Norfolk birding (56 Viewers)

[O.Reville1989]

I can’t write about the conduct of the ‘camera users’ after I’d left, but the bird seemed totally unconcerned by several right out in the open while I was there. I still played safe and penetrated a sea-buckthorn (It’s alright: they can’t do you for it.), using it as rather spiky cover to obtain my shots.

Absolutely John and not pointing fingers at anyone, just repeating what was said to me when I arrived.
I did flush a passerine from the dunes while searching for the redpoll but the light was too bad by this point to get much detail other than being finch like, Certainly bigger than the desired redpoll.

 

[James Emerson]

This was updated from Horsey to Eccles shortly after on RBA.

Anyone know details about the "recent" Sibe Stonechat at Horsey, rept on Birdguides tonight? Free on Monday to go and have a look, but would be good to know if worth walking north or south from the gap.

For any Norwich birders who want to look for the Black Redstart tomorrow morning I have attached a map of the area it was in. It was showing down to a few feet this evening, albeit the light was rather poor (hence the blurry photo!).

James

 

[Robert S J Smith]

Piptoporus betulinus - Birch Polypore

Taking son to rugby match in Holt tomorrow morning, so hope the horny Redpoll reappears by lunchtime...

Anyone know details about the "recent" Sibe Stonechat at Horsey, rept on Birdguides tonight? Free on Monday to go and have a look, but would be good to know if worth walking north or south from the gap. Winterton quiet today, but a nice Peregrine sparring with the Marsh Harriers. Thrush numbers seemed low, except for a few Blackbirds and Redwings along the western edge of the village

Ta

Andy

One recently Eccles per RBA (previously Horsey but later corrected)

R

 

[Andy Musgrove]

Thanks guys - and great Black Red shot!

Andy

 

[Tractorboy69]

More Shags

At least 20 Shags roosted on the cliffs at Hunstanton tonight (Robert Smith had 33 recently and Dave Hawkins and I have both had counts of 24 in the days before the 'great fog').

This is a traditional roost site with at least one bird roosting nearly every winter. These are, however, exceptional counts (the highest previous count I have traced for the cliffs is of 15 birds on November 4th 2002) but there are records of higher numbers elsewhere in the county: there were 32 east at Sheringham on 19th Dec 1979, 35 at Mundesley on Oct 1st 2008, 40 at Brancaster in November 1993, 43 at Cromer on 27th November 1960 and a record 71 at Sheringham on 22nd September 1974. Shags also occur irregularly inland but the 24 in a garden at Mundford must have been a most unlikely garden tick for the owner on 27th January 2005.

Anyone wishing to witness the shags at Hunstanton in these exceptional numbers should view northwards from the lookout adjacent to the Salad Bowl Cafe, at the southern end of the cliffs. The birds usually appear about 1-2 hours before dusk and gather in one or two flocks close inshore, before their prolonged and repeated attempts to settle on the cliffs (they settle just out of sight at the western-most extremity of the cliffs). Whilst they seem unconcerned by the appearance of the rooting Peregrines, they flush when approached by walkers (with or without dogs), so please keep your distance and view from the promenade or the lookout. On windy evenings, the birds engage in all sorts of apparently crazy aerobatics at cliff top level - best appreciated from the cliff top opposite the end of Queen's Drive - about half way along their length.

Roosting birds in past years have sported darvic rings placed on them on the Isle of May: I can see at least one of these birds bearing a white darvic too, but have yet to get close enough to read it.

For anyone interested there are also good numbers of Shags at Cromer at the moment. They are favouring the area around the pier and regularly perching up on the lifeboat ramp at the end of the pier, especially at low tide when more of the ramp is exposed.

Y'day there was 15 together on the ramp at one point, but they were coming and going all the time so there were probably many more involved. Today it was too windy for them to perch on the ramp, a few still tried before being blown off, but I had a flock of 21 circle the ramp at one point before going back down on the sea where a number of others were present.

Not quite sure if they are actually visible from the pier itself due to the angle of viewing but they can easily been seen from the prom either side.

Simon

 

[john miller]

Absolutely John and not pointing fingers at anyone, just repeating what was said to me when I arrived.
I did flush a passerine from the dunes while searching for the redpoll but the light was too bad by this point to get much detail other than being finch like, Certainly bigger than the desired redpoll.

From what I have heard photographers were within a few feet of the bird when it flushed. Makes me embarrassed to be seen carrying a camera around at a rare bird.

John

http://kellingnature.zenfolio.com

 

[Andy Musgrove]

For anyone interested there are also good numbers of Shags at Cromer at the moment. They are favouring the area around the pier and regularly perching up on the lifeboat ramp at the end of the pier, especially at low tide when more of the ramp is exposed.

Y'day there was 15 together on the ramp at one point, but they were coming and going all the time so there were probably many more involved. Today it was too windy for them to perch on the ramp, a few still tried before being blown off, but I had a flock of 21 circle the ramp at one point before going back down on the sea where a number of others were present.

Not quite sure if they are actually visible from the pier itself due to the angle of viewing but they can easily been seen from the prom either side.

Simon

As alluded to in the previous post, lots of Shags have been darvic ringed further north over the last few years and this has yielded a lot of interesting information. It would be really interesting to know where some of these new Norfolk shags have come from, so please look out for darvic rings and send them in to BTO - thanks!

