Norfolk birding (25 Viewers)

[GeoffBowen]

Tweets & Vodafone

While we're being technical..

I post to Twitter when I'm in the field using SMS from my mobile on Vodafone. This morning's posts didn't seem to be getting through, and I didn't receive any text notifications from birders I follow. Using my PC, I've discovered a message in my Twitter settings saying that my current carrier doesn't allow this any more. Is anyone else having this issue with Vodafone, and is it temporary or have I got to find another carrier? (Any recommendations?)

Stew

Hi Stew
Afraid Vodafone have pulled the plug on twitter. I phone Vodafone this morning and their Customer Support person had no idea that they had done this, suggesting my settings were at fault. Later I discovered (via the twitter app on my mobile) that loads of others had the same issue and that Vodafone had finally owned up to it.

I for one will be finishing with them as soon as my contract is up in a few weeks. I recommend that all twitter users on Vodafone do the same. Customer care ? I should coco.

Cheers
Geoff

 

[Penny Clarke]

Hi Stew
Afraid Vodafone have pulled the plug on twitter. I phone Vodafone this morning and their Customer Support person had no idea that they had done this, suggesting my settings were at fault. Later I discovered (via the twitter app on my mobile) that loads of others had the same issue and that Vodafone had finally owned up to it.

I for one will be finishing with them as soon as my contract is up in a few weeks. I recommend that all twitter users on Vodafone do the same. Customer care ? I should coco.

Cheers
Geoff

Ditto, not happy, combined with this and the fact that my apple iphone 5s doesn't have enough signal to work twitter or fb when away from my house, means I will be changing from vodafone and iphone!

 

[93Birder]

1) The bird was already tame as hell, This natural fear is a common trait in this species.

Hi Jake, I've reproduced and edited you're comment which could be interpreted as a slight contradiction, could it not!

My question is what in your opinion makes the bird tame?

Could it be that certain species rarely encounter human beings from being a juvenile in a remote breeding area and thus have no or little need to fear a human when they first encounter close contact. I have been fortunate to watch Desert Wheatear on their breeding grounds and my thought is they are as tolerant as other breeding wheatear I've encountered...I am not a photographer, but watch from a distance through a telescope eg .. a boring old fart as some might say, of nearly 60 years in my current life.

Regards, Pat

Pretty much, same applies to Grey Phalaropes, and probably a few other species I can't remember.

It was a nice experience at the end of the day, if you like viewing the bird from a distance that's fine by me. I do too, however in the rare occasion an opportunity arises where a bird does allow a human to be within close proximity of it, it's a nice experience to have.

I shall no longer be responding on this issue, there's nothing more that needs to be said on the matter.

 

[StewB]

Hi Stew
Afraid Vodafone have pulled the plug on twitter. I phone Vodafone this morning and their Customer Support person had no idea that they had done this, suggesting my settings were at fault. Later I discovered (via the twitter app on my mobile) that loads of others had the same issue and that Vodafone had finally owned up to it.

I for one will be finishing with them as soon as my contract is up in a few weeks. I recommend that all twitter users on Vodafone do the same. Customer care ? I should coco.

Cheers
Geoff

Thanks Geoff, there's a perverse comfort in knowing I'm not alone.

Could anyone recommend a network that still permits posting and receiving tweets via SMS? Someone suggested that using a long code will allow posting (but not receiving) on Vodafone and other networks, but the short code (which is the one which you need to set up both posting and receiving) list which I reached through the Twitter website still has Vodafone and Orange on it, so it clearly isn't up to date.

Stew

 

[Songkhran]

Wading in here on the mealworm debate as I don't think it resolved yet. Quite often when the issue of birders getting to close to a bird is at stake the said birders will justify their actions by coming up with an argument that the birds wellbeing was not affected which is entirely missing the point. To put it simply if I came round the corner and another birder was trying to hand-feed a bird that the vast majority are happy to observe at a reasonable distance, I would find it an extremely selfish action of someone of clearly has no regard for the way most people want to enjoy their hobby. The best twitches are the ones where there is an general agreed consensus of behaviour, not ones where individuals think they can do what they like.

Such an arrogant response seems to show they take pleasure in all this. In my 'yuff full' days in Norfolk I occasionally made a few mistakes in my behaviour, but you soon realise that not just alienating a few other birders but an entire community is not much fun.

 

[willowgrouse]

...Vodafone have pulled the plug on twitter. I phone Vodafone this morning and their Customer Support person had no idea that they had done this, suggesting my settings were at fault. Later I discovered (via the twitter app on my mobile) that loads of others had the same issue and that Vodafone had finally owned up to it.

I for one will be finishing with them as soon as my contract is up in a few weeks. I recommend that all twitter users on Vodafone do the same. Customer care ? I should coco.

