Norfolk birding (101 Viewers)

[David Norgate]

Thankyou Reader for a full account of the situation at the Bittern today. As I asked in my first post after its departure, I wanted to here from someone present on the site at the time, not the secondhand comments we usually get.
I, for one, an pleased that the news was released and that I had the opportunity to see the bird during the week. From what I can tell from postcardcv's photo of the crowd, they seem well organised and at a great distance than when I visited. Glad you too were able to enjoy this bird Reader.

 

[rob lee]

Hi all, spoke to a well known local artist this afternoon who had been present at the site all day who said that he felt that the Bittern had just decided on a change of scenery rather than being flushed by birders & that it didnt go too far either. A constant flow of observers this pm didnt seem to deter it either, in fact when i arrived it was in the n.e. corner right near birders & actively stalking prey, as long as we all behave as expected i cant see any problems.

 

[Dave Kennedy]

Today I got my Bogey bird!
Jo

Congrats on your hawfinch, KK23! It's always a good feeling when you finally find a frustrating bird. My last lifer was a White-faced Scops Owl, for which I had been searching for 35 years. It's not even uncommon - I just had persistently failed to find it!.

Once again, well done, and thank you for the photographs.

Kind regards,
Dave Kennedy

 

[David Norgate]

Hi rob, are you saying the Bittern has been seen again this afternoon?

 

[rob lee]

Hi Rural, yes i am, & it is to my shame as well as others, i guess, that it never went back on the pager, but judging by the steady flow of people it was obviously known to be back. As i quoted "it never went far".
Rob.

 

[On-Firecrest]

A fantastic male Lesser spotted Woodpecker in the brecks and a Rough legged Buzzard at Burnham Norton were todays fare, fantastic views of both and digiscoped record shots of the buzzard on my blog. Unfortunatly there were no long tailed ducks off holme but a red breasted merganser and fulmar past were interesting. A big thank you to Connor Rand for all the information you gave me re-Holme and the long tailed ducks, it was a great help even though i didnt see them.
:t:

 

[Canarybirder]

All,
The Bittern was still showing on the pond this afternoon until at last 4pm and actively feeding. It is completely unconcerned by birders. In fact it often walked towards those stood watching.
Can we all just stop the accusations and enjoy the bird for what it is - a confiding and obviously happy and settled bird.

Chris

 

[Penny Clarke]

Went to Burnham Norton today to look for the Rough Legged Buzzard. Beautiful sunshine, but freezing cold. Parked up at the carpark and waited for my friend Pete to arrive and after quick cup of tea started walking along the path. It is extremely muddy along this path, in fact in some parts you need waders, I have never got so muddy! A nice pair of stonechats were over on the east side of the marsh, several greylags, canadas and brents were feeding, also meadow pipits. We passed a birder who said the RLB had been sitting on the seabank for an hour and a half earlier on!!! We walked west along the seabank and saw a rock pipit and also 2 snowbuntings and a marsh harrier over towards Scolt Head Island. Pete saw a merlin briefly, but I couldn't pick it up in time. Over in the very distance we could see a group of birders who looked like they were most probably watching the buzzard, so we trudged all the way up there to view the RLB way out sitting on a hump of grass, the other side of the channel, not brilliant views. It took ages to get back to car, walking along seabanks for miles is not one of my favourite things to do and I had not bought my lunch with me. Saw a barn owl on the way back. Got back to the car just before 3pm, had lunch, cup of tea and Pete and I both went home. As I left the carpark, I went straight ahead through Burnham Norton and Pete had turned off left to go back to Holt - a few yard down the road, near a field entrance, several birders were standing watching something! so I stopped to ask and yes they were watching the buzzard, so I phoned Pete quickly who then came back in his car and we had much better views of the buzzard sitting on post in the sunshine - typical I thought, all the miles we walked and here we were 3ft from the car with better views!!!!! Also saw another marsh harrier here, and 2 red leg partridge in the field. Anyway we departed again and I decided to go to Holme Marsh Reserve for the rest of the afternoon, hoping to see a short eared owl maybe. I walked along a public track first of all (near the reserve) and had lovely views of my 2nd barn owl of the day and also a hen harrier flew across the marsh!!! Walked back to car and then onto reserve and only saw a water rail from Hide 1. I could hear what sounded like an elephant on the roof of the hide and I guessed it was maybe a woodpigeon, it was a real mystery because it kept rattling about above my head and really I wanted to know what it was, so I opened the side hide flap and you wouldn't believe what it was making all that noise - 2 wrens!!!, alot of noise for 2 little birds! almost dark now, left and went to visit my parents before driving home.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

