

Most of those there this morning were probably those who couldn't get any shots in the mist on Wednesday, and yes the bird had shifted overnight, but it couldn't then get back to where it was favouring beyond the bench on Wednesday.

I couldn't understand why birders couldn't stay in the far corner below the bench in one group. It's not as though you need to get nearer - crikey it's near enough. I got plenty of good shots this morning from there.

I have to say the fieldcraft was equally poor on the WCS. Yes it and the other birds on the seed are fairly confiding, but why the booming voices and loud laughter - it seems to be once I've seen it and got my shots I don't give a toss.

I pity the poor Bittern this weekend - it's rare I say this but I hope it clears off.
 
Must say I think this Bittern ought to be left be. No bird like this should be botherd to this extent. They're one of our rarest breeders, and yet it gets no respect. Must say it's not something I enjoy reading about. I just hope the situation is different to what it actually sounds like.

Anyway, Salthouse at 7:30 till 9:00 this morning, before work, produced 57 Snow Buntings (no Lapland Bunts at that time, or this evening), 1 Hybrid GR Teal/Teal, 10 Red Throated Divers and 3 Common Scoters on the sea. Also had what was a 99% probable Richards Pipit, just on the east side of Gramborough Hill. Took off from long grass, flew powerfully a short distance, landed nearby and could not be relocated after 5 mins of searching. Innitial split second thought was Skylark, based on size, but further views gave the very long tail and slender pipit-shaped body. It was deffinitely a large Pipit. On alighting, a slight fanning of the tail showed white outer-tail feathers. The bird didn't call sadly. I tried again for it this evening, but no sign.

Jason
 

Attachments

  • Snow Bunting.jpg
    Snow Bunting.jpg
    64.9 KB · Views: 79
Last edited:
J Moss said:
Must say I think this Bittern ought to be left be. No bird like this should be botherd to this extent. They're one of our rarest breeders, and yet it gets no respect. Must say it's not something I enjoy reading about. I just hope the situation is different to what it actually sounds like.
Click to expand...

Have you actually been to see the bird and observed any bad behaviour? I have been for the bird twice, both times there were people on at least two sides of the pond. However the bird continued to feed quite happily, ignoring the people and only reacting when dogs went close by. The big problem is when people go right to the waters edge as the bird clearly does not like this and does not feed so freely. I think so long as those who go this weekend stick to the paths it should be fine.

No news on the pager yet about this bird, so perhaps it has cleared off. Personally I hope not, it's found a reliable food source to see it through the winter.
 
Dudes.

When I went to see the the bittern, there was a handful of people there. All were behaving well. I think the behaviour of the people who go to see it is more important than the amount of people who go. You are going to get large numbers, simply because it is what it is. You won't be able to stop people going. It is a golden opportunity to see a truely awesome bird. The bird is gonna move on at some point, no doubt the critics will blame the birders for when it does, everone has their own opinion. Get down there, see it, behave and leave happy.

I take it the people who protest against the mass numbers visiting the Bittern didn't go to see the white crowned sparrow, the most harrassed bird this century.

Happy birding.

Fox.
 
Hi

firefox32 said:
Dudes.

When I went to see the the bittern, there was a handful of people there. All were behaving well. I think the behaviour of the people who go to see it is more important than the amount of people who go. You are going to get large numbers, simply because it is what it is. You won't be able to stop people going. It is a golden opportunity to see a truely awesome bird. The bird is gonna move on at some point, no doubt the critics will blame the birders for when it does, everone has their own opinion. Get down there, see it, behave and leave happy.

I take it the people who protest against the mass numbers visiting the Bittern didn't go to see the white crowned sparrow, the most harrassed bird this century.

Happy birding.

Fox.
Click to expand...

Hi
I am one of those who has made the trip to see the WCS three times but did not really find out properly about the Bittern until after my third trip so have missed out on going to see it. Therefore I can't speak about birders' Bittern behaviour.
What I would say is that the WCS has not been harrassed. It has been provided with a continuous supply of seed and even the large numbers of birders present at times have not prevented it from feeding, resting and preening etc. Precisely because the bird has been where it is, birders have had to stay on the roadside and watch and wait for the bird to show.
By contrast there have been in the past and no doubt will be in the future many occasions when birds are harrassed ie. as I witnessed and many others the Golden-winged Warbler chased around gardens on a housing estate.
Richard
 
Hi All

Relocated the Great Grey Shrike near Grime's Graves about half an hour ago. Access a bit tricky as you can't get there from the Santon Downham end at the moment at it's not at Grime's Graves itself (basically ESE of gorse area about 1/2 a mile from visitor centre). Will pop a map with detailed directions on my website this eve for anybody interested in going for it tomororw

Ilya

Edit: ps also singing woodlark, firecrest & crossbill in "generally area" and a lesser-spotted woodpecker nearby
 
Last edited:
A look at some of my favoured Brecks sites today was unfortunately almost entirely unproductive but a cracking Willow Tit was showing well, singing and calling at Santon Downham in the trees by the river alongside the road.

May have another look around tommorow, trying for those Lesser-peckers, Goshawks, Golden Pheasants all over again...
 
Last edited:
Sounds like we all hit the brecks today....
Apologies for any crossover into Suffolk but many sites I visited were on or not far from the border.
I had a few Hawfinch earlier in the week, so gave Lynford a miss. A site near Thetford produced a cracking Goshawk (many thanks to Dbradnum and Oakes12 for directions). The bird drifted into view as I arrived at a clearing in the forest, and drifted away just as quick.
Santon Downham produced zero Lesser peckers, and today a few Redwing and Greater Pecker were no consolation. I spoke to a couple of birders- was one of them you Connor?
Mayday farm didnt have any Goshawks but there were some lovely Brambling and Siskin drinking from a pool off the main track. Where were all the Crossbill that are supposed to hang out in these parts?
Finished off at Wayland wood- not a sausage, no calls from Golden Pheasant let alone a sighting.
A typical day in the brecks, some fantastic moments but ultimately you are left wanting more.
Ill be back.
Cheers,
Jim.
 
Last edited:
Indeed I was the younster in the car-park. Good to meet you. As I said in previous post had a singing Willow Tit after you left but no Lesser-spots...

Connor
 
Map of GG Shrike location now on my website.

Seems like the Brecks is the new place to bird! Anybody wanting gen on Brecks birds feel free to PM me, but please be a bit sensitive to how widely things like the favoured locations of Goshawks get spread.

Sorry nobody had the lesser-pecker. It was damn elusive when I found it (5th time of trying and took me over an hour). Not sure it regularly favours the spot they always used to be in as it wasn't being at all vocal. I do wonder if recent visitor pressure has contributed to this....

BTW - the Goshawks at Mayday are basically string. They simply aren't there (I know birders who work there and havn't seen one in 5-years). There are more reliable sites...
 

Similar threads

B
Birding in Portugal, Spain May june 2024
Replies
4
Views
423
brooke65
B
B
May - June birding in Europe. Guides?
Replies
1
Views
280
Fritz73
Fritz73
R
Red grouse near Buxton and anything else . Advise please
Replies
3
Views
294
simmojunior
S
T
30/03, Devon. Another (un)Common Buzzard?
Replies
10
Views
633
The Kerreran
T
SueO
Stories Behind Birds You've Photographed
Replies
18
Views
751
Joe H
Joe H

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 31 (members: 0, guests: 31)
Back
Top