Norfolk birding (2 Viewers)

[Penny Clarke]

Snettisham RSPB

No sign of the Pectoral Sandpiper and nobody else had seen it either including the warden!!!!!

Tons and tons of waders on the mudflats including loads of ringed plovers (so many I couldn't count them), several little ringed plovers, dunlin, sanderling, turnstones, redshanks, golden plovers, lots of smart grey plovers, avocets, little egrets, black tailed godwits, knot, 1 greenshank. A lesser whitethroat in the brambles along the sea bank. 2 Green Sandpipers on the lagoons. 1 green woodpecker, reed warblers, goldfinches. Family of common whitethroats in brambles in carpark when having my lunch. Boiling sticky hot - went home.

Out tonight to see NAVI (best Michael Jackson Impersonator) at Chicagoes in King's Lynn, can you believe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

Simon and I on: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=143832&page=5

P.P.S. I HAVE JUST HAD THE MOST AWESOME EVENING.

Navi was awesome - it was almost like watching Michael again. He was just incredible. Later on after his performance when he was leaving I cleverley managed to get my picture taken with him, twice!!! I am completely deaf and cannot not even hear the keys tapping as I type which is quite worrying really. Emma Dent, Lynn News 'Big Night Out' photographer was there and photographed me at the front, which will be going in the Lynn News next Friday!!!!!!!

 

[Penny Clarke]

Three distant record shots of the Osprey over Strumpshaw on Saturday afternoon. Taken from the Tower Hide.

Ron

Hi Ron


Fabulous shots - WOW:t::t::t:

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell August 25th

Today's highlights

Eider - 30 offshore
Ringed plover - 30 on fresh marsh
Ruff - 43 on fresh marsh
Dunlin - 101 on fresh marsh
Green sandpiper - 1 on fresh marsh
Curlew sandpiper - 2 on fresh marsh
Wheatear - 1 on brackish marsh

Paul

 

[stuart white]

Buckenham

Had fun on my bicycle today, headed to Buckenham where the first bird I saw was an Osprey, very nice. It flew from the direction of Rockland broad over my head and into the buckenham carrs wood. It was carrying a very large flat fish, which unfortunatley I didn't identify! Maybe this is where it or they have been hiding out. I Also saw 2 Buzzards, Marsh Harrier at least 3 Hobbies, kestrel & sparrowhawk. Not bad, 6 species of raptor so close to Norwich. A word of warning, avoid cycling along the river bank between buckenham and cantley. The ground is very dry and rutted. At one point my front wheel disappeared down a mini grand canyon and I flew over the handle bars!! Luckily both bins and tackle were in one piece. The fishermen on the other side had a right old laugh.

 

[firstreesjohn]

More red and green this afternoon

Noticeably more Small Tortoiseshells at Salthouse today; although they were strangely flighty, despite 'laying' on the ground, with the threat of rain.

Also, a couple of bright Chiffy things at Gramboro' filled some time, hoping that they were better.

West Runton continued to disappoint.

 

[Original PaulE]

hi
i'm thinking of heading up to norfolk at the weekend with a view to do a bit of seawatching hopefully i would like to see some skuas is this a good time or a bit early and where would be the best place i have had some success at cley but was wondering where else is recommended preferably with several very experianced sea watchers in attendance to put me right when i misidentify everything
cheers

 

[Andy Benson]

For anyone looking skyward tomorrow, you may want to look out for this bird and get better views than I did!
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1567146#post1567146http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1567146#post1567146

 

[Songkhran]

Hi paul,

currently saturday morning is looking ok for a seawatch although a bit more North would be even better since the wind may blow most stuff onto the Belgium/French side, however the Northerly in in the upper North sea could do the trick. http://magicseaweed.com/msw-surf-charts2.php?chart=1&res=500&type=wind&starttime=1251158400
things could all change however if SW's take over.

If there is a good seawatch on Saturday with perserverance even though the winds on Sunday change to SW, it could still be good with small numbers of birds reorientating back West and maybe good numbers of waders/gulls early morning, however it may also be the time to score with a rare wader on the scrapes,

so far Skuas have been in very low numbers, Ive seen a shocking three when last year I had seen hundreds, however this wind might change things. Terns don't seem to be feeding particularly close to shore this summer maybe one of the reasons Skuas havent been lingering off the coast.

Sheringham middle shelter is the best place to seawatch with experienced seawatchers, as always get their early to get a seat (around 6.30 -7) Cley and Holme are good too.

 

[Penny Clarke]

Due to last night's little social 'do' - see previous post I did not get out of the house until very late to say the least!!!

Kelling Water Meadows - excellent views of the Hen Harrier gliding so low over the back fields it almost touched the ground - awesome views but unfortunately I arrived minutes too late to get my camera on it. Julian B. however had arrived in time to photograph it!!!!! Distant views of the Red backed shrike on the bramble bush the other side of the first metal gate. Several little egrets on the pool etc etc.

Walsey Hills - Nothing of note at all apart from a Cettis Warbler which I could only just hear after last night!!! I really hope my hearing comes back again! But beautiful sunset over the marshes.

Work tomorrow:-C

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

 

[Original PaulE]

Hi paul,

currently saturday morning is looking ok for a seawatch although a bit more North would be even better since the wind may blow most stuff onto the Belgium/French side, however the Northerly in in the upper North sea could do the trick. http://magicseaweed.com/msw-surf-charts2.php?chart=1&res=500&type=wind&starttime=1251158400
things could all change however if SW's take over.

