Norfolk birding (2 Viewers)

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell February 4th

Today's highlights

Bittern - 1 in flight
Velvet scoter - 2 drakes offshore
Mealy redpoll - 1 in trees around visitor centre
Hen harrier - ringtail hunting over saltmarsh
Ruff - 30 on fresh marsh
Avocet - 6 on fresh marsh

Paul

 

[mr.sim]

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 always check through the gulls at Blackborough End tip! :-O

 

[black kite 1964]

massaging records

Mark

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

Your point Stu!?!!!! All kinds of stuff gets discussed on this forum from the alledged drug taking of some, the ongoing progress on individuals colds and the driving/parking abilities of others!!!

As for the records commitee reading the thread, what is the big deal!! The honesty and reputations of individual Norfolk birders are well known. Also committees can see when a description is written straight from a book. There is a recent rejected recorded of a Whites Thrush at Hartlepool headland. The bird was a fly by. I have no doubt the bird was a Whites Thrush. However I understand the description was so perfect/detailed, you would have thought the bird would have been trapped. On that basis the record was rejected. A harsh lesson for the finder. Had he written what he had seen, the record would have been accepted. There is a lesson, describe what you see a no more!!

We all hope that any good birds we find (not many in my case) are seen by others and even better photographed.

I know Josh has had some stick about a Red footed falcon he saw last year. Again having birded with Josh he is more than capable indentifying a Red foot!

Josh is honest and will only describe what he saw. I think he has to be given credit for that. There are some who would pick up there collins and copy it word for word!!

Good luck with the year list!:cat:

 

[Paul Woolnough]

Two Rough-legged buzzards Haddiscoe Island

I think two rough-legged buzzards were seen today around Haddiscoe Island. One at Thorpe Marshes viewable from the main road and the one I eventually saw from the Waveney Forest viewpoint.

Could not find the rough-leg from the bund in Waveney Forest until near the end of my raptor watch there. Flew up from the meadows west of the copse later heading behind the copse soon after. (Did the same thing last Thursday 28 Jan.)

Other birds of prey seen before the rough-legged buzzard appeared: 2+ short-eared owls, perched female merlin on gatepost straight out, close ring-tail hen harrier or two, marsh harriers, kestrels and a large female sparrowhawk. Some bearded tits in the reedbed by the river.

 

[MICK SAUNT]

In early spring 2009 there was a higher than normal count of migrating Common Buzzards moving along the North Norfolk coast. I collected data on the birds and mapped their movements. A full write up of the report can (hopefully) be seen below, but the map was created on Microsoft Word 2007, so the arrows may not show up on some peoples computers. It's been a long time coming, but enjoy...

Really enjoyed reading your write up of buzzard movement last spring -the disparity between the numbers in the east and west of the county was really striking. For what it's worth my guess is that most of the birds seen in the west in spring were mainly local (1st year?) birds being displaced by resident pairs.
Such movement have been documented (a paper in British Birds in 1999 I believe) where non-breeders within high populations in the west of Britain have been displaced into eastern Britain where until recently buzzard populations have been relatively low. This is still probably occurring but with a huge increases in buzzard numbers within the county these birds may get caught up with local birds in the same predicament.
Hopefully this spring we will get some of the action in the east - soon be time to climb Incleborough Hill to find out!
Cheers
Mick

 

[gossypots]

I will be in norwich tomorrow , could someone please tell me if the great northern diver and ring necked duck are still on whitlingham country park lake.Looking at the map it does'nt look to far from the city centre to walk to.If anyone could give me any advice on this place it would be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[David Norgate]

Thank you for your suggestions! There is a write up of my very successful afternoon / evening on my blog. I hope you will all understand the vagueness, but enjoy the sentiment (it's not supposed to wind anybody up!)

 

[SUGS]

I think two rough-legged buzzards were seen today around Haddiscoe Island. One at Thorpe Marshes viewable from the main road and the one I eventually saw from the Waveney Forest viewpoint.

Could not find the rough-leg from the bund in Waveney Forest until near the end of my raptor watch there. Flew up from the meadows west of the copse later heading behind the copse soon after. (Did the same thing last Thursday 28 Jan.)

Other birds of prey seen before the rough-legged buzzard appeared: 2+ short-eared owls, perched female merlin on gatepost straight out, close ring-tail hen harrier or two, marsh harriers, kestrels and a large female sparrowhawk. Some bearded tits in the reedbed by the river.

