Norfolk birding (10 Viewers)

[jimbob]

Almost a debate on here then, re: birds and weather. It must be Spring.....

Glad to see Steve and others have caught up with the Penduline Tit, what a tricky bird but well worth it!

Quiet south of the Yare but I haven't birded my patch as intensively as I would have liked, bit of real life and work of late doing their thing. I am lucky that I can walk down to the marsh from my doorstep and do this most nights. It has been great hearing a different song almost every night: Chiffchaff, followed by Willow Warbler, then we had Sedge, then a late Blackcap. Throw in the usual swirling Corvids, hunting Barn Owls and Marsh Harriers, and Claxton really isn't bad.

Hope to get over to the Broad this weekend and connect with a Tern or two. Groppers should be in at Church Marsh too, so provided Sunday evening is calm and pleasant I will try for those then.

Quick question- Upton Marshes and Fen. Where do people usually view the Waders? Feel like I need to get over there in the next couple of weeks. I am aware of the NWT carpark, if that helps.

Cheers,
Jim.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell April 18th

Today's highlights

Lesser whitethroat - 1st of the year singing in the carpark
Grey wagtail - 1 over carpark
Bittern - male booming all day
Black tailed godwit - 105 on fresh marsh
Common sandpiper - 1 on fresh marsh
Large westerly passage of pipits and wagtails throughout the day

Paul

 

[IvanS]

Today's highlights

Lesser whitethroat - 1st of the year singing in the carpark
Grey wagtail - 1 over carpark
Bittern - male booming all day
Black tailed godwit - 105 on fresh marsh
Common sandpiper - 1 on fresh marsh
Large westerly passage of pipits and wagtails throughout the day

Paul

Rouzels were still up the road at the barns this evening as well

 

[jimbob]

Rockland Broad was Tern-less at the weekend, and pretty devoid of wildfowl. I had better luck back at home when 2 Crane flew west over my garden in Claxton. Finally on the patch list! House Martin through.

Still waiting for things to kick off down on the marshes. 2 Sedge Warbler now in, but little other signs of the season.

Cheers,
Jim.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell April 19th

Today's highlights

Grasshopper warbler - 1 singing in reeds along East Trail + 1 singing and showing well on the grazing meadow
Brambling - 1 on feeders
Red crested pochard - 5 on reserve
Green sandpiper - 1 west this morning
Cuckoo - 1st of the year singing near Fen Hide this morning
Med gull - 2 on fresh marsh
Little ringed plover - 2 displaying on fresh marsh
Black tailed godwit - 98 on fresh marsh
Red kite - 1 over east end of reserve late morning
Short eared owl - 1 hunting over grazing meadow this morning

Paul

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell April 20th

Today's highlights

Common crane - 6 west @ 11:30
Wheatear - 1 on saltmarsh
Med gull - adult on fresh marsh this afternoon
Whitethroat - 1 on East Trail
Lesser whitethroat - 1 on East Trail
Grasshopper warbler - 1 singing at the end of East Trail, 1 on grazing meadow
Bittern - booming male in reedbed
Little ringed plover - 2 pairs around the reserve
Green sandpiper - 2 on Patsy's reedbed
Cuckoo - 1 singing along East Trail
Little stint - 1 reported again on fresh marsh

Paul

 

[dennis.c]

Had a nice surprise Wednesday evening when I added wheatear to my Bunwell garden list and this was followed this evening when my earliest ever swift flew over.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell April 22nd

Today's highlights

Little stint - 1 again on fresh marsh but very elusive
Grasshopper warbler - 1 singing on grazing meadow
Greenshank - 1 on tidal pool
Red crested pochard - 6 in reedbed
Cuckoo - 1 in Willow Wood
Swift - 1 over reedbed
Common sandpiper - 1 on fresh marsh

Paul

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell April 23rd

Today's highlights

Little stint - 1 on fresh marsh
Spotted redshank - 1 on fresh marsh
Common sandpiper - 1 on fresh marsh
Bittern - booming male morning only
Little ringed plover - 2 on fresh marsh
Peregrine - 1 hunting over beach

Paul

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell April 25th

Today's highlights

White wagtail - 1 on grazing meadow
Little ringed plover - 4 on fresh marsh
Red kite - 1 west over Thornham saltmarsh
Grasshopper warbler - 1 singing on grazing meadow
Bittern - 1 still booming
Little stint - 1 on fresh marsh
Common sandpiper - 1 on fresh marsh
Peregrine - 1 on beach at Thornham Point this morning

Paul

 

[PYRTLE]

Wryneck still at Cley this morning. Heard the owners of the house it's in are doing bacon sarnies!

(Joking Suzie!)

Pat

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell April 26th

Today's highlights

Little stint - 1 on fresh marsh
Common sandpiper - 1 on fresh marsh
Med gull - 2 on fresh marsh

Paul

 

[Sue G]

Wryneck still at Cley this morning. Heard the owners of the house it's in are doing bacon sarnies!

