Norfolk birding (37 Viewers)

nigelt said:

Sounds like a brilliant day, Nick! How often would you see a list like that in one day? Just wondering - of the rarer birds at Wells, did any of them give you views of more than a few seconds?

Nigel

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Mate I found it seriously hard work! Many will scoff at that. There is still so much leaf cover, and my reactions are often just too slow.

The Firecrest eventually gave the best views - about a minute!

The 2 Pallas's were quite showy too but were hyper-active and I mean hyper-active, whilst I only saw the back end of the Hume's dropping into deep cover. Even the RF Bluetail took 2 hours for me to see and was unusually skulking. Got 30 second views eventually. The BRW was the toughest of all, as usual. The first 2 hours it led people on a merry dance, calling distinctively but then never emerging. Many had given up. But eventually pinned down to a small thicket of gorse at the base of a tree where it showed out in the open for a couple of seconds, and then a bit later for about 4-5 seconds. Hundreds of Goldcrests and many Robins made finding the goodies much harder.

So many great people though, faces you recognise, always helping. The parking tip helped a lot, but I never got round to Holkham at Lady Annes Drive, as I had spent 6 hours from 8.30am to 2.30pm getting acceptable views of the above birds.

But I'm totally knackered this morning, back-ache, blistered feet, sore knees, head ache, exhausted eyes. Its great to be getting old:smoke:

Here's a quick and simple request from the Holkham NNR wardens - could lens cleaning clothes/tissues please not be discarded on site - my colleague was able to follow a trail to most of the rarities this weekend due to the tissues. Also could the gates which say No Entry please be respected - birders seen climbing over these signs to enter areas with no public access then being asked to leave, two weekends running. It does not do the birdwatching community any favours. Cheers Andy Bloomfield, Holkham warden.

wolfbirder said:

Mate I found it seriously hard work! Many will scoff at that. There is still so much leaf cover, and my reactions are often just too slow.

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But I'm totally knackered this morning, back-ache, blistered feet, sore knees, head ache, exhausted eyes. Its great to be getting old:smoke:

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Your experience was evidently similar to mine. Brief and not particularly satisfying views in general. Thankfully the RFB (crosstracks one, not the drinking pool one which hadn't yet been seen last Wednesday when I was there) showed itself on a branch out in the open in a moment of sunshine to provide a memorable mental image - but that can't have been for more than two seconds! Like you, I don't always get my bins onto the bird very quickly, but I did get onto this one straight away and, as seeing a RFB was my main goal, I was really chuffed.

I learned a salutary lesson on my way back to the car at Wells. It was raining and my parking time was nearly up. Right where I knew the BRW had been seen I heard a sort of 'tacking' call. I didn't know then what the BRW's call was like. The bird was only a few yards into the brambles, but for some inexplicable reason I didn't stop to wait for it to appear. A mistake I will never, ever make again! (I did see the bird two days later.)

It was also interesting to observe how we can get fixated on the bird we are trying, and expecting, to see. At the Humes site the bird was calling intermittently, and very distinctively, when a yellow-browed suddenly started calling from the trees right behind us. Although the call was clearly different, everybody immediately seemed to conclude that this was the Hume's and rushed into the trees to try to see it. It was several minutes before everyone seemed to realise that this was not what they had assumed. It was, however, brilliant to be able to contrast the two very different calls.

I can empathise with your aches and pains. I am approaching 67 and, although I enjoy pretty excellent health, I don't have half the stamina I used to. I went out there a couple of times in three days, and really wanted to pay a third visit, but just didn't feel up to it.

Anyway, the wind is changing and the sky's clearing, so I think the show is probably nearly over for now - but what a week it's been!

Some good photos on Surfbirds (currently on first two pages): http://www.surfbirds.com/gallery/display.php?gallery=gallery9
At least someone got some good views!

O.Reville1989 said:

Aww...

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Mark Batten said:

An Id classic https://twitter.com/jrmjones/status/654275223349538816

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But have I told you about the Sussex scene?
All mutual cooperation and birding throughout the night
Tipsy talk in the new pine trees
So come on over and have a peek
They'll be new updates every week
Cos this is my new patch for a while

Oh and as i'm exploring my new South Downs plot
The chances of a rare are mega hot
No bickering, snipe or hiss
Could break this Sussex bliss

And as we head down to Selsey
We ran and ran like we are free
Birding how its meant to be
So great, my blogs online

We were singing, fly, fly my new Eltius site
Pagham to Beachy then onto Rye
In my neck of the woods you will see Wry
Them good old birders looking out from the Head
Singing this there goes a 1st winter Med
There goes a first winter Med

Theres young birders there, they know not what they do
They now know you shouldn't feed rare wheatears with food
Or get to close to Little Stints
We really should cut them some slack
Because they getting too much flack
The ghosts of yesterday will come flooding back
And we've got to starting think of tomorrow now
The Norfolk bad vibes scared us all away
Suppression's rife, it's here to stay?
Not a word was spoken,
They pretended their phones were broken,

And I thought of Cley and Winterton
Of Stiffkey Fen and Waxham Sands
As I escaped to my new South coast patch
The day my new blog thrived

And I was singing why, why did the Norfolk Thread die?
Disbelief at FTJ, so FTJ said bye
Them good old walkers heading out to Hood
Birders should work for common good
Birders should work for common good

http://www.eltius.co.uk/

That's Sussex were the last post on the county thread was in July?