Andy

 

[Penny Clarke]

I saw the Redpoll and photographed it along with others. It wasn't bothered in the slightest by people taking photos, in fact sometimes it was too close to take a picture!!! Every so often it would fly around the back of the dunes and then a minute or two later, fly back to right in front of us. Not once did it appear startled, in fact it was one of the most relaxed, 'not bovered' birds I have ever seen! Its probably just settled down for the night. The light was going pretty rapidly as I left. I can assure everyone that no photographer upset this bird whilst I was there. Arriving late in the day to see a bird is often a risk – it happens to us all!

Update: I think there was approx 20 people max there - didn't really count, but certainly not more.

Loads of pictures on my blog now

Penny:girl:

 

[Mark Batten]

There is a photo of Martin garner taking shots of the same species on shetland. He is feet away and the bird shows no sign of being spooked. Smaller crowds on shetland so same rules do not apply. The same bird in norfolk results in hundreds of people many wanting to take photos. Think the rules on this are not always straightforward and depend on how many are watching.

 

[tonyfenn]

Check out the photo on Birding World web site

 

[richardm]

Just a quickie to say I was at the redpoll this afternoon. Photographers and birders could get close, as the bird was ultra-confiding (it had maybe never seen a human) but it was spooked twice ... by a Robin and a myxi Rabbit! The problem was more that the bird often flew and hopped ever closer, even too close to focus on, and birders arriving might have percieved this as the crowd having encroached on the bird ... when in fact the opposite had happened! It is a super bird, but obviously can disappear for long periods of its own accord, and it has been suggested that it may range out into Burnham Overy Dunes.

 

[Shaky09]

This was updated from Horsey to Eccles shortly after on RBA.



For any Norwich birders who want to look for the Black Redstart tomorrow morning I have attached a map of the area it was in. It was showing down to a few feet this evening, albeit the light was rather poor (hence the blurry photo!).

James

Thanks for the map James. Hope to take George for his morning nap tomorrow and take a butchers down the carthredel !
I didn't get to the coast today but did get to the patch and had some good numbers of teal(40+) and Pochards and gadwall too. A cracking male bullfinch was a super end to the day.
Shaky

 

[northernloon]

There are some excellent pictures of the Shetland Hornemann's here for comparison

 

[wolfbirder]

That looks a cracking bird to me - very much like a Hornemann's IMO.

 

[Viv Connett]

I saw the Redpoll and photographed it along with others. It wasn't bothered in the slightest by people taking photos, in fact sometimes it was too close to take a picture!!! Every so often it would fly around the back of the dunes and then a minute or two later, fly back to right in front of us. Not once did it appear startled, in fact it was one of the most relaxed, 'not bovered' birds I have ever seen! Its probably just settled down for the night. The light was going pretty rapidly as I left. I can assure everyone that no photographer upset this bird whilst I was there. Arriving late in the day to see a bird is often a risk – it happens to us all!




I believe from comments made to our group when we arrived in the carpark that there weren't any photos at the time and we were probably the first to photograph it (must have been about 3ish I imagine). It was feeding constantly all the time we were there and did come very close. I would point out that those of us with cameras were almost ushered closer by a gentleman who was there ( we were standing in the bush at the left hand side of where the bird was feeding) and we certainly didn't disturb it. I did hear a comment behind me "well we should have some decent photos now"!
It was still feeding happily when we left but obviously I can't comment on what may have happened later.

Not all photographers are insensitive to the wildlife you know

 

[upstarts1979]

I saw the Redpoll and photographed it along with others. It wasn't bothered in the slightest by people taking photos, in fact sometimes it was too close to take a picture!!! Every so often it would fly around the back of the dunes and then a minute or two later, fly back to right in front of us. Not once did it appear startled, in fact it was one of the most relaxed, 'not bovered' birds I have ever seen! Its probably just settled down for the night. The light was going pretty rapidly as I left. I can assure everyone that no photographer upset this bird whilst I was there. Arriving late in the day to see a bird is often a risk – it happens to us all!




I believe from comments made to our group when we arrived in the carpark that there weren't any photos at the time and we were probably the first to photograph it (must have been about 3ish I imagine). It was feeding constantly all the time we were there and did come very close. I would point out that those of us with cameras were almost ushered closer by a gentleman who was there ( we were standing in the bush at the left hand side of where the bird was feeding) and we certainly didn't disturb it. I did hear a comment behind me "well we should have some decent photos now"!
It was still feeding happily when we left but obviously I can't comment on what may have happened later.

Not all photographers are insensitive to the wildlife you know

Hi Viv
Can we share your pictures.:t:john

 

[PYRTLE]

Between 350 to 400 starlings moving west this morning, in groups of thirties and forties, inland near Fakenham (0710 - 0830). Also thrushes still going through in numbers, mainly redwings and fieldfares (also westerly) after having fed on the fields. A mixed flock of over 100 f' & r' still feeding in horse paddocks and a few bullfinches along the footpath towards Langor Bridge.

 

[GYBirder23]

Now off out grilling my patch, another bush full of Goldcrests in the garden has got me up and out this morning

 

[GYBirder23]

Now off out grilling my patch, another bush full of Goldcrests in the garden has got me up and out this morning

Several Goldcrests in GY cem a few Blackbirds in off and 8 Skylarks on Denes

 

[Robert S J Smith]

What's the latest record for Black Tern in Norfolk?

Cheers,

R