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Norfolk birding (33 Viewers)

Newbie suggestions

Hi Folks,
I'm up in Norfolk this weekend and will be taking my first trip to the Snettisham area. Itinerary is Kings Lynn tonight, then round the coast Snettisham, Titchwell and others depending upon time. Staying nr Horsey/Hickling and a day around there on Sunday, perhaps a trip to Sea Palling.

Its my first trip at this time of year so any suggestions would be very greatly appreciated. Is it worth going to Hickling broad at this time ?

I'm an inexperienced birder so things like Snow buntings and sccoters would be lifers for me !

Thanks in advance,
Richard
ps great thread, thanks to the regulars
 
Hi Richard

I will be around Horsey and Sea Palling on Sat / Sun. Probably on my bike or with my greyhound. Say Hi if you see me.

There have been Snow Buntings north of Sea Palling beach - but elusive. Caister is a better bet if you are desparate to see them and don't get any on the north coast. There are also a few Tundra Bean Geese in the Horsey goose flock. Try the fields south of the mill on either side of the road. The Tundras are often at the front edge of the flock and quite visible...

There aren't many sea duck in the east at the moment but there's a nice Great Northern Diver at Barton Broad. And cranes are always in the area. Try the roost at Stubb Mill (or from the Horsey side for closer views) for cranes, Hen Harriers and Marsh Harriers etc.

And Med Gulls on Walcott beach

atb
Tim
 
Last edited:
you should get scoters off the beach at Titchwell (if not then try at Cley) - the easiest spot for snow buntings is Salthouse, they are normally just east of the beach car park.
 
Tim Allwood said:
Hi Richard

I will be around Horsey and Sea Palling on Sat / Sun. Probably on my bike or with my greyhound. Say Hi if you see me.

There have been Snow Buntings north of Sea Palling beach - but elusive. Caister is a better bet if you are desparate to see them and don't get any on the north coast. There are also a few Tundra Bean Geese in the Horsey goose flock. Try the fields south of the mill on either side of the road. The Tundras are often at the front edge of the flock and quite visible...

There aren't many sea duck in the east at the moment but there's a nice Great Northern Diver at Barton Broad. And cranes are always in the area. Try the roost at Stubb Mill (or from the Horsey side for closer views) for cranes, Hen Harriers and Marsh Harriers etc.

And Med Gulls on Walcott beach

atb
Tim
Click to expand...

thanks Tim & Postacrd CV.

I'll definitely say hello if I see you. I'll be the guy with wife and green camera rucksack trying to decide if the wildfowl is a tufted duck or mallard ;-)

cheers,
Richard
 
Frootshoot said:
Do any of you guys have any knowledge of or information or opinions on the ‘dark green’ Pheasants that are becoming increasingly abundant in east Norfolk?

James
Click to expand...

Quite a number here at Upper Sheringham. Bought in as chicks, I believe, and reared to be shot by the local murderers!
 
nigelt said:
Quite a number here at Upper Sheringham. Bought in as chicks, I believe, and reared to be shot by the local murderers!
Click to expand...

I'll be glad when the infernal sound of 12 bores practically ceases at the end of the month!

The cold snap brought a party of about 25 Fieldfares to my local area and whilst walking along the seafront at Walcott this lunchtime, eating a bag of chips, I was followed closely overhead by single 1st and 2nd winter Med. Gulls; fantastic close views. I've seen up to 4 here together.

James
 
Shore larks have been regularly seen at the coast guard station at Cley, on the shingle just below the "danger - mud" sign to the west of the station. There's scoters nearly always at sea just opposite. Don't forget the cranes at stubbs mill at dusk.

Oh, and I had a Bewick fly overhead while at Sainsburys on Queens road in Norwich this lunchtime.
 
73 miles on the bike today. Good day for winter thrushes & raptors

Plenty of Fieldfares aalong the coast / Horsey Rd, from 4's & 5's together to denser flocks of up to 40 or so

....after searching through roughly half the Pinkfeet on horsey Rd and not finding any Bean Geese my attention was drawn to a circling raptor showing a white rump area what i initially thought to be a Hen Harrier on first look, but soon became clear that was incorrect, then edged hopefully towards a Rough-legged Buzzard (maybe i was led by the report of one the other day ?) .... but it never came close enough for exact id on that, and having done my homework now i arent entirely sure it wasn't the escaped Harris Hawk, i suppose the one thing lacking for me is a good description of this bird (if its still around?) - anyone care to describe it ? Though it was a little distant to get exact details from just my bin's, having watched it being mobbed by a MArsh Harrier i'd say it was a similar size - poss slightly larger, not unlike a buzzard though with broad wings held flatter than a marsh harrier while circling . Oh and the white rump area. Any thoughts ?

