Norfolk birding (3 Viewers)

[stevecbrum]

At the risk of upsetting people, its probably not such a great idea to be frequently reporting red kites from the mid norfolk area. I know folks get upset (me included) when people publicly post information on Goshawk and Monty's breeding locations, and there are more pairs of either of these species than there are of red kites in Norfolk.

No worries. I've just moved back to Norfolk from the Midlands and wasn't aware of the sensitivities. I'll happily not mention any further sightings in public forums if it helps protect the birds :t:

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Hi Steve, sorry I didnt mean to sound commanding, just raising a point. Great to have another birder back in Norfolk!

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell March 16th

Today’s highlights

Hawfinch – 3 drinking from the Fen Hide pool briefly mid-afternoon then flew west
Arctic redpoll – still present and showing well at time feeding on the ground in the picnic area
Spoonbill – adult on fresh marsh this afternoon
Red necked grebe – 2 offshore
Velvet scoter – 3 offshore
Slavonian grebe – 1 offshore
Long tailed duck – 9 offshore
Short eared owl – 1 hunting over grazing meadow late afternoon

Paul

 

[firstreesjohn]

Salthouse did not provide the expected Wheatear, this morning; expected, because they were being reported quite widely. However, after a quick recce from the Cley V.C., from where I saw the Spoonbill poking out from behind a reedy mass, I drove down the Beach Road.

There he was ! On the Eye Field, close to the car park. I can now declare The Official Start to Spring.

A distant Red Kite was viewable from the northern end of the westernmost track at Warham Greens, beating slowly into the chill wind- possibly, the same one later seen at Holkham.

A Chiffchaff remained (?) near the Dell, in Wells Woods.

 

[Paul Woolnough]

BF is not a place for sightings of protected species

 

[stuart white]

BF is not a place for sightings of protected species

I think it's ok for migrants and wanderers just not birds seen near known breeding sites.

 

[Mark Batten]

Not sure what the fuss is about a few wandering red kites. As for goshawks and montys knowledge of last years breeding sites is widely known. Not suggesting that details should be broadcast on bf, just that info is far from secret!!

 

[jimbob]

So much fuss surrounding a Red Kite report. If I were an egger and reading this, I would have taken note by now. And that could easily have been avoided. What should have happened: Chap comes on, posts a sighting of a bird gaining in number nationally and in Norfolk, thanks for the information, that should be it. Why the fuss, and guys no offence but I don't get the holier than thou attitude. If you actually do have sensitive information, and if you're really that concerned, message the mods or the poster.
Cheers, and apologies if I have caused offence.
Jim.

 

[Lightthiscandle]

Spring is sprung

Some nice images from Winterton & Strumpshaw today

 

[Shaky09]

A quick trip to the patch again today didn't provide a Black tailed Godwit or Dunlin flock like yesterday but the drake Goldeneye is still on the broad along with 4x Common Snipe .
By the way what happened to the sun?!
Shaky

shakysbirdingblog.blospot.com

 

[Archie Opteryx]

No wheatear for me in Yarmouth today, but did find a snow bunting... pic here

 

[PYRTLE]

How do you know?

Not sure what the fuss is about a few wandering red kites. As for goshawks and montys knowledge of last years breeding sites is widely known. Not suggesting that details should be broadcast on bf, just that info is far from secret!!

Mark - how do you know these are just wandering milvus, rather than adults near a breeding territory? do you have any real evidence of this at all apart from that young birds will and do wander at this time of year. Bear in mind please that a convicted serial egg collector will be released from jail this month and his penchant is for birds of prey amongst other rare breeders. I'm confident he will be heartened by the approach that some take regarding the dissemination of news on Schedule 1 breeders (we're not taking about a lost waif from Siberia or the USA). I saw a red kite yesterday near where I live, and RBA decided not put this news out - I wholeheartedly agree with their stance.......it's a scarce breeding bird in Norfolk!

