Keeping local

A Cuckoo was the avian highlight of a few more visits to the Cathedral Meadows, heard on most visis though not yet seen.  It's great to see and hear so many Yellowhammers there.  Other birds during these visits included Little Egrets over, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Bullfinches and my first newly-fledged passerines of the year, Mistle Thrushes (closely followed by Blackbirds).

Yellowhammer, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 5th May

Mistle Thrush, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th May

Rook, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 7th May

Whitethroat, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th May

Swifts finally made it back to North Elmham on 9th May.  In fact they may have made it a couple of days earlier - I could have sworn I heard one late on 7th but didn't eyeball it, and I wasn't around on 8th.

Buzzard, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th May

Red-legged Partridge, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th May

Robins, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th May

Whitethroat, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th May

The highlight of a visit to Great Ryburgh on 18th was a pair of Siskins, a species I'd not seen there before.  I say a pair, but although I had good prolonged views of at least one male I never got good views of a female.  At one point a second bird visited the feeders but remained directly behind the feeder for the whole time so I could only see such a tiny part of it I was unable to tell if it was male or female - when it flew it flew directly away and disappeared straight into the hedgerow.

Siskin, Great Ryburgh, 18th May

A pair of Common Terns visited the scrape briefly, displaying for the whole time they were here.

Common Terns, Great Ryburgh, 18th May

There was also a Sedge Warbler singing and at least 10 Barnacle Geese from Pensthorpe.
 

A ton of longtails

I headed up to Holme early yesterday and made my way to Gore Point, taking care not to disturb the hundreds of waders roosting there over the high tide.  It was immediately apparent that there lots of Long-tailed Ducks on the sea but counting them was impossible - not only were they bobbing up and down behind the swell but they were diving too.  I got to a miminum of 90 but suspected there were double that many.  Eventually - after the best part of two hours - a lot of birds flew a short distance making it possible to count them.  Sadly they didn't fly very far and I'd only got to 42 before they went down again.  I wasn't anywhere near half way through the flock so I think it's safe to say there were over 100 Long-tailed Ducks.

In the meantime I had several sightings of Great Northern Diver flying past but it was difficult to know how many of them involved the same birds.  At one point there were 3 Great Northern Divers on the sea so a minimum of three, but I think it's likely there were 5-6.  There were a few Red-throated Divers out there and one diver flying east was almost certainly a Black-throated Diver though I decided I hadn't seen enough to claim it as 100%.

There were quite a few Great Crested Grebes offshore and after a while I picked up a Slavonian Grebe just offshore - the closest bird on the sea.

A single Scoter proved to be a Velvet Scoter.  A few Common Scoter flew in later but nowhere near as many Scoter off here as there have been off Titchwell.  Two groups totalling 37 Eider flew east at one point, the vast majority of birds being drakes.  Also a few Red-breasted Mergansers.

There seemed to be more Fulmars flying offshore than I've seen on recent visits to Titchwell - I suspect these weren't migrants but birds from Hunstanton.  As I headed back to the car I checked the flock of Pink-feet feeding opposite.  A young lad had seen a couple of White-fronts among them and sure enough there were 2 White-fronted Geese in there.

As I drove down past the barn at Thornham a Spotted Redshank was feeding next to a Redshank.  After spending some time from the raised car park area (seeing at least a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers and a Goldeneye) someone picked up another Spotted Redshank to the left - or was it the same one?  I headed off along the seawall back towards Holme finding 5 Twite next to the path.  Had a good view of them before they hopped over to the fields and disappeared.  From the dunes I could see another Great Northern Diver on the sea off Thornham and thousands of Wigeon.  Walking back to the car there was another Spotted Redshank - now is that 3 birds, 2 birds or 1 bird seen 3 times?  Having now analysed the photos of the first and third I'm satisfied that they at least were the same individual, so one or two at the most.

Spotted Redshank, Thornham, 15th February - the same bird methinks

Rock Pipit, Thornham, 15th February

I couldn't find much of interest around various lanes inland of here so continued on to the patch where the the first Oystercatcher had returned.  They always seem to appear inland in mid February, though unusually this one seemed to be alone - they normally arrive in pairs.

Red-legged Partridge, Choseley, 15th February

A slow end to summer and then some Caspian Gulls

After the Great Knot, July was dominated by moths not birds.  Mothing activity went crazy leaving little time for birding, so not much to report here for July.  Highlights were:

• singing Corn Bunting at Ringstead on 6th;
• Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshanks and Whimbrel at Brancaster on 16th (when looking for moths);
• a superb adult Hobby carrying prey back to where I presume it was nesting, and then another or the same bird heard calling and seen again;
• a Nuthatch added to the house list - heard then seen in my neighbour's garden (while I emptied the moth trap early on 18th);
• 2 Common Terns over the house on 24th & 26th;
• A Skylark over the house on 29th;
• various Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Treecreepers at different places either at home or in my lunch breaks.

Red-legged Partridge, Beacon Hill, 20th July

August kicked off with a Hobby near Horningtoft on my way to work.  Then on 4th August I joined up with Pete Wilson and Dawn Balmer for some gull-watching in the Livermere area.  I'm keen to sharpen my skills in gull identification so am always grateful for opportunities to spend some time with gull gurus.  It proved to be an excellent evening with at least 4 Caspian Gulls the highlight, along with a likely 5th bird, a juvenile bearing a yellow ring, that was too distant to be quite sure about.  Also a probable Caspian Gull x Herring Gull hybrid and at least 28 Yellow-legged Gulls.

Caspian Gull, Great Livermere, 4th August

Yellow-legged Gull, Great Livermere, 4th August

Yellow-legged Gull, Great Livermere Lake, 4th August

There was also a Barn Owl by Great Livermere village hall and a Grasshopper Warbler could be heard reeling at the lake for most of the time we were there.  Also at the lake Barnacle Goose and Common Sandpiper.

A moth event at Claxton on 6th produced Barn Owl, Tawny Owl and what looked like a Hobby in addition to moths.  A Red Kite near East Rudham was growing its outer tail feathers making it look very weird.

Then on 11th I returned to Livermere with Pete for more gull learning.  We saw 5 Caspian Gulls - an adult, a 3rd calendar year, 2 2nd calendar years and a juvenile.  Also a possible Caspian Gull x Herring Gull hybrid and at least 34 Yellow-legged Gulls.

Caspian Gull, Great Livermere, 11th August

A third go on 18th produced 6 Caspian Gulls and about 25 Yellow-legged Gulls.  Excellent stuff, and really grateful to Pete for his help.  Still tonnes to learn though!

The local patch produced a juvenile Shelduck and 2 Mandarins on 21st August, along with Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpipers and a Snipe.  Next day 3 Green Sandpipers were still present.

A Willow Warbler heard singing and then seen while I was emptying the moth trap at home on 23rd was an unusual record for here.  Also Bullfinch and Green Woodpecker heard that morning.  Next day a Turtle Dove was on wires at Wighton and a Common Sandpiper was on the local patch.

25th August saw my first trip to Burnham Overy this autumn.  A Peregrine was carrying something big away over the saltmarsh as I arrived.  Walking down to the dunes I saw 6 Spoonbills on the saltmarsh over towards Burnham Norton and a Water Rail preening on the edge of the reedy pool.  Whimbrel and Greenshank were heard calling, Common Sandpiper seen and 60 Golden Plovers flew over.  Later a Green Sandpiper flew over having come up from Holkham Freshmarsh.  A flock of 16 Common Terns flew over relatively high.

Common Tern, Burnham Overy, 25th August

Marsh Harrier, Burnham Overy, 25th August

At least 2, probably 3-4 Whinchats were in the dunes along with at least 6 Stonechats and 2 Wheatears.  Other migrants included various common warblers (all in low to middle single figures) and a Hobby was seen.

The last few days of August and start of September got me Little Owl calling at home, Nightjar heard calling on a central Norfolk heath, a couple of Tawny Owls from the car and live Badgers near Reepham and at Old Beetley.  Also a migrant Wheatear inland at Marsham Heath on 1st September.

Wheatear, Marsham Heath, 1st September

Mainly local birding

I've searched for migrants during my lunch breaks over the last couple of weeks, largely without much success.  A Black Redstart at Heacham a fortnight ago, a few Swallows moving south there and my first Sedge Warbler of the year, but nothing remarkable.

Other birds have included a Red Kite over Burnham Overy Mill and, on the way in to work, Little Owl at Sculthorpe.  A Treecreeper was singing just outside the office window one day but it's the local patch where it's all been happening. Unfortunately it was all happening while I was at work.

Last Monday there were 8 Swallows at Hell Pit, and still 25 Shovelers remaining.  Nearby my first 4 Sand Martins of the year (very late first sighting) flew over Creaking Gate Lake and my first Mallard ducklings of the year at Rawhall Gravel Pits (a brood of 12, accompanied by both male and female, unusually).  Other gravel pits in the area held a pair of Avocets still and pairs of Little Ringed Plovers at 2 sites.

Tuesday was when it all kicked off.  In the local area (not all at my patch) there were Little Gulls, Arctic Terns, Knot, Ruff, Dunlin, White Wagtail and all sorts.  Oh, and a Great White Egret just outside my village!  Needless to say not only was I at work today but I had to go out in the evening too, so I only had time for a very quick scan on my way home from work at one gravel pit where Dave had seen Arctic Tern, Ruff (both firsts for the patch), Knot (second for the patch), Dunlin and 3 Avocets.  Well the Knot was still there, and the Dunlin, and there were at least 7 Little Ringed Plovers which is a good count, but the real goodies had both gone.

On Thursday I managed to get to the patch before work and again briefly at lunchtime.  Pairs of Avocet were at two sites (though not at the same time, so conceivably the same birds) and plenty of Little Ringed Plovers.  A party of 5 Dunlin included four in breeding plumage as well as perhaps the same winter-plumaged bird that was there on Tuesday.  A Peregrine was having its breakfast early on.  We've been seeing Peregrines in the area well into breeding season on numerous occasions over the last few years but we haven't worked out where they're coming from.  Not inconceivable that they're the Norwich birds I suppose, but I rather doubt it.  Maybe the same birds that have been frequenting Wymondham Abbey?

Two Treecreepers were singing either side of me at Creaking Gate Lake - sounded like they were duetting with them seemingly taking it in turns to sing.  Made me wonder if females sometimes sing and these were a duetting pair, but according to Simon Harrop's "Tits, Nuthatches and Treecreepers" only the males sing (don't have it - conveniently Google Books shows the relevant page), although it looks some species covered in the book do duet with females singing too.  Assuming Harrop is correct I guess it must have simply being two territorial males.

On Friday my lunch time birding effort was hampered by heavy rain but I did manage a surprise second-year Mediterranean Gull in a ploughed field north of Stanhoe, followed by a pair of adult Mediterrean Gulls in the same field.

Mediterranean Gulls, north of Stanhoe, 15th April

On Saturday there were still 3 Dunlins on the patch along with at least 5 Little Ringed Plovers and 2 Avocets at the same site.  More hirundines too with plenty of Swallows and at least 5 House Martins at last.  Still at least 50 Fieldfares present.  No sign of any Arctic Terns though, despite a good number moving through inland locations in the county.

Red-legged Partridge, Bittering, 16th April

Didn't get out birding on Sunday, except for a quick outing in the evening where Marsh Tit and Green Woodpeckers were the highlights, but drove past what seemed to be either a Polecat or Polecat-like Ferret dead on the B1145 just east of Billingford.  Went back later to see if I could get a closer look and photos but it was gone.

A day in the Brecks and Fens

Yesterday morning Redwings were still calling overhead at first light, as they had been when I went to bed.  I headed down to the Brecks for some Good Friday birding, this being the best day weather-wise for birding all weekend.  At least the nicest day, though with winds turning to a more southerly direction (and strengthening and bringing rain) there might be more in the way of migrants later on I suppose.

Barn Owl and Reeves's Pheasant got the day off to a start at Great Cressingham and the original Reeves's Pheasant x Common Pheasant hybrid at Threxton Hill was still present and displaying.  Didn't see the darker bird this time.

Reeves's Pheasant x Common Pheasant hybrid, Threxton Hill, 25th March

Pheasant, Great Cressingham, 25th March

A Red Kite at Bodney was the only bird of note before I hit Lynford Arboretum.  I'd seen a brown-bristled Marsh Tit last year - brown nasal bristles are supposed to be a feature of Willow Tit but this wasn't a Willow Tit.  With Willow Tits disappearing it's plausible that the odd hybrid should be appearing and, though I wouldn't go as far as to say that brown-bristled bird was a hybrid, I was conscious of this and determined to study all Marsh Tits carefully to see if I could find any evidence of hybridisation.  I found at least 5 different Marsh Tits but none that I could suspect of being hybrids.  One silent bird with a relatively bull-necked appearance and a bit more pale on the wings had me wondering for a while but it appeared so briefly I didn't get a good enough look and after studying the photos I think it was a pretty normal Marsh Tit.

Marsh Tits, Lynford, 25th March

Always nice to see Nuthatches, of which there were plenty, and only 1 Treecreeper.  A displaying male Firecrest appeared briefly, in a place I'd not seen them before and a Grey Wagtail dropped down in front of me.  Lots of Siskin flying around but no sign of Hawfinches or Crossbills.

Grey Wagtail, Lynford, 25th March

Mute Swan, Lynford, 25th March

I was planning to visit Welney later but with a need to find some clean facilities fairly urgently I decided to head there next!  I headed out to Reedbed Hide first (I think that's what it's called - the one left of the observatory).  Saw one of at least 4 Cetti's Warblers on the way down and a Fieldfare, and flushed a Water Rail from literally under my feet (it was under the boardwalk).  A Stoat showed from the Observatory but I didn't see so much up the other end, and no sign of the Great White Egret at Lady Fen.

Reed Bunting, Welney, 25th March

As I weaved my way back through the Fens I heard a Chiffchaff singing at Blackdyke.  Decided to drive down Cowle's Drove at Hockwold Fen, just north of Lakenheath (but in Norfolk).  Got as far as I wanted without seeing much of note but as I headed back through the muddy track one scan revealed a Great White Egret standing in a field.  Hadn't been expecting to see that, although it was presumably one of the two that have been frequenting Lakenheath (indeed they had been seen that morning).  I think they had been seen the Norfolk side of the river, on Hockwold Wash, but so far as I know not reported from this site.  Even so, Lakenheath is literally a stone's throw away, so I'm not treating it as a 'self-found' bird!

Great White Egret, Hockwold Fen, 25th March

I tweeted news out, looked back up and the egret was gone.  Hadn't seen it fly, but couldn't now see it anywhere.  A car that I'd seen parked up by the next field (separated by a strip of wood) but not realised were birders came past me as I headed down, and stopped to tell me that a Great White Egret had just dropped in there.  The same bird presumably?  Better just check my field again just in case, seeing as there are two around... no, there's still a Great White Egret here, so must be a different bird.  But this bird was now largely hidden deep in an area of thick rushes - hence not seeing it there before - and when I checked my photos later I realised this area was some distance from my first sighting.  So it probably hadn't walked there so either way I'd missed seeing it fly when I was busy tweeting.  In hindsight I think it's most likely that the bird the couple had seen was my original bird and the bird in the rushes was the second bird.  But definitely two birds between us anyway.

While this was going on a Green Sandpiper flew along the dyke and a large tanker lorry was heading towards me along the track.  I waited for it to pass before heading to the next field, but with a tanker passing I imagined any Great White Egret there would have been flushed, and whether it was or not I couldn't find it.  The tanker must have decided not to proceed down the very muddy rutted track and attempted to turn round, apparently failing to do so and getting stuck.  Glad I wasn't the other side of it as might have been there for some time!

I checked various other sites without much success, followed by visits to Cranwich Heath and Cranwich Camp.  These were more for invertebrates than birds, but a fine male Brambling flew over the camp, Green Woodpecker on the heath and Siskins everywhere.

Red-legged Partridge, Fowl Mere, 25th March

Another look for Pheasants in the evening only turned up the same Reeves's Pheasant x Common Pheasant hybrid, still in the same place at Threxton Hill.