Norfolk birding (87 Viewers)

[James Emerson]

If anyone could describe to me where the Wood Sand(s) have been on Station Marshes without using the phrase "new cut" I would be very grateful!

 

[Penny Clarke]

.......Only two people looking for the Collared Flycatcher this evening which is not surprising as it is gone. Had to try though as I couldn't get up to see it yesterday. Met Penny though and had a proper chat with her for the first time. Nice to meet you Penny. At least one Wood Sand still on Redwell Marsh this evening and a great close-up view of a singing Cuckoo so some consolation for missing the flycatcher.

Nice to meet you too.:t:

Actually it was quite nice being in the same spot again and very exciting to think that there might have been a small chance that it might have actually still been there! I didn't see the Wood Sand from Redwell and I went in there twice! But also had fabulous views of a cuckoo flying across the river path to Redwell and not too bad a shot in flight either (on blog tomorrow).

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

 

[Penny Clarke]

Oh yes male Siberian Rubythroat!

Thats my dream Blakeney Point find!!!! One day....... I would run down the 'Point' for that!

 

[jalethbridge]

Hmmm, that could be a bit of a bummer. Do you know anything about how wary these birds are? Are they used to people, given that at least some of the time (when it's their turn to be clipped) they can't fly away, or do they behave normally?
Jonathan

There were 6 White Storks in captivity at Thrigby Wildlife Gardens 10 years ago when I started checking the collection to monitor the storks. One of them was a free flying individual that often wandered off in the spring and summer.

That bird died or disappeared about 7 years ago but was replaced by another free flying individual. I believe the keepers there always allow one of the storks to be free flying every year but wing clip the remaing birds so that there is always a free flying bird about the collection. Previous individuals often sat on the artificial stork nest on the roof of the main building.

In recent years when there have been sightings of White Stork in areas away from Thrigby I have tried to check the collection. When checked, I have inevitably found one stork to be missing from Thrigby at the same time.

Gradually the number of birds has declined (whether they have wandered off or died is not known) and this winter there were only 3 remaining storks - one of which was free flying. I last checked in March this year and all three birds were still present.

I checked today and only two clipped birds are present at Thrigby - the free flying bird has gone missing.

These are the facts so you can make your own assumptions and judgement on whether the bird moving up and down in East Norfolk and Suffolk at present is likely to be a wild bird or not.

One additional comment - none of the birds are ringed and the free flying bird is usually full-winged.

H

 

[black kite 1964]

Hmmm, that could be a bit of a bummer. Do you know anything about how wary these birds are? Are they used to people, given that at least some of the time (when it's their turn to be clipped) they can't fly away, or do they behave normally?
Jonathan[/QUOTE

I presume the Stork answers to the name of George!! They often do!!!!

You have seen a mega rare gull though!!

Regards.

Mark

 

[Penny Clarke]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cmo6MRYf5g

Hey, well done to everyone who saw the Collared fly on Sunday, a bit like the Black Lark it looks like it was one just for the Norfolk folks.

Especially well done Penny, i read your blog and think you should definitely have your initials up for being one of the finders. I believe that anyone who is involved in the narrative, in the tapestry that unfolds when finding a rare bird should take credit. When I've been out with my good birding pal Stratton Birder we definitely have a philosophy that everything we find is a joint find. If say Steve finds a Wryneck, well a Wryneck's a Wryneck but it could have been me that decided to go to that particular site. Everytime I go out birding I know that there is one particular path that will lead to a great find, follow that path and your gonna hit gold.

