Norfolk birding (6 Viewers)

[Lightthiscandle]

Frustration!

Frustrating but fun!
A whole day devoted to the Melodious and Hume's saw me looking in the wrong direction during their all-too-brief appearances! Funny how one's personal radar can be off at times....So, for those thinking of looking for these, you might have a long wait for a few seconds of bird!
Managed to see a Firecrest at Trimmingham ( See sh*te photo!) as well as several Black Redstarts at Happisburgh.

 

[Paul Eele]

Rough legged buzzard reported in the Titchwell sightings book from Choseley this morning but no other details.
Yellow browed warbler still present on the Meadow Trail and 20 snow bunting on beach.

Paul

 

[Garybirder]

I also saw what I assume was the same bird this morning, in the driveway to Thatchers, while dipping on the Melodious Warbler (I had to leave for work at 8.00 am, it was first seen this morning at 8.05 - typical! Mind you there was only me looking up to about 7.45 - a big area for one pair of eyes, an elusive bird and not much time).

I might have another go for the Melodious in the morning but will have to leave even earlier. Failing that I'll be hoping it stays until Saturday. Not just a Norfolk mega but a UK bogey for me.

I did look up the road for you but you'd already gone when it was refound at 8.05, It showed well for a while before flying into the Garden. Although it hasn't been seen today (yet) it wouldn't surprise me if its still in the Garden somewhere.

 

[Charlie Sargent]

Short break on the Broads

Next Tuesday I will be taking a short break on the Broads. We have a cottage booked at Horning for four nights. Can anyone recommend some good birding in this area where I could spend a few hours. I had thought of Cley and Titchwell but being a short break it would probably be better to spend full days at these locations some other time ... I might be wrong.

Any advice or help would be much appreciated.

Charlie

 

[Songkhran]

Next Tuesday I will be taking a short break on the Broads. We have a cottage booked at Horning for four nights. Can anyone recommend some good birding in this area where I could spend a few hours. I had thought of Cley and Titchwell but being a short break it would probably be better to spend full days at these locations some other time ... I might be wrong.

Any advice or help would be much appreciated.

Charlie

Hi Charlie, if you want to keep it very local and be a bit adventurous, St Benet's Abbey can be very good for raptors and Swans in the winter. Viewing from the Abbey, (which is interesting in itself) you should see plenty of Barn Owls (Dark-breasted has been seen in the past), maybe Short-eared Owl, Merlins, Peregrines and a Marsh Harrier roost (seen 25 come in before) that could hold Hens. There is also a big wintering population of Bewick's and Whooper viewable from here or the A1062 near Ludham Bridge. Occasionally Cranes or Bitterns could drift over into this area - you'll also have the place to yourself! You've also got a multitude of small Broads in your area to explore.

If you do go to St Benet's its extremely flat and exposed so put lots of layers on.

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?...bey&st=3&tl=Map+of+St+Benet's+Abbey,+Norfolk+[Antiquity+(non+Roman)]&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf

I'm sure though other posters can recommend more classic sites.

 

[firstreesjohn]

Trimmings @ Waxwingham

As I was about to set off for the woods at Trimingham, 5 Waxwings flew east, over the car and towards the village. This made me think that my luck had taken a turn for the better. How wrong I was.

Several-woods-mooched-around later and not even a warbler. Everything from the last few days seemed to have cleared out. The only redemption was another dozen Bombys, briefly in the centre of the village; 3 more flew west, as I walked back, forlornly, to the car.

With the skies as grey as the Spitting Image puppet of John Major, I proceeded to make the long drive to Holme. At last: my luck hadn’t Deserted me. The RH shot is a peek at its rump and tail.

A pleasant bonus was meeting Kieran N and Robert S on the freezing, wind-swept beach- ‘mild’ had been the forecast. My fleeces were at least one level too light. It was a shame I had to walk all the way to the Thornham Channel to see the bird and that some deity hadn’t pushed it west, nearer to the car park- after yesterday spent in bed.