 

[Mark Batten]

Pat. Red kites will become locally common in the county within the next ten years as the population expands. I suspect the biggest factor affecting population increase in norfolk will be landowners/gamekeepers and not egg collectors! Red kites have done very well in urban areas in recent years - gateshead for example. In these areas kites are adopted by schools and there is significant public interest in how the birds are doing. Kites appear to do much less well in scotland where the limiting factor is gamekeeping interests. Landowners attitutes to kites are the key factor in population increase. Agree there are occaisions when stuff needs to be kept quiet. That said projects with kites and ospreys educate and inform the masses. It is the man in the tweed jacket and deerstalker who is the biggest risk to birds of prey Pat! Note a rspb group are advertising a visit to the norfolk goshawk watchpoint. I suggest you direct your concerns on disturbtance on rare breeders to the rspb directly!

 

[BriteSpark]

Hi. Going to Strumpshaw for my first ever visit tomorrow. What should I particularly look out for (other than hides to shelter from rain!)?

Thx
Chris

 

[dbradnum]

If you actually do have sensitive information, and if you're really that concerned, message the mods or the poster.

Exactly; otherwise you just wave a big flag that says "there's something interesting going on here, go read it again".

 

[CANARY NICK]

Protected species

BF is not a place for sightings of protected species

But are not all birds protected...blackbirds, blue tits, etc

 

[PYRTLE]

Mark, thanks for your reply, a lot of which was not an answer to the point raised - which was, how do you differentiate a wandering migrant from a bird holding territory? As a life fellow of the RSPB I am familiar with the charity and do know how to contact them, and have done over the years. I hope too that red kites will be as successful in Norfolk as well as they have done elsewhere through the reintroduction schemes. My simple request is that people should very carefully think about their actions when passing on "information" not only on BF but in general....Cheers, Pat

 

[dwatsonbirder]

No need to fret gentlemen, I've had the moderators remove the posts. Let's hope that Mark is right and that this beautiful raptor is able to spread across the county.

 

[Lightthiscandle]

Hi. Going to Strumpshaw for my first ever visit tomorrow. What should I particularly look out for (other than hides to shelter from rain!)?

Thx
Chris

Hi Chris!
Strump can be a wee bit quiet this time of year, but several pairs of Marsh Harriers are displaying (Fen Hide is best) Also there's a couple of Marsh Tits visiting the feeder by the brick hide.
Treecreeper, Bittern, Kingfisher and Bearded Tit were all viewable on Thursday and the 4 Glossy Ibises visited briefly on Wednesday
Enjoy!
David

 

[Mark Batten]

Mark, thanks for your reply, a lot of which was not an answer to the point raised - which was, how do you differentiate a wandering migrant from a bird holding territory? As a life fellow of the RSPB I am familiar with the charity and do know how to contact them, and have done over the years. I hope too that red kites will be as successful in Norfolk as well as they have done elsewhere through the reintroduction schemes. My simple request is that people should very carefully think about their actions when passing on "information" not only on BF but in general....Cheers, Pat

Hi Pat. In Beds I see Red Kites regularly both in Urban and Rural areas.When I lived in Norfolk I used to bump into Kites about four to five times a year. Most were in early spring and within ten miles of the coast. I do not record seeing a kite in the same place twice.

Tagging records suggest that kites can and do wander about, often travelling long distances. There is no doubt that some first year birds do "mooch" about in early spring. In the situation will be no diffirent in Norfolk? I am fully aware the Kites now have a foothold in the county- it is referred to in recent bird reports.

Would suggest that seeing a Kite (or pair of Kites) on more than one occaision over woodland in March is very different from a single bird over Holt at the same time of year. Given that suitible woodland exists over much of the county, I presume that you are suggesting that no records of birds at this time of the year should be released, as they may be nesting nearby?

Red Kites are fabulous birds. The reintroduction scheme has been a great success. There is no reason that Kites in time could be as locally common as Marsh Harriers are on the coast? I do hope so.

In Norfolk at least, big birds of prey are at greater risk on royal estates than they are from egg collectors!