Norfolk birding (2 Viewers)

[Lightthiscandle]

Sounds like they are being seen at Strumpshaw this year. I saw and heard one there a few years ago but not since. Certainly not easy bird to find in Norfolk nowadays!

Martin Reid and I saw / heard one there last week.

 

[devon.birder]

Sounds like they are being seen at Strumpshaw this year. I saw and heard one there a few years ago but not since. Certainly not easy bird to find in Norfolk nowadays!

When I was at Sculthorpe last week I overheard a lady tell the Warden in the Centre that she had just seen a Willow Tit. When he asked he where she replied that she seen it where he had told her to look. Roger

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Martin Reid and I saw / heard one there last week.

This thread has thrown me a bit. I assumed that if I saw one locally it was almost certainly a Marsh Tit. This shot was taken near the feeders at Strumpshaw on Sunday. It's probably not the best angle for it but can somebody point out the features I should be looking out for to confirm that it is a Marsh Tit?

Ron

 

[gnome]

This thread has thrown me a bit. I assumed that if I saw one locally it was almost certainly a Marsh Tit. This shot was taken near the feeders at Strumpshaw on Sunday. It's probably not the best angle for it but can somebody point out the features I should be looking out for to confirm that it is a Marsh Tit?

Ron

It is a marsh tit: the small white patch on the base of the upper bill on your excellent photo is diagnostic. The other thing to look for is the contrast between the white cheek and the rest of the neck. All the text book stuff like the absence of a pale wing panel and the glossiness of the head just aren't reliable apparently (we have a willow tit expert in Oxon who's been educating us). Of course the best way to tell is by the call.

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Thanks Gnome, that is very helpful. The white patch on the bill shows up on the other two shots which I have, so it's a useful indicator. I will have to brush up on their calls and pay a bit more attention in the future.

Ron

 

[Lightthiscandle]

While the white mark on the base of MT's bill is always a good discriminator, I still think there is a structural difference. I honestly think WTs are visibly chunkier. But the main thing in the field has to be the call!

 

[David Norgate]

Just found out I am on a course in Kings Lynn the next couple of days, 9.30-3.30! Any suggestions as to what to do before and after?!? PM me if appropriate!!

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell February 3rd

Today's highlights

Peregrine - 1 over reedbed
Velvet scoter - 5 offshore
Bittern - 1 in flight from Fen Hide
Mealy redpoll - 1 in trees around visitor centre
Pintail - 238 on fresh marsh
Ruff - 52 on fresh marsh
Marsh harrier - 10 to roost

Paul

 

[Andy Musgrove]

While the white mark on the base of MT's bill is always a good discriminator, I still think there is a structural difference. I honestly think WTs are visibly chunkier. But the main thing in the field has to be the call!

I agree it looks like a Marsh Tit. The white mark on the bill was a new one for me when I saw it mentioned in the Nov 2009 British Birds article. I'd also agree on the shape/jizz being a good pointer, but to be honest, I'd be fairly hesitant about claiming one unless I heard it call or sing. Habitat is not a good pointer - I've had MTs in so many "classic WT habitats" (e.g. Alder carr) in the last few years in the Broads. I've followed up reports at Strumpshaw and Brundall in recent years, only to find MTs. I do wonder if MTs have moved in following local losses of WTs.

However, I'm not saying they're all gone! Mark G's trapped birds prove that, and there's lots of little patches of woodland in the Broads that are (I imagine) seldom visited. Moreover, they can be extremely elusive even where present - there were two singing males near the Nunnery last spring, but the rest of the year they virtually disappeared.

The next couple of months are probably the best time to find WTs. If you don't know it already, learn the song, which is like the beginning of a Wood Warbler song if that helps (it does for me, coming from the Yorkshire Dales!) Neither Willow or Marsh Tit seem to sing so much from April onwards though in my experience - sunny days in late Feb and March are the best time.

If you can find any, and confirm them aurally, please submit them to the Bird Atlas 2007-11 project (either directly or via BirdTrack). Although assessment of the true status of this species is becoming increasingly difficult, it is clearly experiencing a major decline, and so any confirmed records would be really valuable.

Thanks

Andy

 

[stuart white]

Willow tit

I saw a willow tit in the brecks last friday, the call is what alerted me to its presence a very nasal 'aaah' 'aaah' 'aaah'. when you see one I think they look very different to marsh tit, very bull necked and buff brown below as opposed to a cleaner looking below marsh tit. The large white wing panel helped as well. But as others have said I would only be certain if it was calling, I've seen marsh tits with big wing panels at Sculthorpe. Incidentally I've never seen willow tit at sculthorpe !!

 

[SJPortugal]

Good day around the Holkham area today, found an immature White-fronted Goose in amongst the tens of thousands of Pink-feet, also two Barnacle Geese, didn't locate the Snow Goose though. Common Scoter offshore, along with Red-throated and Black-throated Divers and Red-necked Grebe. Flock of Snow Buntings by Holkham Gap, and a Rock Pipit. Male and female Scaup on the boating lake by Wells beach, and male and female goldeneye there also. 25 seals hauled out on the beach and four unseasonal bar-tailed godwits. Holkham Park produced two Barn Owls and excellent views of a Tawny Owl being mobbed by various thrushes, tits and finches. Lots of Woodcock about too. All in all, a great day. Still can't find any Bramblings anywhere though.

Thanks for the suggestion of Strumpshaw Fen, think we are trying there Friday (before Snettisham on Saturday for the Shore Larks).

