Norfolk birding (9 Viewers)

[Ilya Maclean]

Absolutely cracking day out today with a British tick for me and self-found to boot!

With the weather looking excellent for overshoots, but a bit of a hangover, I decided to save the Point for tomorrow and that Burnham Overy Dunes contained the right mix of good habo and lazy birding. Perching on top of the dunes looking for migrants very quickly paid dividends, with a superb view of a male Montagu's Harrier, which continued to show on and off for the next hour. Obvious signs of visible migration, with several Yellow Wagtails and a Tree Pipit over and quite a few hirundines. Enjoying the sign, and lying in the dunes and lazily scanning the horizen for raptors, I suddenly heard what sounded very like a Bee-eater go over. Adrenaline pumping a jumped-up, and spent quite a while looking for it. I was beginning to simulataniously doubt and curse myself for a missed opportunity, when I picked it out high and quite distant in a flock of anting Black-headed gulls. I got the scope on it, and no doubt what it was. BEE-EATER!!. A new British bird for me and self-found to boot!

The rest of the day continued in fine fettle, with more Whimbrel than you can shake a stick at, two Ring Ouzels in the Dunes, a Blue-headed Wagtail and White Wagtail as well as several more Yellow Wagtails at Burnham Marshes and a booming Bittern, a squealing Water Rail a nice male Red-crested Pochard and three superb breeding plumage Spotted Redshanks during an evening walk around Titchwell after the crowds had left.

 

[matt green]

Thanks Matt. Will definitely give it a visit next time I'm down. Are there any access restrictions?
Jon

Unsure about access restrictions, have yet to visit the reserve myself but I do know livestock are used to graze on some parts of the reserve so I guess they have fenced off enclosures.

Matt

 

[Jon Oates]

Buxton Heath

Unsure about access restrictions, have yet to visit the reserve myself ...
Matt

Cheers Matt. Anyone else have local knowledge?

 

[Ilya Maclean]

Found a 1st summer (prob male) Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail in with 5 normal Yellow Wags, it had quite a striking white supercillium and a 'necklace', as well as, a whiteish throat, greyish upperparts and darker ear coverts and top of head. I'm confident it was flava but does the latter feature firmly rule out flava/flavissma? Or the white throat?

Cheers,

Connor

I have to confess I'm not great expert on Yellow Wags, but I'll have a bash at answering your post. Some Yellow Wags can appear quite dark around the ear-coverts - see this one for example:

www.birdsireland.com/.../october/yellowwag.jpg

Not as dark and slaty-blue as on a blue-headed though - they should always have a greeny/yellow tinge. I've never come across one older than a 1st winter with a clean white throat, only ones with slightly washed out white throats (although I must stress I'm not that familiar with 1st summer plumages).

The clean white super should sort things out though.

Did you consider Citrine Wag;-)

Ruralchill - not sure about your Kite

 

[Ilya Maclean]

P.S. Punkbirder just put me on to this:

http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/publications/nwt_membership_leaflet

Do you think there's something their not telling us (its an Eagle Owl BTW)!

 

[Penny Clarke]

Well done Ilya with the Bee eater:t::t::t: I am very, very envious, what a fantastic find, bet you were very excited!!! I was in a shop when the message bleeped up on my pager. Had no choice but to go into town today, for holiday bits and pieces, collecting euros etc etc. It was torture not going out birding today, especially when you are in a town centre with loads of bored families and screaming children - BUT I did manage to get to Holme at 5pm. But didn't see much really, oh a female eider sitting on the sea, few sanderling and a ringed plover on the beach, sedge warblers singing away and a massive swirl of swallows, sand and house martins skimming over the water at Redwell Marsh and sitting on the wires. Lots of Carrion crows flying in, I noted, but did not see any hooded crows. A very fat sturdy looking mistle thrush sat near the approach road, that made me look twice, but yes, it was a mistle thrush! Very shortly after this popped into my parents and it came up on the pager 'hooded crow in paddocks near Redwell Marsh!!!!!! Bother I thought, I have just come from there, oh well, thats the way it goes.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

 

[Penny Clarke]

Why should we men folk watch it for kate, when we have our own local reporter called Penny, as for simon he is going to be in Scotland.

Barry.