14 Pink feet over the garden this morning. And a Redwing in the garden first time ever

nigelt said:

Jim, this might indicate why north has been better:
http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=4.17,53.22,2048

Today the chart is showing some north-easterlies heading for the east coast. However, notice the north-north-easterlies coming in over the Wash. For much of the week that was the pattern more to the east, so it may have been that many birds were blown straight on down the North Sea past the east coast, whereas North Norfolk was right in the firing line! It'll be interesting to note whether this subtle change brings anything onto the east coast tomorrow.

Nigel

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All those charts and graphs are all very well, but what we've got to be really scared of are these monsters :storm:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34578310

Songkhran said:

All those charts and graphs are all very well, but what we've got to be really scared of are these monsters :storm:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34578310

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I notice I have been honoured in having my name associated with some future storm. Don't know what I have done to merit that!

Nigel

nigelt said:

I notice I have been honoured in having my name associated with some future storm. Don't know what I have done to merit that!

Nigel

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I will find it hard to be terrified if either of these are coming our way, as for Jake... :eek!:

Songkhran said:

I will find it hard to be terrified if either of these are coming our way, as for Jake... :eek!:

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It'll be predicted as being something really bad then they'll get it wrong and it'll fizzle out.

a Siberian Stonechat has been reported this evening on the pager as being at Caister, south of lifeboat station, along edge of golf course. But no idea if male or female type, nor potential taxon. Any extra info much appreciated...!

richardm said:

a Siberian Stonechat has been reported this evening on the pager as being at Caister, south of lifeboat station, along edge of golf course. But no idea if male or female type, nor potential taxon. Any extra info much appreciated...!

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Couple of blurry shots on @oxobirder

Many thanks, looks a contrasting, male type and will look tomorrow!

Titchwell October 22nd

Today's highlights

Rough legged buzzard - 1 west over the reserve then south @ ca12:00
Great grey shrike - 1 in flight over East Trail @ 10:00 but no further sign
Spoonbill - 1 on fresh marsh
Hen harrier - ringtail hunting over saltmarsh this afternoon
Spotted redshank - 1 on fresh marsh
Ruff - 105 on fresh marsh

Paul

Titchwell October 23rd

Today's highlights

Rough legged buzzard - 1 in from east @ 14:00 and landed in trees along Gypsy Lane. Seen over East Trail @ 14:45 then drifted inland towards Choseley
Whooper swan - 2 east early morning
Spoonbill - 1 on fresh marsh mid afternoon
Hen harrier - ringtail over reedbed this morning
Marsh tit - 1 on feeders
Ruff - 66 on Patsy's reedbed
Spotted redshank - 2 on fresh marsh

Paul

Titchwell October 24th

Today's highlights

Rough legged buzzard - 1 west towards Thornham @ 08:10
Peregrine - male hunting over the reserve several time today
Bittern - flight views over the reedbed this morning
Swallow - 4 west
House martin - 5 west
Spotted redshank - 2 on fresh marsh
Greenshank - 4 on tidal pool
Short eared owl - 1 hunting over East Trail
Chaffinch - big movement this afternoon. 7-800 counted west in 1.5hrs early afternoon but constant passage.

Paul

Collected the Siberian Chiffchaff at Waxham yesterday afternoon - I think it has been there a day or two?. It favours the churchyard and adjacent lane hedge. Not your usual pale type, but a very brown bird; it is missing yellow from the plumage as expected, instead it is dingy and sandy below. It is very vocal and the call, rather than being sad and piping, is higher-pitched and more piercing. Presumably 'fulvescens' ... and worth a look if passing.
ps
Looks suspiciously like a Mountain Chiffchaff (inc warm brown crown?) ... and higher-pitched call could fit? Not claiming it as such, you understand!!
.
.
yet
pps
no sign of it when I went back this afternoon

Titchwell October 26th

Today's highlights

Great grey shrike - 1 in NE corner of Volunteer Marsh before moving to the east of the reserve. It was between Autumn Trail & Gypsy Lane in bushes along the southern edge of the saltmarsh all afternoon
Rough legged buzzard - 1 sat in trees by the entrance road @ 14:10 then flew south
Shorelak - 1 reported on beach @ 08:45, 6 reported along beach yesterday.
Spotted redshank - 2 on tidal pool
Purple sandpiper - 1 reported on the fresh marsh this afternoon
Short eared owl - 1 hunting over the grazing meadow late afternoon. 3 there yesterday
Swallow - 2 west
Twite - 11 in dunes by tidal creek
Snow bunting - 6 on beach near Brancaster Creek this afternoon

Paul

I'm considering migrating from Essex to Norfolk tomorrow to see the American Golden Plover at Breydon Water. Any advice, about the best place and (most importantly) tide-related times to view the bird, would be welcome.

Thanks - Stewart

Sharp Shin said:

I'm considering migrating from Essex to Norfolk tomorrow to see the American Golden Plover at Breydon Water. Any advice, about the best place and (most importantly) tide-related times to view the bird, would be welcome.

Thanks - Stewart

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This from Peter Allard yesterday on twitter

https://mobile.twitter.com/Yarmouthbirder/status/658375811448311809