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Norfolk birding (1 Viewer)

putnoebabes said:
For F&C in N Norfolk, I use Mary Janes in Cromer, then walk to the shelter above the pier to seawatch, or E Runton F&C, then park in the Gap car park. Bon Appetit!!!
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Ah yes, Mary Jane's is pretty darned special - especially their mushy peas! Had a decent few spots today whilst papoose (as opposed to pram) birding. Bewick's & Whoopers out on the A47, then Red Throated Divers (lots), Gannets (even more lots), Common Scoter(5), Sanderling(3) & Ringed Plover(2) at a beautiful Winterton. Le Hatt added further to the BirdBeards' tally of the day with 3 Glossy Ibis at Halvergate at 3pm (then flew towards Acle Straight) and a Short Eared Owl which stared him out and nearly pooed on his head at Breydon. With the Welsh victory keeping Welsh Girl very happy, it's been a pretty corking weekend - now for some Rioja.

BirdBeard
 
BirdBeard said:
Ah yes, Mary Jane's is pretty darned special - especially their mushy peas! Had a decent few spots today whilst papoose (as opposed to pram) birding. Bewick's & Whoopers out on the A47, then Red Throated Divers (lots), Gannets (even more lots), Common Scoter(5), Sanderling(3) & Ringed Plover(2) at a beautiful Winterton. Le Hatt added further to the BirdBeards' tally of the day with 3 Glossy Ibis at Halvergate at 3pm (then flew towards Acle Straight) and a Short Eared Owl which stared him out and nearly pooed on his head at Breydon. With the Welsh victory keeping Welsh Girl very happy, it's been a pretty corking weekend - now for some Rioja.

BirdBeard
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Gutted! Had been out looking for them all day!!
 
Bittern2010 said:
Like some other posters, I like French's Fish & Chips in Wells. As for some nearby sea watching, drive down to Well's beach car park and head towards the Life Boat Station. It's more of a "Baywatch" than a sea watch but there is usually something interesting to see there e.g. Mergansers, Scoters, Seals.

Saw a lovely male Hen Harrier hunting at Haddiscoe Island today (viewed from near Reedham). Also, a Peregrine swooped down to join it's mate on the ground and a Short Eared Owl quartered distantly.

Regards

Steve
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Have not tried French's, but am sure they do good fries and like the idea of a bit of 'Baywatching' so cheers Bittern2010.
Almost forgot to mention a nice ringtail Hen Harrier hunting by the windmill near the swans today. Tidy.
BirdBeard
 
Serial Chiffchaff ?

David Norgate said:
Gutted! Had been out looking for them all day!!
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BirdBeard said:
Yes, I missed them too - it's a big marsh to find them in, mind.
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You won’t find them on Lodge Marsh, you need to look for French’s on the Quay (10 Quayside)- or am I missing something ? It’s usually opposite the Albatross- or is it the other way around ? I can reassure you, Dave: they do gut and fillet all their fish.

BirdBeard said:
the luck of . . . the Welsh.
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No luck in it. It’s sheer endurance, combined with superior thigh muscles genetically honed by centuries of chasing sheep up and down steep mountainsides. It doesn’t help, having to carry a bleedin’ 'arp.

Back to the birding- if we don’t have a lorra rain soon, there aren’t going to be many marshes left: http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/rspb_wa...disaster_for_east_anglia_s_wildlife_1_1220212

The Snow Bunting flock at Salthouse seemed markedly down in numbers from yesterday: 50 to around 20.

Wells Woods produced 2 Chiffchaffs, near the Dell. One was doing what was reasonably close to its song; but, it was either as if it had partially forgotten the notes, or hadn’t quite learned them, yet. Almost Chiffchaff à la Schoenberg. (It didn’t give me any frisson that it was more ‘exotic’ than this.) I had the feeling it needed to hear an adult in its 2nd breeding season and then it would be more confident in the oh-so tricky melody of two notes.
 

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Titchwell February 27th

Today's highlights

Long tailed duck - 5 offshore
Scaup - drake offshore
Smew - redhead on brackish marsh
Red crested pochard - drake on fresh marsh
Yellow legged gull - 1 on fresh marsh

Paul
 
26/2/12

The Great Grey Shrike was still present near Fakenham and showed well, first thing in the morning. Although not actually heard due to the distance involved, scope views appeared to show this bird in song.
A probable Rough-legged Buzzard was seen briefly from the car near West Barsham flying low over the fields but unfortunately it didn't hang around long enough to obtain a substantial view. Grey Partridges were much in evidence and were noted at several roadside sites during our travels and five were at Holme Dunes in the afternoon.
A brief stop at Burnham Norton Marsh was very productive with the highlights being three Barn Owls, Sparrowhawk, two Marsh Harriers and two pairs of Kestrels which were having a territorial dispute. They were constantly calling and swooping at each other and at one point two of them began fighting, locking their talons together from quite high up and spiralling down to the ground where they still carried on fighting before finally flying off in different directions.
A dead Badger on the grass verge of the A149 at Holkham Hall was a sad sight.