(Year List 126)

 

[major wildlife]

I may be wrong Rurachill but you seem to have a chip on your shoulder regarding "Photographers" I was present this afternoon at the Bittern site standing at the back of the pond. Several people including artists, birders with telescopes and photographers also stood at the side. The bird did not appear to be concerned and was catching frogs whilst I was present. Why dont you climb down of that throne of yours and stop bleating.

 

[Penny Clarke]

A much better day in the Brecks today with a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker, male and female Goshawk (fab and extended views for up to 15 mins with some displaying) and a Great-grey Shrike at Grimes Graves, as well as a couple of Crossbills... Yipee!

Cheers,

Connor

p.s A BIG THANKYOU TO ALL WHO HELPED WITH SITE INFO, MUCH APPRECIATED and please take a look at my site, updated with trip report for today.

Sounds like a perfect day Connor - well done:t:

 

[Penny Clarke]

Today I got my Bogey bird! Went out with the Norwich RSPB members group to Lynford Arboretum. We walked straight through to the paddock where I was the first to pick up on a distant bird with a very heavy bill sitting on top of one of the fir trees. Unfortunately the light was such that we could discern very little detail on the bird but general structure had a number of the group convinced it was a hawfinch.

A walk around the paddock produced very little, bar one marsh tit which showed well. Then as we headed back, I again picked up on an orange coloured bird flyinging into a group of trees. Sure enough when I got it in my scope there was no doubt that this was a hawfinch! The light was coming from behind us so we got great views of the colour on it.

Finally, as we headed back towards the carpark through the arboretum we stopped to check out some siskins and goldcrests and then someone shouted out that there was another hawfinch close to us in the top of another fir tree! Clearly it had come to see us, along with two of its friends who were behind us in another group of trees.

We then headed on to Grimes Graves to look for the Great Grey Shrike. Unfortunately, there was limited information on the whereabouts so we didn't manage to pick up on it but we did see a nice mixed flock of finches including more siskins, goldfinch and chaffinch. Other than that, we didn't see much other than a sparrowhawk and green and Gt Spotted woodpeckers. But I didn't really care as I got what I came for, which was the hawfinches! :t:

Some pics below:

Jo

Wonderful sunny pictures of Hawfinches Jo:t::t::t:

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

 

[David Norgate]

major wildlife
What an interesting reaction! I do wish I had a throne, them maybe I could sell it and buy myself a big camera! As for chips, you must know me well as they are my staple diet.
I have often admired your photographs, although never picked up your name.

I only say what I see. I love seeing rare and interesting birds and admire the photgraphs taken. However, at the WCS one photographer (as named) stood next to the gate whilst I was there - the rest were fantastic. At the Bittern, one photographer went down and stood closer to the Bittern than anyone else. Many other photographers were there keeping their distance. As I said, I say what I see.

Robert Wilson, Dave Nye and many others were positioned brilliantly and I even helped Rob carry his camera equipment back to the car (don't know why I bothered to tell you that!)

I believe the only time I have seen you in the 'field' as it were was at the Dark-breasted Barn Owl (I apologise if I am wrong). A number of us were standing on the rough road watching the bird and you arrived and promptly walked into the field/rough ground to try and get closer to the bird. Nothing wrong with that, just saying what I see!

Yours, with no throne or chip (all eaten)

David
(who takes video stills with a x32 JCV)

Baa!

PS Apologies to all others who bothered to read this!

 

[dbradnum]

All,
The Bittern was still showing on the pond this afternoon until at last 4pm and actively feeding. It is completely unconcerned by birders. In fact it often walked towards those stood watching.
Can we all just stop the accusations and enjoy the bird for what it is - a confiding and obviously happy and settled bird.

Chris

Hear, hear.

