Norfolk birding (3 Viewers)

[Connor Rand]

Grey or Red-necked Phalarope Titchwell RSPB in NE corner of Freshmarsh viewable from main path at 12:20pm tho distant.

Will be doing a sea-watch of Hunstanton cliffs this eveing, will post results later.

Cheers,

 

[J Moss]

F*** sake, I thought I did ok with seawatching this afternoon. Then I read what you guys have seen!

1200 - 1300, Salthouse.

1 Razorbill on sea
3 Auk sp west + 1 east
6 Little Gulls east
3+ Cormorants west
2 Gannets west + 4 east (mostly juvs)
17 Wigeon west
5 Brent Geese west
c55 Common Scoter west
1 prob. Red Breasted Merg. east

And again 1400 - 1530

5 Razorbills on sea
3 auk sp. west
2 Gannets east + 2 west
1 Red Throated Diver west
3 Teal west
5 Wigeon west
1 prob. Arctic Tern west
1 Dark Arctic Skua west
1 juv. commic
13 prob. Pink Feet

and 1 massive female Peregrine chasing a Redshank along the beach, which was pretty quality.

Turnstones, Ringed Plovers, a Knot and Redshanks on the scrapes.

Oh yeah, and it was cold!

Jason

 

[Ilya Maclean]

F*** sake, I thought I did ok with seawatching this afternoon. Then I read what you guys have seen!

1200 - 1300, Salthouse.

1 Razorbill on sea
3 Auk sp west + 1 east
6 Little Gulls east
3+ Cormorants west
2 Gannets west + 4 east (mostly juvs)
17 Wigeon west
5 Brent Geese west
c55 Common Scoter west
1 prob. Red Breasted Merg. east

And again 1400 - 1530

5 Razorbills on sea
3 auk sp. west
2 Gannets east + 2 west
1 Red Throated Diver west
3 Teal west
5 Wigeon west
1 prob. Arctic Tern west
1 Dark Arctic Skua west
1 juv. commic
13 prob. Pink Feet

and 1 massive female Peregrine chasing a Redshank along the beach, which was pretty quality.

Turnstones, Ringed Plovers, a Knot and Redshanks on the scrapes.

Oh yeah, and it was cold!

Jason

Early morning's always best, although sometimes late afternoon/early evening can be good. Never seen so many sooty shears in one go before as this morning, although most were far out. Hardly anything in Bay of Biscay when I was over there a couple of weeks ago. Must all be coming here, as the 100s of Great Shears reported of Lewis and the double figures in Norfolk would suggest.

Unfortunately not looking that great for seawatching or an east coast fall until at least after next weekend, unless that messy system of lows moves east over the North Sea rather than just west of Iceland. Might be a fairly good northward movement of stuff off the east coast today and tomorrow still though.

Would be interested to know what others think. I always recon that in a strong NW, doing seawatching off the North Norfolk Coast is best first thing in the morning, but the east coast can be productive later on with a northward movement of stuff that's been pushed into the bit between here and Holland.

 

[Paul Eele]

anyone know anything about the phalarope sp seen at Titchwell today?

The bird was reported as phalarope sp but distant on the fresh marsh. we went down to check it out and it was still present but very distant in the NE corner. With the heathaze so bad it was not possible to definatly ID the bird but my gut feeling was probably a red-necked. Unfortunatly it didn't hang around and was gone when I got there with a guided walk and hour later.
2 little stints and 2 curlew sands still present and a poss sooty shear reported this morning.
Hopefully there will be some lingering seabirds as I am planning to spend my day seawatching off the reserve!

Paul

 

[Happisbirder]

Would be interested to know what others think. I always recon that in a strong NW, doing seawatching off the North Norfolk Coast is best first thing in the morning, but the east coast can be productive later on with a northward movement of stuff that's been pushed into the bit between here and Holland.

I think it really depends on the day Ilya. Sometimes the movement starts early and continues, other times if there's a shift to a more favourable wind direction the sea can change from being 'dead' to 'alive with birds' much later in the day. But I guess you're already aware of this. Your theory certainly makes sense to me though and many a time I've witnessed seabird movement the day following adverse weather conditions; birds that have been blown into the southern North Sea re-orienting NW (and toward Scotland/the Atlantic) it seems rather than continuing south and through the English Channel. Some of this may be evident early tomorrow for those able to have a look.