(Joking Suzie!)

Pat

Ha Ha! Sadly it's not at my house any more (as far as I know) although there seem to be lots of strange men hanging around my gateway. Waiting for bacon sarnies perhaps, or will that be bread pudding?

 

[brammer]

Blackcap.

Female blackcap in the hedge at the bottom of the garden earlier.

Just passing through I think.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell April 27th

Today's highlights

Red kite - 2 over reserve this afternoon
Med gull - 2 adults on fresh marsh this afternoon
Common sandpiper - 1 on fresh marsh
Brambling - 1 on feeders
Little ringed plover - 1 on fresh marsh

Paul

 

[Penny Clarke]

Ha Ha! Sadly it's not at my house any more (as far as I know) although there seem to be lots of strange men hanging around my gateway. Waiting for bacon sarnies perhaps, or will that be bread pudding?

:t::-O:clap:

Hope one of the Wrynecks is still around for my holiday!

 

[ben_lewis]

In Paul's absence...

Thursday at titchwell;
Short eared owl over dunes early afternoon
2 med gull on the beach feeding with a large flock of large gulls feeding on starfish/razorshell wreck
1 little stint on freshmarsh
140 sanderling on beach
2 red kite over
2 white wagtail on grazing pool
2 little ringed plover
4-5 swifts

And a Norfolk first for me- a pipefish, probably greater pipefish.

 

[MICK SAUNT]

Norfolk Bird and Mammal Report – Bird Records for 2016

With spring apparently on hold but with May and (hopefully) lots of good birds just around the corner, now seems like a good time to remind observers of the guidelines for the submission of records for inclusion in the NBMR.

General records

All observations are welcome although observers are encouraged to filter their record submissions to provide, for example:

Early and late dates
Breeding records
Significant counts
Regular counts from a particular site
Unusual sightings/behaviours
All records of scarcer species such as Turtle Dove and Spotted Flycatcher

This is not an exhaustive list – if you think a sighting is important or interesting it should always
be submitted - there will hopefully be some additional guidance outlined in the next NBMR.

Ideally, they should be submitted as individual records on a simple five-column spreadsheet detailing just the species, site, date, count and, where appropriate, notes relating to the sighting.

Note that the records do not need to be in any particular order – providing the basic details are present for each record they can be imported directly into the main county database.

For those who do not have access to a spreadsheet, a simple five-column table in a word processor document will be just as acceptable.

An example spreadsheet and word processor document are attached to this post which can be downloaded to your PC or laptop.

Note that all records will be processed in whatever format they are received but if at all possible, please try to avoid submitting records in either .pdf, .jpeg, diary or handwritten form as these require the records to be re-keyed into a suitable format for inputting which is both time-consuming and may introduce errors.

There are a number of flourishing bird clubs, groups and societies within the county who collect records from their members and who in turn submit those records in bulk to the County Recorders. These include the Wensum Valley BS, NARVOS, NENBC, Cley Bird Club Yarmouth Bird Club and the North Norfolk Ringing Group. If you are a member of such a club, group or society where records are submitted in this way please do not send them again to the County Recorders as an individual observer since this causes problems with duplication of records.

Ideally, records should be submitted monthly or three-monthly but if you intend to submit records at the end of the year please note that the cut-off date is the end of January of the following year.

County Rarities

The list of species considered by the County Records Committee is an extensive one with many of those on the list former British Birds Rarities which have subsequently been ‘demoted’.

The list of species consdered is amended (usually annually) can be found at:

http://norfolkbirds.weebly.com

but please note that for 2016 both Montagu’s Harrier and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker have been added to the list.

If you are fortunate enough to find a county rarity, a description should be submitted as soon as possible after the sighting.

Records should be accompanied by the fullest possible written documentation and, where available, photographic evidence, sound recordings or sonograms.

To assist with the submission of such records, a copy of the County Rarities form is attached to this post.

All records of county rarities should be submitted as soon as possible after the sighting and not left until the end of the year.

All records, whether general or in respect of county rarities, should be sent via email to

[email protected]

For non-electronic submissions, they can be sent to the County Recorders at:

Dave and Jaquie Bridges
27 Swann Grove
Holt
Norfolk
NR25 6DP

County Rarities accepted by the County Records Committee will be published in the NBMR together with the initials of up to three observers including finder/identifier.


Hopefully the above is self-explanatory but if not you can PM me if you have any questions.

Mick

 

[Penny Clarke]

Found a cracking male Redstart in the village car park at Holme at 6am, but then got booted out by a jealous Robin! Then later, a purring Turtle Dove at 7.10am. Full update on my blog. :girl:

 

[sacha]

Hi Mick,
I submit all my records nowadays through the birdtrack app. Is this sufficient
and do recorders get all of those records.
If I am lucky enough to find any scarce / rare birds I will still do an old fashioned description (as they are fun to do!)
But just making sure all the commoner species reports filter through from my online recording

Sacha