Norfolk birding (16 Viewers)

[Penny Clarke]

Understandly I suppose my post has just been removed in response to Richard's post 6991 on here about my MJ celebrations in London.

Mods: please can I have a copy of that post, because it took ages compile as I am now going to start a new thread in relation to this. Thank you. Not going to bother now, have not got time to do all that again.

Good night

Penny

 

[Des!]

Had a great weekend visiting family in Norwich & managed to get to Strumpshaw & West Runton.

Highlights:

Strumpshaw - Marsh Tit @ feeders

West Runton - Med Gull (?) - I think!!

Pics attached.

Des

 

[Happisbirder]

2.) Looks like Saturday could see some good seawatching in N Norfolk if the longer range forecast is to be believed with strong nnw winds coming down the north sea.

Looking good...

http://www.xcweather.co.uk/GB/forecast

James

 

[Des!]

Just confirmed ID on the Marsh & Med - that's another 2 - 1st!!!!

 

[firefox32]

Hi.

No birdwatching intented today, but interestingly a walk up to my inlaws farm produced 2 Northern Wheatears, the first I have seen in the Dereham area for several years. I was more than happy with this. Further searching produced 6 Tree Sparrows also (knew they were here-just hadn't put the effort in to find them). Bonus.

Just goes to prove you don't have to travel miles to enjoy this great hobby.

Regards.
Fox.

 

[Max Levy]

Hi, staying in Norfolk for a couple of days at the moment doing some birding.
Had a good day today, started with the Monty's, inlcuding a male seen.
Then moved to Burnham Overy marsh and dunes which was very quiet.
Next Holkham and Wells pines- also very quiet with only a few Willow Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat. Then spent a good few hours at Cley, which prodced Little Ringed Plover, Green Sand, about 120 Golden Plover and 2 Curlew Sand on the marsh in front of the three central hides. Also two adult Yellow legged Gulls and a couple of juvenile Yellow Wagtail there.
Nine or so Wheatear were on the Eye field and North Scrape produced the two Spoonbill.
Finally had a quick look offshore, where several Gannet passing and a few fishing Sandwich Tern.
Stopped off at Warham Greens for a brief look. Nothing doing but decided to give the area a good look tomorrow morning.
Thanks.

 

[PYRTLE]

Mini seawatch this morning by a few souls at Holme produced up to five arctic skuas including one dark morph over the reserves, fifteen plus black terns, a dozen or so manx shearwaters including three almost along the beach - all birds heading west, the black terns making slow but eventual passage.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell September 3rd

Today's highlights

Greenshank - 1 on fresh marsh
Dunlin - 170 on fresh marsh
Curlew sandpiper - 2 juvs on fresh marsh
Spotted redshank - 1 on saltmarsh
Manx shearwater - 4 offshore
Treecreeper - 1 in trees around visitor centre

Paul

 

[firstreesjohn]

Is this a record number of Balearics ?

6 (known in Finland by the splendid name Baleaarienliitäjä) went east past Sheringham this afternoon, from 1500h. Giles thought this might have been the highest count for county. Previously to this, there had been 'just' Manxies and several dozen Arctic Skuas.

500-odd Manxies (no, they were all normal!) streamed past in the next 3 hours, at times in loose groups of 30 or more.

A supporting cast of a few each of Sooties (that is, Sooty Shearwaters) and Black Terns, more Bonxies and quite a few Arctics kept the interest going.

5 Tufted Ducks flew west- winter on the way.

 

[Songkhran]

Thunderbirds are go.

managed around 2 hours this afternoon at Cley, on setting the scope up, the first thing i saw even before a wave was an Arctic Skua which boded well. A good few Arctics harrassing terns off shore with some juvs (good to see after near absence in last few years) wings pinned back and bombing through -around 17 in total. Manxies streaming past and in one small flock at around 3.55 a very dark Balearic, easily the darkest ive ever seen. 1 Arctic, 1 Black Tern and 3 Bonxies, a Sooty Shear that went back and forth for a while. 5 Shoveler and small no's of Teal and Scoter West.

Would like to highlight a recent pruchase thats coming up trumps, bought a flotation suit in Sheringham for around 50 quid - its what fisherman wear if they fall overboard and today in strong westerlies i was toasty warm with just shorts and T-Shirt on underneath. its got a very effective hood that seems to stabilise your head and stops it being buffeted around. Ideal for seawatching especially away from the 'creature comforts' of Sheringham - wouldn't recommend cycling in it though

todays was an intriguing wind pattern, shows that straight Westerlies can produce.

http://magicseaweed.com/msw-surf-charts2.php?chart=1&res=500&type=wind&starttime=1251936000

looking totally classic for tomorrow...

