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

Norfolk birding (12 Viewers)

NoSpringChicken said:
I will be interested in any tips you get Jo. I have been trying to spot one for months. There was one reported at Strumpshaw near the Reception when I was there on Saturday but I didn't have any luck finding it. Two more were reported near the Tower Hide when I was there a couple of weeks ago. I keep listening and scanning the tree tops but no luck so far.

Ron
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My Dad spends a reasonable amount of time at Strumpshaw, and hasn't seen a LSW there yet this year - although there are certainly a few pairs in the area, they've not been very obliging so far.

Best sites that I know of are Holkham Park (go through the main gates, and immediately turn right down to the monument and lake), and Santon Downham, near the bridge over the river.

Wherever you're looking, make sure you know the sound of the call and drumming - this is the easiest way to find the birds when they're high up in a tangle of branches.
 
Quick to of some sites in the Brecks at lunchtime today produced a Yellow-legged Gull at Langmere and stonking male Golden Pheasant somewhere else. Also a Stoat nailing a Rabbit.

Re: Lesser-spots - had one doing my Atlas square at Buckenham Carrs not too long ago.
 
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Went for a walk around Whitlingham C.P. today in the hope of finding one of the rarer grebes pushed inland, but no luck. A pair of goldeneye were with the pochard and tufted ducks, and the tame lesser white front x barnacle goose cross pictured on Punkbirder is still feeding with the greylags.

James
 
dbradnum said:
My Dad spends a reasonable amount of time at Strumpshaw, and hasn't seen a LSW there yet this year - although there are certainly a few pairs in the area, they've not been very obliging so far.

Best sites that I know of are Holkham Park (go through the main gates, and immediately turn right down to the monument and lake), and Santon Downham, near the bridge over the river.

Wherever you're looking, make sure you know the sound of the call and drumming - this is the easiest way to find the birds when they're high up in a tangle of branches.
Click to expand...

Had a look for LSW at Holkham today without much luck.. Just Treecreepers and Nuthatch. Did bump into someone who had just relocated the Black Brant at Lady Anne's Drive (presumably the Wells bird) and there was also a leucistic Pink foot there.

Stopped off to look at Great N Diver on the lake at Blickling on way back towards Norwich and saw the WCSparrow again!
Now i really have promised myself i wouldn't twitch many birds in Norfolk this year and just look for my own...that's not a good start ..
 
postcardcv said:
I went over there this morning, along with a dozen or so others. The bird showed quite well and although fairly small was indeed just a scaup. A nice supporting cast though with 3/4 kingfishers flying around and a bittern in the reedbed.
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just in case anyone is interested here's a record shot of the scaup from Thompson Water - very distant so I've had to rely on a video grab.
 

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As one would expect for the time of year, quite a quiet day at Holme but a few highlights, most notably a Peregrine, 3 Lapland Buntings and a Velvet Scoter west (thanks Sue!)

More sighings from the day on my blog, was good to meet BF members Sue, Norfolk birder and Penny, as well as many other friendly faces.
 
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Goshawks.

Hi,

Can anyone help me with some sites for viewing Goshawks, I'm hoping to spend some time around the Brecks over the next few weekends and would appreciate any advice from forum members.

thank you,

Bill
 
As Connor has just said - a very quiet day at Holme, but it probably didn't help that I didn't get up very early!!! In fact the only birds that I saw, was half way down the beach road to Holme reserves (byroad going off the A149 main road) in a horse paddock, a fantastic scene of 20 redwings feeding in the paddock, along with a pair of red legged partridge, 1 chaffinch and 1 pied wagtail. Down the reserve, was a good old social gathering including Sue Bryan, Chris Mills and friend, John Shepherd and of course Connor. After eating my sandwiches (didn't take long, as on boring weightwatchers diet!!!!!) I walked up to the forestry - I have never walked up here and seen nothing, but that was the result, not even a chaffinch, it was like everything had died! Walked back along the road and saw a kestrel and a few teal, wigeon, lapwing etc on the marsh, but not alot else. Walked back to car and drove to Cleyspy to drop my scope in to be mended (my fault, long story) - my beady eye noticed they sell Richard Brooks's Lesvos book (where I am going in May) and had;) to buy that! Then drove all the way back to Holme via Docking to help father with his laptop and only just now home.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:
 
birderbill said:
Hi,

Can anyone help me with some sites for viewing Goshawks, I'm hoping to spend some time around the Brecks over the next few weekends and would appreciate any advice from forum members.

