Norfolk birding (4 Viewers)

Hoopoe breeding site revealed !

Just to the left of the pic.

I agree with James: let's leave this alone, now, or the mods might close the thread- then what would we do ? I predict BIRDS in the very near future.

I bet that people have already been searching for potential Raven sites. They shouldn't !

The Crane at Cley reminded me of Peter Sellers and Dudley Moore (perhaps 'Less', in this case): it's even a "unidexter". If someone was able to catch it, I'm sure we'd stump up for an artifical leg.

firstreesjohn said:

The Crane at Cley reminded me of Peter Sellers and Dudley Moore (perhaps 'Less', in this case): it's even a "unidexter".

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At the risk of appearing pedantic, I think you are referring to the mighty Peter Cooke. A brilliant sketch.

Ron

Vespa said:

Hi folks,

Have there been any recent sightings of HBs at Swanton Novers (or Great Ryburgh)? I haven't seen anything on the news services for a while.

As I have a few days camping with the family in N Norfolk (clever eh?) I thought I would make my annual pilgramage to stand in a field for a couple of hours and not see any Honey Buzzards :-O

I wouldn't want to spoil the running joke by actually seeing one, so if anyone could confirm they are not around that would be appreciated

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I have stood in that very field, with equally amusing results.

There is also the uplifting experience of meeting other pilgrims, I met some travelling from Scotland on their way to Lakenheath, some from Yorkshire to Minsmere.

firstreesjohn said:

The Crane at Cley reminded me of Peter Sellers and Dudley Moore (perhaps 'Less', in this case): it's even a "unidexter". If someone was able to catch it, I'm sure we'd stump up for an artifical leg.

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The picture below shows the shortened left leg. If this was a major rarity we could discuss the "possible escape" theory - leg irons commonly used to tether cranes, etc.

I'm still confused as to why a healthy Hooded Crow was labelled 'unwell' on the pager but the one and half legged Crane passes without comment.

Dave

Titchwell Coastal Project Update

Amazingly, 2 weeks have gone by already so I thought I would let you know what progress we have made.

In a word...loads!!
Our current focus is on getting the west bank constructed and access opened as soon as we can. The west bank has been stripped backto a level base and we are now bringing the stored clay in to widen and raise the bank. This is going very well and as long as the weather is in our favour (dry), we are still on schedule.
Work on the freshmarsh improvements goes well. Most of the encroaching reed alongside the west bank has been removed, existing islands re-profiled and a wet feature infront of the new Parrinder Hide site, designed to bring waders closer to the hide in the autumn, has been finished.

Photo 1 - looking south, from the grazing meadow pool, towards the Meadow Trail junction in the distance.
Photo 2 - 30 ton dumper + digger working on the west bank.
Photo 3 - looking north along the west bank. The 1st digger is working at the 'hump' overlooking the reedbed pool. The 2nd digger is by Island Hide.
Photo 4 - Reed removal

Further information visit www.rspb.org.uk/titchwell or call 01485 210779. If you would like to receive updates on how work is progressing and path re-opening details then email [email protected] with TCCP BF as the title.


For all the latest Titchwell RSPB news check our new blog at http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/groups/titchwellmarsh/blog/default.aspx


Paul

Wow,
Cheers for posting the Pics Paul, good to get an idea of whats going on there. As you say looks like they have made a quick change to the site. Hope it all goes well and works to plan. Are there still birds using the site? I imagine the majority of works is being done by diggers etc so 'real' human disturbance may be lower than expected...or am I wrong?
See you soon hopefully,

Quick drop in to Swanton Novers at midday revealed a "mewing" common buzzrad flying south - nothing on the sighting board as to HBs.

Sorry for non birding subject. Water Voles are showing well from the bridge between the Cley visitor center and the hide complex.

john

http://kellingnaturegallery.fotopic.net/

black kite 1964 said:

No tideliner. I think u are missing the point! all information re breeding birds (including ravens) will be public via the bird report. Rumours also go round grapevines and info will come to the attention of eggers. The idea that all info re scarce vistors or potential breeders must always be treated as top secret (if i tell u i will have to kill u!) is misguided and a bit anal! Info has got out re breeding purple heron and little bittern. No harm has been caused and birders have gone away happy. Each situation needs to be looked at on a case by case basis!:cat:

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To Black kite
Considering you don't live in Norfolk you spend a lot of time on that thread and most of you posts end up slagging the birders from the county or have a negative slant. Did someone upset you once and you just can't forgive em.
8-P

upstarts1979 said:

To Black kite
Considering you don't live in Norfolk you spend a lot of time on that thread and most of you posts end up slagging the birders from the county or have a negative slant. Did someone upset you once and you just can't forgive em.
8-P

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Come on, guys and gals - let's give this a rest now.

This thread has always been good-natured, and disagreements have usually been aired with a good measure of courtesy. Let's keep it that way!

Titchwell update - thanks Paul

As Ben says, wow! Amazing what can be done in such a short time and with some very large tonka toys...

Many thanks for the update - looking forward to seeing the new look in the flesh.

More bad parking at Walsey

I thought that I’d seen the worst when the Trumpeter Finch was here- some even parked on the brow by the East Bank. However, this takes the biscuit. He must have been really keen to get down and loose with those Beardies.

Seriously, it could have been much worse- thanks to Steve G for stopping me- and only needed a Paramedic, Ambulance, Fire Engine and Police Car. Almost matches those toys at Twitchwell.