 

[dbradnum]

Ortolan on the East Bank at Cley this morning....

 

[postcardcv]

and a great shearwater past Holme... I wish I was out birding.

 

[PYRTLE]

managed around 2 hours this afternoon at Cley, on setting the scope up, the first thing i saw even before a wave was an Arctic Skua which boded well. A good few Arctics harrassing terns off shore with some juvs (good to see after near absence in last few years) wings pinned back and bombing through -around 17 in total. Manxies streaming past and in one small flock at around 3.55 a very dark Balearic, easily the darkest ive ever seen. 1 Arctic, 1 Black Tern and 3 Bonxies, a Sooty Shear that went back and forth for a while. 5 Shoveler and small no's of Teal and Scoter West.

Would like to highlight a recent pruchase thats coming up trumps, bought a flotation suit in Sheringham for around 50 quid - its what fisherman wear if they fall overboard and today in strong westerlies i was toasty warm with just shorts and T-Shirt on underneath. its got a very effective hood that seems to stabilise your head and stops it being buffeted around. Ideal for seawatching especially away from the 'creature comforts' of Sheringham - wouldn't recommend cycling in it though

todays was an intriguing wind pattern, shows that straight Westerlies can produce.

http://magicseaweed.com/msw-surf-charts2.php?chart=1&res=500&type=wind&starttime=1251936000

looking totally classic for tomorrow...

Never mind Thunderbirds, Kermit goes seawatching - , with a hobble and a patch!
Great shear' this am at Holme Dunes. Am getting here early tomorrow. Also looks good for Wednesday

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell September 4th

Today's highlights

Dunlin - 190 on fresh marsh
Curlew sandpiper - 2 juvs on fresh marsh, 1 on beach
Little ringed plover - 3 on fresh marsh
Ringed plover - 345 on beach
Spotted flycatcher - 1 in carpark
Great skua - 20 offshore
Arctic skua - 7 offshore
(Manx shearwater - 50 offshore last night)
(Black tern - 1 west offshore last night)

Paul

 

[firstreesjohn]

And these were trapped, force-fed, drowned in Armagnac . . .

. . . then roasted and eaten whole ! !

This was my first for about ten years- and most welcome, too. Lovely little things they are.

I've been thinking there'd be a better Bunting than the Reeds along the East Bank for some time.

It seemed to be reasonably happy in the rainy and windy conditions, as it was partially sheltered by the grassy stuff (technical term).

 

[Penny Clarke]

Flew over to Cley after work and had amazing close views of the Ortolan Bunting feeding on the path 3/4 the way along the East Bank!!! between 6.40 and 7pm. Thanks for the update Connor:t: and also text from Pete S.:t:

Moved over to Cley coastguards to seawatch with Andy W. and Pete D. but nothing more than terns flying west to Blakeney Point. Also Pete D. spotted a Wheatear yards away over the shingle ridge.

Looking forward to tomorrow!!!

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

P.S. John - your pic is alot better than my record shot!!!

 

[Penny Clarke]

Never mind Thunderbirds, Kermit goes seawatching - , with a hobble and a patch!
Great shear' this am at Holme Dunes. Am getting here early tomorrow. Also looks good for Wednesday

Hi Pyrtle!

Did you see the Great Shearwater or do you know who did please?

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

 

[Songkhran]

after being informed by those at the very top that there would be no point seawatching and that people were a) lucky to have seen what they saw in Westerlies and b) what they saw was pretty rubbish anyway, I decided beauty is in the eye of the beholder and a seawatch in lashing rain and gale force winds should be in order. Still large numbers of birds going through, steady passage of Skuas and around half a dozen Black Terns. One Arctic Tern 'flouncing and bouncing' alongside a Common. Didn't see a Sabs although was there when it should have gone through, managed a fine immature Kitti at the same time though (not saying anything).

I'm prepared to die on my sword, but this is now feeling like a burnt out wind as Pyrtle said next decent forecast is Weds (looks good for passerines too).

 

[PYRTLE]

Holme Doons

This morning finished with two black terns at 0910 heading east (quite close in) and a fair sprinkling of bonxies (19) but only a couple of Arctic skua and one very distant manxie. Supported by a few fulmar, common scoter, red throated divers and the usual commuting waders. Hope Wednesday is a wee bit more productive.

 

[Birding Bob]

Hi all, can anyone please give me direction to go and see the Ortolan Bunting and I might have ago for the lapland if it sticks around.

Thanks

Robert