Norfolk birding (121 Viewers)

[tonyfenn]

Thanks Oliver. Good tip for you, also keep a pair of bino's in your car

 

[Tideliner]

Willowgrouse , Brents are not as good example as the origins of black brants have become rather clouded . Until a few years ago it was thought that Norfolk black Brants came from Canada in which case you are right if a Siberian dark b brent mated with a Canadian black brant it would be abmigration. But it now it appears that the black brants have spread westwards along the Siberian coast and are now intermingling with dark b brents on the breeding grounds. In a recent survey 14% of the brent population in Central Siberia were found to be of mixed black brant \ dark b brent hybrids.

I suspect abmigration will be rather rare in geese being a species whos migration is learnt rather than instinctive , though there are examples of wild geese mating with feral geese and not returning north in the spring , ie the Fritton lake Swedish ringed barnacle and some years ago I had a hand reared pink foot female who left one spring and returned with a mate and family in tow the next autumn and this cycle was repeated for the next 5 years, though i cant prove her mate was wild the autumn arrival and spring departure was the same as the local wild pinks .

Dave , as far as I know there are no feral populations of brent\brants in the UK and though I can tbe sure I have not heard of any in Europe. Black brant are a difficult species to breed in the UK and dark b brents almost impossible , though a guy at Salthouse bred some years ago. Amazing they nested under a caravan right next to where he had a dog chained up. ( could this be a response the same as red breasted geese breeding close to large Arctic raptors ? ). Breeding in this high Arctic goose is triggered by photo period and we do not get enough daylight in the UK to trigger egg laying in dark b brent with very few exceptions. Being hard to breed they are quite valuable so people tend not to risk losing them by leaving them free flying.

 

[Tideliner]

Its been a good week for raptors with up to 17 common buzzards and one RL buzzard in a kettle at Swanton Novers Raptor watch Point along with a pergrine , 5 sparrowhawks and 2 kestrels.

Only one willow warbler in so far and blackcaps only started to turn up 2 days ago and still few and far between. A probable LS Woodpecker reported a week ago and quite a few winter finches\ thrushes still about.

 

[O.Reville1989]

Thanks Oliver. Good tip for you, also keep a pair of bino's in your car

Usually have all my optical gear with me but forgot it this morning! DOH!

 

[mjmw]

Anyone know anything about the Ring Ouzel reported in Swanton Novers yesterday?

 

[MJB]

I'm aware that a few non-breeders often over-summer but I wasn't aware of any breeding populations in the UK, either feral or "non-migrant". Are there any?

Here's a quote (referring to Barnacle Goose in UK) from a year-long survey I carried out (literature review and responses to questionnaires sent out to 162 countries; 1997-8) of introduced waterbirds in the African-Eurasian Waterbirds Area:

"The recorded number of only 30bp at 17 locations (ponds, pools, gravel pits, invasively at waterbird collections) from over 900 resident birds at over 90 locations (1991) is certainly an underestimate, the first records referring to the 1980s when numbers probably were already in high double figures. Some 38 000 birds arrive to winter in UK. There have been no detailed counts since 1991." (report date is 1998)

I don't know current figures, but from the increase in sightings I've made over the last few years, there possibly are more than 1000 in the UK nowadays, but I doubt if they've ceased to breed opportunistically.
MJB

 

[jimbob]

Super morning in the Brecks before rain set in and broke up the party.
Brambling in summer plumage at Santon Downham and a Cuckoo singing by the bridge. Pair of Mandarin Duck on the river.
Lynford was even better: Crossbill, Lesser Redpoll and mind-blowing views of Hawfinch on the deck! Cannot get enough of these super birds, may have to return for seconds over the weekend. Did manage a few free-hand Hawfinch shots, will upload tomorrow. Thanks to the birder who put us onto them, I would imagine he will have some superb images to look back on.
Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Nuthatch all showing very nicely indeed.

Cheers,
Jim.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell April 13th

Today’s highlights

Black guillemot – 1 moulting offshore until mid afternoon. Only the 8th reserve record, first since 2008 and the first twitchable bird.
Red necked grebe – 2 offshore
Velvet scoter – 4 offshore
Red kite – 1 west
Osprey – 1 west
Little ringed plover – 1 on fresh marsh
Short eared owl – 1 hunting over grazing meadow
Red crested pochard – female on fresh marsh
Yellow wagtail – male on fresh marsh
Steady westerly movement of swallow including 1 house martin all day.