Also I read about the events that lead up to find, in regard to being rewarded for being a good samaritan and think it happened on this occasion, spending a whole morning fiddaddling about trying to sort out the lost scope obviously generated some pretty powerful good vibes. Sorry if all ths seems like I'm a**el**king maybe I'm trying to make up for a few past misdemeanours :t:

Collared Flys though - how awesome is that. When I was in Poland they were really common but I was blown away everytime i saw one. Indeed probably the moment of the holiday was when the rest of the group charged off in pursuit of our tenth species of Woodpecker, I held back and watched a male Collared flitting around his nest hole presumably after a second brood. I was just determined to keep on enjoying the commonplace as its was too easy to overlook in search of the rarer - still 'need' White-backed Woodie though :-O

Theres something really cat-like about Collared Flys, maybe its that black tin of paint chucked over white thing going on but really reminds me of my old cat Bonxie (no the other was not called Pom)! He was one of those cats, you know the once in a lifetime cats and he too had a white collar that just extended round the back of his neck (maybe I'm on for finding a Semi-collared... )

Well done again Penny, now all you got to do is find one purely on your own, the lane opposite house on the hill maybe!

Hi Josh!

Thank you VERY much for your kind words! I'm not toooooo fussed to be honest about my name being on the record, at the end of the day David ID'd it and as someone said to me by email, if the bird had gone after I took the first pictures, then I would have had a contributing part to play with the pictures to support David's sighting - in fact it did go missing for a short while, but did appear again to make alot of people VERY happy.:t: Although it would be nice as Paul W. said earlier though to have the 2nd Collared Flycatcher for Holme with my name somewhere in the small print, being as my dear father had the first! But I won't forget that awesome moment ever - David is a lovely lad and a generally quiet person, but he wasn't quiet when he realised what he was seeing!:t: It was an incredible adrenalin rush! I only wish I hadn't sat editing photos all morning now, by hey ho!!!

Re: the lost scope - I don't know why I bothered to be honest. RBA were very helpful to me and the scope owner. Cutting a long story shortish I was given the landline and mob no. of the person and looking at the landline I realised this person was in the Hunstanton region so when I realised there was a wood warbler at Holme I decided it would be more beneficial, both to me and the scope owner to deliver it to Titchwell RSPB (who were very happy to help out). I left a message at Cley VC and with RBA, tried to ring the owner (several times) - no answer on landline, and mobile on answerphone to say I had done this. The owner rang me at the worst time EVER, it was about 10 mins after the inital finding of the Collared Fly and I was desperate to get better pictures. He seemed slightly put out that the scope was not at Cley VC where I originally said I was going to leave it. Not my fault he did not reply to any of my messages earlier! When I said it was now at Titchwell RSPB etc etc he asked if he could meet me somewhere to collect it! In my head I was thinking get off the bl**dy phone, I have a collared flycatcher in front of me, but I politely continued the conversation and repeated that I had left it at Titchwell and why. He said he did not receive any of my text messages (that I had taken ages to type out). I also told him there was a Collared Fly here and he didn't even respond!!!!! Obviously not a serious birder. The excitement of the bird was getting too much now, so said sorry I had to go now. But in the conservation there was not a single thank you mentioned at all - maybe he did, as there was alot of noise all around me in those first few frantic moments of people trying to see the bird. I have stubbornly phoned him each day since to ask if he got his scope ok and could he let me know that he had collected it, but still no reply - unbelievable!!! Next time I come across a scope and tripod I will dump at the nearest police station, it would have saved a whole load of hassle and stress! Some people!!! 'Manners maketh man'. Anyway thanks to RBA, Cley VC and Titchwell RSPB for helping out.


We'll get along fine Josh, as long as you don't mention Black Lark!

It will be my mission now, something to 'do before I die' to find a Collared Fly all by myself!

Thanks again:t:

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

P.S. STILL waiting for some nice person to show me the route to 'The Hills'

 

[Penny Clarke]

"Sunny Hunny" Eagle Owl

See my posting and email from someone and also someone else's ID of the Eagle Owl which someone is saying is an "Indian" Eagle Owl.

http://pennyshotbirdingandlife.blogspot.com/2011/05/pharaoh-eagle-owl.html

 

[jalethbridge]

I presume the Stork answers to the name of George!! They often do!!!!

You have seen a mega rare gull though!!

Regards.

Mark

T'is true, but I was just as happy with the Stork. Innocent until proven guilty I reckon. It didn't do anything wrong when I was there, and indeed it flew when people several hundred yards away.

What is the rationale for keeping one free-winged I wonder? So it can flap up to the roof and look natural? They should get some "real" plastic ones.

 

[Lightthiscandle]

No sign of the Flamingo between 9.15 and 10.30. The 'Great White Egret' is suspected string!

 

[Paul Woolnough]

No Thorpe Marsh Wood Sands Wed lunchtime

If anyone could describe to me where the Wood Sand(s) have been on Station Marshes without using the phrase "new cut" I would be very grateful!

A circuit of Thorpe Marshes revealed very little birdwise.
Was told the two wood sands were on the spit on Monday, viewed from near the viewing screen on the south side. Not there now, sadly.

In overcast conditions I put up loads of dragonflies. I got the impression there was an emergence of blue species today. All were dull with little colouration on them.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell May 11th

Today’s highlights

Temminck’s stint – 2 on fresh marsh mid-morning only
Little stint – 2 on fresh marsh
Curlew sandpiper – 1 on tidal pool
Pied flycatcher – 1 by Fen Hide briefly
Red crested pochard – 1 on grazing marsh pool
Garganey – 2 drakes on fresh marsh
Whinchat – female on grazing marsh

Paul

 

[Songkhran]

We'll get along fine Josh, as long as you don't mention Black Lark!

It will be my mission now, something to 'do before I die' to find a Collared Fly all by myself!

Thanks again:t:

Best Wishes Penny:girl:

P.S. STILL waiting for some nice person to show me the route to 'The Hills'

Black Lark, Black Lark Black Lark!! :-O

Its a differing angle to look at things from but regardless of this geezers gratitude, had you not been trying to sort the scope out, you may have gone to Cley seen the Citrine Wag, not been in the position to see the Collared Fly, a chain of events was put into action that lead to the find.

On the other Hills that breathe this afternoon the male Ring Ouzel was still flitting about on the third hump and I'm regularly seeing Beardies shooting about in the centre of the marsh

 

[ben_lewis]

Sorry for the late info but there was a Glossy Ibis over Strumpshaw today at 13.05. I found out very late (a few mins ago) so missed it too, a bit annoying!
So if all sightings are genuine today was a pretty good day for the reserve with Glossy Ibis, (Greater Flamingo), Great White Egret, Drake gargany as well as the usual fare ie Scarce Chasers, Swallowtails etc.
With regard to the GWE, not sure how gen it was, I know there was a little egret on the reserve this morning, there was also a very pale (partially leucistic?) grey heron too, but I do not know who the observer was so cant say. Apparently he was asked if he saw the yellow feet and replied yes, but I heard that second hand so again cant say too much, only what info has been passed on.

So Buckenham for the Glossy Ibis tomorrow??

 

[stuart white]

Stone Curlew

I was very surprised to see 2 stone curlews in the eye field at Cley this afternoon !! In fact I think I may have sworn. We then joined a few people along the fence and realised they had been watching them too. I don't think they realised quite how scarce they are on the north coast so I phoned them in to the pager. I was also surprised it took one of the famous cley birders 17 minutes to arrive, he normally takes less than 5 !!

Does anyone know when the last SC was at cley and have there been many seen there in the past ?

 

[Stratton Birder]

It will be my mission now, something to 'do before I die' to find a Collared Fly all by myself!

...and I'm sure that in the meantime you'll have a lot of other quality finds too! Sorry I didn't mention the Wood Sand to you on Monday but I was so focused on trying to re-find the Collared Flycatcher that it didn't enter my head. The Wood Sand was on the far-eastern side of the marsh quite close to the adjacent public footpath. I was actually watching it when I saw you further along but it was a quick look and then back to the search. The Cuckoo sure was a cracking bird wasn't it. Glad you saw it well too.