thank you,

Bill
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Thetford forest is a good area for them around the Parsonage heath area,seen them there before and Santon Downham and Mayday Farm.These are well known places for Goshawks so i am not giving any secrets away my stating them.Fancy a Northeast birder telling a local birder where to find Goshawks very strange .
 
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Reader said:
Enjoyed the rant Ilya. Surely you aren't leaving it like that. Abuse of power comes to mind and is a reportable offence.

John
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Cheers - did have half a mind to lodge an official complaint just on principle, but decided in the end there's more constructive ways to spend my spare time.
 
Hi Rural,

I was there Saturday afternoon and the bird was showing very well, but i do agree many of the people there got way too close to the bittern.

Ian
 
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Ruralchill said:
Has anybody visited Strumpshaw in the past few days? Would be interested in knowing if anyone has seen Red-crested Pochard!
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Hi Rural,

I was there last Tuesday and it was very quiet, certainly no Red-crested Pochards in evidence. I also heard the reports of the LSW, but could see nor hear any sign of them either. I also spent some hours at Holkham looking for the LSW's, nothing last Sunday, but heard one calling and drumming on Wednesday. However, as the story normally goes i could not locate the bird.

Ian
 
Penny Clarke said:
As Connor has just said - a very quiet day at Holme, but it probably didn't help that I didn't get up very early!!! In fact the only birds that I saw, was half way down the beach road to Holme reserves (byroad going off the A149 main road) in a horse paddock, a fantastic scene of 20 redwings feeding in the paddock, along with a pair of red legged partridge, 1 chaffinch and 1 pied wagtail. Down the reserve, was a good old social gathering including Sue Bryan, Chris Mills and friend, John Shepherd and of course Connor. After eating my sandwiches (didn't take long, as on boring weightwatchers diet!!!!!) I walked up to the forestry - I have never walked up here and seen nothing, but that was the result, not even a chaffinch, it was like everything had died! Walked back along the road and saw a kestrel and a few teal, wigeon, lapwing etc on the marsh, but not alot else. Walked back to car and drove to Cleyspy to drop my scope in to be mended (my fault, long story) - my beady eye noticed they sell Richard Brooks's Lesvos book (where I am going in May) and had;) to buy that! Then drove all the way back to Holme via Docking to help father with his laptop and only just now home.

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

I noticed that it was getting quieter as the week went on, i managed to increase the year list to 156 whilst i was in your wonderful county (now 159 after a brief trip to Langstone Harbour this morning).

I am trying to not by Richard Brookes' book at the moment (a group of 6 birders plus spouses going there in May 2009). I hope you have a fantastic time over there.

Ian
 
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Titchwell today.
Havent been for a while, and had a non-brding mate along for the ride, so Titchwell seemed like the ideal place.
Good numbers of Pintail on the reserve, and had a Spotshank and Redshank in the same Scope view for comparison. Goldeneye, RB Mergansers and Eiders at sea.
Star bird was a Woodcock in the undergrowth on the way back to the car. Whoever picked that out, well done! Crippling views! Thats 2 in 2 weeks for me, had one on route to Stubb Mill last week.
Popped in at Cley for my second helping of the Sparra. Brief views around 4pm, better views of 1/2 hunting Barn Owls, superb stuff. Only in Norfolk I guess!
Cheers,
Jim.
 

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