Norfolk birding (19 Viewers)

[Songkhran]

Ok, saw a very orangey Harrier flip over the A149 just past Stiffkey Fen at 11.20 this morning and headed off towards Langham, bird appeared orange and unstreaked on the underparts and very dark overall and on the upperwing - got quite a close view but once again on the bus and a dangerous place to get dropped off so didn't get a longer view. This can't have been the bird seen at Titchwell because of the distance but does conform to what Stu is saying - seen at Stiffkey in the morning then Titchwell in the afternoon, however Stiffkey to Titchwell is an extremely long distance for a Harrier to travel. Last week watched two very orange Harriers over East Hills - are we just dealing with fresh very orange juv Hen Harriers here - someone needs to photograph the barred primaries on the underwing please - hopefully some taken today.

Also today three Waxwing in Stiffkey Wood car park, and at Warham Greens - Rough-legged Buzzard, 3-4 Hen Harrier, Peregrine, 1-2 Merlin

 

[Happisbirder]

It starts at exactly the same time, just an hour earlier for us (!).

Speak for yourself John. |=o| ZZZzzz...

Was nice to catch up with you again this morning...

James

 

[David Norgate]

Ok, saw a very orangey Harrier flip over the A149 just past Stiffkey Fen at 11.20 this morning and headed off towards Langham, bird appeared orange and unstreaked on the underparts and very dark overall and on the upperwing - got quite a close view but once again on the bus and a dangerous place to get dropped off so didn't get a longer view. This can't have been the bird seen at Titchwell because of the distance but does conform to what Stu is saying - seen at Stiffkey in the morning then Titchwell in the afternoon, however Stiffkey to Titchwell is an extremely long distance for a Harrier to travel. Last week watched two very orange Harriers over East Hills - are we just dealing with fresh very orange juv Hen Harriers here - someone needs to photograph the barred primaries on the underwing please - hopefully some taken today.

I can comfirm the presence of a very similar looking bird at Titchwell this afternoon. Alerted by the pager message that 'it' flew west past Gypsy Lane at 1.05 I located to the main footpath, there speaking to someone who had been watching a ringtail Harrier about 10 min before. After about another ten minutes I was confrounted by this small, dark ringtail harrier that then quickly banked, showing a deep orange caste, seemingly unstreaked, on the underparts - the underwing looked 'quite dark' possibly due to narrow barring, but this is supposition as the underwing was never clearly seen. This bird was then seen on three more occasions, always distance and in worsening light. However, I was joined by a couple of others, including JMc (who believed this to be the bird in question and a bird he saw a while back at Wells - he has not seen this bird roosting at Warham). The only other comment I can really add is that the white rump seemed arge and the facial features quite bright! The bird disappeared east at about 2.50

PS: Having looked at some images it is interesting to note that the crown, nape etc were concolourous with the back, but I wasn't really aware of this creating a hood round the neck. Not sure if this is because it wasn't present or just not noticed/observed on such a dark bird!

Mark your inbox is full!!

 

[mr.sim]

Mr Sim,
Is the "day late" gang affiliated to the "It was showing five minutes ago" gang?
Chris

No, just personal experience. Annoyingly few members in my club though

 

[black kite 1964]

Mark your inbox is full!!

How cleared!!

Cheers Dave.

 

[Winterdune]

Martin Read & I spent the morning at Winterton: found a big tit flock beneath the Hermanus, but no Northerns
We looked in the copse by the GPO substation too....
Does anyone know where they actually were?



BTW: our Broadband here in the Yare Valley is 11mbps

Show off. Don't know where the northerns were. No sign of them this weekend anyway. Nice continental Coal Tit though, as some consolation.
Sean

 

[Winterdune]

To be serious: people who post reports of sought-after species on here but who fail to provide location details are always going to incur a certain amount of invective: especially from people who spent ages roaming around a largely birdless Winterton Dunes!

To be fair to the observer he did not post anything on here about them. He was contributing to a discussion about subspecies on Surfbirds.
Sean

 

[nigelblake]

During Sunday afternoon I lost my Gitzo GT3541LS Series 3 Systematic Tripod and a Wimberly gimbal head.
Most likely it was at Burnham Norton beside the A149.
Many thanks in advance for any info.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell November 9th

Today's highlights

Pallas's warbler - relocated in the bushes by the visitor centre early afternoon and seen 3 times briefly by 4pm
Firecrest - 1 on Meadow Trail
Hen harrier - ringtail over saltmarsh
Lapland bunting - 1 on saltmarsh
Chiffchaff - 1 singing on Meadow Trail

Paul

 

[CANARY NICK]

Wagtails

100+ Wagtails roosting on roof entrance at Asda drayton road tonight 4.30pm

 

[David Norgate]

Interesting to see that Waxwings have been ringed in Norwich today. Does anyone know if they were colour-ringed or just a single metal ring used? Will be interesting to see if these birds are noted anywhere else - in Norwich or further a field.

Would have been great to see them being rung!!

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell November 10th

Today's highlights

Pallas's warbler - 1 with tit flock but very mobile and elusive
Firecrest - 1 with tit flock but very mobile and elusive
Mealy redpoll - 1 in trees by visitor centre
Twite - 30 on brackish marsh
Sooty shearwater - 2 reported offshore
Hen harrier - 2 ringtails at the roost
Marsh harrier - 8 at the roost

Paul

 

[iainhawk]

Interesting to see that Waxwings have been ringed in Norwich today. Does anyone know if they were colour-ringed or just a single metal ring used? Will be interesting to see if these birds are noted anywhere else - in Norwich or further a field.

Would have been great to see them being rung!!

14 waxwing were caught today in norwich by UEA ringing group members.
Only metal rings used. Should more be detected feeding low enough and if permissions to ring can be obtained swiftly enough form land owners/managers we can study the waxings here more in-depth and the possibility of a colour ringing project will be considered.

Amongst the 14 were one adult male, one adult female, 10 juvenile males and 2 juvenile females. The ringing was watched by several interested local people and several birds photographers- thanks to all who chatted about ringing and these wonderful birds today!

The catching was stopped by the rain showers. The birds were present before and after the catching feeding in the same area.

It will indeed be interesting if they are noted elsewhere.

 

[davethebird]

Today's highlights

Twite - 30 on brackish marsh

Paul

Hi Paul,

Some of the Twite were colour-ringed as per last year. Do you have any history on the birds in the attached images?

Can you confirm that the shooting rights on Thornham marsh have gone to a Kent wildfowling group? Any idea why the RSPB did not bid for the rights to avoid the possibility of increased shooting right up to the western boundary of the reserve?

Dave

 

[firstreesjohn]

The power of the net: mist and inter-

“Ringed Stonechat (with an unmarked male stonechat)
7 November 2010 at 14.00 hrs
Beach Road Salthouse
Female Stonechat
LEFT LEG: Dark Green over Orange
RIGHT LEG: Metal over Dark Green

Many thanks for reporting the sighting of DARK GREEN over ORANGE , this bird was one of five in the 3rd brood of the Railway pair on Kelling Heath and was colour-ringed on 25 July 2010, it was last seen on the Heath on 22 October. I wonder if this may have been the bird John Furse posted on the forum last week, he only managed to see the right leg but John's bird must have been ringed after 9th June this year, when the change to metal on top was made. I'm delighted that people are still keen enough to report their sightings, several from the coast in the last 6 weeks. These will be collated and circulated to interested parties at the end of the year.”

I received and slightly edited this last night (thanks, Marcus). It just shows how well some people observe (not me, as I didn't see the rings until the photo was on the monitor) and how things can be done in a positive manner.

The movement of this bird may have been only a few km, but this all contributes, in a small way, to the sum of human knowledge. Why do they do this ? Is there no food in the winter around their breeding sites. Are they pushed away by their parents ?

 

[petehasset]

“Ringed Stonechat (with an unmarked male stonechat)
7 November 2010 at 14.00 hrs
Beach Road Salthouse
Female Stonechat
LEFT LEG: Dark Green over Orange
RIGHT LEG: Metal over Dark Green

Many thanks for reporting the sighting of DARK GREEN over ORANGE , this bird was one of five in the 3rd brood of the Railway pair on Kelling Heath and was colour-ringed on 25 July 2010, it was last seen on the Heath on 22 October. I wonder if this may have been the bird John Furse posted on the forum last week, he only managed to see the right leg but John's bird must have been ringed after 9th June this year, when the change to metal on top was made. I'm delighted that people are still keen enough to report their sightings, several from the coast in the last 6 weeks. These will be collated and circulated to interested parties at the end of the year.”

I received and slightly edited this last night (thanks, Marcus). It just shows how well some people observe (not me, as I didn't see the rings until the photo was on the monitor) and how things can be done in a positive manner.

The movement of this bird may have been only a few km, but this all contributes, in a small way, to the sum of human knowledge. Why do they do this ? Is there no food in the winter around their breeding sites. Are they pushed away by their parents ?

There was still 1 pair of Stonechat at Kelling Heath on the 30/10/10 near to the railway track

 

[john miller]

A total of 19 Stonechats were colour ringed on Kelling Heath this year, with another 10 on weybourne Camp. so there should be a few still in the area.

John

 

[Paul Eele]

Can you confirm that the shooting rights on Thornham marsh have gone to a Kent wildfowling group? Any idea why the RSPB did not bid for the rights to avoid the possibility of increased shooting right up to the western boundary of the reserve?

Dave

Hi Dave

The RSPB submitted a bid, in partnership with the Thornham Wildfowlers Association, but was unsuccessful in securing the shooting rights on the Thornham Marsh adjacent to the western boundary of the reserve. We are very disappointed with the outcome as our partnership would have allowed us to maintain the current low level of wildfowling that has been carried out for the past 40 years.

At present, no wildfowling is taking place as the Kent Wildfowling Association (the successful bidder) has applied to Natural England for consent to increase the level of shooting on the saltmarsh. A decision from Natural England is not expected until late-December so it seems unlikely that wildfowling would start until the New Year.

Needless to say this is a worrying situation and one that RSPB staff and volunteers will be keeping a close eye on.

Paul

 

[Paul Eele]

Hi Paul,

Some of the Twite were colour-ringed as per last year. Do you have any history on the birds in the attached images?


Dave

Hi Dave

The first bird is from the South Pennines but I don't have any further information about it yet. The second but was ringed on the moors in the Greater Manchester area. The green over metal is the scheme marker, the combination on the right leg would give the identity of the individual.

Paul

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell November 11th

Today's highlights

Pallas's warbler - 1 still present but still mobile and very elusive. Seen at 12:00, 13:00 and 15:00.
Shorelark - 6 on beach west of boardwalk
Slavonian grebe - 1 offshore
Long-tailed duck - 1 offshore

Paul