Josh, I'm in total agreement with you regarding finding/co finding. If two or more people go out birding together with the same amount of expectation and enthusiasm and are within reasonably close contact of each other when a goodie is found then they should both/all get some credit. Obviously someone has to get the first visual, whether it be a fleeting glimpse of a possible Radde's (for example) or by contrast a full on view and immediate ID of a male Red-backed Shrike. You both get that brilliant buzz of coming across an unusual bird completely out of the blue and you have maybe put in a lot of hours together to get it.
A knowing twitch along the north Norfolk coast although enjoyable has an air of expectancy about it before you even arrive on site. You hear about the bird, you go, and hopefully you see it. I'm not knocking twitching at all, I regularly do it. The main reasons being that some birds are so rare that I could go out birding every day for a hundred years and never find say, a Black Lark and if I'm not finding much myself its nice to go and see someone else's Wryneck. Twitching is basically birders helping birders see birds.
But going back to my original topic, the co-operation involved in birding as a team is very enjoyable, rewarding and sometimes frustrating as me and Josh both know when we go sea-watching. I've lost count of the amount of times we've deliberated over a brief or distant skua.
You can feed of each others enthusiasm too. Sometimes, one or the other of a birding duo can be a bit on the dozy side like I was when I was almost falling asleep in Washington Hide while Josh kept focused and ultimately found FOUR Rough-legged Buzzards up together in front of the wood earlier this year. That quickly pepped me up!!
So get out there all you birding teams and if you come across something special, just be glad to be part of that moment regardless of who spots it first!!

 

[Stratton Birder]

Stone Curlew

Does anyone know when the last SC was at cley and have there been many seen there in the past ?

I twitched one at Cley on 20th August 2000. Ironic actually as I failed to see any at Weeting that year despite two or three visits.

 

[Happisbirder]

Stone Curlew

I was very surprised to see 2 stone curlews in the eye field at Cley this afternoon !! In fact I think I may have sworn. We then joined a few people along the fence and realised they had been watching them too. I don't think they realised quite how scarce they are on the north coast so I phoned them in to the pager. I was also surprised it took one of the famous cley birders 17 minutes to arrive, he normally takes less than 5 !!

Does anyone know when the last SC was at cley and have there been many seen there in the past ?

I'm sure I uttered a mild expletive when I stumbled across one at Happisburgh last month!

With reference to them at Cley I saw one on the reserve in the dim and distant past... April 1985.

James

 

[Tideliner]

The Gt White Egret is probably not a string. One was in the R Wensum valley most of last week.

 

[Paul Woolnough]

Stoneys in the Cley Square

Stone Curlew

Does anyone know when the last SC was at cley and have there been many seen there in the past ?

Cley birders would know.
Richard Millington kindly allowed me views of one of the stone-curlew through his scope. Oone on show from Beach Road. Elusive in the long grass where they were hidden most of the time.

The cows moved over to where the birds were and flushed them. Good views obtained and Steve Gantlett took some shots.

Last Cley bird?

2004 to 2009 Norfolk Bird Report Cley Square records
Salthouse 17 May 2008
Blakeney Friary Hills 25 April 2007
Blakeney Point 28 May 2005
Blakeney Point 1 August 2004
Ah!
Cley and Blakeney Point 5 June 2002
Cley 28 June 2001
Blakeney Point August 13 2000 then Cley August 14 to 23 2000
The bird seen by Stratton Birder

Cley Square tick for me today 11 May 2011.

 

[Lightthiscandle]

Strumpshaw

Sorry for the late info but there was a Glossy Ibis over Strumpshaw today at 13.05. I found out very late (a few mins ago) so missed it too, a bit annoying!

Couple of pictures of Strumpshaw's Home Boy not seeing a Glossy Ibis! Also a non-bird image from the road near the carpark.