Review of 2019 and 2020 - Birds: Thrushes, Chats and Flycatchers

THRUSHES (family TURDIDAE)


Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus - One heard singing west of Carsaig (Mull) on 10th June 2019 and one at Burnham Overy on 6th October 2019.


Blackbird Turdus merula - Very common at the meadows and at home.

Blackbird, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 30th October 2019

Blackbird, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd March 2020

Blackbird, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd March 2020

Blackbird, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd June 2020

Fieldfare Turdus pilaris - Only odd birds recorded at the meadows in the first winter period of 2019 but spring passage evident with a flock of 26 on 19th April.  Then in late autumn some good movements including 100 west on 28th October and at least 120 moving through the hedgerows on 8th November.  Not many at the start of 2020 but a few in March.  Autumn passage pretty much restricted to October when the best count was 100 west on 12th.  Only a few recorded at home and no significant records elsewhere.

Fieldfares, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th April 2019

Redwing Turdus iliacus - A flock of between 50 and 80 frequented the sheepfield south of the meadows in January and February 2019.  Some evidence of spring passage included 30 (in 3 flocks) on 22nd March and 2 in with the Fieldfares on 19th April.  Autumn migrants from 4th October when 30 in the meadows and several groups overhead.  Best movement noted was 210 southwest on 15th October.  After very little activity during the winter there was another spring arrival with up to 30 on 5th-7th April.  Autumn migrants from 29th September with 150 west on 16th October.  At home lots flying over at night.

Redwings, Brancaster, 14th October 2020

Song Thrush Turdus philomelos - Fairly common at the meadows and often seen at home.  No significant more significant records than 30 at Burnham Overy on 6th October 2019.

Song Thrush, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 18th April 2019

Song Thrush, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th November 2020

Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus - Often present at the meadows and not infrequently seen or heard at home.

Mistle Thrush, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 29th June 2019

Mistle Thrush, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd February 2020

Mistle Thrush, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd March 2020

-----------------------------------

CHATS and FLYCATCHERS (family MUSCICAPIDAE)


Eastern Rufous Bushchat Cercotrichas (galactotes) syriaca or Rufous Bush Robin or Rufous Scrub Robin or Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin, not to be confused with the Rufous-tailed Robin I saw nearby a few years ago :)  Whatever its called nowadays, one at Stiffkey on 17th October 2020 was a very welcome UK lifer.   I decided I would prefer to keep social distancing than join the scrum that was close enough to take decent photos, so here are a couple of rubbish photos instead.

Rufous Bushchat, Stiffkey, 17th October 2020

Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata - At the meadows recorded near the chapel in July 2019, in the same area as I saw them in 2018.  I only saw them on one occasion but heard some squeaks which I thought were probably coming from them on other occasions too and I suspect they may be breeding in nearby gardens.  Elswhere at the meadows I had two records of birds along the track and on one of these occasions (26th August) I had a further two birds (adult feeding a juvenile) along the disused railway - proving that they have bred somewhere nearby.  In 2020 one singing near the chapel on 3rd June and 2 seen on 13th July.

Spotted Flycatcher, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th August 2019

Spotted Flycatcher, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd June 2020

Spotted Flycatcher, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th July 2020

Robin Erithacus rubecula - Very common at the meadows and in the garden.

Robin, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th February 2019

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros - 6 at 4 sites in Spain in February 2020.

Black Redstart, Platje de les filipines (Spain), 22nd February 2020

Black Redstart, Gava Mar (Spain), 22nd February 2020

Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus - One at Warham Greens on 18th September 2020.

Redstart, Warham Greens, 18th September 2020

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius - A probable heard singing briefly at Monistrol de Montserrat (Spain) and at least one singing male (and possibly up to 3) at Emabalsa de Santa Ana on 23rd February 2020.


Whinchat Saxicola rubetra - On Mull one along the road to Carsaig on 10th June 2019.


Stonechat Saxicola rubicola - Getting on for 70 recorded in 2019-20 but none locally and no records of any significance.

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

Stonechat, Burnham Overy, 6th October 2019

Stonechat, Burnham Overy, 12th June 2020

Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe - Remarkably few in Norfolk in either year - just one at Winterton in August in 2019 and in 2020 one at Burnham Overy on 12th June and one at Brancaster in September.  I hope that reflects on my lack of coastal birding rather than anything more sinister.  A record at the meadows must be on the cards but it hasn't happened yet.  Elsewhere singing birds at Honister (Cumbria) in April 2019 and 13 on Mull/Iona in June 2019.

Wheatear, Honister Pass, 6th April 2019

Wheatears, Iona, 11th June 2019

Wheatear, Burnham Overy, 12th June 2020

Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina - One at Cley on 12th November 2019, a superb find by Mark Golley.

Isabelline Wheatear, Cley, 12th November 2019

Next page: Sparrows, Accentors, Wagtails and Pipits

Or return to Birds index

October birding - Yellow-brows and Waxwings

After returning from Cornwall, local birding produced the likes of Marsh Tit and Redwings, but nothing exciting.

A trip to Brancaster on 11th October was worthwhile.  I started off at Broad Lane where there were plenty of thrushes but little else, so I moved on to the golf-course.  As I walked along the beach it was clear that there were a lot of birds arriving from the north, particularly Skylarks and thrushes.  There were also 32 Red-breasted Mergansers on the sea, and 36 Lapwings flew west.  With wall to wall sunshine I didn't expect so much to be happening, although the wind was in the right direction.

Blackbird in off the sea, Brancaster, 11th October

The dunes by the beach huts held Chiffchaff but apart from thrushes I'd seen very little else by the time I approached the far eastern point.

Song Thrush, Brancaster, 11th October

Redwing, Brancaster, 11th October

There there was a group of 3 Bramblings (a fourth flew over too), quickly followed by a lovely Redstart.  Almost as soon as I finished watching this a Whinchat appeared.  Suddenly it was getting good!

Redstart, Brancaster, 11th October

Whinchat, Brancaster, 11th October

I'm not sure if all the Woodpigeons on the point were newly arrived migrants or local birds.

Woodpigeon, Brancaster, 11th October

Walking east along the edge of the golf-course the sun had been in my eyes so I hoped that as I turned round and went back I might find some new birds.  And so I did: a second Redstart and this cracking Yellow-browed Warbler!

Yellow-browed Warbler, Brancaster, 11th October

After that excitement it all calmed down again.  A nice Red Kite drifted over and I heard a Water Rail as I returned to the car.  There was also a Brambling at the chalk pit in Titchwell but nothing else, apart from a Tawny Owl calling at 2.55 pm.

A visit to Lynford on 13th October was focused on leaf-mines not birds so only the usual expected species noted like Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Siskins.

A bit of passage was evident at the meadows on 20th October with the likes of Meadow Pipits, Brambling, Redpoll sp. and a various thrushes noted.  Much more excitingly though was a group of 3 Dark-bellied Brent Geese that flew over - an excellent record this far inland.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th October

Song Thrush, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th October

Woodpigeon, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th October

After this I headed up to Beeston Common for a fungus foray which was very interesting.  Overhead raptors included Sparrowhawk and Marsh Harrier.  I pointed out the latter to the warden who was very pleased as it was the first time he had seen one there.

I then went along to Salthouse where the Stejneger's Stonechat remained.  Unfortunately I'd forgotten to put my scope in the car so I had to borrow other people's scopes to get decent views.  The two forms of Siberian Stonechat (maura and stejnegeri) have now been split and although there are average differences that are detectable in the field, it is not yet fully accepted by all authorities that these are possible to separate with absolute confidence in the field.  This bird was subsequently seen to leave some droppings on some pathside vegetation and these were duly collected and sent off for DNA analysis, enabling it to be confirmed as Stejneger's, the first proven record for Norfolk.  Although it was my first proven Stejneger's I am not counting it as a new species yet as I have never seen a proven maura.  Some of the Siberian Stonechats I have seen in the past have almost certainly been maura (while others were almost certainly stejnegeri) but until such time as the identification criteria are sufficiently well established that past records can be accepted as one or other taxon without DNA I'm happy to count only the proven ones.

Stejneger's Stonechat, Salthouse, 20th October

The following day I was back up at the coast, this time to look at another first for Norfolk.  Earlier in the day a Red-backed Shrike had been reported at Weybourne and I wondered whether, given the date, it might in fact turn out to be a Brown Shrike.  Late Red-backed Shrikes do turn up sometimes but the odds of Brown are proportionately much higher, and Norfolk is well overdue its first.  Well I couldn't make it up in the morning to check, but others did, and sure enough it WAS a Brown Shrike.  I managed to get up later in the afternoon and with some difficulty managed to see it a few times.

I also popped along to Weybourne where a Canada Goose was present with Pink-feet.  The race of this has been hotly debated and I am by no means sure, but whatever the taxon it was surely a wild bird from North America.  A lot of people are saying it's Todd's (race interior) but it's certainly not a typical example.  Others have suggested it is Atlantic (race canadensis) and it does show some real similarities to that form.  I'm not saying it is canadensis, but there seems to be a lot of confusion about that race.  Some references suggest that the feral British birds are canadensis, and if that is the case then this bird was quite obviously different.  Some of the conversations I've had seem to go along the lines of it can't be Atlantic because that's what the feral birds are and it doesn't look like them.  However other references suggest that feral British birds are in fact a mix including Giant Canada Goose (race maxima), or a mix of maxima and moffitti.  Comparison with feral birds doesn't seem a very helpful starting point when it comes to identfying races of vagrant Canada Geese.

vagrant Canada Goose with Pink-footed Geese, Weybourne, 21st October

It was much the same sort of stuff at the meadows, without so much overhead passage, on 24th October.  3 Redpolls over, 3 Bullfinches in the hedges, 30 Redwings and a Fieldfare knocking around and both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th October

Redwings, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th October

Song Thrush, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 24th October

A Grey Wagtail flew over County School station as I wandered down that way - amazingly the species had eluded me so far at the meadows themselves.  I then went on to Great Ryburgh where the highlight was a pair of Stonechats.  Also Sparrowhawk and Kingfisher.

I headed up to Sheringham for a seawatch on 27th October, seeing Barn Owl at Thornage on the way.  I didn't see everything but my highlights included a Black Guillemot, 2 Little Auks, 4 Pomarine Skuas, Long-eared Owl and 4-5 Short-eared Owls.  Also Great Northern Diver, Purple Sandpiper, while commoner seabirds included 2 Manx Shearwaters, 8 Great Skuas, 3 Arctic Skuas, ~500 Kittiwakes and a Little Gull.  There were hundreds of Wigeon, Teal and Common Scoter moving, and a selection of other species including 3 Scaup, 8 Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser.  Afterwards I had a quick look at a few spots like Friary Hills in search of migrant passerines but apart from lots of Blackbirds I didn't find much.

I was back at the coast two days later, at Burnham Overy.  A little bit of seawatching produced a Pomarine Skua, a Short-eared Owl and a flock of 11 Eider west.  A Velvet Scoter was among 50+ Common Scoters off Gun Hill, and there were 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, but I couldn't find the treasure at the end of the rainbow...

rainbow, Burnham Overy, 29th October

A flock of 61 Ringed Plovers on the beach contained a single bird that appeared to have paler wing-coverts.  I had an inkling that this was a feature of Semipalmated Plover, a bird that I have long hoped to find at Burnham Overy.  But this bird was fast asleep and absolutely no other identification features were discernible on it.  I stayed with it for what seemed like hours, only for it to eventually shift position slightly and the apparently paler wing-coverts now at a different angle to the light simply vanished.  Then it woke up and was indeed an obvious Ringed Plover!  Ah well, it was worth a try!

Ringed Plovers, Burnham Overy, 29th October

 
A Grey Wagtail was about the only overhead passerine migrant and there wasn't a great deal in the bushes either apart from a few Goldcrests.

Goldcrest, Burnham Overy, 29th October

In the fields there were 28 Barnacle Geese and the Black Brant x Dark-bellied Brent Goose hybrid.

Black Brant x Dark-bellied Brent Goose hybrid with Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Burnham Overy, 29th October

I then moved on to Stiffkey where I checked out the path alongside the flood south of the road.  There wasn't anything noteworthy on the flood itself but I found a nice Yellow-browed Warbler in the wood along the side.  There was Chiffchaff in here too as well as the usual Bullfinches.  The Chiffchaff was a little less camera-shy than the Yellow-browed...

Yellow-browed Warbler, Stiffkey, 29th October

Chiffchaff, Stiffkey, 29th October

Redwing, Stiffkey, 29th October

This Cormorant on the bank of the ditch at the start of Cockthorpe Common didn't look too healthy.  I doubt if it ever left this spot unless it was in the jaws of a fox or something.

Cormorant, Stiffkey, 29th October

I had a quick look at the fen but apart from a couple of Chiffchaffs there wasn't much doing so I decided to call it quits and head back home.  As I turned off the coast road at Morston I noticed quite a few birds flitting around the bushes by the pond, so pulled in to have a look at them.  They were mostly thrushes and tits, but then I noticed a couple of Waxwings munching on the haws.  Fantastic!

Waxwings, Morston, 29th October

Eventually they flew up to the wires where I got a clearer but no closer view of them.

Waxwings, Morston, 29th October

A lovely end to the day!

A couple of days later there were a few birds around the meadows with about 30 Redwings, a Brambling, 2 Bullfinches, Nuthatch and 2 Treecreepers.

Redwings, Cathedral Meadows, 31st October

Bullfinch, Cathedral Meadows, 31st October

Treecreeper, Cathedral Meadows, 31st October