Norfolk birding (21 Viewers)

[Songkhran]

With Pomskua's quote being attributed to me and Jimbob's quote being attributed to Pomskua, along with the Tim Allwood's revolving Username, I don't think I will ever believe anything posted in this thread again!

Ron

might just be a flurry of randomness and will be set to settle down again

 

[wolfbirder]

I recall seeing such 'troublesome' large pale Redpolls at Hatfield Moor, South Yorks last year.

Problem is there are so many borderline or overlapping features for both pale Mealy and 1stW Coues - they both share the potential for a frosty appearance, largely white but slightly streaked rump, substantially but wispy streaked flanks, single UTC, broad white wingbar. I am not sure we can ever safely assign these birds, but this bird does have a few additional good Coues' features such as feathered tarsi, pinched-in bill, small eye.

These birds will create discussion for ever and a day, and I love em! But repeatedly we all go round in circles with these Redpoll types - and opinion is generally pretty evenly split.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell December 12th

Today’s highlights

Coues’s Arctic redpoll – 1 in trees around visitor centre but elusive
Caspian gull – 1st winter on fresh marsh @ 11:40 then flew towards Brancaster
Snow bunting – 14 on beach
Twite – 6 on beach
Mealy redpoll – 1 around visitor centre
Golden plover – 1000 on fresh marsh

Paul

 

[jimbob]

Nothing in the sand from me Pom. Oliver- interesting turn of phrase!

A Grey Wagtail has returned for a second winter (that I am aware of) to my place of work, a school in Thetford (not the posh one!). It can usually be seen zipping around the playground, or feeding on the roof of a classroom. Often consorts with Pied Wagtail.
There is no water around; clearly they aren't so bothered in the Winter time, and perhaps even change their diet?

Cheers,
Jim.

 

[Nick Moran]

you will proabbly need to see the UTC's to be certain you are looking at the right bird.
Don't you just love redpolls !

Too much screen time already today for trawling the thread to see if someone's already said the following, so apologies if they have.

Surely this is a case of déjà vu - I don't think its a full 10 years since I spent 5+ cold hours at Titchwell getting Carduelis neck, whilst folk came and went, happy with their 'stonking' views of Coues's. I went home rather less happy (at least with notion that I'd seen a Coues's; the experience itself was 'fun', so I'm told). I partly blame a proper snowball in Wells Woods in '91 for my uncertainty last time around - it all seemed so much simpler with the Wells bird, and I was left with the wrong impression altogether! I'm now firmly of the opinion that considering not all redpolls can be safely IDed in the hand, there are definitely some that should be left unIDed in the field.

ps Freudian slip there with 'pro-ably' I reckon, Stuart. Able pros only...

 

[Nick Moran]

A Grey Wagtail has returned for a second winter (that I am aware of) to my place of work, a school in Thetford (not the posh one!). It can usually be seen zipping around the playground, or feeding on the roof of a classroom. Often consorts with Pied Wagtail.
There is no water around; clearly they aren't so bothered in the Winter time, and perhaps even change their diet?

There's often one hanging around the Nunnery Fields estate (Thetford) Jim - spends at least some of its time on the water treatment plant roof (where, conversely, there's no water to be seen). Roofs rule, obviously.

Thetford 'Bird of the Week' goes to Jack Snipe, flushed from in front of the Nunnery Lakes hide on Sunday morning. No. 143 for the 2011 BirdTrack Challenge vs RSPB staff @The Lodge, putting us (BTO staff) 3 up with 3 weeks to play! Also 4 Goosander and at least one Woodcock on the reserve at the moment.

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Before I reply about the Redpoll just to say I had a male Golden Pheasant at Wolferton Triangle 2 Sunday's ago (first weekend the Western Sand was twitchable), just thought I would stick that on here incase anyone is interested.

As regards to the Redpoll, I would agree with others who have ID'd this bird as Coues' Arctic Redpoll. The upperpart tone is cold, the underparts are clean white, the breast sides are buffish, the ear coverts are fairly uniform with the buffish breast sides, the bill is small, the undertail coverts show a single fine black streak, the rump (from what I understand and have seen) has a section of white and unstreaked, the wing bar is a nice clean white + its broad and obvious, the flank streaking may appear dense, however it is not a 'smudgy dense' which is a feature usually associated with Mealy Redpoll.

I think this bird can be safely pigeon-holed as a Coues' Arctic Redpoll. Good write up about this bird on Martin Garner's blog; Birding Frontiers.

Cheers,

 

[J Jones]

Was I just being too cautious? Any views?

Cheers
Matt

Hi Matt/all,

For me, these photos (uploaded to BirdGuides) yesterday, dispel any lingering doubts and surely confirm this bird as a classic Coues's Arctic Redpoll:

http://www.birdguides.com/picture?f=329498
http://www.birdguides.com/picture?f=329499

Nice bird, hopefully will get over in the next few weeks to see it.

