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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

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  1. D

    Norfolk birding

    Hi Jim - I've visited Whitwell and Alderford Commons a few times, especially Whitwell. Entrance to Whitwell Common is by layby with a phone box at TG 08412 20447. Both nice places to visit - though never seen anything especially exciting in the way of birds there. Best I've managed at...
  2. D

    Norfolk birding

    I agree with last winter being disastrous - 2014 was my worst year for Barn Owls since I started working in NW Norfolk in early 2002. This winter it is a little early to call - my records of Barn Owl normally peak in February/March, but I have seen a few, suggesting something of a recovery...
  3. D

    Norfolk birding

    I'd forgotten that piece but you're right - it's in bulletin no 27, by John Williamson (published in 1998 but apparently written in 1997). It refers to unsubstantiated rumours that visitors had allowed Night Herons to escape from the aviary in addition to the 1987 incident. The article...
  4. D

    Norfolk birding

    I had two adults (or near-adults) fly over Sparham Pools, flying in from the direction of the old wildlife park, in May 2007. According to the bird reports there were further reports at Lyng in 2009 and December 2010 and then two adults at Pensthorpe in May 2011. In around 70 visits to Sparham...
  5. D

    Norfolk birding

    I suspect that most Norfolk birders, even those who watch the sea a lot, will have never seen either Basking Shark or Sunfish in the county. Both are rarely recorded from land here so far as I know. My only encounter with Sunfish was one off Sheringham/Weybourne in 1995 - that was also a...
  6. D

    Norfolk birding

    The quail (or at least a male California Quail, I assume it must have been the same one) was by the boardwalk at Burnham Overy yesterday. It ventured out into the field, along the path and sat on a fence post for a bit but spent most of the time in the clump of bushes beside the apple tree. It...
  7. D

    Norfolk birding

    Good to hear that the well-respected, competent and highly experienced observers of last year's bird exhibited such honesty and caution in their assessment of what they were and weren't able to see. Entirely appropriate for a bird of such magnitude. I hope the observers of this years' birds...
  8. D

    Norfolk birding

    Perhaps they should*, and they should certainly ensure that if and when they do record rare species like Willow Tit and Goshawk they obtain sufficient documentation to allow the record to be accepted by the county records committee and published in the annual county bird reports. If this is...
  9. D

    Norfolk birding

    So much emphasis is placed on using the call to distinguish between these two species but not enough emphasis is placed on the variation in Marsh Tit vocalisation types. Sure the classic 'pi-choo' of Marsh Tit is a world apart from the typical nasal call of Willow Tit, but what some people...
  10. D

    Norfolk birding

    Also agree, though it differs from examples I've seen before. Let us know if it's still around - would be interested in seeing it.
  11. D

    Norfolk birding

    Interesting heron photo. I've seen Grey Herons with rufousy-tinged thighs before but never noticed such rufousy marginal coverts as on this bird.
  12. D

    Norfolk birding

    Presumably some kind of escaped psittacid. Cockatiel perhaps? Although Long-tailed Skua turning up slightly inland isn't beyond the bounds of possibility, one flying rapidly in circles round gardens while calling loudly is, if not beyond the bounds of possibility then certainly beyond the...
  13. D

    Norfolk birding

    Sorry to have misled... the 2005 report claimed the 4th March record as the earliest county record so I didn't check back further! Nice find anyway.
  14. D

    Norfolk birding

    Thanks for the tips guys. I didn't go in to detail as I didn't think it would be of interest, but I did try these and that was why I lost the Eagle. In fact I shouldn't have bothered trying - if the 7D can't autofocus on a bird in the sky because it's too small/far then it isn't worth taking...
  15. D

    Norfolk birding

    I was responsible for the second report today. Following the first report of it flying NE over Anmer at 10.30 I was thinking of heading up to a vantage point near the coast in my lunch break in the hope of seeing it pass by, but as there hadn't been any more reports by the time I set out I...
  16. D

    Norfolk birding

    Of course Trumpeter Swan and Tundra Swan are completely different species, with Bewick's being the European race of Tundra Swan, but yes, I imagine it may well be the same phenonemon occuring in Bewick's Swans as the article describes for Trumpeter Swans. Whether or not that's really leucism...
  17. D

    Norfolk birding

    Well yes, it depends what you call seabirds I suppose! If you include gulls and terns as seabirds then yes, but as many of these occur inland as much as at sea I tend not to think of them as seabirds (except the more pelagic Kittiwake which doesn't normally breed in Norfolk). Some certainly...
  18. D

    Norfolk birding

    Send us some breeding seabirds and we'll send you a Snow Bunting! Apart from Fulmars (easiest at Hunstanton) we don't have any seabirds breeding in Norfolk I'm afraid.
  19. D

    Norfolk birding

    According to the 2002 report, "The recent dearth of spring records continued with just a single female Weybourne June 7th/8th." So yes, it made it and was apparently seen the next day after all.
  20. D

    Norfolk birding

    There have certainly been a few reports of drake Smew on the River Wensum at Fakenham which have been presumed to be from Pensthorpe. This is a fair bit further away but does seem rather dubious to me - I shouldn't be surprised if it's the same bird, or at least from the same source. Nice...
  21. D

    Norfolk birding

    Fair bit of melting occurred overnight here too. Now not looking as bad as I suggested last night, though still thick on the fields etc.
  22. D

    Norfolk birding

    The roads between Bircham and Bawdeswell (including round Fakenham) were pretty dicey when I came home from work this evening - tarmac certainly wasn't visible! Here at Bawdeswell we've had a great deal more snow since then so I can only imagine the roads are now worse. Several inches of snow...
  23. D

    Norfolk birding

    Grey Partridge has certainly declined significantly and is now absent or scarce at many places where it was once common, even in Norfolk. It is, however a still a very common farmland bird in much of NW Norfolk. I work in NW Norfolk and see them most days either on the way to/from work or in...
  24. D

    Norfolk birding

    None so far as I know. There have been some reports, and after my Sparrowhawk/Goshawk comment I daren't say they were all Buzzards, but I'm told that at least some of them were. ;)
  25. D

    Norfolk birding

    I also wondered briefly if it could be the central European race aquaticus (which actually breeds closer than nominate cinclus, Black-bellied Dipper), but after researching that a bit it seems that that race is more like British gularis in appearance. Whether or not either gularis or aquaticus...
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