Norfolk birding (28 Viewers)

[PYRTLE]

I’m due to be in north Norfolk for a few days next week. I’ve git a few sites and targets lined up and will be paying attention to anything rare turning up but also would also like to have a look for Mealy Redpoll which isn’t a bird that shows up near me, is there anywhere particularly reliable in north Norfolk?

Your best bet would be to go to a couple of well watched areas where there are stands of alders. Two that spring to mind are the picnic area at Titchwell Marsh and Wells Wood, the "Dell" where there have been a variety of Redpolls.
Enjoy your visit. Go yer steddy.

 

[Owene]

Thanks a lot for the the info. Will try and fit that in

 

[Louis_P]

Good flock of Goldeneye on the gravel pits recently at Snettisham RSPB. I counted 22 on my visit a few weeks back.

 

[James Emerson]

Any Norwich birders not on Twitter might be interested to know there are up to 7 Black-tailed Godwits on the flooded area at Earlham Marshes (the bit south of Bevan Close on a map, west of the University village). Not a common bird in the area.

 

[mark clements]

Any Norwich birders not on Twitter might be interested to know there are up to 7 Black-tailed Godwits on the flooded area at Earlham Marshes (the bit south of Bevan Close on a map, west of the University village). Not a common bird in the area.

thank you, James.
Harry

 

[Louis_P]

13 Teal in a large puddle in a field in Horstead! Not a bird I expected to see a few hundred meters from home. Viewed from here - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.7222653,1.3562948,17.43z (Green Lane or Mill Road), just in case there are any local listers interested.

 

[Songkhran]

Hey Bitchesses and Bitches,
Guess who's back...
Many flappy things at Had Disco this afternoon,
Rough-leg
4 Shorties
9 White-fronts
Barn Owl
10,000 Pinks,
2 Snipe,
So far!
Also some other stuff
here and there
Slaterz, Togcity

 

[mark clements]

Hey Bitchesses and Bitches,
Guess who's back...
Many flappy things at Had Disco this afternoon,
Rough-leg
4 Shorties
9 White-fronts
Barn Owl
10,000 Pinks,
2 Snipe,
So far!
Also some other stuff
here and there
Slaterz, Togcity

Unfortunately, this has not really educated me at all, can anyone translate?
Thank you
H

 

[PYRTLE]

Yes I can help. This very individual birder lived and birded hard in North Norfolk and was very keen on seawatching, particularly relishing Pomarine Skuas. Has a penchant for science fiction, Trancindentual music, and looking at things in life from a different perspective. A charming person with a kind manner, humorous and with some experience from the Far East, thankfully didn't venture North but stayed in the South.
The cryptic site would be Haddiscoe Marshes. Slaterz might be street talk for See you laters. Togcity a reference to the many birdwatchers who now carry a camera with the aim of photographing a bird's ventral feathers rather than just looking at it. Hope this helps.
(Good Health J.M-S. Brighton's finest but trust you have left the orange flotation suit and eyepatch in Sussex.)
P

 

[mark clements]

Yes I can help. This very individual birder lived and birded hard in North Norfolk and was very keen on seawatching, particularly relishing Pomarine Skuas. Has a penchant for science fiction, Trancindentual music, and looking at things in life from a different perspective. A charming person with a kind manner, humorous and with some experience from the Far East, thankfully didn't venture North but stayed in the South.
The cryptic site would be Haddiscoe Marshes. Slaterz might be street talk for See you laters. Togcity a reference to the many birdwatchers who now carry a camera with the aim of photographing a bird's ventral feathers rather than just looking at it. Hope this helps.
(Good Health J.M-S. Brighton's finest but trust you have left the orange flotation suit and eyepatch in Sussex.)
P

Thank you so much.
I was just flumoxed.
H

 

[Songkhran]

Hey Pat, yeah i just tell everyone im bipolar these days, makes it easier to explain the 'erratic' behaviour, "hysterics face" but the thing is this thread used to be THE source for bird news and discussion, we'd be guaranteed annual Skua controversy, then things like Twitter came along and everyone decided they were happier having one sentence conversations with each other !? Time this got revived i feel. Pat yeah ditched all that clobber got the most knackered bins you can imagine, dragons on me back and an Octopus hovering over me, looking forward to being back in the garden, see you in a few weeks. Looking forward to the effects of Climate Change, gonna get some badass Seawatching during the storms!

 

[Songkhran]

There was young man from Burger King,
who had dodgy fur as a pseudonym
He went A wOLLY
over Trollies
and packed up his brolly,
and now LTS fly not below but over him

Deplorably, I am impelled momentarily to rupture my self-imposed exile. Thank you so much, Tony, for the inspirational & creative opportunity you have afforded:

“This large order of sandwiches (‘Whopper’):
Can it really be quite right & proper ?
They flew over Our Lady ?
His Lordship was feared ’e
’d fall into the Fen - come a cropper !

