Monday, June 27, 2005

Norfolk












Young Reed Bunting at Snettisham Costal Park

A morning visit to Titchwell in the hope of catching up with Bittern paid off with one low over the reeds seen from the main path, it is great to hear that these birds have sucessfully raised and are now feeding young, the first confirmed breeding in many years. other than the Bittern it was pretty standard stuff with Spotty spotted Redshank, Common Sandpiper and Little Gulls on the fresh Marsh. We would had waited longer for the bittern to show but leaft early after a Red-necked Phalarope was repoted at Burnham Norton. On arriving at the pool there was no sighn of the bird and with visitors arriving back home we couldnt stay out too long. After waiting at the pools with no further sighn we headed back to the car and were just thinking of leaving when someones phone rang with a message to say ''its back on the pool!'' The bird was showing when we reached the pools though was too distant for a pic. A Spotted Flycatcher obliged in the carpark on our return, with a female pochard and her 4 young resting in the reeds









Thursday, June 23, 2005

Sponsored Birdwatch

This was something that I always told myself i would do but something I had never actually got round to doing. Eventually i decided to do it this year and raise money for the for the NOA by walking from Beach Road at Snettisham through to the OBS at Holme. Taking part in a sponsored birdwatch is a great way to raise money and makes the perfect excuse for a fun days birding, why not give it a go yourself?!

3:45
An early Morning start to make the most of the day. Turtle Dove and Lesser whitethroat were quickly added in the Costal Park with Barn Owl hunting the fields, A high flying Fulmar was a pleasant surprise and Grasshoper Warbler was added near to the costal Park boundary. The weather was pretty decent with just a little bit of rain to begin with, but not enough to put me off! Luckily as the day went on it didnt warm up too much which would have made walking rather uncomfortable. A Little Egret was picked up dropping into one of the water filled channels but remained hidden out of view.

7:30
After seeing my First Grey Partridge of the day I was overlooking the small reedbed (home to the 96 Little Bittern) and scanning Ken Hill woods in the hope of Buzzard and other Raptors. Unfortunately they didnt want to play but the Barn owls were putting on a fantastic show quatering the nearby fields. Reaching Heacham South Beach I finally connected with Greenfinch and Dunnock?! At the end of the caravans and the start of the Bungalows a kestrel was my 70th speies for the day.

9:30
I had reached Hunstanton with little added to the Talley.. House Sparrow, Sanderling etc. From the Lighthouse at Hunstanton all the way through to the first Hide at Holme I had had at NO TICKS!!? Little Tern at the Lighhouse and Pochard from the hide! (77)

11:30
7 and a halfe hours later I had arrived at Holme and was taking a well earnt rest in the Obs. Thanks to a bit of advice from Jed I quickly picked up 2 VERY DISTANT Buzzard over the woods by the Church ''Have you had Buzzard yet?'' ''no'' '' if you spend a bit of time looking over that wood you might pick one up!'' 2 minutes later.... Origionally I was only going as far as Holme but when Jed described a footpath that would take me through to Titchwell I felt that I had to continue! Sandwich Tern and Gannet were picked up on the sea.

2:00
I had now left Holme behind with a total of about about 83. The walk to Titchwell was a pleasant one but one that didnt produce a lot of birds!

3:00
Arriving at Titchwell I failed to locate Spotted Flycatcher or Bullfinch around the Meadow trail but had a low flying Hobby for compensation, my first Great Tits of the day were on the feeders outside the Centre! Little Gulls and Gargany were on the Freshmarsh along with Pintail plus Great Crested Grebe on the sea. By now the list had mooved in the 90s...

5:30
A stop at Chosely brought Yellow Wagtail and Corn Buntings but no sight of the Little Owl. 96

5:45
A stop back at the Bungalow bought me Great Spotted Woodpecker and Long tailed Tit

8:30
We were in Sandringham with the current total at 98... Goldcrest was picked up calling and showing in the pines with quite a few Woodcock roding as it got Darker. The first Nightjar was calling at 9:25 though they took a while to come out. I managed to pick one up churring from a tree stump, but other than that, and a single brief fly past, that was all we were going to get. I finished the day on 101 species with my step counter showing just over 32,500 steps.

The days misses

Sparrowhawk
Coal Tit
Treecreeper
Little Owl
Bullfinch
Spotted Flycatcher
Stonechat
Blackcap
Rook
Whimbrel
but worst of all....
LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL!!

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Mystery Birds Gallery

Time for some new pictues...


A fine selection of deliberately crappy images




Monday, June 20, 2005

Local patch list

The vast number of birds drawn to The Wash are the main attractions during the winter months. Pink-footed Geese roost out on the mud and are best viewed during the early mornings when they leave their roost to return to feed on winter sugarbeet and other nearby fields. Large numbers of Teal and Pintail can be found amongst the tidal creeks with the pits holding good numbers of Goldeneye and Little Grebe as well as regular Scaup and Red-breasted Merganser. At this time of year the pits offer one of the most reliable sights in N Norfolk for Kingfishers. The end hide (Sanctuary) is probably the best spot to wait as the birds regularly return to rest at the back of the Suaeda (Shrubby sea blite) bushes below and left of the hide. Any of the other branches/brambles may provide them with a suitable perch (check out the area around the boat underneath the 2nd hide). The huge number of ducks and wading birds, along with the grassy areas and saltmarsh, inevitably attracts raptors. Along with Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier and Barn Owl, Peregrine, Short eared Owl and Hen Harrier can be encountered on a regular basis.


Red-throated Diver
Little Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Slavonian Grebe
Fulmar
Gannet
Cormorant
Little Egret
Grey Heron
White Stork
Spoonbill
Mute Swan
Whooper Swan
Bewick's Swan
White-fronted Goose
Pink-footed Goose
Greylag Goose
Canada Goose
Snow Goose (Roosting with Pink footed Geese on The Wash)
Barnacle Goose
Red-breasted Goose
Brent Goose (Including Pale bellied Brent Goose and Back Brant)
Shellduck
Mallard
Gadwall
Pintail
Shoveler
Wigeon
Teal
Garganey
Pochard
Scaup
Tufted Duck
Eider
Common Scoter
Velvet Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Goldeneye
Smew
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Osprey
Red Kite
Black Kite
Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Rough-legged Buzzard
Common Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Goshawk
Kestrel
Hobby
Peregrine
Merlin
Red-legged Partridge
Grey Partridge
Quail (Heard only)
Pheasant
Water Rail
Moorhen
Coot
Common Crane
Oystercatcher
Avocet
Little Ringed Plover
Ringed Plover
Dotterel
Greater Sand Plover
Grey Plover
Golden Plover
Lapwing
Knot
Sanderling
Little Stint
Pectoral Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
Dunlin
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Ruff
Woodcock
Snipe
Jack Snipe
Black-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Curlew
Whimbrel
Spotted Redshank
Redshank
Greenshank
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Turnstone
Great Skua
Arctic Skua
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Little Gull
Kittiwake
Little Tern
Sandwich Tern
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Black Tern
Little Auk
Guillemot
Razorbill
Stock Dove
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Turtle Dove
Cuckoo
Tawny Owl
Long-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
Little Owl
Barn Owl
Swift
Kingfisher
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Wryneck
Skylark
Woodlark
Shorelark
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Rock Pipit
Meadow Pipit
Tree Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Wren
Waxwing
Dunnock
Robin
Redstart
Black Redstart
Wheatear
Stonechat
Whinchat
Song Thrush
Redwing
Mistle Thrush
Fieldfare
Blackbird
Ring Ouzel
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Lesser Whitethroat
Whitethroat
Dartford Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Grasshopper Warbler
Cetti's Warbler
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Yellow-browed Warbler
Goldcrest
Spotted Flycatcher
Pied Flycatcher
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Marsh Tit
Willow Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Bearded Tit
Nuthatch
Treecreeper
Great Grey Shrike
Magpie
Jay
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Chaffinch
Brambling
Linnet
Lesser Redpoll
Mealy Redpoll
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Siskin
Serin
Bullfinch
Hawfinch
Crossbill
Reed Bunting
Little Bunting
Yellowhammer
Snow Bunting
Corn Bunting