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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Norfolk birding (11 Viewers)

Quite possibly one of the coolest looking birds Ive ever seen, It was uniform silver all over, looking more like a ghost of a Gannet, Giles said he'd never seen anything like it ... in all his years. Anyway clearly was a Light-mantled Sooty Albatross, Sooty Albatross is a browny colour ;)

Not a brown morph Red-footed Booby then?
There have been some big seabirds about...
;)
 
All I know is that it was there back in July, if not earlier, hanging out with Greylags and Egyptian Geese.

On another Buckenham goose note, the odd hybrid that hangs around with the Barnacle flock that looks vaguely like a Blue Snow Goose, was in the 2008 Bird and Mammal report twice; once as a Blue Snow Goose, and then at the back as a hybrid resembling a Blue Snow Goose. I assume the former was a mistake...

;)

Today a (presumable white-phase) Snow Goose was reported with Pink-feet opposite Surlingham Church Marsh. Do you remember seeing the feral one at Buckenham last time you were there? (Trying to guess whether its a local escape or maybe from further North...like Salthouse ;))
 
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Not a brown morph Red-footed Booby then?
There have been some big seabirds about...
;)

Had to do a few google image searches because it was such an odd-looking thing, definitely not anything other than a Gannet, i.e no blue bill, red legs or anything like that, however i don't think the bird was leucistic either, in my experience Leucistic birds are generally the colour of pale rich tea biscuits and have a faded out quality the only way you could describe this was BRIGHT SILVER!! (and it weren't no flashback either :smoke:)

will follow it up on an ID thread on BF, cheers Josh
 
I don't believe it

Probably not Dave, just means they don`t believe you!!

I was concerned the other week when the white-rumped sand turned up at Cley, that no one would believe the finder and me, hence my undue scepticism over the bird identified later in the day.


Am always concerned I will describe a feature not found on a local or national rarity or make a mistake in describing what I saw.

Goshawk at Holkham Fort, on a post, 31 October 1994. A Norfolk rarity (away from the Brecks) at that time. Description needed. Unfamiliarity with the differences between male goshawk and female sparrowhawk, I assumed my large hawk must be a female goshawk.

Hindsight and good views in the Brecks in recent years prove the bird I saw was male. :-C

The 1994 NBR, retrospectively to my sighting, confirmed a male goshawk was seen at Holkham / Wells around that time. No record for 31 October though!
 
Dont have a problem with LTS being a description bird, i`ve seen plenty strung, but i find it strange that Storm Petrel is now off the list ?!
 
James, according to RBA a white morph Snow Goose flew over the Yare at Surlingham at 10.45 with Pink-feet (no direction). It was also seen over Harford Bridge (??SSW of Norwich) at 11.10, flew east with 55 Pink-ffoted Geese (both times reported as Greater - must have been good flight views!!!)

Since it has been previously mentioned that Pink-feet haven't been seen around Buckenham this year, combined with the fact I have not heard of (or ever seen) a white morph Snow Goose in the area. I would personally take it very seriously (unless someone can shed different light)!!!
 
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8 hours at Sheringham and still no Little Auk

There was a claim of a distant one early on and myself and will tried to tick a small auk around 1.30 but the consensus was puffin ! I only got the back end of it. Sea watching was excellent though with the following seen from 7.30am. Divers dominated early on mostly heading east also a tricky Leach's. Kittiwakes were a constant feature until lunchtime. One of the highlights was the leucistic type Gannet which some 'joker' called as a sooty albatross !! It was a lovely silvery grey colour all over and probably a juv.

Leach's Petrel
45 Great Skuas
5 Arctic Skuas
3+ Pomarine Skuas
c10 Great Northern Divers (I saw 5 east and 2 west)
4 Black Throated Divers
c40 Red Throated Divers
Manx Shearwater
c5 Red Necked Grebes
2 Velvet Scoter
2 Puffin
Shag
Goosander
Sandwich Tern
50+ Little Gulls
20+ Gannets
300+ Kittiwakes (estimate)
3 Fulmar including a 'Blue'

Hi Stuart

Wish I had been there instead of work (some of us have to work;);););)) I potentially could have had 3 new year ticks: red necked grebe, leach's and puffin!!!:-C - will pray for same winds for weekend!

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

P.S. Stuart - you have two women chasing you!!!;) - Sue is now only 2 behind you and little old me only 7 behind you - look out!!!!!!!! Who will be the christmas No?!!!!!!!!;). Well actually Dave Appleton could be if he decides to add his list now - you could Dave - go on - that will stir things up!!!;)

Today: 30th November - Surfbirds County Year List:

Stuart 265
Sue 263
Penny 258
 
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James, according to RBA a white morph Snow Goose flew over the Yare at Surlingham at 10.45 with Pink-feet (no direction). It was also seen over Harford Bridge (??SSW of Norwich) at 11.10, flew east with 55 Pink-ffoted Geese (both times reported as Greater - must have been good flight views!!!)

Since it has been previously mentioned that Pink-feet haven't been seen around Buckenham this year, combined with the fact I have not heard of (or ever seen) a white morph Snow Goose in the area. I would personally take it very seriously (unless someone can shed different light)!!!

I had 86 pink-f-geese at Cantley marsh 17/11/09
 
James, according to RBA a white morph Snow Goose flew over the Yare at Surlingham at 10.45 with Pink-feet (no direction). It was also seen over Harford Bridge (??SSW of Norwich) at 11.10, flew east with 55 Pink-ffoted Geese (both times reported as Greater - must have been good flight views!!!)

Since it has been previously mentioned that Pink-feet haven't been seen around Buckenham this year, combined with the fact I have not heard of (or ever seen) a white morph Snow Goose in the area. I would personally take it very seriously (unless someone can shed different light)!!!

Thanks for that, I didn't know the Surlingham sighting was just a flyover. The timings are odd, as Harford Bridge is west of Surlingham and the Snow Goose was flying east at 11.10, they could have been two separate birds unless the Surlingham one flew west and then looped round! I may have a look along the river at the weekend on the off chance.
 
hmmm we won't talk about Sue's 263rd species for the year !!

I saw a Black Necked Grebe on the sea at Titchwell late afternoon, very pleasing, I had a good close look to make sure it wasn't a slav. Two of the locals also saw it well. Looks like a good autumn/winter for grebes and divers along the coast. Also had GN divers from both holme and titchwell
 
Mainly becuase I missed it and was sitting next to her, bloody little auks. I missed sabines gull back in september when everyone else around me could see it. Seawatching can be most infuriating sometimes.

I was chuffed with the BN grebe though, think its only the 2nd time I've seen one on the sea off norfolk since the 86 invasion at morston
 
David Norgate , your information about the lack of pinkfeet around Buckenham is incorect. Doing survey work I had 125 on October 25th and 35 November 27th flying up from the Yare Valley over Buckenham and heading north. Also over a thousand were feeding on a beet and wheat fields just north of the A47 close to Buckenham for over a week at the start of November.
 
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