 

[stuart white]

The dangers of yearlisting

while trying to get a yeartick on the way home from work today I nearly came a cropper !! I strayed from the path to answer a call of nature and stood on what looked like slightly boggy ground next to a tree. I then disappeared up to my waist !! Good job I'm a strong swimmer. I used my stealth to escape but now smell really bad ! Were the 5 mandarin worth getting totally covered in mud for? Probably not. I think there is a moral there somewhere.

 

[sacha]

Willow tit

I saw a willow tit in the brecks last friday, the call is what alerted me to its presence a very nasal 'aaah' 'aaah' 'aaah'. when you see one I think they look very different to marsh tit, very bull necked and buff brown below as opposed to a cleaner looking below marsh tit. The large white wing panel helped as well. But as others have said I would only be certain if it was calling, I've seen marsh tits with big wing panels at Sculthorpe. Incidentally I've never seen willow tit at sculthorpe !!

Again, I saw Willow Tit at Sculthorpe about three years ago .. but since then I have only seen Marsh Tits there each time i have visited (not that many times). Strumpshaw seems to be the best bet to see them recently .. but again there are lots of MTs there!
There was a very good paper in British Birds recently .. The paper described (as Gnome said earlier) that the small white patch at the base of the bill and the contrasting cheek are quite distinctive for Marsh .. and definative if combined with call. I had never noticed that before reading the paper and used to think the wing patch was the best feature .. Call still seems the easiest way to find them .. not that it happens to me much these days now that they are so scarce!

 

[Penny Clarke]

Just found out I am on a course in Kings Lynn the next couple of days, 9.30-3.30! Any suggestions as to what to do before and after?!? PM me if appropriate!!

Queue in the traffic to get there on time and ditto to get home!!!!!

You could go to the fisherfleet which is opposite J&I Motors next to Boal quay carpark - good place for kingfisher and grey wagtail. You could visit Bawsey country park - not far past the crematoriam. You could go clothes shopping!!! Or go to Flitcham Abbey farm on route home to be entertained by little owls or go to Roydon for raptor roost.

Best Wishes Penny

 

[black kite 1964]

Queue in the traffic to get there on time and ditto to get home!!!!!

You could go to the fisherfleet which is opposite J&I Motors next to Boal quay carpark - good place for kingfisher and grey wagtail. You could visit Bawsey country park - not far past the crematoriam. You could go clothes shopping!!! Or go to Flitcham Abbey farm on route home to be entertained by little owls or go to Roydon for raptor roost.

Best Wishes Penny

Hi Penny. Hope you are feeling better!

What was the date of that Cory's that we jammed on at Cley. I don't think the four finders have put in a description. Do you think you saw enough to put in a description yourself.

No doubts that it was a Corys - but the bird was going away and I would not be able to describe the bill or its colour. Can describe flight. Size comparison with Both Gannet and manx. Structure and wing shape. Colour of upperparts, contrast of darker brown tail band, contrasting white underparts also underwing pattern/colour.

I seen a few Corys in the uk and more abroad, some fairly close. Don't like writing descriptions on other peoples birds. Also can write an Ok, but incomplete decription from what I saw.

Do not want to see the record lost. But do not want to massage what I saw to get it through!

Hopefully the finders will read this and submit the record.

Regards.

Mark.:cat::cat:

 

[Sue G]

Just found out I am on a course in Kings Lynn the next couple of days, 9.30-3.30! Any suggestions as to what to do before and after?!? PM me if appropriate!!

you could take Penny out for a late birthday dinner!

 

[stuart white]

massaging records

Mark

you know people on the norfolk committe read this thread ?!?

 

[Andy Benson]

Rough justice

Had the good fortune to have an appointment in Beccles yesterday so was able to drop in on the Rough-leg(s) on the way back for tea break. When I arrived, an initial scan soon found said raptor sitting on gate post at a fair distance (nothing wrong with that, Rough-leg at any distance is always a treat!) I then noticed a bird-spotter at about quarter of a mile away turn from what I assume is the public path, and head over the grazing marsh, head down, towards the bird. Now, my aging eyesight and interpretation of body language is undoubtedly not as keen as a young bold Rough-leg, but even I could foresee what was occurring here, and to coin a phrase from popular ITV show ' I really think you've got the Tw*t Factor!' At this point I should concede that he was possibly doing a grazing marsh grass survey or merely looking for Chinese water deer pooh, but I'm not sure what the spotting scope would have been for! (by the way, he was NOT donning a cruise-missile sized lens and camera!) Any way, I digress, obviously the Rough-leg saw this coming, quite literally a mile away, took to the wingm, high and wide and pushed off with an entourage of corvids. By this time responsible birders had turned up to stare at a birdless gate post and Rough-leg free sky. I watched as said explorer then looked up and scanned, bemused at every blank post within a half mile. As I say I may be doing somebody a mis-service, they may have been walking home! If so I will retract my mumbled statement at the time....'what a ******* ****!'

 

[Johnners]

First Post - Marsh Tits and Buzzards

Casually strolling through this thread about Norfolk sites and wondered if anyone had been to Kenninghall Fen - it's my local patch and a SSSI. I've only just moved here (from Galloway, S. Scotland) and was intrigued to find Marsh Tits, Buzzards, an overflying Little Egret and the usual Norfolk arable-habiting species (good numbers) and some migrants in the surrounding countryside.
My first post, this - so I'm glad to get that out of the way… (K'hall's got a good pub, too).

 

[NoSpringChicken]

Hi Johnners. Welcome to Birdforum and Norfolk. I don't know Kenninghall myself (it's a big county) but it sounds very interesting. I am sure somebody else will have knowledge of it. It's a lovely part of Scotland you have come from and I have had several great holidays in Dumfries and Galloway. I look forward to hearing reports from your local patch. It's always handy to hear about a good pub too!

Ron