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Norfolk birding (13 Viewers)
- Thread starter Edward woodwood
- Start date
Titchwell October 15th
Today's highlights
Rough legged buzzard - 1 in/off sea @ 11:30 and landed on saltmarsh
Great grey shrike - 1, possibly 2, on Thornham Marsh for most of the day
Yellow browed warbler - at least 3 around the reserve
Shorelark - 2 on beach mid afternoon
Grey phalarope - 1 on tideline at Thornham Point
Velvet scoter - 2 offshore
Short eared owl - 1 in/off
Lapland bunting - 1 west over beach
Paul
Today's highlights
Rough legged buzzard - 1 in/off sea @ 11:30 and landed on saltmarsh
Great grey shrike - 1, possibly 2, on Thornham Marsh for most of the day
Yellow browed warbler - at least 3 around the reserve
Shorelark - 2 on beach mid afternoon
Grey phalarope - 1 on tideline at Thornham Point
Velvet scoter - 2 offshore
Short eared owl - 1 in/off
Lapland bunting - 1 west over beach
Paul
davethebird
Well-known member
Migrant fest
We joined in the frenzy yesterday, heading out to Gun Hill for the Radde's Warbler. No sign of the target bird but there were loads of Goldcrests and Robins with a few Blackcap and Chiffchaff to whet the appetite.
Then it was off to Wells Woods for the Radde's. We went straight to the drinking pool as that was where the pager and 2 separate birders confirmed as the location as just north of the pool. All was silent and after a fruitless search for both bird and crowds we headed back towards the dell. A visiting birding then took pity on us and showed us where the bird was and where it had apparently been for a couple of hours ......
A few pictures from the day.
We joined in the frenzy yesterday, heading out to Gun Hill for the Radde's Warbler. No sign of the target bird but there were loads of Goldcrests and Robins with a few Blackcap and Chiffchaff to whet the appetite.
Then it was off to Wells Woods for the Radde's. We went straight to the drinking pool as that was where the pager and 2 separate birders confirmed as the location as just north of the pool. All was silent and after a fruitless search for both bird and crowds we headed back towards the dell. A visiting birding then took pity on us and showed us where the bird was and where it had apparently been for a couple of hours ......
A few pictures from the day.
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willowgrouse
Well-known member
JCL
Well-known member
thanks!
Stratton Birder
Well-known member
What a great shot of the Radde's Warbler Dave. Lovely pose.
Yes there were less birds around in general today but it was still very good. Goldcrests were everywhere and there was a good flock of Brambling in Stiffkey Campsite Wood totalling around 50 birds. We scored better with Yellow-browed today (none yesterday) with three at Stiffkey and one at Wells although there are obviously many more around. Not as many thrushes as we expected apart from some decent flocks of Redwings at Wells Woods and several Song Thrushes. Jays a regular sight everywhere we go still. On the rarity front, we had good views of the Olive-backed Pipit at Wells and brief but satisfying views of the Isabelline Shrike at Warham.
Steve.
Yes there were less birds around in general today but it was still very good. Goldcrests were everywhere and there was a good flock of Brambling in Stiffkey Campsite Wood totalling around 50 birds. We scored better with Yellow-browed today (none yesterday) with three at Stiffkey and one at Wells although there are obviously many more around. Not as many thrushes as we expected apart from some decent flocks of Redwings at Wells Woods and several Song Thrushes. Jays a regular sight everywhere we go still. On the rarity front, we had good views of the Olive-backed Pipit at Wells and brief but satisfying views of the Isabelline Shrike at Warham.
Steve.
"Still things out there to be found though!" - indeed: I managed to pull an isabelline shrike out of the bag at Warham Greens this afternoon. Took an hour for it to show again for others to get on to it. Apparently someone turned up with a photo on their camera of a 'red-backed shrike' they had photographed yesterday at the same spot before someone else set them straight. I wonder how many people have walked the whirligig today/yesterday: an indicator of the serendipity involved in finding rarities...
David Norgate
Well-known member
Thanks, again, for finding the Isabelline today
(just sorry that I was the one to tell you that it had been seen the day before!)