Ahhhhh.... how sweet, thanks Barry:t: I know Simon is in Scotland, I know where he is most of the time, pity he's married, a really lovely man, always listen to his talks at the Birdfair, he holds an audience captivated and is also (which does not come across on the telly) incredibly funny.:-O

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

 

[lomond]

Buxton Heath



Cheers Matt. Anyone else have local knowledge?

The car parking is very poor just enough room for 3 vehicles down the 1st track on the left, but there is some odd pull in spaces on the road side then just walk in to the heath from there.

The heath itself is a bit wet at times in the lower parts so you need to just pick your way round, there is heather, gorse and woodland good all round habitat.

Barry.

 

[Richard Abr]

Good luck

Hi Penny
Good luck with the Lesvos trip. Have a great time.
I agree with you about Simon. He's the one I most enjoy listening to on the
Spring/Autumn watch programmes.
Do you know where he will be in Scotland this time?
Best wishes
Richard

 

[POP]

Hi Ilya just thought Id give my slant on these points.

1.Indeed I usually notice hirundines moving in front of weather fronts, especially at this time of year, but no such weather front and still good amount seen today...

2. Certainly has been a few Grey Wags knocking around. I had one over Blakeney, like yourself. As for corvids, according to the good people of Holme a really good movement all week, presumnably bringing a couple of Hoodies (!) into the county.

3. seen Blue-headed Wagtail at Holkham and found Blue-headed Wagtail at Hunstanton (both 1st summer males I think). Also know another observer who had a female Blue-headed Wagtail at Hunstaton, so at least 2 there and 5 at Holkham.

4. I just dont see Garden Warblers (!) but 4 were trapped in the coastal park this morning. Willows seem average for me. Reed Warblers definitely later than usual IMO (was actually disscussing this with several people today!), only had my first today, later than in past 3 years.

Aditionally Whetears yet again seem very thin on the ground (for about the 3rd year running, although a few seen today) and Ring Ouzels are back down to earth after last years bumper of a spring, wonder what caused that?

Cheers,

Connor

Birding out yesterday there did seem to have been a fall of garden warblers overnight upto 10 or more seen and heard (in an inland county)Willow warblers are around but would suggest they are down in numbers.Cuckoos are dramatically down,good numbers of sedge warblers and an early Spotted flycatcher yesterday, also several Turtle doves.Weather fronts have brought in good numbers of Swifts followed by Hobby's.Atlas results will be of particular interest this year.

POP

 

[Happisbirder]

Out with the dog for a couple of hours from before 6 this morning. May 4th, SE'ly breeze, light rain.... c'mon Oz, let's get going! 5 mins along the lane a female Ring Ouzel flew up into an Oak, approaching Cart Gap a male leucorhoa Wheatear was looking very smart in a bare field but then not much else. There appeared to be little in the way of viz mig with just a few Swallows, 4 Yellow Wags and 6 Swifts south. Another Wheatear, a bog standard female, was along Doggetts Lane and a Greenshank flew north calling. The Sand Martin colony numbers c.70 now and I had some fun with a Cuckoo on the way home, calling it up by blowing into my cupped hands; a trick my Dad taught me years ago as soon as my hands had grown big enough! There was a single Swift over the garden when I'd left home but 3 were there when I got back. In between chores a female Marsh Harrier was noticed quite high eastward. The hoped for Ortolan only managed it as far as Minsmere it seems...

James

 

[sacha]

Headed up Blakeney Point early and managed the following, all between 5.30-9.30:
7 wheatear, 2 yellow wag, 1 garden warbler, 1 whitethroat and a nice whinchat, 50+swallow and just 1 sand martin heading east. One cuckoo calling from opposite side of harbour.but no hoped for fall of birds!

Plent of Little+Sandwich Terns and 3 Common Terns in harbour

20 Grey Plover over, 25+ Whimbrel and a few greenshank

Plenty of Brent Geese still around including one white headed (partial leucistic?) bird..not sure if this one has been around for a while or if anyone else has seen it

.... its only a matter of time before the next big rarity in Norfolk!!

 

[jimmyg]

Did the Sluice briefly with Simeon today at about midday - odd passage of about 20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls travelling with 1 Swallow (!). House Martins are back in force around the sluice gate, with Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats giving great views, now joined by a few Reed Warblers. I heard a Turtle dove purring briefly - my first this year! However, the best moment was flushing a wader from the flooded grass pools, calling as it flew off - Greenshank! May not sound like much, but it was my first for the patch. The Common Sandpiper showed well, bouncing up and down, to add a lovely finishing touch.