I spent from 6:30 - 08:00am in the car at Walcott as it was just too wet to sit in the dunes. Not ideal as my little Rover was rather wind buffeted at times. Had some really close Sooty Shearwaters through (11west), a couple of Manx, 4 Bonxies E, 4 Arctic Skuas E and small numbers of Little Gull, Kittiwake and Gannet.

Don't know if it was the same one as yesterday, but a Hobby shot through over fields here at about 6pm this evening...

James

 

[Reader]

As you know Dave I missed out on the Barred Warbler after searching for nigh on 3 hours for it and after meeting you on the way to the Rush Hill Scrape I missed the Pec Sands as well by about three minutes. A Sparrowhawk, plus a Hobby (poss the one you and I saw) flushed them and they hadn't returned nigh on two hours later.

John

Just a quick recommendation for the Barred Warbler at Winterton - saw the bird this morning, and you'd never see one better! Morning is the time to visit, when the sun is on the bank of the valley. Favoured area is roughly between the St Georges cross flag and the path up the slope just south of here. It showed very well at times feeding in a patch of hawthorn and bramble just beside this path.

Apart from this, the two Pec Sands at Hickling Rush Hills and a single Sooty Shear off Waxham yesterday evening were good.

 

[Connor Rand]

Well off Hunstanton cliffs this evening in c.40 mins:

1 Manx Shearwater west, 2 Arctic Skuas west, 5 Great Skuas west, 4 Kittiwakes, 2 Fulmars, 30 Gannets.

Cheers,

 

[J Moss]

Makes sense to me. It's just that my bed is soo warm at 7 am that its hard to get out. However I think I'll make the effort tommorow morning and hit Salthouse again.

Jason

Early morning's always best, although sometimes late afternoon/early evening can be good. Never seen so many sooty shears in one go before as this morning, although most were far out. Hardly anything in Bay of Biscay when I was over there a couple of weeks ago. Must all be coming here, as the 100s of Great Shears reported of Lewis and the double figures in Norfolk would suggest.

Unfortunately not looking that great for seawatching or an east coast fall until at least after next weekend, unless that messy system of lows moves east over the North Sea rather than just west of Iceland. Might be a fairly good northward movement of stuff off the east coast today and tomorrow still though.

Would be interested to know what others think. I always recon that in a strong NW, doing seawatching off the North Norfolk Coast is best first thing in the morning, but the east coast can be productive later on with a northward movement of stuff that's been pushed into the bit between here and Holland.

 

[dbradnum]

As you know Dave I missed out on the Barred Warbler after searching for nigh on 3 hours for it and after meeting you on the way to the Rush Hill Scrape I missed the Pec Sands as well by about three minutes. A Sparrowhawk, plus a Hobby (poss the one you and I saw) flushed them and they hadn't returned nigh on two hours later.

John

Sorry to hear about the Pecs, John - blame my gossiping! Now it sounds like the Barred Warbler has gone as well, so there's even less in the county aside from seabirds offshore.

edit: that sounds a bit harsh, on reflection... there's still loads of good stuff to see, just not the range of scarcities and rarities you'd hope for in the county in autumn. Plenty that I'd give my right arm for down in London, for sure!

 

[HarassedDad]

Breydon water this afternoon I had a very inexperienced hobby desperately trying (and failing) to catch a dunlin. It made six passes without result before heading off upstream in a huff. Interestingly, on the first pass it put up everything, on the second and third the redshank and avocets ruffled their wings but stayed put, and after that they resolutely ignored it even when it passed close overhead. The dunlin on the other hand, were legging it like crazy every time it stooped. So did the redshank work out they were too big for it, or that it was just rubbish at catching anything?

First day in ages I felt like I needed gloves - cold wind blowing. Guess summer's well and truely over.

