• 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 (10 Viewers)

Titchwell November 2nd

Today's highlights

Twite - 37 feeding on brackish marsh
Spotted redshank - 11 on fresh marsh
Waxwing - 7 west @ 09:10, 5 west @ 14:45
Yellow-legged gull - 3 adults on fresh marsh late afternoon
Med gull - adult on fresh marsh late afternoon
Slav grebe - 3 offshore

Paul
 
Paul I would wager there have been multiple Caspian Gulls seen in Norfolk this year. When you read the relevant bird report im sure there have been a few noted in the west by the likes of Peter Wilson. Maybe you just meant that you personally hadnt seen one this year.
 
Norfolk Bird & Mammal Reports

.

I'm selling my collection of the above in the "For Sale " section .
Have a look if you are after any .




.
 
Paul I would wager there have been multiple Caspian Gulls seen in Norfolk this year. When you read the relevant bird report im sure there have been a few noted in the west by the likes of Peter Wilson. Maybe you just meant that you personally hadnt seen one this year.

A modest number of records of Caspian Gull in Norfolk on the RBA website database. The majority from last winter, and some during the week.

Oh and work prevented me getting alpine accentor on my Norfolk list in 2004. Saw the Corton bird - a lifer!
 
Last day of my mini-break typified the greatest of Norfolk birding in late Autumn - my favourite time of the year. Back to Burnham Overy for the third time in four days, got off to a good start when scoping a distant flock of Golden Plovers that had taken to the wing, I noticed the culprit was a Red Kite, a bird I believe Winters in this area but goes relatively unnoticed. While chatting with a couple of locals saw that one of the Rough-legs was hunting over Scolt Head and after scooting along Gun Hill was getting great views as it hovered in the strong breeze getting pestered by a Hen and Marsh Harrier. I'm sure most people have seen these by now but they really are terrific birds, the cream, rufous and burnt umbers of their plumage perfectly merging with the subtle tones of their current habitat. Mornings are best and the birds hunting over Scolt Head are quite often not visible from the sea wall. Eventually i got a great flyby, the subtle streaking on the face becoming more apparent as it passed me and headed out onto the marsh.

Walking toward Holkham i was to get another view as the bird hovered over the pines before heading out towards the Gap.

As I got to the pines the back-end of a substantial Tit flock was disappearing into the woods and i figured although the the common method is to sit and wait for their return, the wind was making viewing difficult and the solution might be to chase them through the wood until they reached a more sheltered area. I started caning after them, they were mostly moving high in the pine tops and although i havent done much training in the last few days the speed of the flock combined with the undulating terrain was giving me a good work out for the Norwich Half Marathon! I began to work out that the Long-tail Tits were out front as the ringleaders and the crests and Treecreepers were at the back. Eventually a few of the birds came down to head height in a Holm Oak and i as able to get the worst view of a Pallas's Warbler I'd ever had! Despite this the adrenalin rush of the chase meant it will go down as quite memorable.

Thing is its all very well relocating birds on my own but really should be finding things like this. This years been a bit of a mess and my birding has felt a bit disjointed, the patch hasn't really produced, but i'll keep plugging away. Think organisation is the key, clear decision making, a willingness to go places where decent birds are being seen and a few less rubbish hangovers! Even though Novermbers my favourite month already looking forward to next year.
 
Caudatus ?

The Winterton Bird Spotting Collective's blogspot (http://wintertonbirds.blogspot.com/) has nothing since 30 October.

That it not to say they haven't seen them. I've noticed that much of their news is input well after the event. Remember, broadband speed (rather, the sloth-like characteristics of it) is a contentious issue in Norfolk and this may well be the case in this part of county.
 
Patience is often rewarded

Holkham

As I got to the pines the back-end of a substantial Tit flock was disappearing into the woods and i figured although the the common method is to sit and wait for their return, the wind was making viewing difficult and the solution might be to chase them through the wood until they reached a more sheltered area.