Paul

 

[Tideliner]

Quote "Don't forget the presence of many feral/non-migrant bernicla of uncertain origin in UK and elsewhere in northern Europe".
&
Here's a quote (referring to Barnacle Goose in UK) from a year-long survey
...............................................................................................................

MJB I think you have crossed wires here. Branta bernicla are brent geese not barnacle geese Branta leucopsis , which of course have a large feral UK population

 

[Robert S J Smith]

Little to report from Holme today bar 4 Wheatears, 2 Blackcaps and a Yellow Wag over but at Roydon this evening it was buzzing with this little beauty below and 3 Short-eared Owls.

 

[MJB]

Quote "Don't forget the presence of many feral/non-migrant bernicla of uncertain origin in UK and elsewhere in northern Europe".
&
Here's a quote (referring to Barnacle Goose in UK) from a year-long survey
...............................................................................................................

MJB I think you have crossed wires here. Branta bernicla are brent geese not barnacle geese Branta leucopsis , which of course have a large feral UK population

Game, set and match to you! More hurry, less haste next time...
MJB

 

[O.Reville1989]

Swallow near barns east of lady ann's drive at Holkham about 5:15pm.
Only my 3rd of the year so still at the count every one stage!

 

[Tideliner]

There was a light passage of swallows along the North Coast today. I had one west at 8.30 , 2 at 9.30 , 4 at 12.00 and 4 at 4.20 from the same site. Also a few sand martins. Apart from chiffchaffs , warblers were still thin on the ground.

 

[ChrisBish]

Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Common Tern in Costessey Pits area this afternoon, the latter 2 being year ticks for me.

Chris

 

[Lawts]

Hoopoe

Who's the clown saying it's showing very well? Not just well - very well. My mate's on site and it's not even bins, it's a scope job.

I was suspicious and told him not to bother as you have to view from the dunes into the holiday park, but when the message came through today, I said go for it.

So there's three levels:-

1) A photographer's showing well - can take a shot with very little crop
2) A birder's showing well - excellent scope views
3) A birder at Waxham's showing very well - distant views even through scope

:t:

 

[MJB]

Snettisham Coastal Park for sale

I've opened a thread on 'Live Bird News from Around the World' on this subject: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=227514 in case you want to see some details.
MJB

 

[NickPomiankowski]

I was very pleased to find this bird as we almost didn't bother going to the sea as it was raining pretty bad in the morning. A nice end to a week's holiday in Norfolk away from my usual patches in north Staffordshire. :t:

There were also 3 long-tailed ducks at sea and 6 white wags / 1 peregrine on the reserve.

On 13th, a walk at Burnham Overy Dunes produced 12 wheatears, 1 sedge warbler, 1 red kite and a Sandwich Tern at sea.

Nick

Today’s highlights

Black guillemot – 1 moulting offshore until mid afternoon. Only the 8th reserve record, first since 2008 and the first twitchable bird.
Red necked grebe – 2 offshore
Velvet scoter – 4 offshore
Red kite – 1 west
Osprey – 1 west
Little ringed plover – 1 on fresh marsh
Short eared owl – 1 hunting over grazing meadow
Red crested pochard – female on fresh marsh
Yellow wagtail – male on fresh marsh
Steady westerly movement of swallow including 1 house martin all day.

Paul

 

[Paul Eele]

I was very pleased to find this bird as we almost didn't bother going to the sea as it was raining pretty bad in the morning. A nice end to a week's holiday in Norfolk away from my usual patches in north Staffordshire. :t:

There were also 3 long-tailed ducks at sea and 6 white wags / 1 peregrine on the reserve.

On 13th, a walk at Burnham Overy Dunes produced 12 wheatears, 1 sedge warbler, 1 red kite and a Sandwich Tern at sea.

Nick

Nice find Nick. It was a reserve tick for all of the staff and a new Norfolk bird for most of them. It was still present early this morning and although the sea was rough the light was much better.
A cracking little bird

Paul

 

[HarassedDad]

Huh? I was at the hoopoe at waxham from 10.30 to 11. Cracking bird and showing very well in my 8x30 bins. It was only about 20yds into the holiday park, so about 80yds from where we were in the dunes. One guy was taking photos with his phone!

 

[ChrisBish]

Male Whitethroat at Costessey Park and Ride yesterday, singing away about 20yards from the car boot sale! An unexpected year tick.

When I saw the Hoopoe at the pipe dump it was showing well but on the holiday camp it can go from showing along the nearside to being in the back corner, so it's just pot luck I'm afraid!

Chris