I commented earlier (post 15076) on the exceptional numbers of Red-throated Divers reported by Willowgrouse (post 15069) past Titchwell on February 9th 2012. Robert Smith also had an excellent count a few days later at Holme (post 15125). As Neil Lawton pointed out (15077), such numbers are not exceptional in north-east Norfolk - approximately eastwards from Sheringham - but they are unusual for the northwest of the county. But how unusual ?
Stevenson (Birds of Norfolk Vol 3, 1890) was well aware of good numbers in the northeast. He commented, for example, that "during the last week in October 1872, while steaming with the herring fleet outside the Cross Sands, off Yarmouth, I noticed some hundreds of red-throated divers....the whole of the birds were collected within a short distance of the herring-boats, evidently attracted to the spot by the abundance of fish. Evidently, though we may have lost the herring, we still retain the divers in that part of the county. Stevenson makes no reference to any significant numbers of red-throats in the northwest of the county.
The highest count of Red-throated Divers I can trace from any Norfolk inshore waters westwards from Blakeney Point up until winter 1996/97 is of 74 birds past Holme on 19th February 1991. Note however, that the Red-throated Diver was not actually added to the systematic list in the county bird report until 1975 and the accounts until the mid 1990s are pretty spartan affairs. There may be high counts that I have overlooked hidden away in the reserve reports in the county bird report from the years prior to 1975.
In winter 1996/97, however, an amazing 459 birds were reported past Holme on January 12th 1997 (373 birds west, 86 east). In the subsequent winters, the highest counts reported for any site westwards from Blakeney Point were
1997/98 - 36
1998/99 - 74
1999/00 - 20
2000/01 - 135 (80 west, 55 east Holme Nov 28th 2000)
2001/02 - 104 (36 west, 68 east Holme Dec 4th 2001)
2002/03 - 59
2003/04 - 38
2004/05 - 159 (west Titchwell in 2hrs, January 13th 2005)
2005/06 - 44
2006/07 - 300 (Holme Jan 5th 2007)
2007/08 - 83
2008/09 - 31
2009/10 - 30
2010/11 - 27 (data available for first half of winter only so far)
Three-figure counts for the west of the county are thus very unusual, but not unheard of.
Willowgrouse's count of Red-throated Divers would appear to be the highest number ever reported moving westwards in the west of the county but the total number reported (440 +) is just 19 birds short of the 1997 record. Might the record have fallen with just a few more minutes watching or can that + be refined a bit ?
Andy