Cheers
Josh

 

[Johny121]

3 Goosander on the UEA broad. Flushed them from the shallows. 2 male 1 female like last year

 

[postcardcv]

I haven't managed to get out birding in the last week, but have been treated to regular visits from a sparrowhawk (we normally get a couple of sightings a year in the garden but this bird has been seen six times in two days). This morning it was out there for about and hour and even allowed me to get outside the backdoor and get some photos.

 

[Daniel Martin]

I haven't managed to get out birding in the last week, but have been treated to regular visits from a sparrowhawk (we normally get a couple of sightings a year in the garden but this bird has been seen six times in two days). This morning it was out there for about and hour and even allowed me to get outside the backdoor and get some photos.

Some stunning pics there, nice one :t:

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell December 13th

Today’s highlights

Coues’s Arctic redpoll – no reported today but very few people looking
Goosander – 3 offshore
Golden plover – 727 on fresh marsh
Lapwing – 701 on fresh marsh
Teal – 1106 on lagoons
Spotted redshank – 10 on fresh marsh

Paul

 

[Pitvar]

Just to add seen at Wolferton - Golden Pheasant crossing the road behind the police car which had just asked why we were loitering |8.| this Sunday around 3.15pm - also two Chinese Water Deer or Muntjac - too poor a view to be sure which especially as I've never seen either species before - small dark deer, size of a large dog [roughly] and quite deep bodied and one had a white flash on the rump when running.

 

[O.Reville1989]

Just to add seen at Wolferton - Golden Pheasant crossing the road behind the police car which had just asked why we were loitering |8.| this Sunday around 3.15pm - also two Chinese Water Deer or Muntjac - too poor a view to be sure which especially as I've never seen either species before - small dark deer, size of a large dog [roughly] and quite deep bodied and one had a white flash on the rump when running.

Fantastic photo! Must get myself over there tomorrow I feel!

 

[paulrowe]

Mealy or Artic Redpoll at Titchwell?

I've just picked up this thread. I saw this bird last Friday week (2nd Dec) when it was knocking about with a couple of Mealies and some Lessers. My initial reaction was that it could be Coue's but longer views made me re-evaluate it. As it was interesting I spent quite a bit of time with it and shot off a few hundred photos. While it does have quite a few pro-Coue's features including:
1. Nearly (but not completely) white rump
2. Single dark streak on v white UTCs
3. That 'chamois leather' colouring on face and upper breast.

But longer views showed:
1. Real warm tones in the mantle
2. Ground colour of flank streaking is darker than any Coue's I've seen
3. Long billed bird and overall face shape doesn't look quite right

Individually the anti-Coue's points above may not be deal breakers, but taken together they seem (at least to me) to push it into the Mealy bucket.

Some photos attached showing warmer mantle and flank base colour (as well as rump and UTC patterns).

Some more detail and photos here.

Was I just being too cautious? Any views?

Cheers
Matt

Hi Matt,

We were both taking photos of the same bird at the same time that Friday.(our EXIFs match)...not sure if you remember...you very helpful to me in pointing them out including the Lessers...thanks again.

I've put some photos of the Mealies here so all can get a better view as requested.

http://www.essexbirds.com/mealyredpolls

I had actually thought that it might be an Artic redpoll following the reports which came shortly after that Friday, but I do agree with you, on balance it is a Mealy. For me what stands out is the bill, ie it is too long.

To confuse matters slightly, there may be 2 separate birds in my link (pics 1-4 and pics 5-14), as I went away for 10 mins to look for the yellow browed warbler (no luck), and when I came back to the alders, the mealy had moved out from the cold shadow into the warm light on a different alder.

cheers

Paul

 

[Pitvar]

Fantastic photo! Must get myself over there tomorrow I feel!

I know there's a lot of debate about those birds but as one of the last chances to see them in a kind of wild state I was still interested to see them - plus the local police are friendly enough The Pheasants were feeding on the margins and darted back into the Rhododendrons whenever a car passed - so waiting quietly at the side of the road would be useful.

 

[HarassedDad]

This report of car break-ins at Snettisham and Wolferton should be a timely warning to folks cars_targeted_by_thieves_at_west_norfolk_beauty_spots

 

[O.Reville1989]

This report of car break-ins at Snettisham and Wolferton should be a timely warning to folks cars_targeted_by_thieves_at_west_norfolk_beauty_spots

Thanks for the heads up HD! Will definitely be vigilant.

 

[Mark Batten]

I know there's a lot of debate about those birds but as one of the last chances to see them in a kind of wild state I was still interested to see them - plus the local police are friendly enough The Pheasants were feeding on the margins and darted back into the Rhododendrons whenever a car passed - so waiting quietly at the side of the road would be useful.

À few "real ones" can be found in the breks.

 

[Songkhran]

I had actually thought that it might be an Artic redpoll following the reports which came shortly after that Friday, but I do agree with you, on balance it is a Mealy. For me what stands out is the bill, ie it is too long.

Haven't seen this bird, but by looking at these photos, i'm removing the record of Arctic Redpoll from my 'list' that was at Titchwell in 2005? - again feel it was a similar bird to this and too marginal to be 100%, reckon its much better to wait until a nice snowball turns up :t: