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Norfolk birding (28 Viewers)
- Thread starter Edward woodwood
- Start date
James Emerson
Norwich Birder
Thanks Ben. Hopefully it will follow the example of the GN Diver, moving a bit further along the river every day and then settling onto Whitlingham Broad! Unfortunately like Jim I'm working during the week and its pretty much dark when I leave and get home, so I have too hope its still around on Saturday!
Lightthiscandle
David Bryant
Wow! Now that's an impressive flock.... Hope it sticks around!
Songkhran
Well-known member
With Lowestoft seemingly turnng into the new Beidaihe, i'm hoping people are getting enthused about these Geese, it is difficult knowing that if we are lucky our Tit flocks might contain a Chiffchaff when Suffolk is swimming in rare. I've now banned myself from reading the lounge Lizard website because its too upsetting :-O If the winds remain from the SE I don't think we are going to get any of this stuff :-C
Anyway myself and another observer are certain we had 4 Taiga Bean Geese on the Freshes this afternoon and in retrospect two of the birds this morning could have also been Taigas. No idea whether Taiga is a Cley square mega or a description species outside Buckenham
It was a family party and the gander was neck collared. The birds were bigger than the neigbouring White-fronts with a much more elegant thinner neck and the bill resembling a white Swans rather than a small Goose, there also seemed to be extensive orange on the bill. It was discussed how all these factors are favourable.
There might be an assumption that all the Bean Geese currently moving through are going to be Tundra, when there surely are going to be both sorts mixed in.
They were however distant and had spread out much as they did yesterday, best viewed early morning when all the Geese have collected in the close field.
Titchwell November 15th
Today’s highlights
Desert wheatear – male on beach at Thornham Point all day
Yellow browed warbler – 1 in picnic area
Twite – 21 west
Shorelark – 4 west
Waxwing – 10 in carpark briefly @ 13:10
Slavonian grebe – 1 offshore
Snow bunting – 2 on beach
Spoonbill – 1 on fresh marsh
Little gull - 100 offshore
Hen harrier - ringtail at roost
Paul
Today’s highlights
Desert wheatear – male on beach at Thornham Point all day
Yellow browed warbler – 1 in picnic area
Twite – 21 west
Shorelark – 4 west
Waxwing – 10 in carpark briefly @ 13:10
Slavonian grebe – 1 offshore
Snow bunting – 2 on beach
Spoonbill – 1 on fresh marsh
Little gull - 100 offshore
Hen harrier - ringtail at roost
Paul
James Emerson
Norwich Birder
No idea whether Taiga is a Cley square mega or a description species outside Buckenham
Description species outside of the Yare Valley, so if any pitch down around Norwich I'm all right, but you'd better get scribbling
Stratton Birder
Well-known member
Apart from brief views of the Dusky Warbler at Horsey today, the area around the mere also produced four White-fronted Geese (three over with Pink-foots and an adult by the mill with Mallards!) Little Egret, Hen Harrier, Kingfisher, four Chiffchaffs, five Lesser Redpolls and one Bullfinch. Some Fieldfares showed excellently in the mid-afternoon light. Interesting was hearing a Water Rail giving off a constant alarm call from a small copse between the road and the mere. It was going absolutely potty for about ten minutes. Couldn't see what was going on but I reckon that due to the amount of commotion, there was a pair and one of them had been nabbed by a Sparrowhawk/Stoat etc. Cant imagine a Water Rail getting so distressed and worked-up unless something bad was happening to one of its own kind. Dont know this for sure but its just an idea.
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Was wondering if anyone on the forum has birded the wood at Caister golf course? Is there public access here? Humes leaf warbler reported from there today, just hoping it is still present come the weekend. The run of south easterlies seems to have dropped a few (reported) in Suffolk; suprised this Norfolk record has not got a few year listers twitchy. Maybe it has?!
A very poor Autumn for rb fly, I can only think of one Norfolk record. Why so few?
Cheers,
Jim
A very poor Autumn for rb fly, I can only think of one Norfolk record. Why so few?
Cheers,
Jim
Stratton Birder
Well-known member
[QUOTE=Pomskua;2291341
There might be an assumption that all the Bean Geese currently moving through are going to be Tundra, when there surely are going to be both sorts mixed in.
At the weekend there were some Taiga Bean just over the border in Suffolk along the Waveney Valley between Bungay and Beccles so they are definately on the move.
There might be an assumption that all the Bean Geese currently moving through are going to be Tundra, when there surely are going to be both sorts mixed in.
At the weekend there were some Taiga Bean just over the border in Suffolk along the Waveney Valley between Bungay and Beccles so they are definately on the move.
Stratton Birder
Well-known member
I've occasionally checked the wood which I believe is the one you are referring to - opposite Tesco's on the other side of the main road. I've only ever looked from the side of the road and resisted all temptation to walk along the lane leading to the golf clubhouse as there's a big "private/club members only" sign at the entrance. Might be worth asking for special permission to bird here as they can only say no.
Nick Moran
Well-known member
Rough-leg RFI
Just a quick one - was out at Burnham Overy Marshes on Mon and saw a distant Buteo sitting on the ground with its back to me. The bird was extremely pale and I therefore erred towards Common Buzzard, but since then I've heard that the/one of the Rough-legged Buzzards in the same area is leucistic / very pale.
Despite spending about an hour in the area and repeatedly coming back to the bird, I didn't see it in flight or from the front. Just wondering if anyone has or knows of a (back on) pic of the pale Rough-leg that's reportedly around there at the moment?
Cheers
Just a quick one - was out at Burnham Overy Marshes on Mon and saw a distant Buteo sitting on the ground with its back to me. The bird was extremely pale and I therefore erred towards Common Buzzard, but since then I've heard that the/one of the Rough-legged Buzzards in the same area is leucistic / very pale.
Despite spending about an hour in the area and repeatedly coming back to the bird, I didn't see it in flight or from the front. Just wondering if anyone has or knows of a (back on) pic of the pale Rough-leg that's reportedly around there at the moment?
Cheers
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Johny121
Birds
So I lied to myself today and told myself that Uni work was all under control and I was ahead of schedule to justify 1.5 hours birding at Buckenham. A lone white-fronted goose,looking rather sad was the first bird of the day, and whilst watching this we were drawn to a hunting ringtail, my first for Buckenham(had at strumpshaw) and a great sight as she came rushing past the car incredibly low.
A lot of wigeon, including an injured, I think shot individual, golden plover lapwing and an assortment of geese made up the bulk of the birds, some starling fieldfare and linnet also. 1 shoveler on the pool, a few godwit and one or two gull. The Hen came back later on, again in hunting mode, fantastic views, the day finished with a kestrel and female marsh harrier on the deck.
8500 words to go.. no more birding..
A lot of wigeon, including an injured, I think shot individual, golden plover lapwing and an assortment of geese made up the bulk of the birds, some starling fieldfare and linnet also. 1 shoveler on the pool, a few godwit and one or two gull. The Hen came back later on, again in hunting mode, fantastic views, the day finished with a kestrel and female marsh harrier on the deck.
8500 words to go.. no more birding..
Titchwell November 16th
Today’s highlights
Yellow browed warbler – 1 on Meadow Trail
Rough legged buzzard – 1 reported west @ 13:45
Grey phalarope – 1 reported on brackish marsh @ 12:15 but no further sign
Slavonian grebe – 6 offshore
Long-tailed duck – female offshore
Snow bunting – 3 on beach
Desert wheatear – no sign all day
Paul
Today’s highlights
Yellow browed warbler – 1 on Meadow Trail
Rough legged buzzard – 1 reported west @ 13:45
Grey phalarope – 1 reported on brackish marsh @ 12:15 but no further sign
Slavonian grebe – 6 offshore
Long-tailed duck – female offshore
Snow bunting – 3 on beach
Desert wheatear – no sign all day
Paul
stuart white
Well-known member
Black throated Divers do exist in Norfolk waters !
Had good views of an adult off the beach car park at cley today, also 2 drake Velvet scoter, probable little auk but too distant to be 100% sure. Ring Ouzel in off the sea, lots of Guillemots around, Gannets, Little Gulls, Red-throated Divers everywhere, juv Arctic Skua past and BOnxie on the sea butchering a duck?
After lunch we enjoyed the blakeney goose flock but no sign of any Bean geese, those barnacles look lovely and wild !
Finished at Warham greens where we saw this Rough-legged Buzzard. All the usual excuses, very gloomy, 50X magnification and with a mobile phone at full zoom with less than 1m pixel ! Also groups of 5 & 4 Lapland buntings flying around over the stubble fields and 3-4 Hen Harriers in to roost including a male.
