Norfolk birding (12 Viewers)

Daniel Martin · May 12, 2011

Been told by a reliable source that Norfolk RSPB have an "otter problem". One on site that they are at pains to hush up whilst they try and trap it to relocate. You make the habitat, you get the wildlife in my book.......anyway, asked a vol last week and he knew nowt at all. In fact was startled. He said he would ask the warden - two minutes later hes back to tell me no such thing exists and never has and thats final! quite vociferous actually.

So, can anyone else comment on why they are at pains to "hush up". I appreciate it might be bad news for the big Avocet colony or would be potentially bad news for Bitterns, and guess that a flagship reserve doesnt want what it might perceive as "negative otter trapping" publicity.........but the news is out there.

I know there are RSPB guys on here and I am not having a go at all.......but as members we do get patronised sometimes. Some people would be celebrating the sightings.

And if they chose to be honest and said they hoped to relocate to preserve other wildlife, wouldnt everyone understand?

black kite 1964 · May 12, 2011

Daniel Martin said:
Been told by a reliable source that Norfolk RSPB have an "otter problem". One on site that they are at pains to hush up whilst they try and trap it to relocate. You make the habitat, you get the wildlife in my book.......anyway, asked a vol last week and he knew nowt at all. In fact was startled. He said he would ask the warden - two minutes later hes back to tell me no such thing exists and never has and thats final! quite vociferous actually.

So, can anyone else comment on why they are at pains to "hush up". I appreciate it might be bad news for the big Avocet colony or would be potentially bad news for Bitterns, and guess that a flagship reserve doesnt want what it might perceive as "negative otter trapping" publicity.........but the news is out there.

I know there are RSPB guys on here and I am not having a go at all.......but as members we do get patronised sometimes. Some people would be celebrating the sightings.

And if they chose to be honest and said they hoped to relocate to preserve other wildlife, wouldnt everyone understand?

What next, an Otter Cull!!! My contact at the RSPB (British Field Sports Association) describes "them as vermin Faulty, they eat fish you know!!!"

We can not have anything disturbing those lovely Bitterns in the reedbed. Can the RSPB talk about anything else!!

Paul Woolnough · May 12, 2011

Sniping

Andy Stoddart said:
"Andy went to look down the dyke for it from the hide. Some time before 6pm, I think.

No news came out until after 8pm. Whether the bird was on show earlier I do not know."

Paul Woolnough

Paul,

Can I suggest that next time you check your facts before broadcasting my alleged movements over the internet, particularly if you use your post to spread veiled accusations of keeping the bird quiet.

I'm afraid your 'understanding' of events is laughably incorrect. In fact, the first I heard about this bird was when I was sitting at home at 8.15 pm drinking a cup of tea.

This is yet another example of the 'suppression paranoia' which seems to plague birding in general and Birdforum in particular. Normally I just ignore it but I do take exception to being named in connection with events I knew nothing about!

Andy

Sorry Andy.

I understood you were on site and went to check the sighting out. I thought good, as you are one of the most knowledgable birders in the county. Since youi were not sorry again.

No suggestion of suppression implied. Bird on pager as soon as ID confirmed.

David Norgate · May 12, 2011

black kite 1964 said:
Your course of events re the Snipe are close, but not spot. Could tell you the full details, but if I told you, I have to kill you!!!!!

Go on! At least in a PM

Phil Carter · May 12, 2011

What do you need to know re. the Great Snipe? Arnold (known in these parts as Big A and an absolute legend!) was in the hide when someone pointed out a snipe at about 3.30. Big A looked, looked again, thought "F**kin' hell", and proceeded to explain why it was in fact a Great snipe and therefore a great deal! This received little or no reaction from the others in the hide. Big A then left the building and went home to double check his ID before releasing the news (possibly mindful of the less than sympathetic reaction from the Norfolk mafia if he'd somehow cocked up!). He then phoned RBA (or someone similar) at around 5.30. As far as I know, he won't be submitting the record, he said he'd let someone else do that.

Phil

upstarts1979 · May 12, 2011

Daniel Martin said:
Been told by a reliable source that Norfolk RSPB have an "otter problem". One on site that they are at pains to hush up whilst they try and trap it to relocate. You make the habitat, you get the wildlife in my book.......anyway, asked a vol last week and he knew nowt at all. In fact was startled. He said he would ask the warden - two minutes later hes back to tell me no such thing exists and never has and thats final! quite vociferous actually.

So, can anyone else comment on why they are at pains to "hush up". I appreciate it might be bad news for the big Avocet colony or would be potentially bad news for Bitterns, and guess that a flagship reserve doesnt want what it might perceive as "negative otter trapping" publicity.........but the news is out there.

I know there are RSPB guys on here and I am not having a go at all.......but as members we do get patronised sometimes. Some people would be celebrating the sightings.

And if they chose to be honest and said they hoped to relocate to preserve other wildlife, wouldnt everyone understand?