I commend sitting and waiting for Holkham / Wells tit flocks to re-appear.

A yellow-browed warbler was with a flock a few years back. Roamed as far as the drinking pool. I decided give it 30 minutes before searching myself.

After 29(!) minutes the flock and yellow-browed appeared. I followed the flock 1/2 long tailed tits and 1/3 great tits around the Dell and to the toilet block! Lost and refound a couple of times along the way.

Clearly a mobile and elusive flock.
 
Blyth spirits

There may be no birds to see in east Norfolk today but I can now claim to have seen three blyth's reed warblers in Norfolk. The first being the Warham BRW pit bird, which disappeared on a Friday night, I recall.

It is in the Norfolk Bird Report 2009 p129
Both records seen, reported by a well known birder with FOUR intials.

JEDF!
 
I commend sitting and waiting for Holkham / Wells tit flocks to re-appear.

A yellow-browed warbler was with a flock a few years back. Roamed as far as the drinking pool. I decided give it 30 minutes before searching myself.

After 29(!) minutes the flock and yellow-browed appeared. I followed the flock 1/2 long tailed tits and 1/3 great tits around the Dell and to the toilet block! Lost and refound a couple of times along the way.

Clearly a mobile and elusive flock.

its quite an marginal decision sometimes, the flock went through the wood to the North side, a few even venturing out onto isolated pines, they then went right along the edge to the beginning of Burnham Overy, they almost returned back to the main track but only a few splintered off and stayed near the path (deceiving some people into staring at the same bush for the next two hours!), the rest went back into the wood.

On balance, i think you have more chance of seeing a rare Phyllosc by keeping track of the flock the whole time and trying to pinpoint 'holding areas' rather than the 'sit and wait' approach but each situation is different.
 
I have several items that may be of interest to Norfolk birders for sale on the for sale section of Birdforum, including a DSLR setup pickup only and various Norfolk related bird books eg Birds new to Norfolk. You may wish to check out the thread.
 
The Winterton Bird Spotting Collective's blogspot (http://wintertonbirds.blogspot.com/) has nothing since 30 October.

That it not to say they haven't seen them. I've noticed that much of their news is input well after the event. Remember, broadband speed (rather, the sloth-like characteristics of it) is a contentious issue in Norfolk and this may well be the case in this part of county.

Yeah, but I am in that worthy organisation (in fact I set up the blog), so I can tell you we know nothing about it. That's why I was posting... And I can also tell you our broadband zips along, thanks! It's just that each of our members posts when they like, and Tim, who is more hardcore than some of us, can only post intermittently as he comes up from Hertforshire each weekend...
Sean
 
Last edited:
Caudatus (broadly)

"our broadband zips along"

That's more than I can say for mine, on a supposedly built-up part of the coast.

Thanks for the info, Sean.

Would that be the largest flock ever seen in the UK ?

Love to see them.
 
Quite possibly the largest I think.. Having seen the sight of these snowball-headed mini-helicopters on Westleton Heath a few years back I'd really like to believe the Winterton record was gen and that we had a chance of seeing them again here, but nobody seems to know anything about them or who the observer was.

Sean

PS just tested my broadband speed out of interest - 5712kbps!
 
Last edited:
Fabulous day out today

Starting at Cley - the Golden Plover flock was in front of Bishop's hide and there giving itself up very easily was the American Goldie in its full subtle glory, also a showy Water Rail. Moving round to the beach, we had 3 Shore Larks fly over head calling, next up was the increasing Snow Bunting flock with at least 40 birds and both male & female Lapland buntings. North Scrape still held the 2 Grey Phalaropes and a lot of smart drake Pintails. After lunch we headed west to Blakeney in a vain attepmt to refind the cattle egret, the only white bird we saw was a dirty looking Spoonbill. We finished the day at Warham Greens, not expecting much in the drizzle. We were treated to a close Short-eared Owl, 4 Hen Harriers, Marsh Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine and 2 Barn owls. Fantastic
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top