 

[postcardcv]

I was told about an interesting warbler at Cley this afternoon so went along to take a look (and a listen). It had been reported as a marsh warbler singing behind Dawkes hide, I went along expecting to find it in trees/bushes just behind the hide but was surprised to find out that it was in the reedbed. The bird was singing quite well and mimicing nicely (redshank, lapwing, bearded tit, blue tit and a few more), but seemed to lack the range of species that I'd heard from previous marsh warblers.

I spent over an hour listening to it and had a couple of brief views but left very unsure about the ID. It was definitely mimicing a wider range of species than reed warbler normally do, but seemed to lack the range you'd expect from marsh warbler (no quail, bee-eater, etc.) The fact that it spent the whole time burried in the reeds seemed wrong to me too. Personally I think it was a reed warbler, but would be interested to hear what others who saw/heard it thought.

 

[BobTag]

I was told about an interesting warbler at Cley this afternoon so went along to take a look (and a listen). It had been reported as a marsh warbler singing behind Dawkes hide, I went along expecting to find it in trees/bushes just behind the hide but was surprised to find out that it was in the reedbed. The bird was singing quite well and mimicing nicely (redshank, lapwing, bearded tit, blue tit and a few more), but seemed to lack the range of species that I'd heard from previous marsh warblers.

I spent over an hour listening to it and had a couple of brief views but left very unsure about the ID. It was definitely mimicing a wider range of species than reed warbler normally do, but seemed to lack the range you'd expect from marsh warbler (no quail, bee-eater, etc.) The fact that it spent the whole time burried in the reeds seemed wrong to me too. Personally I think it was a reed warbler, but would be interested to hear what others who saw/heard it thought.

Hi Peter, hope you're well.

My father got some reasonable views when the news broke this afternoon. He was impressed with the mimicy, noting the similar ranges of species you did. He also thought the back relatively grey-based in tone. However, he was also worried about the habitat, the fact it mimicked Beareded Tit (!), and the fact that the legs were more grey than straw coloured.

He was unconclusive, though doesn't sound great for Marsh Warb. Would be interested to hear more views as well!

 

[firstreesjohn]

Saturday and Sunday

(A digest of yesterday and today- Sunday.)

Is a migratory pattern developing? Ian Prentice had a Corn Bunting at West Runton earlier Sat. I had one singing at the Beeston Regis cricket pitch, before being flushed by dog-people. (The Lap last week did this, too.) My first Orange Tip butterfly of the year here.

Stiffkey Campsite Wood: along the front and then thru- nothing of note.

Friary Hills, Blakeney (still Sat), held some fluffy Lapwingettes, pecking around the pools, with 5 flavissima and 2 grotty female Blue-head types. Driving about looking for cows and likely spots for others was generally fruitless- Cley & Holkham zilch.

Sunday started much better, after a quick dash to West Runton, where Ian had found a striking male Grey-headed Wagtail, with a black streaky pendant (but not necklace) and slight shading on the flanks. It was in the field which, walking from the car park, starts by the rusted metal plough and continues to the next fence and line of conifers on the skyline. It was with 3 Yellows and quite mobile, for no obvious reason. Over the next hour or so, I had very good views- down to 20 feet. I was astonished no other birders made the effort, despite the pager message. My ‘yellow fever’ has now returned properly.

Beeston Regis and Gramborough Hill had nothing of note.

At Cley NWT Visitor Centre, I was told of a Marsh Warbler singing by the central hide complex. On reaching the hides, 2 Black Terns were about to fly off east. The Warbler was, indeed, singing- and quite interestingly, at that. I heard it mimic Blue & Bearded Tits, Redshank, Goldfinch and Moorhen, whilst rendering perfectly normal Reed Warbler ! Gradually, I was persuaded that it was a Marsh Warbler (despite the early date and unusual habitat) and told the Centre that I was almost certain. Later, observers far more familiar with the species than myself (local legend Howard Medhurst, Moss Taylor and Duncan MacDonald, of WildSounds), all went for Reed Warbler.