Do you not think it would have been a better idea to have written to the RSPB, than to publicly slander them. There are a lot of management work activities carried out on RSPB and other reserves, that benefit wildlife but are best kept out of the public domain. An hypothetical case could be: if a cat was devastating the breeding birds in a reed bed would we have to allow it to go on or catch the offender and then announce to the world what we had done, or do they just get it sorted without any fuss.
I think like has already been proven on this site (re Great snipe ) get your facts right and then be a bit more diplomatic. In my eye's without the RSPB we wouldn't have half the wildlife or habitat we have in this country.. or maybe you are one of the RSPB hater's that have a hidden agenda.

So what is your point anyway

RobLucking · May 12, 2011

Hi Daniel

On behalf of the RSPB I can assure you that we don't have an 'otter problem' on any of our reserves in Norfolk. In fact we're very fond of our otters at Strumpshaw and happy to say so! OK, so occasionally they might eat something we'd rather they didn't but there is certainly no evidence that they are a problem to bitterns (or any other species) on our reserves nor is there any conspiracy to relocate any otters.

All the best

Rob

Daniel Martin said:
Been told by a reliable source that Norfolk RSPB have an "otter problem". One on site that they are at pains to hush up whilst they try and trap it to relocate. You make the habitat, you get the wildlife in my book.......anyway, asked a vol last week and he knew nowt at all. In fact was startled. He said he would ask the warden - two minutes later hes back to tell me no such thing exists and never has and thats final! quite vociferous actually.

So, can anyone else comment on why they are at pains to "hush up". I appreciate it might be bad news for the big Avocet colony or would be potentially bad news for Bitterns, and guess that a flagship reserve doesnt want what it might perceive as "negative otter trapping" publicity.........but the news is out there.

I know there are RSPB guys on here and I am not having a go at all.......but as members we do get patronised sometimes. Some people would be celebrating the sightings.

And if they chose to be honest and said they hoped to relocate to preserve other wildlife, wouldnt everyone understand?

VillagerFred · May 12, 2011

Try calling them boring brown herons in front of elderly well spoken ladies, that usually provides a good ten minutes of tutting and spluttering!

stuart white · May 12, 2011

The 'Great' flush

The question is, did the ridiculously loud bang of the wooden seat cracking on to the bench, or the playing of a tape flush it at 8am this morning ?

The jury is still out !!

I feel sorry for all those still sitting in avocet hide as a I type this, the hide was full of people and anticpation at 3pm this afternoon, aaagggghhhh
Let's hope it comes back later

David Norgate · May 12, 2011

stuart white said:
The 'Great' flush

The question is, did the ridiculously loud bang of the wooden seat cracking on to the bench, or the playing of a tape flush it at 8am this morning ?

The jury is still out !!

I feel sorry for all those still sitting in avocet hide as a I type this, the hide was full of people and anticpation at 3pm this afternoon, aaagggghhhh
Let's hope it comes back later

Didn't think the bang was at the same time and the tape playing didn't seem to effect it before, so why that time (although that did coincide!)

David Norgate · May 12, 2011

PS - we're now trying to claim the Lesser Yellowlegs from this morning, are you sure you didn't seen it!!

stuart white · May 12, 2011

David Norgate said:
Didn't think the bang was at the same time and the tape playing didn't seem to effect it before, so why that time (although that did coincide!)

only kidding !!

looks like a triple not following up of the lesserlegs this morning !!
I assume your mind was on other matters like the displaying great snipe in front of you.

Another one gets away

Paul Woolnough · May 12, 2011

Snipers

Andy Stoddart said:
This is yet another example of the 'suppression paranoia' which seems to plague birding in general and Birdforum in particular. Normally I just ignore it but I do take exception to being named in connection with events I knew nothing about!

Andy

Sorry Andy I thought you had been told about the bird and had gone to check. My mistake.

It is no surprise no report came out until after 8 pm. Was anyone in the know looking earlier than that? Bird was not suppressed.

I was aggrieved that no report came out until after 8. Could have connected. Was still hacked off I missed the Audouin's gull at Minsmere and not keen on missing a mega that was there and hadn't flown off!

Penny Clarke said:
GREAT SNIPE on my list!!!!!!!!

Phone call from another birder just after 8pm "GREAT SNIPE, Avocet Hide, Cley NOW!!!" It was ID'd a minute or two before I was called. It was put on the pager straight away, but for some reason didn't come straight away.

The light was fading fast, but Eddie Myers saved the day!!! Thank you Eddie XXX It had moved from the post (far left hand side of hide there is a concrete post) to the right in the ditch. At first of all I only saw a bit of the bird in the bad light, but then it was bathing in the water and I could see the very long bill!!!! Think it was about 9.10pm-9.15pm and then it flew across the marsh left. Phew!

Video ON BLOG NOW from Pete Snook.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

Repeat! There was no suppression at all.

black kite 1964 said:
Your course of events re the Snipe are close, but not spot. Could tell you the full details, but if I told you, I have to kill you!!!!!

Can tell you that some intial attempts were made to prevent last years Holme Bluetail from getting out. News was released via a non Norfolk birder (out of the county at the time), getting a tip off from somebody in "the know". This individual did the only noble/correct course of action and phone the information services - well done that man.