Any chance of a map reference for the viewpoint .


Cheers

 

[Andy Musgrove]

I will be in norwich tomorrow , could someone please tell me if the great northern diver and ring necked duck are still on whitlingham country park lake.Looking at the map it does'nt look to far from the city centre to walk to.If anyone could give me any advice on this place it would be much appreciated. Thanks

Both still present according to Birdguides. At the weekend, the RN Duck was on the north shore, east of the island, although I don't know if it has stayed in that area. The GND is highly mobile and spends a large proportion of the time underwater.

Yes, you can walk from Norwich city centre - never done so myself but would guess it would take you 30-60 mins? Or you could take a taxi.

A scope would be useful. It's a deceptively big broad, and picking out the RND could potentially be tricky without one.

Good luck!

Andy

 

[gossypots]

Thanks Andy , scope and tripod in the bag !!!!!!!!!

 

[Tractorboy69]

Any chance of a map reference for the viewpoint .


Cheers

TG 461 012

Simon

 

[Tractorboy69]

Still at least 2 Firecrests in the western car park of Felbrigg Park this afternoon.

No sign of the Tundra Bean at Sidestrand in a brief search today (last saw it on Tuesday) but it had been moving to adjacent fields a bit more earlier in the week due to disturbance (the inevitable consequence of releasing news I guess!) so maybe its still nearby.

Simon

 

[ChrisBish]

I will be in norwich tomorrow , could someone please tell me if the great northern diver and ring necked duck are still on whitlingham country park lake.

Probably a bit late replying now but there was a good selection at Whitlingham yesterday. The RN Duck was just east of the island with Pochard tho spent most of its time asleep - I saw it with its head up for about 12seconds in 45mins! The GN Diver was showing very well mid-way along the lake while the Red-necked Grebe was at the west end. The 1w drake Scaup was at the east end along with 1 redhead Smew and a redhead Goosander, while there was also 1 female Goldeneye present. Not bad for a site so close to a city centre!

Chris

 

[ChrisBish]

2 Goosander in Thetford showing well on river by the Nun's Bridges including a smart ad male for a change!

Chris

 

[stuart white]

TG 461 012

Simon

Not wishing to be pedantic but I think the mound is about TG458011

 

[SJPortugal]

Thanks to everyone for good site suggestions. The Shore Larks were still at Snettisham yesterday (along with great views of goldeneyes, knots and a peregrine taking a redshank). The Golden Pheasants were showing well again at Wolferton, and a quick dusk visit to Titchwell produced a bittern in flight, spotted redshank and hen harrier.

 

[HarassedDad]

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).

Welcome to Norfolk. As far as butterflies go, I've no records actually from the fen proper and only a single brimstone from the tetrad, but there's Purple Hairstreak reported just south in TM0285. (It's a BBS square) Worth checking the tops of any oaks in August. (And a list of butterflies at the fen would be most useful, you're in a very under-recorded area - apart from the BBS square above I've got hardly anything for miles around - in fact only 380 records from the whole of TM08 this century!)

I assume you've found Lopham Fen already? Well worth a trip:
http://www.suffolkwildlife.co.uk/nr/sites/redgrave original.htm

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell February 5th

Today's highlights

Twite - 41 feeding on brackish marsh
Snow bunting - 2 on beach
Mealy redpoll - 1 with goldfinch flock
Water pipit - 1 on fresh marsh
Ruff - 29 on fresh marsh
Avocet - 7 on fresh marsh
Velvet scoter - 7 offshore
Common scoter - 2100 offshore
Spotted redshank - 9 around reserve
Hen harrier - cracking male to roost in reedbed

Paul

 

[SUGS]

Not wishing to be pedantic but I think the mound is about TG458011

Thanks for the info .Where is the best place to park?

 

[sacha]

Had a chance to catch up with a few birds today

Whitlingham:
2 redhead smew in the early morning (only one seen pm)
2 Goosander
imm male Scaup
GN Diver
Ring-necked Duck - At last ... and a real bogey Norfolk tick (just east of the island pm)

Cantley
10+ Taiga Bean Geese - seen distantly

Strumpshaw
Great view of 2 Bittern in flight from reception screen

And finished with the imm Black-throated Diver at Swanton Morley GP.
If anyone wants a treat it is worth going to see this bird. It is showing VERY well. was down to about 20 feet at one point .. We were gutted that we had left our camera at home!