 

[Edward woodwood]

Hobby through Sea Palling this morning

no further sign of the RBF y'day after the initial report

maybe the reason fewer birds are being reported is that there are fewer people being arsed to look and instead just waiting for the pager to go off. You know, the regular faces that only appear when there's something to be seen. Quite a lot is seen over here in east Norfolk but it's not always reported to the news services for perhaps this reason.

Give it a go, at the worst you'll have had a pleasant stroll out

 

[J Moss]

Salthouse, 0830ish

3 Red Throated Divers
Loads of Gannets
12 Bar Tailed Godwits
1 Auk sp
5+ Razorbills
1 prob. Black Throated Diver

Nothing special, bar the prob black throated diver, which would be a lifer if I was 100%. Still, makes me look foreward to when the seawatching gets good. Never had a good seawatch before, lol!

Jason

 

[Ilya Maclean]

Salthouse, 0830ish

3 Red Throated Divers
Loads of Gannets
12 Bar Tailed Godwits
1 Auk sp
5+ Razorbills
1 prob. Black Throated Diver

Nothing special, bar the prob black throated diver, which would be a lifer if I was 100%. Still, makes me look foreward to when the seawatching gets good. Never had a good seawatch before, lol!

Jason

Nice one. I'll try and post advance warnings when weather's looking good for seawatching or falls. I'm still learning, so don't always get it right.

BTW, not looking much use for either, with looking for American waders, probably the best option at the moment. Another Pec sand or White-rumped or Baird's the most likely candidates - somewhere on a north coast freshmarsh or Rush Hill, although it may be worth scanning the golden plover flocks as they build up for AGP. Kerry is clearly the place to be for all that rather than Norfolk though!

Failing that, also worth scanning the arriving Teal and Wigeon for Green-winged and American. Buckenham the best place to do this I reckon. Continental stuff from further south also a possibility. Southern or lesser grey shrike or GW Egret? Long-stayers such as fudge duck are always worth looking for. Black Brant should be in soon too.

 

[andyrew]

Had a few hours at Cley over lunchtime and it was deserted!! Only a few mallard and shoveler on the water with several teal. No raptors in sight but i did briefly catch a fem bearded tit zip over. Debated heading to burnham for the snow goose and spoonbill but decided against it. Back to stiffkey now for a cup of tea and a sit down by the river.

Should be much more exciting!!!

I shall probably head to holkham tomorrow on the hunt for snow buntings then into the woods for brambling, nuthatch and that bloody lesser spotted woodpecker by the monument that everybody's seen except me!!!

 

[matt green]

I shall probably head to holkham tomorrow on the hunt for snow buntings then into the woods for brambling, nuthatch and that bloody lesser spotted woodpecker by the monument that everybody's seen except me!!!

Was then thinking it a little early for Snowbunts ..but just been listening to Birdline Eastanglia and one has been reported at Weybourne by the carpark.

Provided I don't wake up with a thick head in the morning I make make a go of those pesky Spoonbills around Burnham area ..if they're still around ..which they probly won't!

Matt

 

[Happisbirder]

Took the hound for a pleasant stroll west of Happisburgh this morning, not much happening though. A 1W Wheatear was sheltering on the clifftop, 2 Arctic Skuas were harrassing a flock of terns offshore, a few Meadow Pipits starting to flock up on the stubbles but not much else. 4 Curlew on the beach at daybreak may have roosted there overnight perhaps...

James

 

[Edward woodwood]

yesterday evening

20 cranes
Wheatear
Arctic Skua
and a cracking ad Arctic Tern on the beach

This morning
during a brief seawatch, a few Arctic Skuas and Little Gulls, 4 RTDs and a handful; of Guillies and Razors

 

[J Moss]

Wheatear at Salthouse today, along with a stonechat. Didn't spot the Snow Bunting though.

Couple of rafts of Razorbills, 1 RT Diver, 1 Little Gull and a couple of Arctic Terns were of note on the sea.

Jason

 

[skiingfool]

Hi I'm staying in Wiveton at the moment, and I would just like a bit of advice. Is it worth driving over to Snettisham for the high tide roost tomorrow afternoon bearing in mind we have never seen this spectacle? Thanks in advance - Clive

 

[J Moss]

Heres a few pics from my recent trip to Mexico: