Norfolk birding (18 Viewers)

[mike46norfolk]

Hi, I was at Happisburgh on 25th July and still plenty of sand martins. Feeding chicks judging by the nest hole activity.

 

[PYRTLE]

Perhaps a second brood given the date. About a dozen Swifts feeding fairly high over the house this afternoon.

 

[tonyfenn]

Anybody have any gen on the 'white' grey heron on birding world's web site, thanks

 

[James Emerson]

Anybody have any gen on the 'white' grey heron on birding world's web site, thanks

Reported again today, it's in the area around Walsey Hills (i.e. just east of Cley)

 

[tonyfenn]

Thanks James

 

[matt green]

Hoping to catch up with some cranes next week while staying in the horsey area so if anyone could give a pointer as to the best place to 'stake them out' it would be much appreciated, I read there has been a movement of cranes at welney recently but unsure if these are the horsey crowd or from elsewhere?

Matt

 

[Essex Baker Boy]

Hoping to catch up with some cranes next week while staying in the horsey area so if anyone could give a pointer as to the best place to 'stake them out' it would be much appreciated, I read there has been a movement of cranes at welney recently but unsure if these are the horsey crowd or from elsewhere?

Matt

It's always been Stubb Mill at Horsey for me, park in NWT Car Park and walk east 3/4 mile to viewpoint however, it is a well known winter site at dusk, I haven't tried in the autumn but it should give you as good a chance as any. Failing that, they are occasionally put out by the bird news services now that breeding season is over.

 

[matt green]

It's always been Stubb Mill at Horsey for me, park in NWT Car Park and walk east 3/4 mile to viewpoint however, it is a well known winter site at dusk, I haven't tried in the autumn but it should give you as good a chance as any. Failing that, they are occasionally put out by the bird news services now that breeding season is over.

Thanks for that, yes will likely visit stubb but was unaware how reliable the cranes are to the site, we only have two full days in the area and really want to see them....might be the last chance to travel and stay in the area the way things are going re possible winter lockdown!

Does anyone know if brograve drainage mill makes a good vantage spot, our b&b backs onto the public footpath that leads across the mashes and along the northern edge of horsey mere..looks good on the map but never been to that exact area so unsure of visibility etc?

Matt

 

[Lightthiscandle]

The Cranes are almost a certainty if you walk round Hickling NWT to the 'new scrape' and look towards Stubb's Mill: they fly around 'bugling'

 

[Youth]

Saw 7 Cranes flying West over Waxham this am

 

[matt green]

Thanks both, no cranes yet but plenty of seals putting on a show at horsey gap!

Good number of pinkfeet seen distantly from the dunes over sea palling, sunrise can't come soon enough!

Matt

 

[Youth]

Female Snow Bunting at Cley this afternoon showing well on shingle Bank at the end of East bank

 

[Essex Tern]

Saw a bird that made me double take and think possible Albatross this afternoon, about 2.36 off Sheringham. Initial thoughts were well that’s pretty massive, Gannet or bigger, and wings very and disproportionately long. I didn’t think GBBG, kept thinking Gannet due to size but colours so totally wrong and wings too long. I wasn’t actually birding, and was far too slow to get the binoculars I had with me out in my disbelief. Only colours I saw/took in, were deep black back and bright white head as it flew away. Slow powerful wingbeats with a droop in the wings having gone from seemingly straight across it’s back as it then glided between beats. It headed east around the coast circa 60 to 100m out. I attempted a possible Birdguides submission (well two actually) but unfortunately didn’t realise they had emailed back until much later, so the hope that some birders might check as it flew round the coast were to no avail. Oddly there didn’t seem that many people about today.

Might well have been a GBBG but for some reason it just didn’t feel right, as I say Gannet bulk sprang to mind, but colours and massively long wings as mentioned. Hopefully if a BBA someone might pick it up tomorrow as unfortunately I am going back to Essex in the morning :-C

 

[NoSpringChicken]

It is very gratifying to see this thread being resurrected from the dead, as I have no interest in Twitter etc. Please keep the posts coming.

Ron

 

[Youth]

It is very gratifying to see this thread being resurrected from the dead, as I have no interest in Twitter etc. Please keep the posts coming.

Ron

I agree I'm trying my best to post on here now I'm back birding as its clearly a very under-used resource, shame as its free!
Fantastic day for birds on Norfolk coast today

 

[Youth]

Thanks both, no cranes yet but plenty of seals putting on a show at horsey gap!

Good number of pinkfeet seen distantly from the dunes over sea palling, sunrise can't come soon enough!

Matt

There has been good numbers of Pinkfeet in fields close to Waxham barns/church recently

 

[Lightthiscandle]

The reason I - and several of my birding friends - stopped posting on here Ron was that it became quite unpleasantly aggressive at times. Hopefully those concerned might have moved on to Twitter.

 

[Farnboro John]

Saw a bird that made me double take and think possible Albatross this afternoon, about 2.36 off Sheringham. Initial thoughts were well that’s pretty massive, Gannet or bigger, and wings very and disproportionately long. I didn’t think GBBG, kept thinking Gannet due to size but colours so totally wrong and wings too long. I wasn’t actually birding, and was far too slow to get the binoculars I had with me out in my disbelief. Only colours I saw/took in, were deep black back and bright white head as it flew away. Slow powerful wingbeats with a droop in the wings having gone from seemingly straight across it’s back as it then glided between beats. It headed east around the coast circa 60 to 100m out. I attempted a possible Birdguides submission (well two actually) but unfortunately didn’t realise they had emailed back until much later, so the hope that some birders might check as it flew round the coast were to no avail. Oddly there didn’t seem that many people about today.

Might well have been a GBBG but for some reason it just didn’t feel right, as I say Gannet bulk sprang to mind, but colours and massively long wings as mentioned. Hopefully if a BBA someone might pick it up tomorrow as unfortunately I am going back to Essex in the morning :-C

Personally I would rule out any albatross on "Slow powerful wingbeats.... as it then glided between beats". Albatrosses once airborne flap their wings about once or twice a day. In terms of making use of available air currents even in a light breeze they make any other seabird look utterly incompetent.

John

 

[Youth]

The reason I - and several of my birding friends - stopped posting on here Ron was that it became quite unpleasantly aggressive at times. Hopefully those concerned might have moved on to Twitter.

thats bad! sorry to hear

 

[Essex Tern]

Personally I would rule out any albatross on "Slow powerful wingbeats.... as it then glided between beats". Albatrosses once airborne flap their wings about once or twice a day. In terms of making use of available air currents even in a light breeze they make any other seabird look utterly incompetent.

John

Thanks, yes have pretty much ruled it out already, also due to no further sightings! - was totally switched off or I might have taken more in and ruled it out on the spot myself.....I don’t usually struggle to ID what was most likely an adult GBBG. Note to self to not switch off so much as you never know what might appear, and it is nice to be sure yourself.