If there is a good seawatch on Saturday with perserverance even though the winds on Sunday change to SW, it could still be good with small numbers of birds reorientating back West and maybe good numbers of waders/gulls early morning, however it may also be the time to score with a rare wader on the scrapes,

so far Skuas have been in very low numbers, Ive seen a shocking three when last year I had seen hundreds, however this wind might change things. Terns don't seem to be feeding particularly close to shore this summer maybe one of the reasons Skuas havent been lingering off the coast.

Sheringham middle shelter is the best place to seawatch with experienced seawatchers, as always get their early to get a seat (around 6.30 -7) Cley and Holme are good too.

hi thanks for the reply, i've also had a very helpful private message, not sure if i can make saturday so hopefully your prediction of a reasonable sunday will come true i've not been to sheringham before do you just follow signs to sea front shouldn't be much of a problem with parking that early hopefully
cheers

 

[jimbob]

From RBA: Eagle sp. just west of Long Stratton over Forncett End present for c.3 weeks! Not that people are obliged to put news out, but did no-one think to mention this?! Heading that way tomorrow so will keep my eyes open.
Cheers,
Jim.

 

[Songkhran]

already looks like the weather system is moving forward and now friday evening looks better, its far from ideal though. What might happen is that there will be a minimal passage but stuff will appear lingering off the coast, wouldn't be surprised if theres the odd LTS sitting on a beach somewhere. Theres always a chance nothing will happen though!

The shelters are just to the East of the IRB lifeboat station, http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?...heringham&st=3&tl=Map+of+Sheringham,+Norfolk+[City/Town/Village]&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf
on the streetmap map, i didn't do a search for 'Sheringham seawatching shelters" just 'Sheringham" but miraculously that is exactly where the little arrow is pointing!

Even if seawatching doesn't materialise, weekend looks good with lots of passage waders and a movement passerines at the moment.

 

[matt green]

From RBA: Eagle sp. just west of Long Stratton over Forncett End present for c.3 weeks! Not that people are obliged to put news out, but did no-one think to mention this?! Heading that way tomorrow so will keep my eyes open.
Cheers,
Jim.

With respect to my home patch, but I can't imagine why any wild eagle sp would want to hang around that area for 3 weeks.

Escape?

MG

 

[firstreesjohn]

Corvid abuse ?

Not quite 'four-and-twenty black birds', nor exactly 'baked in a pie', but an interesting sight by the roadside in Stiffkey. A lot of this kind of thing has appeared on the coast this summer; is it a new trend ?

West Runton and Gramboro' held little. It looked as if the same was the case for Burnham Overy Doons. A long trek, in the shape of a flattened ellipse, out to Gun Hill and then all the way to Holkham Pines and back turned up almost nothing- save for a few of these vicious looking insects (one of the Digger Wasps, I think ?), which I'll look up after a certain football match.

There was a single Dark Green Fritillary in the dunes east of the boardwalk- surprisingly. Only a ringtail Hen Harrier saved the a'noon. And then I got soaked on the way back. Had to walk into the strong wind, too. Sometimes one wonders if it's all worth it.

 

[pandachris]

Blakeney Resident

We're hoping to get down for one of our too infrequent forays into Norfolk at the weekend after a wedding in Northants and visiting 6 month old nephew on Friday/Saturday morning. We've done a bit of sea-watching at Sheringham, including one memorable session 12-ish years ago when I saw my first (and so far only) Leach's Petrel and my first Pomarine Skuas. We go to a shelter below a car park that is down some steps and past a little tea room. The ones you mention look to be further east - am I right? Doubt that we'll be there before Saturday p.m. but I should think we'll at least give it a half hour. Saw nothing much other than a couple of Purple Sandpipers on our last visit (March?).

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell August 27th

Today's highlights

Dunlin - 182 on fresh marsh
Ruff - 30 on fresh marsh
Curlew sandpiper - 1 on fresh marsh
Golden plover - 100 on fresh marsh
Green woodpecker - 1 around carpark

Paul

 

[firstreesjohn]

A Whinchat- and a bee

One of the two Whinchats at Gramboro' early afternoon. They had seemingly departed later, possibly due to a large (non-avian) kite being flown above where they'd been.

A flava Wagtail flew over, in some direction or other- not seen.

West Runton and a few other places held nothing of note, although the call of Greenshank seemed more frequently in the air today.

 

[Stephen C]

Norfolk (Holme and Titchwell), 20th August 2009

Hi all

I thought some of you might be interested to read my report/photos of a half-day at Titchwell and Holme in Norfolk last week. Managed to watch Bearded Reedlings for around thirty minutes and pick up several non-Spanish species that I've been craving for like Grey Partridge, etc.

Plus a few migrants and Hen Harrier.

http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/spain...Norfolk:+absence,+the+heart+and+all+that.html

I have yet to update the rest of the summer, since May, but feel free to browse the rest by clicking 'archives' in the right hand menu (date ordered).

All the best

 

[Songkhran]

Hi Pandachris, i think I know where you mean, but confused you said mine was further East, do you mean West? People do watch from where you were and you'll get more peace and less panicking people yelling for directions and spilling their coffee when a White-billed Diver flies past ;-) but where you are is lower down, more exposed to the elements and doesn't have the crowds to ID stuff.

Maybe clutching at straws because the seawatching been so quiet so far this Autumn but tomorrow evening still looking half decent, I can only go till 4pm, but think its worth a dip. Looks like a similar spiralling wind chart to 7th Sept last year except with stronger winds. Be hoping for a little bit of bounce if anything does happen.

cheers, Josh

 

[pandachris]

Josh

Yes. West is what I meant. I think I only have this confusion on the North Norfolk coast, because I'm originally from the west coast so to me, west means out to sea! I doubt that makes much sense. I still need my mum to tie my shoe laces too.

We've not done much sea watching this year so I reckon we'll take anything we can get.