Norfolk birding (27 Viewers)

[jimbob]

Hi Norfolk Snake
I don't see any flippant remarks in here. One person just commented that they do not remember the report.
I assumed it was a bird in breeding area hence why the news was not released. I think there was one in same area when the breeding Parrot Xbills were at Wells (but I may be wrong!)
Good record to get accepted and unusual I guess for non singing bird in Spring
Nice find

True, there are no flippant remarks here but the twitter link posted earlier on reveals flippancy and beyond from some (not yourself I should add).
Norfolk Snake, you must feel like you can't win! A cracking find and with the sensitive nature of the reserve/site I see no way you could have released news. I certainly appreciate the news that has come from yourself and/or Holkham in the past, and when possible, long may that continue.

For those questioning why this was not reported in May, even after the event, need look no further than Snake's comments regarding rare birds deserting nests and even egg collectors. One lost vagrant is not worth that.

Cheers,
Jim.

 

[Mark Batten]

A report in May which read Great Reed Warbler. Holkham Dunes. Seen briefing in area with no public assess. No further sign despite extensive search. Can not see a stampede resulting from that message!

 

[Norfolk Snake]

What I should also have added is this - if 'someone' is employed by a conservation organisation to do a specific job and that job is in a sensitive area, the first thing I would imagine is that site managers, land owners etc are consulted. If the answer is no, so the matter should end. At the end of the day, there will be other Great Reed Warblers and I would imagine most people who are questioning the actions have probably already seen one or more. What point would there be in doing what Mark Batten suggested - surely telling people about something at the time without precise access details or whereabouts must be even worse ? Also birders being birders (in some instances) would go looking and possibly end up somewhere where they should n't be. For the most part my bird watching is done on my own in places where I see very few people and thats my personal choice. Yet I do believe in sharing my sightings if there is no access or disturbance issues. If I am fortunate to bump into something exciting what should be done? Just because everyone in this modern age seems to want to know of everything, who has seen it or if there are any photographs and if not then we frequently see the observer crucified on forums such as this. Perhaps the few people about with the same outlook as myself should confine their records to their own notebooks thus making everyone else happy ?

 

[Mark Batten]

My point is that if the BBRC tweet about a rare bird at a well known nature reserve from last May, that very few people know about, then expect a few questions to be asked. Norfolk Snake. I fully agree that rare breeding birds should not be disturbed on a site such as Holkham. I am also aware that scarce birds such as Purple Heron, viewable from public hides have been kept quiet on the grounds that visitors viewing from hides would disturb breeding Spoonbills. Anyway thank you for the info info on the Great Reed. Just a shame it was not a long staying/singing bird.

 

[Bittern2010]

East Norfolk

Hi Everyone,

Had a successful trip today unashamedly driving round looking for scarce birds reported on here and elsewhere. It gave me the chance to catch up with some species I hadn't seen for a while.

First of all, I checked out the Waxwing on Ber Street in Norwich. It was a really easy "tick", I didn't even have to leave my car. (although I did )

Next I caught up with the 2 Shorelarks on Great Yarmouth beach. Also, there were about 40 Mediterranean Gulls loafing around. The only disappointment of the day was not finding Firecrest in Yarmouth cemetery.

Then, I travelled on to the Trinity Broads, seeing the Scaup at Little Ormesby Broad as well a couple of Kingfishers. Then I got relatively nice views of the Redhead Smew and Slavonian Grebe on Filby Broad (viewed from the Fleggburgh end) and another Kingfisher sighting.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Norfolk Snake]

I don't think for one minute that anyone involved with either Holkham at that time or the finders of the Purple Heron believed that anyone watching from a hide would disturb any breeding birds ! Its a matter of where people try to go, invariably with a camera. There are a small minority of people who do this. Fact. Is there any wonder caution is exercised when events from the last couple of seasons have proved this. I am not setting out to be unpleasant or stir up some load of nonsense on this forum, that some seem to revel in, I am merely someone who is passionate about a place where I was born, have lived and worked at, that has the best interests of both the place and its wildlife close to my heart. I will continue to be pleasant and accommodating to those I meet in the field and if that is n't good enough well what can I say ?

 

[Mark Batten]

Norfolk Snake. I do not think for one moment that you want to do what is best for birds and wildlife. You actually do not need to explain the policy adopted on rarities at Holkham. You do not want birders wandering around in the breeding season, which is pretty reasonable. There are too many walkers and dog walkers wandering around already. As for birds that can be seen from hides, when news is withheld in these circumstances (at any locality) it makes me question why the hide was built in the first place! I do take you point on the few with cameras though. As I said in an early post, the twitter feed was going to lead to questions being asked. Kind Regards. Mark.

 

[James Emerson]

I do not think for one moment that you want to do what is best for birds and wildlife.

Presumably this was meant to read "I do not doubt for one moment..?"

 

[Mark Batten]

Yep.

 

[jimbob]

How are people finding their local Barn Owl populations this year?

I had one hunting at Surlingham today early afternoon, a sign perhaps of a male hunting for a female incubating. 3 at Rockland and Claxton Marshes yesterday evening.

It is mild and rather benign out and about, but hopefully our resident birds will have a successful breeding season.

Cheers,
Jim.

 

[GeoffBowen]

Owls

How are people finding their local Barn Owl populations this year?

I had one hunting at Surlingham today early afternoon, a sign perhaps of a male hunting for a female incubating. 3 at Rockland and Claxton Marshes yesterday evening.

It is mild and rather benign out and about, but hopefully our resident birds will have a successful breeding season.

Cheers,
Jim.

Hi Jim

Funny you say that, I am still waiting for my first owl of the year. I'm not seeing Barn Owls (or any others come to that) in places I regularly have seen them in the past. I went to Rockland today and walked down to the river in the late afternoon leaving about 17:15 and saw nothing. Maybe it was the last couple of hard winters that has reduced their numbers, but they have been careful to avoid me so far this year !

Cheers

Geoff

 

[Tideliner]

I too have seen fewer than recent years. I suspect last years very cold spring did not help the breeding season. There seem more about The Broads this winter than the N Norfolk coast though I regulary see them there.

 

[Robert S J Smith]

Has anyone got any photos of these Twite which keep getting reported from Titchwell ? 3 reported today with a further 8 at Thornham!!!

 

[Norfolk Snake]

It is true that Barn owls had a pretty disastrous season in 2013. The cold pro-longed spring was against them and from what I have been told by those who regularly ring them, is that many did not nest until very late into the summer and those that did, success was very poor. This year's paucity of sightings is undoubtedly a knock on from that. Having said that I have seen more in the last couple of weeks than previously. One other thought that has been mentioned is that in some parts of Europe where Barn Owl densities are equivalent to our North Norfolk population, hunting is carried out a lot more frequently at night.The thought there is that large numbers of buzzards present in the same area are causing Barn Owls to change their habits to being more predominantly nocturnal. Anyone with any thoughts or information on that ? Certainly there are a lot more buzzards around these parts. One farm worker told me last year he saw 'a large hawk' (a buzzard he thought) actually take a barn owl and kill it near North Creake. I don't know how true that was however. Certainly Kestrels often rob Barn Owls and the two often go to the ground together in such instances, so from a distance through a tractor window that could have been what was seen perhaps ?

 

[sacha]

Have not seen a Barn Owl in Reepham area for over 2 years now. Plenty of Tawny and a few Little here in my garden each night.
Barn Owls were regular here but certainly dropped in numbers in this area as far as I have seen. There again I hear the others so of they are more nocturnal as mentioned above (interesting comment N. Snake) then I am unlikely to notice them.

 

[jimbob]

Interesting range of observations.

Geoff- I think you have been a little unlucky! I often find Langley Marshes, viewed from the staithe, to be better than Rockland/Claxton. I have seen 5 in view at once here, this Winter period.

I can only speak for the spots I bird regularly, but I do not think the decline in numbers is as marked as elsewhere. The coasts as we know have taken a real battering this Winter, and ecosystems in many places fundamentally altered. Has this pushed the Owls further inland? How far will Barn Owls range over the course of a Winter?

Snake's comments about threat from Buzzards is very interesting. Whilst there are Buzzards in good numbers in The Broads, I still associate them with copses and cultivated land rather than marshland or reedbed. In The Broads, the latter is the Barn Owl's principal hunting ground. Potentially, Barn Owls are 'safer' in The Broads compared to open country in north Norfolk?

Perhaps not without coincidence, it has been a poor Winter for Short-eared Owls. I was watching them at Claxton this time last year, none this year. Of reported birds, one from Burgh Castle/Berney last week, and I would describe this as a stronghold in Winter!

As for Long-eared Owls, who knows. It has been mild of late so I would guess males are calling again now. I will put in a few late night searches close to me over the coming weeks, any Broadland (or further afield) tips do please PM me. Last year was rubbish to say the least..........

Cheers,
Jim.

 

[Tim P]

Any one know how marsh and willow tits are colour coded at Sculthorpe? Saw one on Saturday which had white ring over blue on left leg and yellow over the boa ring on right leg. No calling to assist with ID unfortunately.

 

[VillagerFred]

http://www.cr-birding.org/colourpro...=All&tid_16=All&tid_17=All&tid_18=All&page=84

Link to Euroring colour ring database for colour ringing for tits. There are Norfolk Projects looking at colour ringing both Willow and Marsh Tit: I cannot fathom however why a colour ring Poecile project would have metal rings for such similar species on the same leg. Email the sighting to [email protected] with as much info as possible and they often will reply promptly, I'm off to whinge on a BTO ringing forum as having left leg metal for willow and right leg metal for marsh could substantially improve the encounter rate from visiting birders if you have such identifiable field markings.

 

[James Emerson]

Hi Tim.

In the Wensum valley the colour ring on the right leg with the metal ring denotes Marsh or Willow Tit, and the combination of colour rings on the left leg indicates the individual bird. Unfortunately I can't remember what yellow is, but either way I'm sure the ringers would be grateful to here about it. There used to be a folder at the counter at Sculthorpe to record sightings of colour-ringed Marsh & Willow Tits in, but I didn't notice it at the weekend.

Any one know how marsh and willow tits are colour coded at Sculthorpe? Saw one on Saturday which had white ring over blue on left leg and yellow over the boa ring on right leg. No calling to assist with ID unfortunately.

 

[AFeather]

How are people finding their local Barn Owl populations this year?.

I live near potter heigham, I regularly count three in the local pasture land, all hunting throughout the day.

Does hunting throughout the day reflect low prey numbers or competition avoidance?