Just about to leave Holme, for the long drive east, the pager announced Swift sp at Hunst’on. A few minutes later, I was watching this far from exciting bird. The LH shot (heavily cropped) shows the eddies in the air where it had just been. The next is a little better than a squashed fly (Josh!).

 

[Charlie Sargent]

Hi Charlie, if you want to keep it very local and be a bit adventurous, St Benet's Abbey can be very good for raptors and Swans in the winter. Viewing from the Abbey, (which is interesting in itself) you should see plenty of Barn Owls (Dark-breasted has been seen in the past), maybe Short-eared Owl, Merlins, Peregrines and a Marsh Harrier roost (seen 25 come in before) that could hold Hens. There is also a big wintering population of Bewick's and Whooper viewable from here or the A1062 near Ludham Bridge. Occasionally Cranes or Bitterns could drift over into this area - you'll also have the place to yourself! You've also got a multitude of small Broads in your area to explore.

If you do go to St Benet's its extremely flat and exposed so put lots of layers on.

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?...bey&st=3&tl=Map+of+St+Benet's+Abbey,+Norfolk+[Antiquity+(non+Roman)]&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf

I'm sure though other posters can recommend more classic sites.

Pomskua

This is great information, especially the raptors. All these birds are hard to see at home in Cheshire/Staffordshire borders where I live, only a couple of miles max from Horning as well. I appreciate your help and will definitely take a look at this.

Charlie

 

[Dave Appleton]

I did look up the road for you but you'd already gone when it was refound at 8.05, It showed well for a while before flying into the Garden. Although it hasn't been seen today (yet) it wouldn't surprise me if its still in the Garden somewhere.

Thanks Gary - I'd pushed it to the last minute so once I left I had to do so quickly! With several pairs of eyes arriving just as I was leaving, including some that knew exactly where it had favoured the day before, I feared I would narrowly miss it. Ah well, you win some and lose some (but when it comes to Melodious Warblers I seem to lose them all!). I might have a go in the morning anyway - as you say there's a chance it's still lurking there. Whereabouts was it seen yesterday?

 

[firstreesjohn]

Horning for four nights

Charlie:

And don’t forget you’re within 15 minutes of the east coast: Waxham, Horsey, Winterton and Great Yarmouth cemetery, to name a few of the more productive places at this time of year.

With the autumn being ‘late’ and the winds from the south and east, some rarer migrant passerines must be a possibility next week.

Your last day might be a slow, westerly trawl around the coast, on your way back, calling in at wherever there’s some good stuff: Cley NWT and RSPB Titchwell are usually good bets, anyway.

 

[Garybirder]

Thanks Gary - I'd pushed it to the last minute so once I left I had to do so quickly! With several pairs of eyes arriving just as I was leaving, including some that knew exactly where it had favoured the day before, I feared I would narrowly miss it. Ah well, you win some and lose some (but when it comes to Melodious Warblers I seem to lose them all!). I might have a go in the morning anyway - as you say there's a chance it's still lurking there. Whereabouts was it seen yesterday?

From where we stood, walk towards the church and turn left towards the field just past the bungalow. The Warbler was in the pine tree in the NE corner in the garden of 'Thatched' viewed from the edge of the field it was there for at least 35mins on and off in the pine trees from 8.05 (Thursday)

 

[Mark Batten]

All attempts to turn the hunstanton swift into a pallid were unsuccesful. The lack of Pallid features did not help! This left the desert wheatear as the clear highlight on a day of much driving and many dips!!

 

[Jhanlon]

Also today a very late house martin over Happisburgh.
James

 

[Charlie Sargent]

Charlie:

And don’t forget you’re within 15 minutes of the east coast: Waxham, Horsey, Winterton and Great Yarmouth cemetery, to name a few of the more productive places at this time of year.