Was their genre most thoroughly grilled ?
(Tho’, to spot these aloft is so skilled !)
Such airborne fast food –
Whether broiled, or slo-stewed –
Won’t leave one completely fulfilled !

In the air, they did sail above Ellie;
Showing white underparts, wings & belly.
Above Her, they did glide –
As Our Tony them eyed –
Towards Wisbech & its lovely deli.

Or, perhaps, when he glimpsed this ’ere flock –
And, once he’d got over the shock –
They were going far North –
P’raps, right up to The Forth –
And, diverted to ‘tick’ the Bass Rock ?

They were earlier seen over ‘Linc’ –
Did they call into Skeg, for a drink ?
Just imagine that bar:
‘Could we all have a jar ?’
I’m sure it would cause quite a stink !

Now, correctly, this flock is a ‘wedge’:
The shape of a ‘V’, I allege !
But, to explain a ‘bevy’*:
Well, I s’pose they’re quite heavy !
And, more so, after they do fledge !

This was yesterday afternoon;
I hope they’ll be back sometime soon.
And, where’er they did fly,
White & high in the sky,
Once again, they’ll this Wetland festoon.

This was at wet, wet, wet Welney;
To gain access there is not free:
It’s most of 10 Pounds
To view their lakes & grounds –
That’s from www.WWT !”


[* another, supposed, name for a flock of swans]

 

[Sue G]

OMG the Pom's back!

 

[mark clements]

Have lived here 3 yrs 6 months and had two bizarre garden firsts today...

Starling, on the ground, not flying overhead, and only 1.
3 house sparrows, 1 male 2 female, interested in the suet treats and my gutters.

Elsewhere these were everyday and breeding occurences. Here, the closest sparrows are usually 1/2 mile away, and we get small groups of starlings flying over. No cats or dogs but occaisional weasel and stoat, and v large garden set into fields, hence my bemusement at the lack from my home list.

H

 

[Songkhran]

That's right Sue and planning the conglomerate, corporate takeover of Cley Visitors Centre to be replaced with a proper old school Windmill!
Not Norfolk but stumbled across Mickle Mere yesterday. I might be based in this area so could become one of the patches. Great little watery area just off the road, loads of Emerald and Malachite shape shifting from the Lapwings - well plenty of head and ear-scratching at least ;-) and great potential for passage waders dropping in for a few minutes and single-sighter flyovers - Oh goodie LOL

 

[Songkhran]

Sunny walk around Walberswick and Dingle today (relevant pending boundary change, 5 Spotted Redshank on sea pools and too probables further along - really you should see the state of my binoculars at the moment. Other highlights, Woodcock flushed from woods, Marsh Tits, one on feeders near the Black Mirror house, a few Siskins, a big flock of Lapwing over and some Marsh Harriers, finally 2 GWE dropping in and flying over marsh, now they weren't here last time!

 

[Ed Woods]

That's right Sue and planning the conglomerate, corporate takeover of Cley Visitors Centre to be replaced with a proper old school Windmill!
Not Norfolk but stumbled across Mickle Mere yesterday. I might be based in this area so could become one of the patches. Great little watery area just off the road, loads of Emerald and Malachite shape shifting from the Lapwings - well plenty of head and ear-scratching at least ;-) and great potential for passage waders dropping in for a few minutes and single-sighter flyovers - Oh goodie LOL

I discovered Mickle Mere by accident after driving past and seeing the vast number of birds - then discovered the hide - and then saw my first Glossy Ibis.

Another virtually undiscvered hidden gem is Boughton Fen near Stoke Ferry.

 

[Andy Stoddart]

Books for sale (Norfolk)

I'm selling some books, all for less than half RRP.

Proceeds will go to the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Taskforce.

Full details at https://andystoddart.weebly.com/book-sale.html

 

[Fast Ricky]

Evolution at work?

I haven't posted anything on here for years, revisited a week or two ago and was surprised at the missing familiar names - is it all down to twitter, instagram, etc? I thought I'd share these pics and wonder if anyone else has seen this kind of thing before. Taken yesterday at Hickling NWT reserve I didn't spot the oddity until editing at home. Was it a case of theft, a lucky find, or an evolutionary taste of things to come?

 

[Fast Ricky]

And a (probably stupid) identification query

I assumed this is a juvenile snow bunting but looking at Collins Guide it doesn't seem right. Probably my dodgy pic but the bill colour looks wrong and more streaked markings perhaps. Can anyone help, please?