I think down as well. We went to Holme dunes first thing and I was amazed how dead it was compared to Warham greens/ Stiffkey from previous two days. Managed to see the Pallas' there though. Tried for the obp at wells again but couldn't work out where it has been seen near the drinking pool so missed out. On the way out John spotted us and told us of the isabelline (thanks again John!). Bit of a scrum there and much worse behaviour than the bluetail. A lady near us got smacked in the face with someone's tripod legs as they pushed her out the way! I got a good enough flight view in my bins but my friend didn't manage any view unfortunately. I've tried to be consoling but the massive grin on my face hasn't helped
stuartelsom
Well-known member
Well done Stu on a great find - cracking bird but it eluded my camera. More quality rarities to come in the next few days no doubt.
davethebird
Well-known member
Well done on the shrike and for getting the news out quickly. We had just got back to our car (parked next yours) when the pager went off.
A couple of birds in Wells Woods have been diificult to give precise directions to so I have downloaded the GR grid reference app - this was on my previous phone that died a couple of weeks ago. It works on the Norfolk coast on Vodaphone so next time I give bad directions + a grid ref you can use your map reading skills to find me and complain - of course you could also have GR on your phone and get there earlier to complain. 😃
Nick Moran
Well-known member
Well done SB123!
Not sure why that would matter at all - original observer didn't ID it, SB123 presumably unaware (given that no news of the 'Red-backed' on Monday, as far as I know). I know I wouldn't have had a single sleepless night about adding Isabelline Shrike to my self-found list, had I been the lucky one ('only' 1 shrike on Scolt in 9h on Tuesday, though it was my 3rd Great Grey in five October visits there - the place seems a magnet for them...though I admit to hedging my bets by trying to pick my moments!).
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Quote "Bit of a scrum there and much worse behaviour than the bluetail. A lady near us got smacked in the face with someone's tripod legs as they pushed her out the way! I got a good enough flight view in my bins but my friend didn't manage any view unfortunately."
The very reason why I avoid the N coast in fall conditions if possible , I would rather not see a bird than be part of a scrum. Could never see the point of going to see a bird that someone else has already found any way. Inland for me in the Broads for the next few days.
The very reason why I avoid the N coast in fall conditions if possible , I would rather not see a bird than be part of a scrum. Could never see the point of going to see a bird that someone else has already found any way. Inland for me in the Broads for the next few days.
davethebird
Well-known member
Isabelline Shrike
There was a fair group of people at the shrike but they kept back a reasonable distance. When the bird showed in a dead elder it was carrying a haw in its bill and was being mobbed by a Robin. The views through my 10x42's was poor but even so I took a couple of shots of the Elder.
The following probably qualify as the worst ever images to appear on this forum (a personal speciality) but at least give an impression of the overall pale colouration and the difficulty of seeing this bird - these and a short flight view were all I saw! Just to be clear the shrike is circled in red! The Robin is just visible in the top right of the second 'shrike photo'.
There was a fair group of people at the shrike but they kept back a reasonable distance. When the bird showed in a dead elder it was carrying a haw in its bill and was being mobbed by a Robin. The views through my 10x42's was poor but even so I took a couple of shots of the Elder.
The following probably qualify as the worst ever images to appear on this forum (a personal speciality) but at least give an impression of the overall pale colouration and the difficulty of seeing this bird - these and a short flight view were all I saw! Just to be clear the shrike is circled in red! The Robin is just visible in the top right of the second 'shrike photo'.
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crapbirder
Well-known member
Far from the madding crowds.
Look at it this way Tideliner - give thanks to the inventors of pagers and all the other bird information technology, concentrates the hordes and allows you and me to go birding our way.
Look at it this way Tideliner - give thanks to the inventors of pagers and all the other bird information technology, concentrates the hordes and allows you and me to go birding our way.
JCL
Well-known member
Good find, Stu mate. Numbers of migrants at WG pretty low today. Nothing like two days ago. Sizeable flocks of Redwings in-off, but otherwise no suggestion of additional migrants.
Viv Connett
Well-known member
The Isabelline Shrike is reported as being "west of the eastern track". Which is the Eastern track please, I know where Garden Drove is.....????
dwatsonbirder
Well-known member
If anybody managed any photos of the Radde's (of any quality) at Brancaster I'd be extremely grateful. Just putting notes together for the description. Ta.
davethebird
Well-known member
Slightly better images today. I gave the grid ref to another birder who was texting RBA - hopefully this helped identify the exact site
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