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Norfolk birding (14 Viewers)

Holkham

Hi

I was wondering if somebody could post directions to the "crosstracks" area from Washington Hide. I have only been once and will likely be heading up at the weekend.

Thanks Lee
 

Yes, but it's unbelievably true! A veritable black hole for birdnews and quite frustrating for many Norfolk birders as you can imagine.

Still, it means that those sites don't get overrun and the locals can bird relatively quietly and without disturbance.
 
Hi

I was wondering if somebody could post directions to the "crosstracks" area from Washington Hide. I have only been once and will likely be heading up at the weekend.

Thanks Lee

Hi Lee,

The crosstracks are, at a guess, somewhere in the region of a mile west of Lady Ann's Drive, well past the estate houses which you walk right by on your left, and at a point where it is pretty obvious that another track crosses the main track.

If you're hoping to see the RFB, I was there yesterday and it was no longer being viewed from a point visible from the track. If I hadn't been with someone who knew where it was I would have walked right past without knowing it, as the group of birders was completely invisible from the track. It is in to the left and round behind some bushes. It might be worth going 50yds or so past the crosstracks and waiting to see anyone coming out of the bushes!

Incidentally, quite a while ago, maybe a couple of years or so, someone posted a very helpful map of the well known reference points in the Wells/Holkham Woods, such as the Crosstracks, the Dell, the old toilet block etc. It might have been Firstreesjohn, I'm not sure. I spent a while using the forum's advanced search function but couldn't find it. If anyone has such a map, or can locate that post, I'm sure it would be greatly appreciated by many newer and non-local birders.

Nigel
 
Titchwell October 15th

Today's highlights

Great grey shrike - 1 briefly in the dead trees on Autumn Trail @ 14:15 before flying into Willow Wood and no further sign
Yellow browed warbler - 1 in pathside vegetation by Volunteer Marsh mid afternoon
Little tern - late bird offshore this morning
Red necked grebe - 1 offshore
Red crested pochard - 15 on Patsy's reedbed
Short eared owl - 1 hunting the saltmarsh
Swallow - 3 west

Paul
 
If it's the map I'm thinking of it had the locations for Wells, but not as far west as Holkham/Burnham. For info it was posted by Hamish A and can be found here:

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2266518&postcount=13524

Regards,

James

Hi Lee,

The crosstracks are, at a guess, somewhere in the region of a mile west of Lady Ann's Drive, well past the estate houses which you walk right by on your left, and at a point where it is pretty obvious that another track crosses the main track.

If you're hoping to see the RFB, I was there yesterday and it was no longer being viewed from a point visible from the track. If I hadn't been with someone who knew where it was I would have walked right past without knowing it, as the group of birders was completely invisible from the track. It is in to the left and round behind some bushes. It might be worth going 50yds or so past the crosstracks and waiting to see anyone coming out of the bushes!

Incidentally, quite a while ago, maybe a couple of years or so, someone posted a very helpful map of the well known reference points in the Wells/Holkham Woods, such as the Crosstracks, the Dell, the old toilet block etc. It might have been Firstreesjohn, I'm not sure. I spent a while using the forum's advanced search function but couldn't find it. If anyone has such a map, or can locate that post, I'm sure it would be greatly appreciated by many newer and non-local birders.

Nigel
 
I was planning on spending a couple of hours at Gt Yarmouth cemetery tomorrow to see if I can track down the Radde's. It's been described as being present at the 'cemetery wall' and I wondered whether this was a specific spot as the whole place is surrounded by walls. If it is a particular area, I'd be very grateful if somebody could help me out with some info as my time will be limited. Thanks in advance.
 
I imagine the walk referred to might be in St Nicholas churchyard at the end closest to town. This at least was where I saw one there back in 2011 and it stayed within the ivy growing up the wall in the far corner behind a house, next to the A12.
 
I'm thinking of taking some Japanese birders visiting to the UK to see the Isabelline Shrike tomorrow at Mundesley, but wondered where the bird had been seen, as it is a big area and we won't have much time to look with visits to a few other places in the area.

Many thanks for any help anyone can provide.

Good birding

Sean Minns
 
Thanks very much Sean, I'll give that a try. I'm afraid I can't return the favour re the shrike at Mundesley but, if you're able to travel a couple of miles further, the one at Beeston was dead easy yesterday and showed exceptionally well.
 
It's south of the bump. Park in the lay-by 150m south east of Brook Rd on the A149. Walk north west for a few yards and then take the path to the left onto the common. The bird spends a lot of time in trees immediately to the left of the track but can range further.

Hopefully bump into you tomorrow.
 
Is that at Beeston bump Graeme? Will be in the cemetery tomorrow to look for migrants so might bump into you -:)

The shrike reported at Beeston Bump was a Great Grey. The pit is at the foot of the bump. Park at the end of Nelson Road, walk down the track and take the first path left after the houses.

The Isabelline is on Beeston Common, directions as given by Graeme. It's very easy to find - if it's still there!

Edit: GGS apparently gone missing this afternoon.
 
Last edited:
Titchwell October 16th

Today's highlights

Great grey shrike - 1 briefly again today from Fen Hide @ 11:35 then flew east and not relocated
Yellow browed warbler - 1 in scrub on northern edge of the Volunteer Marsh mid afternoon, 1 calling on Meadow Trail
Spotted redshank - 6 on fresh marsh
Short eared owl - 1 on East Trail
Red crested pochard - 15 on Patsy's reedbed

Paul
 

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