...but then the Pinkfeet had flown off (huh), though there was a Barn Owl and some singing Skylarks up the road.

cafe stop at Stalham Tea Rooms followed by a Road Closed sign near Barton Broad (another huh) but made up for that with a good few widespread loose flocks of thrushes in fields & horse paddocks near the Radar museum. Redwings, Blackbirds, Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush & Song Thrushes all in higher numbers than i've seen since this time last year. By far the most i've come across this winter.

First Sparrowhawk of the year at Woodbastwick and 2 regular Barn Owls + 6 Fieldfare on Stokesby levels just as the last of the daylight was fading.
 
Kool Karl

I'll be looking for the RLB tomorrow - it was initially seen west of the road and in the area north of Martham Broad. Guess it was in this general area when you saw it? Haven't had chance to look properly all week due to work but it sounds likely. They often spend some time in winter in the Horsey area.

Tim
 
yes tim thats where it was circling around & got mobbed / chased away. initially came in from over horsey mill(-ish)
 
8 Whoopers, Little Gull, Cranes, small Fieldfare numbers and 2 Tundra Beans in Horsey area today. A Lanner was seen yesterday (took a GP).And the usual Harriers etc

good flocks of Lapwing and several hundred GP

large numbers of Teal still on the mere, along with other wildfowl.

finished off with beers at the Nelson Head

Tim
 
Was invited to the west of the county yesterday, visiting Snettisham RSPB. My first trip here for several years. Had a pretty good day, saw the Kite and one of the most obliging Barn Owls you could wish for, but the pits were rather quiet save for a cracking young drake Scaup at close range.

Good views of Common Buzzard (2) in the Bircham area, lots of Grey Partridge here too. However much I don't like the 'sport' of shooting, the landowners around here create superb habitat for all forms of wildlife.

Sunny Hunstanton produced the goods with 10+ Long-tailed Ducks distantly offshore until it became non-sunny Hunny and they became impossible to pick out! Cracking male R-b Merganser too.

Dusk 'til dark was spent at Lady Anne's Drive where 1000's of Pinks left it really late until they flew in. Smaller numbers than seen previously by my companions led us to think that maybe others were staying out to feed on fields by the light of the moon. Also several small parties of Little Egret, 26, were seen to fly westward heading for their roosting wood. Most interesting to me here was a Peregrine chasing, catching, starting to pluck and then LOSING a Lapwing - the poor thing managed to fly off! Hopefully it's injuries weren't too severe.

An enjoyable day all round, was nice to revisit. Next time I'll have to ensure an earlier start to give time to get all the old haunts in. If circumstances allow...

James
 
Frootshoot said:
Dusk 'til dark was spent at Lady Anne's Drive where 1000's of Pinks left it really late until they flew in. Smaller numbers than seen previously by my companions led us to think that maybe others were staying out to feed on fields by the light of the moon.

James
Click to expand...
Hi James

Sounds like you had a good day in this end of Norfolk. I was at Holme briefly yesterday around 3.30pm [sharing my birthday cake with Sophie (AW)] and was amazed at the number of pinkfeet coming in on the marshes, thousands upon thousands, Sophie said also she had never seen such numbers. I thought I was at Holkham for moment!!! Coudn't see the marsh for geese, have never seen such numbers. Perhaps they prefer this end of the county now ;)
Apart from this and a couple of bullfinches at Titchwell, had pretty poor birthday birding really, never mind.

Best Wishes Penny :girl:
 
Penny Clarke said:
........and was amazed at the number of pinkfeet coming in on the marshes, thousands upon thousands, Sophie said also she had never seen such numbers.

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

From NOA website today: 'Over 17,500 Pink-feet were on the marsh with two Barnacle Geese and a single Pale-bellied Brent of particular note."
 
Adult Little Gull still, large fem. Sprawk plucking a Woodpig for an hour, White-fronts at Martham Ferry, Barn Owl, two cranes showing well for an hour, harriers all over but not a lot else yesterday, sea very quiet, Whoopers moved on. But watching cranes, golden plovers, laps and huge numbers of geese all wheeling about in a lovely blue sky was just wonderful.

Ben had a fight with our cat and now has a swollen infected nose - he looks like a Grey Seal rather than a greyhound! Everyone say aaaahh!
 
Tim Allwood said:
Adult Little Gull still, large fem. Sprawk plucking a Woodpig for an hour, White-fronts at Martham Ferry, Barn Owl, two cranes showing well for an hour, harriers all over but not a lot else yesterday, sea very quiet, Whoopers moved on. But watching cranes, golden plovers, laps and huge numbers of geese all wheeling about in a lovely blue sky was just wonderful.

Ben had a fight with our cat and now has a swollen infected nose - he looks like a Grey Seal rather than a greyhound! Everyone say aaaahh!
Click to expand...

Hi Tim

Aaaaaahhh, - well actually (being as I am a cat lover) - well done cat!!!! (only joking) - well it probably (hopefully) won't happen again!!!!! Unless of course he intends to seek revenge later in 'round two'!!

Best Wishes Penny
 

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