With the autumn being ‘late’ and the winds from the south and east, some rarer migrant passerines must be a possibility next week.

Your last day might be a slow, westerly trawl around the coast, on your way back, calling in at wherever there’s some good stuff: Cley NWT and RSPB Titchwell are usually good bets, anyway.

Hi firstreejohn

Thanks for information. I will definitely look at the coastal destinations. I would love to go to Cley and Titchwell but think the other half has shown a desire to call into Norwich on the way home. We will see.

Regards Charlie

 

[Locostella]

Desert Wheatear photos

Morning everyone,

Does anyone have any flight shots of the Desert Wheatear? A couple of lovely people have let me use shots of theirs, but I can't seem to get hold of a flight shot of the bird.

Cheers peeps

Regards Kieran

 

[O.Reville1989]

Relieved to catch up with the Desert Wheatear today, great looking bird!
Also great to find 4 Bewick's Swans at Cley, really welcome surprise for a random trip to see what was about.

 

[James Emerson]

Connor,
I can remember the mild interest (by today's standards) raised by the identification of a Common Whitethroat at Welney about 25 years ago on or around 7-8 December, but sharp frosts over the next few days put paid to it. I didn't discover the bird, but was shown it by some birders from Norfolk; they mentioned it had been around for some time. It was in the bushes behind the old tea-room.

Obviously the discoverers hadn't sent in their record to the then County Recorder, but I wonder if it was mentioned in the old small-format book published by the Castle Museum?.

MJB

There is a Lesser Whitethroat listed as overwintering at Welney until 15th Jan in the 1985 Bird & Mammal report, could it have been re-identified as that, or just coincidence? Incidentally looking at 80s reports was a bit confusing as some didn't even mention Whitethroat - presumably birds only made it in if there were interesting sightings rather than a complete record.

 

[jimbob]

Began my search of 'new' habitat round Hemsby and Caister. I must have been searching in the wrong area, for I did not see the Waxwings that have since been reported. However, it was Thrush city in a small copse; c50 Blackbird and a smattering of Redwing. A Bullfinch was amongst Chaffinch feeding on berries.
Caister beach, and I quickly got onto a group of 19 Snow Bunting, several showing much of their striking summer plumage, fantastic! Despite the misty conditions at sea, Red-throated Divers came past and 2 Gannets fished more distantly. A probable Red-necked Grebe was seen briefly, but I made the mistake of moving my scope. That was that! A nice suprise were a flock of 21 Barnacle Geese heading south.
Popped into Filby Broad on the way home, 6 Goldeneye the highlight here.
Found so much likely looking habo today, just a shame this has happened perhaps a few weeks too late this year!
Cheers,
Jim.

 

[David Norgate]

All attempts to turn the hunstanton swift into a pallid were unsuccesful. The lack of Pallid features did not help! This left the desert wheatear as the clear highlight on a day of much driving and many dips!!

Interesting pager message today then, saying it was still present and a Pallid!!!

 

[Songkhran]

Pomskua

This is great information, especially the raptors. All these birds are hard to see at home in Cheshire/Staffordshire borders where I live, only a couple of miles max from Horning as well. I appreciate your help and will definitely take a look at this.

Charlie

Hi Charlie, only been to this site twice, both times it was very atmospheric with some good sighting. Don't want to give too much away but the approach road, abbey, panoramic views and hopefully birds will make it quite a unique experience. The harriers roost in the small wood on Ward's Marsh, please let me know how you got on,

cheers, Josh

 

[Mark Batten]

Interesting pager message today then, saying it was still present and a Pallid!!!

Would be very interesting to see the photos David. Ten birders tried very hard to turn the bird into a Pallid. The light was aweful but the bird appeared to have long thin wings with pointed tips. The bird also lacked a pale throat. Photos confirm these features/ lack of features. One or two birders commented about possible scaling although the light made this difficult to judge. Happy to forward my photos to you if you would like?