In particular, I think any comment which effectively drags someone's name through the mud, and then admits that it may not be accurate is on rather thin ice. Trrying to draw conclusions about what the Bittern may or may not 'enjoy' seems a bit iffy as well, assuming it is capable of such an emotion.

 

[HarassedDad]

Well I popped in to see the Bittern this afternoon. Walked in from the layby to find a small line of people surrounding two sides of the pond. Bittern caught a frog and retreated to the back of the pond. Bloke came over to where we had joined the end of the line and said he thought the bird was wanting to get into a clump near where we were stood. We happily moved over to the far side, but a number of folk just ignored him and stayed where they were.

I felt uncomfortable seeing a Bittern surrounded by so many people, to be honest: felt more like a zoo. And given that everyone uses digital cameras these days, why do they leave the shutter sound on? When the Bittern swollowed the frog the sound of shutters made me jump. We left after five minutes, the bird might not be bothered (and it clearly can leave if it was) but I was.

Went on to Kelling in the hope of some butterflies (Brimstone seen there last week) but again the place was full of people going "seen the shrike?". No butterflies to be seen (too cold) So we went to see the snow buntings. Again, everyone was lined up, staying back - except for one bloke who kept edging forward till he put them up. And when they settled, he did the same thing again.

I fear I'm turning into a grumpy old man - and a hypocrite at that - after all, I went to the bittern and the buntings, should have been out looking for something new. Memo to self, avoid north coast at weekends.

 

[firefox32]

After all said and done, what a fantastic bird the bittern is, eh?

 

[kittykat23uk]

Congrats on your hawfinch, KK23! It's always a good feeling when you finally find a frustrating bird. My last lifer was a White-faced Scops Owl, for which I had been searching for 35 years. It's not even uncommon - I just had persistently failed to find it!.

Once again, well done, and thank you for the photographs.

Kind regards,
Dave Kennedy

Thanks Dave and Penny! :t:

 

[Dave Kennedy]

Hi there!
I've noticed through time that a number of contributors to this forum have been trying to find twites. If any of you in that category should find yourselves in Scotland, I have just posted some information on twites in "My local patch - Kintyre Birds", which may prove helpful.

Wishing you well in your twite-hunt,
Dave Kennedy

 

[matt green]

After all said and done, what a fantastic bird the bittern is, eh?

It certainly is, didn't go for it myself but just been perusing Postcardcv's pics of it...I reckon it's just settled up somewhere nice and quiet with a gut full of frogs and a bloody great grin on it's face tbh!!!

Matt

 

[postcardcv]

Popped over for the great northern diver at Blickling this afternoon, a very nice bird well worth a look. Also had a roosting tawny owl showing quite well by the fisher's car park... well it was showing well (and had been for a couple of hours) until some idiot decided to pish it. At which point it opened it's eyes, looked at him and then flew off.

 

[J Moss]

Beautiful afternoon at Salthouse today. Really picked up from the cold of this morning (on my bike to work this morning, before sunrise, and I thought my eyes were going to freeze!!!). 1 Black Brant was present amongst the other Brents when I arrived. Went for a wander in search of my probable Richards Pipit, but no joy. There were a pair of Stonechats clinging to grass stems and waching me pass, along with the usual Mipits, and a juv. Marsh Harrier past. The Show Buntings were as accomidating as they always are, coming as close as you could ever want them to. Some males are really coming along in their summer plumage. I hope they stick around for just a little longer, as I'd love to see one in its full breeding outfit. Shame the Lapland Buntings didn't hang around longer though. A brief seawatch produced a lifer in the form of 2 Slavonian Grebes together on the flat sea. Spent ages trying to absolutely rule out Guillemot (of which there were several around, which helped), RT Diver and other grebes. Silly really, but because I'm absolutely unfamilliar with this species, my brain was telling me that it must be something else. Eventually settled on Slav though. V. nice. Also present were a good 20-30 RT Divers on the sea and west.

Headed down to Wareham at about 5:30. Bit late, but did have c3 ringtail Hen Harriers and a Marsh Harrier.

Year list now on 134, with Slavonian Grebe and Guillemot today.
Norfolk list on 229.

Jason