Review of 2019 and 2020 - Birds: Sparrows, Accentors, Wagtails and Pipits

SPARROWS (family PASSERIDAE)


House Sparrow Passer domesticus - Common at home and sometimes present at the meadows but I can go months without seeing them there (though they're always along Church Lane a few metres away).


Tree Sparrow Passer montanus - 4 at Fairburn Ings (Yorkshire) on 7th April 2019 and one at Llobregat Delta (Spain) in February 2020.


Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia - A flock of 12 along the road leading to the Emabalsa de Santa Ana (Spain) on 23rd February 2020.

Rock Sparrows, near Embalsa de Santa Ana (Spain), 23rd February 2020

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ACCENTORS (family PRUNELLIDAE)


Dunnock Prunella modularis.  Common at the meadows and in the garden.

Dunnock, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th March 2019

Dunnock, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st June 2019

Dunnock, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 16th March 2020

Dunnock, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th April 2020

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WAGTAILS and PIPITS (family MOTACILLIDAE)


Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutchensis.  A new bird for me, one at Sedgeford on 24th December 2019 and again on 1st January 2020.  Another great find by James McCallum and Kayne Forbes.  Incredibly this was the only 'Yellow' Wagtail I saw in either year!

Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Sedgeford, 24th December 2019

Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Sedgeford, 1st January 2020

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea.  Singles flew over the meadows on 8th March and 8th November 2019 and 5th and 23rd September and 4th November 2020.  None noted over my garden these years but at least 2 elsewhere in North Elmham.  Also noted at Bintree Mill, Great Ryburgh, Bylaugh, Burham Overy, Stiffkey and Sedgeford.  Out of county one in Cumbria, 4 on Mull, one in Spain and 15 in Cornwall.

Grey Wagtail, Great Ryburgh, 17th April 2019

Grey Wagtail, Porthgwarra (Cornwall), 8th October 2020

Pied Wagtail Motacilla (alba) yarrellii.  Often seen at the meadows including a flock of up to 25 frequenting a sheep field in February 2019.  Occasionally seen or heard from home.

Pied Wagtail, Iona, 11th June 2019

Pied Wagtail, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th December 2020

White Wagtail Motacilla (alba) alba.  Small numbers seen at several locations in Spain in February 2020.

White Wagtail, Gava Mar (Spain), 22nd February 2020

White Wagtails, Llobregat Delta (Spain), 22nd February 2020

Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis.  Small numbers occasionally present at the meadows and more often flying over.

Meadow Pipit, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th November 2020

Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis.  One singing along the road to Carsaig (on Mull) on 11th and 12th June 2019.

Tree Pipit, Carsaig Road (Mull), 12th June 2019

Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta - 2 at Titchwell on 7th December 2019 and one at Llobregat Delta (Spain) on 22nd February 2020.

Water Pipit, Titchwell, 7th December 2019

Water Pipit, Llobregat Delta (Spain), 22nd February 2020

Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus - Only a small number recorded and no significant records.

Rock Pipit, between Carsaig and Rubha Dubh (Mull), 10th June 2019

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Birding out east and locally

An appointment out east on 18th was an opportunity to do some birding round Waxham and Horsey.  My first Whitethroat of the year was singing along the road between West Somerton and Horsey, my first of 3-4 that day.  As I headed down the dunes from Waxham 3 Cranes flew over and I got distant views of a ringtail Hen Harrier.  At least I'm pretty sure it was a Hen Harrier though to be honest I identified it primarily on jizz, especially the breadth of its hand, as plumage details were barely discernible at that range.  A female Pallid Harrier was found in the area a few days later which in some photos seemed to show a surprisingly (for me) broad hand, which made me wonder if I could have stuffed up, but I really don't think so - my bird just looked like a bog standard Hen.

Cranes, Waxham, 18th April

There was a White Wagtail at the holiday camp and my first of 2-3 Lesser Whitethroats was singing at Horsey Gap. 

Lesser Whitethroat, Horsey Gap, 18th April

A group of 7 Cranes spent a lot of time in the air viewed from here, very slowly moving north.  Apparently 2 dropped off at Waxham so perhaps the others were the same 5 Cranes that were later seen at Cromer?  At least one Yellow Wagtail flew south and a Whimbrel called as I returned past Horsey Gap and then this Red Kite flew south.

Red Kite, Waxham, 18th April

As I was getting into the car I heard a call that instantly put me in mind of Serin.  Sadly it didn't call again and I couldn't locate it, so I shall consign that one to the bin.  Two Yellow Wagtails flew past me while I was searching for it and further down the road a Wheatear was seen.

On the way home I stopped at Felthorpe to see if there were any Redpolls left.  There weren't, at least not showing while I was there not that I gave it very long, but a surprise and surely a Felthorpe-mega was a Yellow Wagtail feeding around a puddle before flying off.  I also stopped at St Faith's Common where a Treecreeper was the only bird I noted.  Back at the patch later, 2 Green Sandpipers were the highlight.

A Willow Warbler was singing in my garden early on 24th April.  Later I had a look round the Cathedral Meadows which I'm now surveying for moths and butterflies (and anything else).  The avian highlights were a Cuckoo, pair of Nuthatches, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Bullfinches, Sparrowhawk, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 2 Little Egrets over.

Nuthatches, North Elmham Chapel, 25th April

I moved on to Ryburgh where a Wheatear was the clear highlight, a species rarely recorded at this site.  There was also Red Kite, 2 Sparrowhawks, at least 6 Buzzards, 2 Snipe and Grey Wagtail.

Pheasant, Ryburgh, 25th April

The Nuthatches were still at the Cathedral Meadows on 27th...

Nuthatch, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th April

After an early start at the meadows I went on to the patch where the highlights were a Yellow Wagtail south, a Whimbrel and a migrant singing Reed Warbler.  Also at least 6 Little Ringed Plovers.

On Tuesday 2nd May a Cuckoo was calling by the Cathedral Meadows at North Elmham and 2 Barnacle Geese flew over.  On the patch a Hobby was the clear highlight, with Little Ringed Plovers, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Tits and Bullfinch bring up the rear.  Sadly no sign of Dave's Pied Flycatcher or 5 Wheatears.  Cuckoo, Barn Owl and Great Spotted Woodpecker were the highlights at the Cathedral Meadows that evening.

The Cathedral Meadows were very quiet yesterday, at least in respect of non-local birds (there was plenty of activity from the locally-breeding birds first thing).

Wren, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th May

Song Thrush, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th May

Linnet, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th May

Dunnock, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th May