On the bird front, below’s a pic of the 20 Spoonbills at Cley this afters. I saw the 21st fly in from the west whilst gassing with Julian B.

P.S. Yes, of course, I meant Peter Cook (not Sellers)- re my #9441. A mental aberration, caused by excessive tiredness, following my holiday on the other side of this sceptred isle. Thank you and apologies for fowling up the ID, NoSpringChicken.

john miller said:

Sorry for non birding subject. Water Voles are showing well from the bridge between the Cley visitor center and the hide complex.

john

http://kellingnaturegallery.fotopic.net/

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I think the water voles look quite sweet :t:

Titchwell

Irene Boston said:

As Ben says, wow! Amazing what can be done in such a short time and with some very large tonka toys...

Many thanks for the update - looking forward to seeing the new look in the flesh.

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Agree with everyone. l look forward to seeing the results of the Titchwell Project

Put my bird records on my computer and was able to work out my Titchwell list! Have seen some good birds at Titchwell this year with smew, red kite, tree sparrow and Iberian chiffchaff site ticks. More to come when the works are finished. Can get my site list past 200 (currently 198) and overtake my Minsmere total (199). |=o| ||

PYRTLE said:

Quick drop in to Swanton Novers at midday revealed a "mewing" common buzzrad flying south - nothing on the sighting board as to HBs.

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Thanks for the update.

Swanton Novers Honey Buzzards.
This year they have been very difficult to see , but have been present since the 3rd week of June. With such a late arrival they have not attempted to breed and have spent much of their time in the woods only showing on the odd occasion. There have been no sightings this week within the reserve or at the watchpoint , but one came over the pagers mid week at Thornage a few miles to the north and I saw one on Thursday 2 miles west of Swanton Novers Woods. So at least one is still in the area. However as they have not bred I am expecting them to leave within the next week or so. During the past week sparrowhawk , kestrel , hobby , marsh harrier and plenty of common buzzards have been seen. Its just getting into the window when almost any raptor can turn up on migration , osprey and monties are a good possibility on the right day.

john miller said:

Sorry for non birding subject. Water Voles are showing well from the bridge between the Cley visitor center and the hide complex.

john

http://kellingnaturegallery.fotopic.net/

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Very cute, sweet pictures John!!!:t:

Lovely day despite the rain!!!

Started off at Holt Country Park to dip the Silver Washed Fritillary but did have lovely views of a White Admiral on the buddleia. Saw Irene B., Justin and Andy here also! Also two Nuthatches on the bird table and Marsh Tit, coal tit, great tit and robin here.

On route to Cley I was shocked to see 2 police cars and an ambulance attending to a red van that had veered off the road at Walsey Hills and landed in Snipe's Marsh!!!!!!!

Saw the Hooded Crow in the Eye Field at Cley on two occasions (pity I didn't get this on my county list last year!!! Walked to North Hide where there were 20 Spoonbills!!! and a good selection of waders, including juv. shelduck, avocets, redshanks, little ringed plovers and ringed plovers, green sandpiper, knot, whimbrel and curlew (flew over west), golden plover, yellow legged gull (the way this was sitting I would never have known, but Justin L. assured me it was!), marsh harrier sitting in bush, black tailed godwit, spotted redshank, dunlin, pied wagtails etc etc. Tons of swallows and sandmartins flying around and sitting on the low fence wires and posts not far from Cley Beach Carpark on route to North Scrape.

Cley Visitor Centre for late lunch, also joined Pete S. - was lucky with the last jacket potato!!! Went back to the beach carpark and bumped into John F. who then told me all about the car accident at Walsey! Raining now and dull weather. Tried to photograph the martins on wires, but too dull. Text from Andy W and Justin L. who had the Silver Washed Fritillary at 2.45pm (second trip)!!! Went back to Holt Country Park later but on arrival it was black skies and teaming down with rain - sat in car and had a snooze. No sign of sun coming out. Left and went back to Cley Beach carpark and suddenly the sun was fully out along with a perfect rainbow! I sat for ages in the grass bank photographing swallows and sandmartins - whilst sitting here I had fantastic views of a Peregrine going over west at 5.30pm which obviously scattered all the birds!

Went to Walsey Hills to see if anything else had been added to the site - but no more changes that I could see. No birds here of note. Photographed the red van in Snipe's Marsh!

Cruised home along the coast road - had a barn owl and a marsh harrier on route. Sat on the roadside at Bone's Drift to have a sandwich and cup of tea and then drove back to Lynn.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

Tideliner said:

Swanton Novers Honey Buzzards.
This year they have been very difficult to see , but have been present since the 3rd week of June. With such a late arrival they have not attempted to breed and have spent much of their time in the woods only showing on the odd occasion. There have been no sightings this week within the reserve or at the watchpoint , but one came over the pagers mid week at Thornage a few miles to the north and I saw one on Thursday 2 miles west of Swanton Novers Woods. So at least one is still in the area. However as they have not bred I am expecting them to leave within the next week or so. During the past week sparrowhawk , kestrel , hobby , marsh harrier and plenty of common buzzards have been seen. Its just getting into the window when almost any raptor can turn up on migration , osprey and monties are a good possibility on the right day.

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Thanks for the update on this Tideliner.

Saw the Kentish Plover at Breydon this afternoon, a lifer for me, so thank you Peter for yet another good find! In the evening there was a small wader viewable from the hide on the north side of Breydon, possibly a Little Stint but couldn't rule out anything rarer from the views.

Can't believe there are 6 people viewing this thread at 1am!