Norfolk birding (3 Viewers)

[Penny Clarke]

The Pacific Golden Plover showed again this evening, a striking bird:t: but very distant and a tiny smudge on the camera!

Full update on blog.

Penny:girl:

 

[Locostella]

The plover at Cley has come back,
Perhaps on the back of a kayak,
Came in on the tide,
Hopped off after a ride,
And showing quite well from the shack!

In praise of our laureate, FTJ

There once was a man from Kentucket............

 

[firstreesjohn]

Pullover foam- or fulva pome ?

“How dare you go diss Steve’s Pacific G,
I could say it was too bad- well, sick, if we
Weren’t looking out south,
From Swarovski Hide, mouth:
“There it is !” (or just whisper), so all can see.”

I took a series of shots of this lovely bird, whose beauty was evident, even at such a distance: over 300m from t’Hide to south end of North Scrape. However, they were all cousins of Penny’s “smudges”- one even showing it with two heads.

There once was a man from Kentucket............

Kieran’s ditty seems to be incomplete; perhaps his internet credits were via NatWest ! I exercise due temerity in attempting a conclusion:

“There once was a man from Kentucket,
Who slipped over and fell in a bucket.
He injured a finger,
But said: ‘I won’t linger;
I’ll get out and make do and just suck it.’”

 

[James Anderson]

I got home from the WeBS count this morning to spot a Nuthatch on the feeders. I put the hide up and spent the afternoon waiting for a return visit and the bird duly obliged. :t:

This is the first Nuthatch I've seen in Langham.

While I was waiting a Treecreeper made a couple of visits to the pear tree.

Very nice shot of the Nuthatch Dave.
Been trying to find one on my local patch for 2 years now without success.:-C

 

[HarassedDad]

The BioBlitz at the Dinosaur park at Lenwade yesterday was also enlivened by a Red Kite fly over around 3pm. Also a Bullfinch flew in front of the car as we left.

 

[Shaky09]

Red kite through Strumpshaw 215 pm, seen from car at overflow car park.
Male bullfinch calling then flew from tree close by, soon after, same spot.

Thorpe Marshes Norwich
The regular male marsh harrier, hobby (patch tick), kestrel, both kingfisher and shelduck (scarce here) through and common tern (or two) along river.

Glad u caught up with the lingering hobby buddy. In the last 18 months at the patch I've only had 3 sightings of a single Shelduck and every time flying east over marsh. The Kingfisher has been a bit of a boogy bird for me there this year with only a couple of sightings , so nice to hear its showing it self! I've had a Common Tern on both visits this week here and the ever intriguing LRPs too. Hope for some more sunny evenings too for some late visits( it is summer after all!)
Happy birding
Shaky

 

[James Emerson]

No sign of any Red Kites at Thorpe Station Marsh this morning, but I did have a Wood Sandpiper on the scrape. It flew up and east but didn't look like it went too far. I couldn't find it on the spit or any of the exposed mud along the river, but it may still be in the area.

 

[Paul Woolnough]

Thorpe Marshes

Thanks Shaky

I spent two hour there yesterday. Always a chance of raptors passing over and along the valley or along the ridge over Thorpe St Andrew. Three tufties on the Broad, little else. Watched the skies most of the time and a timely clear slot brought in the hobby and shelduck. Neither stayed long. The kingfisher shot across the south side of the Broad and only showed for a few seconds.

Carried bins only and a dark raptor was seen flying high over Thorpe, turning back east amd away north east out of sight, when confronted by corvids. ID not clinched but probably a marsh harrier.

Have heard what I thought were lesser whitethroats calling but when seen they are common w.

Need to go back in the evening for barn owls and perhaps tawny too(?).

 

[MICK SAUNT]

More red kites

It seems to have been a good day for Red Kites: while on the bus to Norwich, I had one over the roundabout in Poringland at 14:10 & a second in Trowse over the green at 14:20. Finally on the bus back to Poringland at 17:25 a Common Buzzard over the Tas Valley at Caister St Edmund. All seen without bins unfortunately.

Cheers

Geoff

One over Dunston Hall at 3.15 while enjoying a barbecue and falconry display with Saker and Lanner being flown.
Mick

 

[MJB]

One over Dunston Hall at 3.15 while enjoying a barbecue... Mick

That's why we've seen an increase in Red Kite sightings in the county - the barbecue season has changed their diet!:-O
MJB

 

[James Anderson]

Red Kite over Burnham Thorpe yesterday

After missing the PGP :-C

 

[petehasset]

Thanks Shaky

I spent two hour there yesterday. Always a chance of raptors passing over and along the valley or along the ridge over Thorpe St Andrew. Three tufties on the Broad, little else. Watched the skies most of the time and a timely clear slot brought in the hobby and shelduck. Neither stayed long. The kingfisher shot across the south side of the Broad and only showed for a few seconds.

Carried bins only and a dark raptor was seen flying high over Thorpe, turning back east amd away north east out of sight, when confronted by corvids. ID not clinched but probably a marsh harrier.

Have heard what I thought were lesser whitethroats calling but when seen they are common w

Need to go back in the evening for barn owls and perhaps tawny too(?).

Had good views off Barn Owl & Grasshopper Warbler on wednesday eve at Thorpe Marsh , the Barn Owl came to about 25ft from me , both were near the cattle pens

 

[jimbob]

No sign of any Red Kites at Thorpe Station Marsh this morning, but I did have a Wood Sandpiper on the scrape. It flew up and east but didn't look like it went too far. I couldn't find it on the spit or any of the exposed mud along the river, but it may still be in the area.

An excellent bird James! Adult birds are scarce at this time of year. I seem to remember there were 2 birds here last year?
I'll head to Surlingham later in the hope that it has rested there!

Cheers,
Jim.

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell June 24th

Today’s highlights

Spotted redshank – 7 on fresh marsh
Green sandpiper – 1 on fresh marsh
Spoonbill – 1 on fresh marsh
Little ringed plover – 2 on fresh marsh
Little gull – 15 on fresh marsh
Knot – 1200 on fresh marsh over high tide

Paul

 

[Andyclose]

Visiting soon

Hi All,

I'm coming down for a family holiday in a couple of weeks but hoping to do some birding.mim staying Cley area and was hoping for some advice on finding a good spot for Barn Owl and, Hobby, Turtle Dove?

Hoping the request isn't too controversial.

Thanks.

Andy

 

[Robert S J Smith]

Walked out to Thornham Point (Holme side) this morning and saw sod all apart from a very showy Grasshopper Warbler...

Also, If anyone's looking for people to help fill there car going to the Little Swift I'd be interested!

Cheers,

Robert (About to watch the Italian Job!)

COME ON ENGLAND!!!

 

[john miller]

The Plover came a bit closer this evening, at least better than just a smudge!!
The only features that I can see on this bird that makes it Pacific is the length of the tertials, there is as far as I can see hardly any exposed primary, plus wider black down chest. Otherwise plumage looks very like a American, structure hard to tell on a lone bird but cannot see any difference comparing it to my pics of American.
Any comments??

John

 

[James Emerson]

Yes indeed. Last year there were two in the second week of May. Wood Sands tend to pass back from early July, so I guess that this was just a week or so early. I think there has been one at Buckenham/Strumpshaw quite recently too, so maybe even that one.

An excellent bird James! Adult birds are scarce at this time of year. I seem to remember there were 2 birds here last year?
I'll head to Surlingham later in the hope that it has rested there!

Cheers,
Jim.

Barn Owls are common all along the North Norfolk coast. In previous years I have seen Barn Owl and Hobby from the garden of the Dun Cow pub at Salthouse, the village east of Cley. The only place I have seen Turtle Dove this year was at Choseley Drying Barns near Titchwell.

Hi All,

I'm coming down for a family holiday in a couple of weeks but hoping to do some birding.mim staying Cley area and was hoping for some advice on finding a good spot for Barn Owl and, Hobby, Turtle Dove?

Hoping the request isn't too controversial.

Thanks.

Andy

 

[G Bond]

The Plover came a bit closer this evening, at least better than just a smudge!!

John

Looks a bit odd for a PGP with just the white shoulder patch, though the wings are short. I've not seen it yet (just back from France) but is this possibly an American?

 

[john miller]

Hi All,

I'm coming down for a family holiday in a couple of weeks but hoping to do some birding.mim staying Cley area and was hoping for some advice on finding a good spot for Barn Owl and, Hobby, Turtle Dove?

Hoping the request isn't too controversial.

Thanks.

Andy

Barn Owls in daytime are not as common on the North coast in summer as they are in late winter. However they are usually around in the evening along the Glaven valley, from Blakeney bank or the fields just North of Natuaral Surroundings at Glanford. Otherwise as said Salthouse Marsh. Probably the highest concentration is in the Burnham Norton area, just West of the bridge on the coast road. Best time is after a stormy or rainy night and morning.
Turtle Dove, two or three calling males on Kelling Heath. But please stick to the footpaths as other birds are breeding.
Hobby, nobody is going to put anything specific on a public forum, but the odd bird can sometimes be seen hunting over Cley/Salthouse in the evening.

John