A very tame Water Rail showed excellently in the ditch adjacent to the main path at Titchwell and a few Siskins and Lesser Redpolls were in trees nearby.
A Cetti's Warbler sang and a couple of Bearded Tits showed briefly. Four Common Buzzards circled high while drifting west and were probably early migrants.
Several Goldeneye were on the marsh and included some splendid drakes displaying to the females. Waders included 30 Knot, seven Bar-tailed Godwits, 57 Ruff, 42 Avocets and one Spotted Redshank. A Peregrine spent several minutes circling over the marsh.
Brancaster Bay was fairly quiet but did produce year ticks with two Velvet Scoters and five Long-tailed Ducks offshore.

The last hour of our day was spent at Holme where a superb Bittern flew across the marsh right in front of us which was a great sight. Several Mergansers and a Fulmar were offshore and there were 16 distant seals on a sandbank. Couldn't tell if they were Grey or Common at that range.
Two Barn Owls came out at dusk and we spent several minutes watching these before heading home.
 
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74 Snow Bunting at Snettisham yesterday and there are still some present today but they haven't come close enough for a count. 3 singing Woodlark not far away yesterday as well.
 
Reedham area 28/2/12

An excellent view overlooking Norton Marshes can be obtained from the roadbridge over the railway at Reedham (TG423017) as discovered today. Well worth a look if anyone is in the area. A large herd of swans were on the marsh and among the 117 Mutes were five Whooper and eight Bewick's.
Loads of small bird activity here, with many species singing and getting into the early spring spirit.
Walking out of the village in a north-easterly direction along the River Yare has now become an annual winter pilgrimage for me. There is a good area of flooded meadow along here and it always has loads of birds. Counts today included 540 Wigeon, 90 Common Gulls, 109 Curlews, two Ruff, 26 Gadwall and smaller counts of other duck species.
Small numbers of Rock Pipits frequent the river edges along here and today I counted twelve between Reedham and Seven Mile House. At least three of them were showing characteristics of the Scandinavian race as they weared into their spring plumage. Somewhat surprisingly, I have never seen Water Pipit here, despite it being very good habitat for them.
As hoped for, the Rough-legged Buzzard was still present on Haddiscoe Island and could be seen quite well from this side of the river.
A nice surprise was awaiting me at Seven Mile House - a big bull Grey Seal surfaced briefly in the river. Unfortunately I never saw it again. It's amazing how something so big in a relatively small stretch of water can just disappear completely but it didn't mar the moment because this was the most inland seal I have ever seen.
The return journey didn't produce anything I hadn't seen already until I was almost back at Reedham where a lovely ringtail Hen Harrier quartered the marsh.

Popped across to Halvergate where one of the Glossy Ibises was showing on and off. Also met and caught-up with some birding mates here.
Couldn't stay too long because the exhaust was almost falling off the car so a quick run into Norwich to have it changed was necessary but was followed by a pop-in to Thorpe, Station Marsh and there were good numbers of Tufted and Pochard on the newly-created broad, 105 and 65 respectively counted in the dwindling light.
 
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Went to halvergate marsh after work yesterday.
No glossy ibis but a stunning male Hen Harrier made up for it . Also 3x SEO s were showing well. One was really close , just south of the bridge. Always a pleasure to watch while they go about there business !
My first time here and was amazed at the scale of the place and I didn't even get as far as water( I stopped just past the farm) . I'll be coming back again that's for sure!

Happy birding ,
shaky
 
Matthebirder said:
Must be better than being in the office like me all week! Are there any other reasonably public places nearby worth checking for crossbills, say 3 miles radius?
Thanks
M
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TL 87098 98205 and TL 88135 98355. These areas are frequently habituated by crossbills and are not a million miles from Lynford.
 
Shaky09 said:
Went to halvergate marsh after work yesterday.
No glossy ibis but a stunning male Hen Harrier made up for it . Also 3x SEO s were showing well. One was really close , just south of the bridge. Always a pleasure to watch while they go about there business !
My first time here and was amazed at the scale of the place and I didn't even get as far as water( I stopped just past the farm) . I'll be coming back again that's for sure!

Happy birding ,
shaky
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Shaky ty for the idea i was hoping to see the hen harriers to be fair but ended up with the glossy ibis (4)
 

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Anyone else noticed the photo attached below which has been put up on the board in the main hide at Titchwell, and labelled Guillemot Titchwell Feb 3rd :eek!:

Simon
 

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Titchwell February 29th

Today’s highlights

White fronted goose – 16 in field at end of carpark
Arctic redpoll – 1 by Meadow Trail/west bank junction
Smew – 1 on brackish marsh
Scaup – drake offshore
Long tailed duck – 6 offshore
Velvet scoter – 2 offshore
Red crested pochard – pair on fresh marsh
Water pipit – 1 in reedbed

Tundra bean goose – 23 in field between reserve and Thornham south of the main road

Paul
 

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