This is normal form for Vodafone. Basically they are a bunch of chiselling b*stards, but probably no more or less than any other large supplier. Call me a cynic if you wish, but is it possible that the lack of sensible messages on the Vodafone driven pagers is linked to the pulling of this service?

 

[lostinjapan]

I can still get Twitter on my Vodafone I-phone, but must admit signal in E Anglia and lack of 3G continues to irritate.

 

[djay]

Just one little thing about mealworms. My Mum feeds them to the garden birds and soaks them in water until they are very soft.

 

[Stephen West]

Anyone thought of doing this for Norfolk listers?

http://ybleague.blogspot.co.uk/p/images-and-comments.html

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell November 18th

Today's highlights

Lapland bunting - 1 west along beach @ 07:10
Peregrine - 1 hunting offshore and caught what was probably a little auk!
Shag - 1 offshore
Hen harrier - male hunting over the saltmarsh throughout the day
Arctic skua - 1 offshore
Red necked grebe - 2 offshore
Spotted redshank - 2 on fresh marsh
Snow bunting - 26 west towards Thornham Point
Short eared owl - 1 in/off sea
Velvet scoter - 7 offshore

Paul

 

[James Emerson]

Some people would undoubtedly find it interesting, but people can already put their county list on BUBO or Surfbirds for free and the uptake as a percentage of Norfolk listers is fairly low, suggesting there isn't a widespread appetite for it.

Also Norfolk has a rather high cynical birder quotient, so I'm sure it wouldn't be long after putting up lists that arguements would ensue about who was counting what.

Maybe in the future there will be one website drawing together sightings and lists from the majority of Norfolk birders as some other counties seem to do. I rather doubt it though!

Anyone thought of doing this for Norfolk listers?

http://ybleague.blogspot.co.uk/p/images-and-comments.html

 

[sacha]

Agree. Not many in Norfolk interested in boasting about their lists.. Although R Millington seeing 400 species in Norfolk is impressive!
James .. I see from Bubo you were are well behind my 2014 total )

 

[James Emerson]

I'm well behind everyone's 2014 total I suspect, having seldom been within sight of the coast and spent most of the autumn looking at fungi not birds!

Agree. Not many in Norfolk interested in boasting about their lists.. Although R Millington seeing 400 species in Norfolk is impressive!
James .. I see from Bubo you were are well behind my 2014 total )

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell November 19th

Today's highlights

Little auk - 1 on beach early morning then on saltmarsh before rescued and put onto the tidal pool. The bird was in good condition and carrying plenty of fat.
Richards pipit - 1 east over the tidal pool @ 11:30 while looking for the little auk
Rough legged buzzard - 1 in/off sea @ 13:00 and flew west towards Thornham
Spotted redshank - 2 on tidal pool
Red necked grebe - 1 offshore
Yellow legged gull - adult roosting on fresh marsh

Paul

 

[Michael Stowers]

Any info on the Penduline Tits at Strump?

 

[robinchittenden]

Any info on the Penduline Tits at Strump?

19th November

Seen for a minute from Fen Hide at 11.45

 

[Michael Stowers]

19th November

Seen for a minute from Fen Hide at 11.45

Thanks - I'll be checking the Somerleyton reed beds in the morning then! You never know!! It would certainly liven up my patch list.

 

[jimbob]

19th November

Seen for a minute from Fen Hide at 11.45

Glad to hear they've been seen. I notice the original report from yesterday was rubbished by a minority on Twitter. Humble pie for those individuals, who will no doubt twitch the birds anyway!

 

[Lightthiscandle]

Tits!

Take that anyway you like!
For the Thomases on Twitter: I've seen - and heard - literally dozens of Pendulines in France during over 100 birding visits in the past 25 years and I've also seen five in the UK (ALL videoed!) before yesterday. Although I didn't manage a photo, I saw them pretty well at around 10 metres: this was the third time I've seen/heard them since Ben Lewis initially discovered them a couple of weeks back.... but then, I do visit the Fen for a couple of hours two or three times a week!

I wasn't at the Fen today, but I bet a lot of people were: good that the PTs were seen again, but bad because it means Strumpshaw will be crowded with rarity chasers.... The 'song' is hyper-distinctive, so if people keep the noise down, they'll know when to look out for shaking reedmace stems!

 

[Paul Eele]

Titchwell November 20th

Today's highlights

Hen harrier - male still present on the reserve today
Snow bunting - 1 west mid afternoon
Yellow legged gull - 1 roosting on fresh marsh
Sandwich tern - 1 still offshore
Spotted redshank - 3 on fresh marsh
Red breasted merganser - 70 offshore this morning

Paul