Had good views of an adult off the beach car park at cley today, also 2 drake Velvet scoter, probable little auk but too distant to be 100% sure. Ring Ouzel in off the sea, lots of Guillemots around, Gannets, Little Gulls, Red-throated Divers everywhere, juv Arctic Skua past and BOnxie on the sea butchering a duck?
After lunch we enjoyed the blakeney goose flock but no sign of any Bean geese, those barnacles look lovely and wild !
Finished at Warham greens where we saw this Rough-legged Buzzard. All the usual excuses, very gloomy, 50X magnification and with a mobile phone at full zoom with less than 1m pixel ! Also groups of 5 & 4 Lapland buntings flying around over the stubble fields and 3-4 Hen Harriers in to roost including a male.
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Thanks SB, will see if any friendly golfers are on the course this Saturday.
Just to repeat my earlier question- it seems to have been a poor Autumn for Red-breasted Flycatcher, any thoughts on why folks?
Cheers,
Jim.
Lapwing2011
Well-known member
Finally made it to Norfolk last weekend - it was a bit of a factfinding missoin, not having been birding up there before, and i made a couple of schoolboy errors but still enjoyed myself:
- Sat pm - Lakenheath Fen - a lot of swans, huge numbers of crows as it got to dusk, and a few squadrons of geese overhead, not much else but worth a re-visit - someone had put up on the board they'd seen an otter on one of the paths - lucky them!
Sunday am - Snettisham - the tide was out - saw a few waders and a big flock of something-or-other quite a way out (sorry couldn't id from the distance involved, but plover-sized)
then Titchwell - some firsts - a woodcock (somehow someone spotted it hiding in some bushes) and a greenshank - the pools that you can walk alongside had a few waders so close you didn't even need bins - also another post here has reminded me there was a yellow-browed warbler, which i must admit i did see flitting about but didn't get a good view - was relying on others to verify
the highlight was the flying display put on by the golden plovers
and birds aside, i've never seen so many big scopes and cameras - this was birder city!
finally Cley - after an unfortunate diversion when I somehow transferred from the A149 onto the b-road (1107?) going south
not much daylight but diving into the hide nearest the visitor centre i still picked up another first - two jack snipe
also saw about 10 avocet busily wading and using those amazing bills - had seen them before but only static from a long way off
and a pair of marsh harriers later on
and finally some lovely flocking displays - it was so silent you could hear them really well and their reflections at times as they flew across the water were terrific
was all on my own for much of this which was nice to really soak in the atmosphere
so Cley was my favourite followed by Titchwell but without doubt i didn't see Snettisham at its best
generally i loved the area - the 149 (when i didn't lose my way) is a great road and i loved all the geese flying around
the only slight downer was the sheer amount of roadkill around there - hares, rabbits foxes, birds of prey - i guess it shows there is just a lot of wildlife there overall but it was still a bit shocking - is it something to do with the time of year?
- Sat pm - Lakenheath Fen - a lot of swans, huge numbers of crows as it got to dusk, and a few squadrons of geese overhead, not much else but worth a re-visit - someone had put up on the board they'd seen an otter on one of the paths - lucky them!
Sunday am - Snettisham - the tide was out - saw a few waders and a big flock of something-or-other quite a way out (sorry couldn't id from the distance involved, but plover-sized)
then Titchwell - some firsts - a woodcock (somehow someone spotted it hiding in some bushes) and a greenshank - the pools that you can walk alongside had a few waders so close you didn't even need bins - also another post here has reminded me there was a yellow-browed warbler, which i must admit i did see flitting about but didn't get a good view - was relying on others to verify
the highlight was the flying display put on by the golden plovers
and birds aside, i've never seen so many big scopes and cameras - this was birder city!
finally Cley - after an unfortunate diversion when I somehow transferred from the A149 onto the b-road (1107?) going south
not much daylight but diving into the hide nearest the visitor centre i still picked up another first - two jack snipe
also saw about 10 avocet busily wading and using those amazing bills - had seen them before but only static from a long way off
and a pair of marsh harriers later on
and finally some lovely flocking displays - it was so silent you could hear them really well and their reflections at times as they flew across the water were terrific
was all on my own for much of this which was nice to really soak in the atmosphere
so Cley was my favourite followed by Titchwell but without doubt i didn't see Snettisham at its best
generally i loved the area - the 149 (when i didn't lose my way) is a great road and i loved all the geese flying around
the only slight downer was the sheer amount of roadkill around there - hares, rabbits foxes, birds of prey - i guess it shows there is just a lot of wildlife there overall but it was still a bit shocking - is it something to do with the time of year?
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