Penny, submit your Flycatcher photos, with Rays permission of course.

I was out of order for mentioning names. People can say what they like about birding in Cley. I regret giving them the ammunition.
If the Cley Square is a patch, which it is for some, then nothing can touch it anywhere in Britain.

Penny Clarke · May 12, 2011

Re: COLLARED FLYCATCHER

I will not be submitting my photos and its DAVID ROCHE not Ray (Ray is his father). Its David's bird at the end of the day, who was quicker than me

he found it, ID'd it. As I said somewhere either on here or on my blog it would have been slightly different if the bird had flown off and we had been the only two people to have seen it..... then my photos would been the 'icing on the cake' for David to add to his submission. But this wasn't the case as the bird returned. Lets move on now and let David have his glory:t::t::t: in finding an awesome bird to which I was privileged to be a part of! Please lets move on now. We're now on Great Snipe - gone. Whats next!!!!!???? What a fantastic spring so far!! Looking forward to the next Norfolk MEGA!!!

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

Penny Clarke · May 12, 2011

Great Snipe

Left my house at 4.15am to for a second look at the Great Snipe!!!

Little Owl on route at East Rudham sitting on telegraph wire!

Second Video just added of the Great Snipe by Pete Snook and full write up of this morning on my blog!

Pictures to be added later this evening.

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

P.S. Lesser Yellowlegs at Cley this evening also!!! Might have to nip over to Cley at the weekend!!!

BLOGGER is down for maintenance, so can't add photos to blog yet. Here are a few pics of Great Snipe. Blogger has been on 'read only' status since last night and is still not back up by 7am Friday so still can't add photos plus others.

eagle golden · May 12, 2011

Hi has anyone any advice on birding in the Diss area as we are on holiday there in June any help would be appreciated. thanks

Paul Woolnough · May 12, 2011

eagle golden said:
Hi has anyone any advice on birding in the Diss area as we are on holiday there in June any help would be appreciated. thanks

Minsmere on the Suffolk coast well worth a visit.

The A143 runs from Diss to Bury St Edmunds. Livermere and its lake are west of that road. Lackford reserve north west of Bury is on the A1101.

The other way on the A143 leads to Gt Yarmouth and sites such as Breydon Water.

Paul Woolnough · May 12, 2011

Camera shy

Phil Carter said:
What do you need to know re. the Great Snipe? Arnold (known in these parts as Big A and an absolute legend!) was in the hide when someone pointed out a snipe at about 3.30. Big A looked, looked again, thought "F**kin' hell", and proceeded to explain why it was in fact a Great snipe and therefore a great deal! This received little or no reaction from the others in the hide. Big A then left the building and went home to double check his ID before releasing the news (possibly mindful of the less than sympathetic reaction from the Norfolk mafia if he'd somehow cocked up!). He then phoned RBA (or someone similar) at around 5.30. As far as I know, he won't be submitting the record, he said he'd let someone else do that.

Phil

Hmmm.
Could I have confirmed what Arnold saw.
BUT
I knew my cameras memory card was nearly full. Not by how much!
Took four trashy shots of the stone curlews and got a message "memory full" or similar.

No chance of getting photographic proof myself!

black kite 1964 · May 13, 2011

Just returned from Cley. Nice to see so many people at the marshes and the NWT checking permits to boot!!!! Shame that the big Snipe decided not to grace us with its presence!!

Found out more about how the big beast was lured out of the marshes by accident last night. A good story, well worth reading, which will no doubt be printed in a well known magazine shortly!! There is a plug for you Sue!! Hope that redeems me for past sins!!!

One thing is for sure, the bird sightings of Saint Arnold of Cley with his magic new eyes, will not be dismissed by the resident birders of Cley in the future!! Every claim should checked out - however unlikely!! There was no withholding news by anybody, just a unhealthy dose of scepticism! Beers all round for Arnold!!!!!!

As for who should take credit for the record, well Arnold did indentify the bird unaided. He has found good stuff at Cley before including a Laughing Gull. Arnold also did the right thing and alerted the residents of village with probably the highest percentage of resident birders in the uk, including at least two BBRC members (past and present). The only other person worthly of mention here is Arnolds surgeon. Without him/her there would be no magic eyes and therefore no Great Snipe record.

Good to see the Yellowlegs (my second at Cley) and a nice Woodsand. Also saw two LRP's, which I understand are making a breeding attempt. Shame that the Yellowlegs was only the smaller of the two tringa species, but that would be asking too much!!

firstreesjohn · May 13, 2011

And now I'm officially 'old'

Celebrated the 60th year, to the day, of my appearance on this planet with a pair of Grey-headed Wagtails at West Runton. They were in the field with the green pipe footie posts, to the north of the Beach Road and flew off after a short while to the east- but may have landed close by.

The male looked to be a 1st summer, with an almost dombrowskii-like super; perhaps another intergrade (?). The female looked kosher.

I have only compressed these pics- no editing.

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