A final recce of West Runton produced a male Whinchat, in the bushes by the shelter opposite the car park entrance. Similar of Beeston Regis, a smart Grey Quiverer- male Black Redstart- which actually flew on to the church.

 

[Connor Rand]

A rather large arrival of Black Terns into the county today, with reports including 12 at Holme, 20 at Swanton Morley, 16 at Pentney, 18 at Lyng, 15 Ranworth Broad, 6 Colney, 6 Bawburgh and 7 Hickling and smaller numbers at other sites. I caught up with the Pentney group (14) this afternoon, as well as adult Little Gull and 3 Arctic Terns. See my blog for report.

Cheers,

Connor

 

[MICK SAUNT]

I'm off (somewhat reluctantly) for my annual pilgrimage to the South Coast to catch the Pom migration this weekend, but planning to do some raptor watching from Incleborough Hill next week, its hard work just doing it with one pair of eyes as its easy to miss stuff going through and because there are long periods where nothing happens can be a bit zzzzz.

If anyones up for meeting up it could be good (no promises!) - in 4 visits this spring its produced 4 Red Kites and a Black-eared (or hybrid) Kite and we are now approaching peak time for Honeys, Monties. Osprey and rarer stuff.

PM me if anyone fancies improving their 1000 yard stare.

And on the fifth visit...........Saturday was pretty quiet - in five hours we could only manage single common buzzard, marsh harrier and hobby plus a couple of turtle doves west. Sunday would have no doubt given up the rough-leg that went east over Aylmerton but for the coming week anything looks possible (anyone for black stork?).
Looking at the weather we could be in for a re-run of 1992 when we had the big influx of red-foots - now one of those would be a good 'hill tick'!
Will hopefully be on Incleborough on Tuesday but then it's off to Cyprus for a week so I should get my red foots anyway (plus some Eleonoras..........)

Regards

Mick

 

[Ilya Maclean]

I was told about an interesting warbler at Cley this afternoon so went along to take a look (and a listen). It had been reported as a marsh warbler singing behind Dawkes hide, I went along expecting to find it in trees/bushes just behind the hide but was surprised to find out that it was in the reedbed. The bird was singing quite well and mimicing nicely (redshank, lapwing, bearded tit, blue tit and a few more), but seemed to lack the range of species that I'd heard from previous marsh warblers.

I spent over an hour listening to it and had a couple of brief views but left very unsure about the ID. It was definitely mimicing a wider range of species than reed warbler normally do, but seemed to lack the range you'd expect from marsh warbler (no quail, bee-eater, etc.) The fact that it spent the whole time burried in the reeds seemed wrong to me too. Personally I think it was a reed warbler, but would be interested to hear what others who saw/heard it thought.

Sounds very intersting. A bit early for marsh, but actually I've never heard reed give a truly impressive range of mimicry. Very hard to tell apart from reed on a brief view, but fairly easy with a decent view in Spring, as marsh has silvery edgings to the primaries. I don't suppose you happened to notice that? Good and quite amusing article on acro ID here:

http://www.freewebs.com/punkbirder/acroholics.htm

The marsh v reed bit is towards the bottom, but the whole articles worth reading.

Anyway, managed GW Teal, 4 black terns, a temminck's stint, 3 winchats and a distant eared owl spp, all stumpled across by chance, but I don't think I was the 1st to find any of them. Details on my website soon, but I'm knacked having walked almost 40 miles and having spent almost 30 hours tramping up and down the coast this weekend, so I'm going to bed.

p.s. Penny - thanks for the congrats.

pps - Pomskua - I'll have a proper read through your posts at somepoint and add my 2ps worth (which is probaly worth about 1p)

 

[Penny Clarke]

Hi Penny
Good luck with the Lesvos trip. Have a great time.
I agree with you about Simon. He's the one I most enjoy listening to on the
Spring/Autumn watch programmes.
Do you know where he will be in Scotland this time?
Best wishes
Richard

Thanks Richard, getting VERY excited about trip now

Been at work all day and just got back, I really wish I didn't have to work on Sundays but hey ho, there we go.

Simon will be in the Cairngorms (Caledonian Pine Forests) according to his Diary on his website: (scroll down to bottom of diary page) http://www.simonkingwildlife.com/sk/diary.php

Best Wishes Penny:girl: