ORIOLE ADVENTURES RECENT SIGHTINGS AND HIGHLIGHTS
THURSDAY 8TH MAY: After a morning in the office working on the 2009 brochure, an afternoon in the field was called for to add to the year list in the 24C temperatures! This was achieved in style with good views of the WRYNECK at Burnham Overy, along with Common Whitethroat, Knot, Grey Plover, Whimbrel, Common Cuckoo, Marsh Harrier,and Sedge Warbler. The first HOBBY of the year was also a nice bonus hawking for insects over the grazing marsh.
TUESDAY 6TH MAY: A quick visit to Salthouse Heath this morning yielded my first NIGHTINGALE of the year, singing and showing by the crossroads. Garden and Willow Warblers were also singing here. Down at the Iron Road the drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL was present and 2 Greenshank dropped in. Good numbers of Common Swifts were around East Barsham in the evening.
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NORFOLK SPRING MIGRATION 2ND - 5TH MAY
SATURDAY 3RD MAY: A superb spring days birding started at the coastal park at Snettisham where we spent the morning exploring the variety of scrub, reedbed and grazing marsh habitats. Almost straight away a Common Cuckoo was calling and we enjoyed really close prolonged views of the bird, quickly followed by 2 Lesser Whitethroats, Common Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler. Our warbler totals for the morning included 15+ Common and 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 20+ Sedge Warblers, 10+ Reed Warblers, 5+ Willow Warblers 2 Blackcap and single Chiffchaff. 2 Turtle Doves flew south and 6 Whimbrel were feeding in the fields adjacent to the seawall. Other species noted included good views of a reeling GRASSHOPPER WARBLER, 7 Pink-footed Geese and Marsh Harrier. Moving on to Flitcham we had lunch in the Abbey Farm hide in the company of two Little Owls and the Kingfisher around the nest hole. In the afternoon at Choseley, we had really super views of 4 migrant DOTTEREL in a newly ploughed field, the birds often wandering quite close allowing 3 females and a male to be identified. Finally on our way back to base we stopped off to enjoy the MONTAGU’S HARRIERS with 2 males and a female seen, at close range displaying over the rape fields. A brilliant end to the day!
SUNDAY 4TH MAY: The walk down to Kelling Water Meadows and round Moss’s Pool produced a typical showing of migrants with Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 10+ Common and 1 Lesser Whitethroat, Common Cuckoo, Northern Wheatear and a few Sand Martins noted. 2 Yellow Wagtails gave good views on the ground with a further 3 flying west, and a selection of common wildfowl was on the pool. At nearby Salthouse a Wheatear and 2 Yellow Wagtails were present, as well as Meadow Pipit and Skylark, and a walk around Cley’s Walsey Hills produced Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and singing Cetti’s Warbler, with Ruddy Duck and Little Grebe on Snipe’s Marsh. After lunch we wandered down the East Bank where Arnold’s Marsh gave us the opportunity to see large numbers of Sandwich Terns, 4 Grey Plovers and summer plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit and Turnstone. Our final stop today was stiffkey fen and we enjoyed a brilliant couple of hours here. Firstly picking up the BLACK TERN on the flood south of the A149, we also had reasonable views of Turtle Dove before heading down to the fen itself. 3 more BLACK TERNS were hawking over the water, joined by a Common Tern, and both Bar and Black-tailed Godwits were feeding together. Brent Geese, Little Egret, 2 Common Sandpipers, Greenshank, 2 Common Snipe and a Little-ringed Plover were also noted, though the star bird was a TEMMINCK’S STINT which we found skulking on islands in the middle of the lagoon! Unfortunately the Barn Owl which drifted across was only seen by some..
SUNDAY 5TH MAY: Things were a little quieter at Holkham this morning though we enjoyed the walk through to the hide in the lovely weather. Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, Sparrowhawk, Avocet, Little Egret, Ruff and Black-tailed Godwit were noted. 7 Pink-footed, 2 Barnacle and 1 Ross’s Goose were also on the marsh, though the latter two species doubtless of dubious origin! The Marsh Harriers performed well and 4 Whimbrel gave good views in the fields. At Choseley Barns, we had nice views of 12+ Corn Buntings before dropping down to Titchwell for lunch. The freshmarsh produced a BLACK TERN and 6 Little Gulls, as well as Common Tern, Common Sandpiper, a smart male GARGANEY and two RED CRESTED POCHARDS. On the saltmarsh, a few Brent Geese were still present along with Grey Plover, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit and Little Egret, while two Little Terns were feeding over the tidal pool. On the shore, a few Sanderling were feeding and offshore 250+ Common Scoter were present. Reed and Willow Warblers, Marsh Harrier, Common Pochard and Northern Wheatear were also seen.
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DORSET APRIL 2008
SUNDAY 27TH APRIL: We enjoyed an excellent first afternoon around Portland with a typical showing of spring migrants and scarcities. We started at The Bill and headed up into the Top Fields, noting 9 Northern Wheatears on the circular walk. A female Common Redstart was a nice find in bushes by one of the horse paddocks and a smart Yellow Wagtail dropped in. Around the obs garden 2 Willow Warblers and a Blackcap were present, though there was no sign of the male Serin which had been seen in the morning. Chiffchaff and c100 Swallows moving north were also noted. At the RSPB reserve at Lodmoor, good numbers of hirundines were feeding and we noted at least 250 Swallows, 10 House Martins and 10 Common Swifts. The bushes and reedbeds were productive and gave several opportunities to view Cetti’s Warblers, one particular bird showing very well. 5+ Reed and 5+ Sedge Warblers were also seen and a Common Whitethroat was singing. Around the various pools Shoveler, Gadwall, Pochard, Tufted Duck and Little Grebe were seen, and while watching a smart summer plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit, we realised that two CATTLE EGRETS were in the field behind! These birds were also in breeding dress, a smart sight indeed. Receiving a tip off of a HOOPOE nearby, we headed back to the car and made straight for the location, and after a few minutes we were watching this classic spring overshoot feeding in the open on a grassy track just a few metres away – superb! The two Cattle Egrets then flew overhead, adding to the distinctly Mediterranean feel of the moment!
MONDAY 28TH APRIL: We started at The Bill this morning with a seawatch by the lighthouse proving very productive. An excellent selection of species included 100+ MANX SHEARWATERS, 250+ Kittiwake, 50+ Gannet, 2 PUFFINS, Shag, Guillemot, Razorbill, Fulmar, 2 ARCTIC TERNS, 8 Whimbrel and a GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. Also around the Bill and observatory area were 7 Northern Wheatears, Rock Pipit, 2 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler and a Little Owl in the obs quarry. We then spent the late morning and early afternoon exploring some of the migrant traps along the eastern side of the island, though unfortunately things were very quiet at sites such as Bumpers Lane and The Grove. The Verne was more productive and we had good views of 5+ Lesser Whitethroat as well as 2 Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, 2 House Martin, Sparrowhawk and Willow Warbler. Ferrybridge was our final stop, and 10+ Little Terns gave superb views here, though not as good as the 3 Whimbrel which fed within feet of us. 25+ Dunlin, 1 Sanderling, 10+ Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher and Sandwich Tern were also noted.
TUESDAY 29TH APRIL: A light to moderate south-easterly wind and the promise of rain saw us on The Bill at 0715 hoping for a few seabirds passing, though numbers were actually lower than yesterday! MANX SHEARWATERS had increased though with a raft of 300+ off The Bill, often very close inshore, and we also noted 3 Whimbrel and plenty of auks, shag, fulmar, Gannet and Kittiwake. By the obs, the Little Owl was in the quarry, and a birder hurrying past us took our attention and we discovered that an ICELAND GULL had been seen from the obs. We rushed down to the common and had great views of the bird, in first-summer plumage, drifting slowly east along the shore. Back at the obs garden, the male SERIN finally gave himself up and we had very good views of the bird perched. All this before breakfast! We headed over to Arne on the Isle of Purbeck and enjoyed a walk around this pleasant reserve, though the windy conditions were not good for Dartford Warblers. We did note Great-spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Sparrowhawk, Mistle Thrush and Coal Tit and Green Woodpecker was heard. 5 SPOONBILLS in Poole Harbour viewed from Shipstall Hill was a nice bonus, and 4 Common Terns were resting on one of the islands along with a few Sandwich Terns and Little Egret. At Radipole Lake, the heavens finally opened and we experienced some extremely wet conditions here. Nevertheless Cetti’s, Sedge and Reed Warblers, 25+ Common Swifts, 50+ Swallows, 20+ House Martins, Teal, Gadwall and Pochard were seen. Finally after the rain we stopped in at The Verne for a quick check on any new arrivals, and saw 4 Lesser & 5 Common Whitethroats, Bullfinch and good views of Peregrine.
WEDNESDAY 30TH APRIL: A really quiet morning despite the easterly element to the wind again. There seemed to be very few birds around this morning and a walk along Barleycrates Lane to the west cliffs was disappointing. Stonechat, Peregrine and Willow Warbler were the only species of note. Seawatching from The Bill produced just the odd MANX SHEARWATER and a few Kittiwakes, Razorbill, Guillemot, Gannet, Fulmar and Shag. By the obs, the SERIN was seen quite well in flight and the Little Owl was in the quarry. Otherwise a walk around top fields produced little in the way of migrants with just 2 Northern Wheatear noted. We decided to get underway with the homeward journey at lunchtime and beat the traffic
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EXTREMADURA APRIL 2008
A hugely successful tour to the Spanish steppes of Extremadura again this year, despite the weather being far from reliable at times! We experienced a temperature range of 8C - 30C but fortunately this did not stop us cleaning up on a fantastic array of birds. Vina las Torres was superb, the food and wine excellent and the following species were seen:-
Great Bustard (displaying), Little Bustard, Pintailed & Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Calandra, Crested, Thekla & Short-toed Larks, Griffon, Egyptian and Black Vultures, Black & Red Kite, Booted, Golden, Short-toed & Spanish Imperial Eagles, Lesser Kestrel, Black-winged Kite, Eagle Owl, Azure-winged Magpie, Great-spotted Cuckoo, Collared Pratincole, Stone Curlew, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Roller, Gull-billed & Whiskered Terns, Black Wheatear, Rock Sparrow, Blue Rock Thrush, Cirl and Rock Buntings, Chough, Black Stork, Montagu's Harrier, Savi's, Spectacled, Orphean, Sardinian, Subalpine and Great Reed Warblers, Nightingale, Common Waxbill, Honey Buzzard, Southern Grey & Woodchat Shrikes, Red-rumped Swallow, Crag Martin, Short-toed Treecreeper, Dartford Warbler, Crested Tit, Woodlark, Pallid Swift, Purple Swamp Hen, Little Bittern, Purple Heron, Hawfinch, Spanish Sparrow and many more!!!
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NORFOLK SPRING MIGRATION 13TH - 18TH APRIL 2008
MONDAY 14TH APRIL: We started off at Holme this morning and we really felt the cold northerly wind as we headed along the golf course to the beach! 4 Swallows was a poor total for the date, and generally migrants were in short supply with only Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff noted. A Lesser Redpoll flew south and Little Egret, Grey Plover, Knot, Turnstone, Redshank and Ringed Plover were also seen. Common birds such as Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit and Linnet were numerous in the sueda, while Mistle Thrush and Kestrel were also seen. At nearby Hunstanton cliffs, we took the opportunity to catch up with the breeding Fulmars, and at Choseley barns, 3 Corn Bunting and 20+ Yellowhammer were noted among the finches. An afternoon around Titchwell produced a few more birds, with 6 Swallow, Sand Martin, House Martin, 3 Chiffchaff and 2 Blackcap among the migrants noted. 3 Bearded Tits were seen reasonably well in flight, and other species noted included 2 Ruff, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 20 Common Scoter, Gannet, 5 Pintail, 20 Sanderling and 3 Common Snipe. By the feeders, 3 smart Brambling were present and a Water Rail gave good views in the ditch.
TUESDAY 15TH APRIL: A successful morning on Kelling Heath with 5 Willow Warbler around and 2 Lesser Redpoll over the car park. A male DARTFORD WARBLER gave really excellent views and while looking for this bird 9 COMMON CROSSBILL flew north calling, though we could not relocate them. Stonechat, 2 Common Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk were also seen, with Woodlark heard singing. At Cley a cool and windy shingle bank was our next stop, and after much perseverance we eventually had absolutely brilliant views of the female LAPLAND BUNTING down to about 6ft!! 15+ Sandwich Terns were seen along the beach, 3 Swallows flew west and a Wheatear was in the eye field. Finally today we visited Holkham Meals where from the Washington Hide a GRASSHOPPER WARBLER was reeling and seen briefly. Sedge Warbler, Little Egret, Pochard, Marsh Harrier and 2 Swallows were also seen, with a female Hen Harrier seen flying west along Burnham Overy Dunes.
WEDNESDAY 16TH APRIL: A very successful day in Breckland today started at Santon Downham. This picturesque site produced a good range of species including brooding Grey Wagtail as well as Green & Great-spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Tit, Blackcap, 2 Nuthatch and Kingfisher. At Mayday Farm, our quarry species, WOODLARK, proved elusive but we eventually got very good views of two birds. Yellowhammer, 2 Treecreeper, 2 Bullfinch and 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker were also seen. Weeting Heath gave us the opportunity for good views of 4 STONE CURLEWS from West Hide, with the wet weather removing the problem of heat haze normally encountered at this site! Finally Lynford provided some good birding to end the day, with 2 FIRECRESTS showing well and Siskin, Marsh Tit, Treecreeper and Nuthatch all noted. 2 HAWFINCHES were a real bonus, however, and we had reasonable views of these elusive treetop residents.
THURSDAY 17TH APRIL: A cold morning again in the biting easterly wind, and subsequently the return of migrants was disappointing at this usually excellent site. A GRASSHOPPER WARBLER was reeling in the scrub but the windy conditions did nothing to encourage it into the open, while the only other warblers seen were Sedge and Willow. A Trickle of hirundines included 20+ Swallow and a few House and Sand Martins, and 150+ Pink-footed geese on the grazing marsh made for a distinctly wintry feel! A solitary Whimbrel and smart Wheatear reminded us that this was indeed April though, and we also noted Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Black-tailed Godwit, Marsh Harrier and Avocet. Dersingham Bog was our next location for a speculative look for Tree Pipit, though none were present. We noted Reed Bunting, Coal Tit and Chiffchaff here. Flitcham was more productive and we enjoyed watching the Kingfisher at the nest hole in the sand bank. Egyptian Goose, Sparrowhawk and a Green Sandpiper were also seen here. Finally at West Barsham, we located a small flock of 6+ Tree Sparrows along the lane and eventually had good views of these declining birds.
FRIDAY 18TH APRIL: A really cold and miserable day saw us start at the fitting location of Sheringham Cemetery, though rather predictably no migrants were seen. News of a RING OUZEL at nearby Kelling Water Meadows had us hurrying down the lane though and we located 2 smart males of this typical April migrant feeding along the fenceline of the meadow. Also present were c6 Ruff, including an absolutely superb male in almost full breeding attire, a rare sight indeed. Blackcap, Little Grebe, Shoveler, Gadwall and Goldcrest were also noted. At Cley a look around Walsey Hill yielded 2 Ruddy Duck, singing Cetti’s Warbler and good views of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler for comparison. Along a windswept East Bank 15+ Sandwich Terns on Arnold’s Marsh was the highlight, though Grey Plover, Dunlin and Ringed Plover were also seen. Our final stop was Stiffkey Fen where another resplendent male Ruff was seen along with the first Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, Black-tailed Godwit and Wigeon.
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SATURDAY 12TH APRIL: We found a GREAT GREY SHRIKE this morning along a farm track near Great Walsingham, and enjoyed stunning views of the bird down to a few metres. What a superb winter it has been for this species following last autumns record influx -no doubt a scattering of spring migrant records will follow.
CUSTOMISED NORFOLK TOUR 9TH - 10TH APRIL
WEDNESDAY 9TH APRIL: A very good days birding today started at Kelling Water Meadows were a walk down the lane to Moss’s Pool produced 2 Sand Martins, 1 Swallow, Chiffchaff, Ruff, Egyptian Goose, 3 Common Snipe, Redshank, Teal, Gadwall and Shoveler. Up on Kelling Heath, we soon located a singing male DARTFORD WARBLER which gave superb views perched on the gorse. A Redpoll was briefly by the car park and several Chiffchaff were singing. By the railway line, we located the GREAT GREY SHRIKE and had fantastic views down to about 30ft as it perched in a Pine tree right next to us! In the horse paddock, 2 WOODLARK were feeding and a White Wagtail gave a nice comparison with nearby Pied. Male Stonechat and Linnet were also noted here. At Salthouse a female Wheatear was around Little Eye and Avocet, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Sand Martin, Swallow, Marsh Harrier and a nice flock of c50 Golden Plover were noted. Nearby at Walsey Hills, the FIRECREST gave brief views in the scrub and both Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were singing with a further 4 Swallows west and 4 Marsh Harriers airborne. 2 Ruddy Duck were on Snipe’s Marsh and along the east bank at Arnold’s Marsh the first Sandwich Tern was noted and a Yellow Wagtail flew west. 50 Black-tailed Godwits, Ringed and 2 Grey Plover were also seen. Finally at Stiffkey the first House Martin and another Swallow were seen along with 5+ Pintail, Blackcap, 2 Ruff and Ruddy Duck.
THURSDAY 10TH APRIL: A Tree Sparrow was singing in East Barsham this morning, and on our way out two Grey Partridge were seen at West Barsham. Pausing at Choseley barns, a few Corn Bunting and smart Yellowhammer were feeding around the concrete pad. Around the reserve at Titchwell a good selection of species was noted starting around the visitor centre and meadow trail with 2 male Brambling, Chiffchaff and Blackcap. By the west bank path 6+ Bearded Tits were showing reasonably well and while waiting for these to appear 2 Sand Martins and a Swallow passed through, with Marsh Harriers a constant backdrop. On the lagoon to the west of the path 2 adult summer MEDITERRANEAN GULLS were loafing with large numbers of Black-headed Gulls and Little Grebe, Pochard, Tufted Duck and Little Egret were also seen. From the hides we noted Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit and Common Snipe as well as a selection of wildfowl, and the dark-bellied Brent Goose flock yielded the adult BLACK BRANT which gave good views as it came in to bathe on the marsh. A ringtail Hen Harrier was seen all too briefly as it appeared over the seawall along the reserves eastern boundary, and a Sedge Warbler singing in the reedbed was the first of the year. The sea was more productive than of late, with a typical scattering of spring passage wildfowl including 30+ Red-breasted Merganser, 12 Common Eider, 12+ Great Crested Grebe and 20+ Common Scoter.
CUSTOMISED NORFOLK TOUR 4TH -8TH APRIL
SATURDAY 5TH APRIL: Before we set off from East Barsham this morning we added a species to the village list as two superb adult summer MEDITERRANEAN GULLS drifted over west calling! Down at the Hawk & Owl Trust reserve at Sculthorpe Moor, we enjoyed a walk through the woodland and noted Marsh Tit, Treecreeper, Sparrowhawk, Barn Owl, Marsh Harrier and at least 3 singing Chiffchaff. A WILLOW TIT was singing and sighted very briefly in the canopy above us, and Coal & Long-tailed Tits were at the feeders. At Flitcham Abbey Farm a session in the hide was excellent as the Kingfishers were active at the nest hole and 2 Little Owls were seen in the fallen oak. A Blackcap was singing by the hide and Stock Dove, Curlew and Egyptian Goose were also noted. Spending the afternoon around Titchwell an excellent selection of species was noted including Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Ruff, Common Snipe, 3 Brambling (inc a summer plum male), 50+ Brent Geese, Sanderling, Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit and Pintail. Pochard, Little Egret, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler and Little Grebe were also seen.
SUNDAY 6TH APRIL: A cold northerly wind and snow showers today! On Kelling Heath, our first Willow Warbler was braving the weather to deliver its song from the blossoming blackthorn, and several Chiffchaff were also around. The GREAT GREY SHRIKE gave excellent views by the railway line perching in the small pines and silver birches allowing us to obtain good scope views. At Salthouse we soon located a pair of Northern Wheatear by the Little Eye and around the various pools Ringed Plover, Redshank, Dunlin and Avocet were also seen. Nearby at Walsey Hills a patient walk through the scrub paid dividends with good views of a skulking FIRECREST, while along the East Bank Arnold’s Marsh gave us the chance to observe several species of shorebird. C100 Dunlin, 50 Black-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Avocet and Curlew were seen here. By the shingle bank, we located 3 LAPLAND BUNTINGS in the rough grass by the eye field fence and these included two summer plumaged males, a splendid sight indeed. 5 Ruff, 4 Marsh Harriers and various species of wildfowl were also noted around the reserve. On the way home excellent views were had of Barn Owl near Walsingham.
MONDAY 7TH APRIL: We decided to head south today away from the northerly wind and further falls of snow. This proved to be a good decision as we did extremely well in Breckland today. Starting at Santon Downham, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Marsh Tit were seen well and a Grey Wagtail was incubating on its nest under the bridge. At nearby Mayday Farm our walk around the clear fell produced Siskin, Redpoll, Stonechat and very good views of 3 WOODLARKS perched on one of the stacks. At Weeting Heath, 2 STONE CURLEWS gave brilliant views as they hunkered down out of another hail storm! Finally at Lynford, a very enjoyable walk around the arboretum produced superb views of FIRECREST and 2 Green Woodpecker, and a female HAWFINCH obligingly perched atop a conifer long enough for us all to get good scope views! A good end to the day!
TUESDAY 8TH APRIL: A switch in wind at last to south-westerly and the promise we might see some spring migrants – if only we knew what delights would be in store today! Starting at West Barsham, 6 Tree Sparrows gave good views by the keepers lodge and Grey Partridge & Yellowhammer were feeding on the track here. Down at Holkham, a walk along through the meals to the Washington Hide produced a good spread of species with at least 5 Marsh Harriers in the air as well as Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk and a Peregrine.7 Chiffchaff were singing and 6 Pink-footed Geese were still on the marsh here. At Stiffkey Fen, we were alerted to news of a BLACK KITE drifting west along the coast between Salthouse and Weybourne and thinking the bird might come our way, made haste to the seawall! After 15 minutes of frantic scanning and no sign of the bird (despite 5 Common Buzzard and 3 Sparrowhawk drifting over) we eventually picked it up south-east of the fen soaring high towards Cockthorpe airfield. Excellent views were then obtained of this spring overshoot for several minutes as it made its way slowly westwards, often in the company of Common Buzzards. A Barn Owl and 2 Swallows heading west rounded off an exciting hours birding! At Salthouse, our next spring migrant was a Little-ringed Plover, with a Ringed Plover on the same pool for comparison, and a Stonechat was by the car park. Finally, a walk down to Kelling Water Meadows produced Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Egyptian Goose with goslings, Goldcrest and Ruff.
BRECKLAND & COASTAL TOUR 23RD - 26TH MARCH
MONDAY 24TH MARCH: At Cley this morning we headed along the shingle bank to North Hide in very cold conditions, with heavy downpours of hail along the way! A flock of c30 Golden Plover were noted and Marsh Harriers were in evidence over the main reedbed. Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon and Pintail were on the scrape along with Avocet and Ruff. Along the East Bank, we located the adult BLACK BRANT among a flock of dark-bellied Brent Geese and Arnold’s Marsh produced Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Ringed Plover. At the north end of the East Bank, we had excellent views of the 3 SHORELARKS as they fed on the shingle bank, often allowing quite close approach. Along the coast at Salthouse further heavy downpours of hail meant we had to wait for a break in the weather before exploring the Little Eye, and a flock of Snow Buntings was glimpsed disappearing off along the bank. Turnstone and Dunlin were around but the inclement weather meant we had to move on to a more sheltered location. We did this and headed to Sculthorpe Moor, and enjoyed a good selection of birds this afternoon. 2 Water Rail fed beneath the bird table and 3+ Marsh Tits gave good views. Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Treecreeper, Chiffchaff and Marsh Harrier were also noted. Finally at West Barsham Tree Sparrow and Barn Owl rounded off the day.
TUESDAY 25TH MARCH:A successful day in the Brecks started at Santon Downham where a walk by the river produced Great-spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Sparrowhawk. By the church, we enjoyed very good views of 2 Lesser Redpolls, as well as a male Siskin and another Treecreeper. At nearby Mayday Farm, a WOODLARK was the highlight though 2 Green Woodpeckers were also noted and Coal Tit were plentiful. At a nearby heath 5 STONE CURLEWS were seen as well as Eurasian Curlew. Lynford was our last port of call for the day and the one that got away here was a LESSER-SPOTTED WOODPECKER seen in flight only disappearing off into the wood, and not to be relocated. However, 4 HAWFINCH gave absolutely superb views perched in the top of the conifer trees and we scoped them up for several minutes. A male FIRECREST produced the icing on the cake as it sang and gave close range views in a laurel – Marsh Tit and Redwing were also noted.
WEDNESDAY 26TH MARCH:An excellent day today started on Kelling Heath where only a short way up the road we bumped into the GREAT GREY SHRIKE had had very good views of the bird perched in a silver birch tree. On the heath a male DARTFORD WARBLER gave good scope views as it came out to scold the shrike! A pretty good combination! Chiffchaff were in song and a Woodlark was also heard distantly singing here. Down at Salthouse there was still no sign of any buntings though a Red-throated Diver was offshore. We moved on to Cley beach in the hope we might locate them there and did so in the rank grass by the eye field fence. A female LAPLAND BUNTING was scurrying through the grass and 15 Snow Buntings flew in to join it, and we watched the birds at close range for quite a while. Heading towards Titchwell we called in at Choseley where 25 Corn Buntings were present. Down on the reserve, the feeding station produced good views of 3 Brambling, and the WOODCOCK was sat out in the open between the car park and VC. From Fen Hide, a Peregrine was perched in the dead trees and several Marsh Harrier were noted. A productive seawatch produced a smart drake LONG-TAILED DUCK as well as 250+ Common Scoter, 3+ Red-breasted Merganser, Goldeneye and Great Crested Grebe while Sanderling were along the shore. Also around the reserve were 10+ Ruff, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Little Egret and Common Snipe.
BRECKLAND & COASTAL TOUR 6TH - 9TH MARCH
FRIDAY 7TH MARCH: A very successful day in the Thetford Forest region. We drove through heavy rain though were greeted by sunshine at our first stop at Santon Downham. Here short walks around the main poplar wood and along the river bank yielded a good selection of birds with a singing WILLOW TIT the rarest and most unexpected of these. 2 Marsh Tit, 2 Nuthatch, 3 Bullfinch, 3 Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Jay, Coal & Long-tailed Tits were also noted here. Moving on to nearby Mayday Farm, a very pleasant walk around the clear fell produced stunning views of 2 singing WOODLARK, with the birds in song flight above our heads and also studied through the scope at close range on the ground. At the drinking pool, a large number of finches from around the forest were attracted to the water and we had excellent views of several Lesser Redpoll, Brambling, Siskin, Goldfinch, Linnet and Yellowhammer. Other species noted included Nuthatch, Common Buzzard and calling Tawny Owl. After lunch we made a quick stop at a local heath to see whether any Stone Curlew were around, without luck, though 2 Eurasian Curlew were present. At Lynford Arboretum this afternoon, we enjoyed spectacular success with the ever elusive HAWFINCHES, with a minimum of 4 birds almost constantly on show on our walk around the site. Birds were seen well in flight, heard calling and studied at length through the scope in beautiful light perched in the treetops. Marsh Tit, Bullfinch, Goldcrest, Redwing, Siskin, Reed Bunting and Kestrel were also present, though the excellent views of singing male FIRECREST provided the icing on the cake for a great day. However, the amazing close ups of two hunting Barn Owls by the roadside, shortly followed by good views of Grey Partridge, was in fact the final end to our birding today!
SATURDAY 8TH MARCH: A windy day today saw us start at Morston Quay to follow up a recent report of TWITE, a scarce bird this winter. We soon located the small flock of 15+ birds on the saltmarsh and had very good views as they fed among the vegetation. At Nearby Cley, the walk along the East Bank provided brief views of a WATER PIPIT on the Serpentine and Bearded Tits were heard calling in the reeds. Down on the shingle bank, the 3 SHORELARKS were still showing extremely well often down to just a few metres. Other species noted around Cley included Little Egret, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit and Marsh Harrier. Down at Salthouse, we were a little fortunate to not only connect with the LAPLAND BUNTING, but get views of the bird down to about 15ft! Only 2 Snow Buntings were present today but gave views even closer than this, one bird a fine male attaining summer plumage. Dunlin and Turnstone were equally obliging, and 2 Egyptian Geese were in the fields. On Kelling Heath, the elusive GREAT GREY SHRIKE gave us the run around! After initially locating the bird in flight, we headed off to the area we thought the bird had flown to, only finding it on a totally different area of heath after having walked around the entire site! However, good views were had by all. After lunch we continued our run of top birds with stunning views of Cley’s adult male WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW feeding just feet away in the sunshine. Thinking we would struggle to round off a day as good as this, we did so in style at Wells where a fine male Hen Harrier came in to roost on Lodge Marsh. The wintering juvenile SHAG was present in the harbour and a MERLIN dashed across the saltmarsh.
SUNDAY 9TH MARCH: Our first port of call this morning was the local nature reserve at Sculthorpe Moor, were a good selection of species included good views of Treecreeper, Marsh Tit, Goldcrest, 2 Sparrowhawk and Siskin though the Whitley Hide again provided the highlight with 2 Water Rails feeding below the bird table and 2 fine male Brambling in the bushes. On the coast at Holkham, dwindling goose flocks included about 500 Pink-footed Geese and the adult ROSS’S GOOSE by the A149, and a nice flock of c100 Eurasian White-fronted Geese out on the freshmarsh. Heading towards Titchwell we stopped at Choseley where 2 LITTLE OWLS were hiding in a roadside ash tree and 4 Corn Buntings were seen well by the drying barns among flocks of Yellowhammers and a single Stock Dove. After lunch, our afternoon around the reserve started with good views of WOODCOCK, skulking in the vegetation. Some smart Brambling were on the feeders and a Cetti’s Warbler was heard singing in the reedbed. On the freshmarsh, superb views of WATER PIPIT was a highlight but Common Snipe, Spotted Redshank, Avocet, Gadwall, Pintail, Teal, Shoveler, Brent Geese, Pochard and Little Grebe were also seen. On Thornham Marsh, feeding Brent geese held the adult BLACK BRANT. The shoreline offered the chance to add Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit and Sanderling to the list and obtain good views of up to 50 Red-breasted Mergansers offshore, as well as Great Crested Grebe, 12 Common Eider and Goldeneye. Finally today, we called in briefly at Burnham Deepdale where a short walk onto the seawall to look for the Rough-legged Buzzard proved unsuccessful. However, a JACK SNIPE was seen by some group members and hunting Barn Owl, Grey Plover, Stonechat and Great-spotted Woodpecker rounded off our weekend.
CUSTOMISED TOUR 3RD - 6TH MARCH
MONDAY 3RD MARCH: The first day of a three day customised tour. We headed into the fens and started at Welney WWT, locating our first flocks of WHOOPER SWANS along the road from Ten Mile Bank. Amongst these flocks, we located the adult COMMON CRANE which gave reasonable views as it fed among the swans. From the reserve centre car park, while having a cuppa, a superb RED KITE drifted past over the fields, still a good bird in these parts. 15+ Corn Buntings were around the feeding station and flocks of Fieldfare were noted in the fields. From the main observatory an excellent variety of species were noted including Redshank, Lapwing, Ruff, Goldeneye, Pintail, Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Whooper Swan, Marsh Harrier and 3 TUNDRA BEAN GEESE which gave excellent views on the ground, swimming and in flight. Heading back northward we stopped at a few sites such as Denver Sluice, Magdalen Relief Channel, Tottenhill Gravel Pit and Blackborough End tip, though few new species were noted. More Goldeneye, Pochard, Little & Great Crested Grebe and large numbers of Gulls were seen. Finally we visited Holme this evening where an hour or so in one of the hides yielded 35 species including Brent & Pink-footed Geese, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Bullfinch, Goldcrest, Gadwall, Pochard, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit and CETTI’S WARBLER seen briefly among the reeds.
TUESDAY 4TH MARCH: On our way down to Cley this morning we called in briefly at Wells to check the harbour, and noted large numbers of Brent Geese as well as Grey Plover, Redshank, Turnstone and Little Grebe. At Cley by the West Bank, the dark-bellied Brent Goose flock contained the 1st winter Pale-bellied Brent and Stonechat was also noted here. Along the East Bank, Bearded Tits were heard calling in the reeds and Marsh Harrier were in evidence, while on the Serpentine, a WATER PIPIT was seen quite well feeding in the edge of the grass. On the shingle bank, 3 SHORELARK were again present, though proving elusive as they stayed hidden among the ridges and runnels out of the wind. 2 Snow Bunting also flew over here, and on Arnold’s Marsh a good selection of shorebirds included Grey & Ringed Plovers 200+ Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Pintail, Gadwall and Avocet. At nearby Salthouse, the Snow Bunting flock proved very elusive though 50 birds appeared briefly to drink from the pools west of the beach car park. 3 LAPLAND BUNTING were even more flighty, but one bird showed signs of summer plumage with a bright rufous nape and black spotting on the underparts. In the afternoon we drove south to Wacton Common to look for the recently reported DARK-BREASTED BARN OWL, and enjoyed good views of the bird roosting on its favourite perch among the rafters of an old shed. Flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing were also seen here.
WEDNESDAY 5TH MARCH: At Sculthorpe Moor this morning a good selection of birds included Treecreeper, Marsh Tit, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Shelduck, singing WILLOW TIT, 3 Water Rails, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Bullfinch. Along the coast at Holkham, we called in to look for the flock of Eurasian White-fronted Geese, enjoying good views of approx 220 birds on the freshamarsh as well as c500 Pink-footed Geese and 3 Barnacle Geese. Nearby at Burnham Norton, a brief search for the Rough-legged Buzzard was again unsuccessful though 2 Marsh Harrier, Stock Dove and Golden Plover were present. At Choseley, 2 Little Owl were a nice bonus and Corn Bunting was noted among a flock of 20+ Yellowhammer. Spending the afternoon around Titchwell, a reasonable selection of species included Tree Sparrow, 50+ Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Bar & Black-tailed Godwits, 4+ Goldeneye, 5 Red-breasted Merganser, Common Scoter, 2 Common Eider, Little Egret, Pintail, Dunlin, Knot, Turnstone, Sanderling, Common Snipe, Rock Pipit and Pochard. Of note were extremely large numbers of gulls congregating on both the freshmarsh and the beach, with Common Gull numbers indicative of northbound passage of this species. Among the throng we noted at least 4 MEDITERRANEAN GULLS including a full summer plumaged adult. On our way home, 2 Barn Owls were noted.
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SUNDAY 2ND MARCH: We started the day at Sculthorpe Moor NR where the walk through the alder woodland yielded a singing WILLOW TIT which gave brief views. Marsh Tits were more obliging, and we watched a Great-spotted Woodpecker excavating its nest hole. From the hide, 3 Water Rails were seen together and 4 Brambling included a stunning male. Treecreeper, Coal & Long-tailed Tits were also noted. Moving on to Flitcham we enjoyed a coffee break in the hide where large numbers of Redwing were feeding as well as Curlew, Egyptian Goose and 5 Common Buzzards. At Choseley Barns, Corn Bunting were present in small numbers with a flock of Yellowhammers, the first I have seen here this year. Spending the afternoon at Titchwell our first bird was another Water Rail quickly followed by the adult BLACK BRANT among the Brent Goose flock. Also noted around the reserve were 50 Ruff, 4 Spotted Redshank, Reed Bunting, Marsh Harrier, c50 Avocet, Rock Pipit, 4 Goldeneye, Sanderling, Little Egret, Black-tailed & Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Snipe, Gadwall and Pintail. A female MERLIN dashed across the freshmarsh sending everything skyward and a male Brambling was on the feeders. Our final stop was at Holkham freshmarsh where 220 Eurasian White-fronted Geese, 1000+ Pink-footed Geese, Ross’s Goose and 2 Barnacle Geese were seen. Barn Owl, Grey Partridge and a smashing Peregrine at North Barsham rounded off the weekend nicely.
SATURDAY 1ST MARCH: A fantastic days birding, the first of a two day customised tour. We started at Cley and were soon watching the adult male WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW at close quarters. Nearby at the north end of the east bank, 3 SHORELARKS gave splendid views and constituted the first winter record for the tours. An adult LITTLE GULL was a nice bonus flying west along the shingle ridge and 9 Snow Buntings were also seen here. Black-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, 275 Dunlin and Ringed Plover were also noted. At Salthouse, the flock of c50 Snow Buntings was present and we located a single LAPLAND BUNTING on the shingle ridge, sheltering behind a Yellow-horned poppy out of the wind! Avocet, Teal, Wigeon, Pintail and Stonechat were also seen in the area. On Kelling Heath, we had lunch before heading down to the railway line to look for the GREAT GREY SHRIKE. The bird gave us the run around before perching on the embankment fence no more than 20ft away! Fantastic! We then headed down to Horsey where our target bird was COMMON CRANE. After a lot of time scanning roadside fields, and a long walk out to the dunes had yeilded nothing, we stopped at Waxham to view Brograve Level from the dunes. We located 13 CRANES in the fields but the birds were extremely distant, so we relocated to the Sea Palling – Hickling road were much better views were obtained of 17 birds in total.
NORFOLK WINTER 5 DAY TOUR 24TH -29TH FEBRUARY 2008:-
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY: A beautiful day today for our trip to the Norfolk Broads. Having seen Grey Partridge and (for some) Barn Owl before setting off, our first stop was RSPB Buckenham Marshes reserve. Large flocks of Eurasian Wigeon, Lapwing and Golden Plover gave spectacular displays here, with Marsh Harrier, Common Snipe, Sparrowhawk and Eurasian White-fronted Goose also noted. At nearby Cantley marshes goose flocks have dispersed though we noted Reed Bunting and Linnet here. Moving on to Breydon Water the high tide roost was absolutely spectacular as swirling flocks of 2000+ Golden Plover, c500 Black-tailed Godwit and 200+ Dunlin jostled for space on the marsh with huge flocks of Curlew, Avocet, Knot, Grey Plover and Redshank. Pintail were among the wildfowl noted, while an immature Peregrine terrorised the roosting flocks. Among the gathered gulls, a smart adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULL was picked out giving nice comparisons with accompanying Herring & Lesser Black-backed. On the beach at Great Yarmouth, MEDITERRANEAN GULLS gave very close views. Heading up the coast, we were fortunate to bump into 3 COMMON CRANES right by the roadside, giving amazing close views, and large flocks of Pink-footed Geese were feeding in the fields around Horsey. After lunch, we walked south towards Winterton along the dunes and located the adult white morph LESSER SNOW GOOSE amongst another large pink-foot flock. 2 PURPLE SANDPIPERS were on the groynes and we also noted Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Stonechat and the Atlantic Grey Seal colony. Our final stop was Hickling and Stubbs Mill roost. Following our great views of Cranes we didn’t stay until dark especially after we had noted a ringtail Hen Harrier, female MERLIN, 12+ Marsh Harrier, Fieldfare, Jay, Ross’s Goose and 28 Common Snipe in a roadside field.
TUESDAY 26TH FEBRUARY: A bright and breezy day with winds increasing significantly during the afternoon. We started at Holme for the high tide at Gore Point, though the sea here was disappointing. Great Crested Grebe, Fulmar, Bar-tailed Godwit, Brent Goose, Stonechat, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier and large flocks of Curlew were noted here. At nearby Thornham, we had brilliant views of a drake Red-breasted Merganser, as well as a good selection of waders on the saltings. Titchwell was as usual productive and the highlights here were probably the obliging Water Rail and roosting WOODCOCK. Offshore small groups of Red-breasted merganser, Goldeneye and single Great Crested Grebe were seen, while a flock of 9 Snow Bunting settled on the beach in front of us giving close views. On the freshmarsh, single Ruff and a few Common Snipe were noted, though the best bird was undoubtedly the WATER PIPIT feeding along the reed edge, seen moments after good views of a Rock Pipit. Other species noted around the reserve were Little Egret, Pintail, Shoveler, Pochard, Little Grebe and Brambling, while a small flock of finches over the saltmarsh edge seen briefly could have been Twite or Lesser Redpolls. With the wind increasing we had a quick look at Burnham Norton for the Rough-legged Buzzard without success, and moved on to the shelter of Holkham Pines. Here a FIRECREST gave superb views in the holm oaks by the path, and flocks of Pink-footed Geese and Eurasian Wigeon were noted on the marsh. 3 Barn Owls at West Barsham rounded off the day.
WEDNESDAY 27TH FEBRUARY: A fine sunny day for our visit to Thetford Forest and environs. Our first stop was the river at Santon Downham, and a good selection of birds was noted in the area including Nuthatch, Marsh Tit, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest, WOODLARK, Sparrowhawk and Stock Dove with 2 each of Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail on the river. A surprise came while having coffee by the forestry commission car park, as a cloud of agitated corvids signalled the presence of a male GOSHAWK drifting overhead, and we enjoyed superb views as the bird glided effortlessly by with hardly a wingbeat. At nearby Mayday Farm, we completed the circular walk taking in the two drinking pools. Large congregations of finches here were spectacular, and we watched as Brambling, Siskin, Goldfinch and Lesser Redpoll queued to access the water. Stonechat, Sparrowhawk and Green Woodpecker were also noted here. After lunch by Santon Warren, we went to look for the Great Grey Shrike with no success. However, 2 CROSSBILLS flew overhead and Siskins were again in evidence. Finally at Lynford Arboretum, HAWFINCH were a real highlight with 6+ birds present including several fine singing males. A FIRECREST gave brief views while Nuthatch, Siskin & Great-spotted Woodpecker were also seen.
THURSDAY 28TH FEBRUARY: Another beautiful morning saw us head into Holkham Park in search of woodland birds. A detour due to the parks closure allowed us to locate a feeding flock of Pink-footed Geese, along with 2 BARNACLE GEESE and the adult white morph ROSS’S GOOSE. Egyptian Goose, 16 Common Snipe and Marsh Harrier were also noted before we finally headed into the park. Treecreeper were very numerous with double figures noted, along with Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Jay and Mistle Thrush. Moving on to Cley we didn’t have to wait long before the adult male WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW put in an appearance at close quarters. On Kelling Heath, the GREAT GREY SHRIKE gave excellent views having initially given us the run around! Salthouse was excellent as the flock of c50 Snow Buntings held a single LAPLAND BUNTING, and the pools allowed close ups of Dunlin, Turnstone, Ringed Plover and the Common x Green-winged Teal hybrid. Offshore, several Red-throated Divers were noted. The east bank at Cley produced some fleeting glimpses of Bearded Tits, while Arnolds Marsh produced a good spread of birds such as Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Gadwall, Little Egret and Little Grebe. Brent Geese, Marsh Harrier and Stonechat were also seen. Finally the satlmarsh at Warham Greens gave us splendid views of a male Hen Harrier, as well as 3 ringtails, 3 Marsh Harriers and a Barn Owl.
FRIDAY 29TH FEBRUARY: With rain and wind setting in by lunchtime we aimed for Burnham Norton this morning to look for the Rough-legged Buzzard without success. Calling in at Brancaster Staithe Harbour close views were obtained of Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit and Turnstone from the vehicle. Out along the seawall from Burnham Deepdale we noted a wide selection of birds including Redshank, Brent Goose, Stonechat, Kestrel, Barn Owl, Curlew, Grey Plover, Goldcrest and a superb male Hen Harrier, mobbed by a female MERLIN! A flock of 15+ TWITE flew over calling though unfortunately they headed out onto the saltmarsh. Inland at West Barsham Tree Sparrows gave good views by the keepers lodge, while Sculthorpe Moor gave us shelter from the increasing winds. Several excellent views of Marsh Tit were had here, as well as 3 Water Rails together under the bird table and 5 Brambling which included a male in almost full breeding plumage! Great-spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit and Redwing were also seen. Our final port of call was Flitcham where Stock Dove, Redwing, Fieldfare and Egyptian Goose were noted.
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SATURDAY 23RD FEBRUARY: A visit to the Ouse Washes this morning added the GREAT WHITE EGRET to the year list. Also seen were 3 TUNDRA BEAN GEESE, 2 Barn Owl, Corn Bunting, flocks of WHOOPER & BEWICK'S SWANS, Reed Bunting, Fieldfare, Little Egret, Pintail, Pochard & Shoveler. In the afternoon a visit to Edgefield Tip yielded a 3rd winter CASPIAN GULL among the several thousand large gulls present at the site.
FRIDAY 22ND FEBRUARY: A customised tour around Norfolk today saw us start the day from East Barsham were small numbers of Redwing were present. Setting off for our first stop at Titchwell, it wasn't long before we had located the WOODCOCK by the main path, enjoying excellent close views of this normally elusive species. Around the feeders, at least 10 Brambling were feeding among a selection of finches and tits. We made for the beach as the falling tide had started to encourage a range of shorebirds to feed along the tideline. Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Knot, Grey Plover, Redshank, Turntone and Sanderling were noted while offshore small groups of Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser, 4 female Common Eider and single Great Crested Grebe were seen. On thornham marsh, feeding flocks of Dark-bellied Brent Geese allowed us to pick out the distinctive adult BLACK BRANT, as well as note Curlew and Little Egret. From the hide, a gathering of 50+ Ruff was a distinct increase in numbers, while 10+ Black-tailed Godwit, 30+ Avocet, Gadwall, Teal, Pintail, Shoveler and Common Snipe were also seen. Good views of Goldeneye rounded off the walk while passerines included Meadow Pipit, Linnet and Reed Bunting. A Water Rail gave close views in the ditch by the feeders and finally before lunch 6 Lesser Redpoll showed well by the picnic area. Nearby at Brancaster Staithe, a drive through the harbour allowed close views of waders such as Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit and Turnstone to be obtained. We had our lunch by Lady Anne's Drive at Holkham and here we had good views of feeding Pink-footed Geese. Moving on to Cley, the WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW didn't make us wait long for good, if not brief views! At Salthouse, the Snow Buntings showed much better as they landed all around us by the Little Eye, sometimes approaching to within a few feet. Common Teal, Tunstone and Dunlin allowed equally close approach. Finally the East Bank walk allowed us to get good views of male and female Marsh Harrier, Stonechat, a selection of waders and 3 Red-throated Divers close inshore.
CORNWALL WINTER 18TH – 20TH FEBRUARY
A reconaissance trip by myself and Neil in preparation for our Cornwall Winter Tour in 2009 (23rd – 26th February, £425 + £50 single supp). I will be fairly brief here in reporting on what can only be described as an awesome few days birding, though a full itinerary for next years tour is now available on request. Not only was the birding superb, but the weather fantastic throughout – while the rest of Britain was sub-zero, we were sub-tropical! Birding today at Helston Loe Pool in just a T-shirt! The key birds seen were as follows:-
HUME’S YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER, WATER PIPIT, 3 MEDITERRANEAN GULL, 11 CATTLE EGRETS, GLAUCOUS GULL, 3 ICELAND GULLS, 20 BLACK-NECKED GREBES (including a flock of 19, many in summer plumage!!), RED-NECKED GREBE (summer plumage), 3 BLACK-THROATED DIVER, 8 GREAT NORTHERN DIVER, 50 Red-breasted Merganser, Avocet, Goosander, Common Chiffchaff (10+), SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF (tristis), YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER, 2 FIRECREST, RING-BILLED GULL, BITTERN, Grey Wagtail, Raven, Rock Pipit, 5 SLAVONIAN GREBE, Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Gannet, Fulmar, Nuthatch, 2 Water Rail and Bullfinch. Ring-necked Duck and Long-tailed Duck were also present but we ran out of time in just 2 days! A stop at Bowling Green Marsh on our way home added Grey Plover, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. I think it is fair to say that a spread of birds like this could not be bettered anywhere in the British Isles. Accommodation will be at the excellent Green Lawns Hotel in Falmouth.
SATURDAY 16TH FEBRUARY: A whistle stop tour round cley and Salthouse this morning to do a bit of photography in the sunny weather yielded the following species: WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, Snow Bunting, Red-throated Diver, Turnstone, Dunlin, Brent Goose, Marsh Harrier, Avocet & Little Egret. Unfortunately the Bittern at Beeston Common did not remain long enough for me to photograph!
NORFOLK WINTER TOUR 10TH - 15TH FEBRUARY
MONDAY 11TH FEBRUARY: A WOODCOCK bathing in a woodland pool, oblivious to our group watching just 10ft away and beautifully lit by the sun shining through the branches, was the highlight of a days birding which produced 96 species. This was preceded however by Barn Owl and Grey Partridge before even leaving East Barsham and a visit to Gore Point off Holme Dunes for the high tide for our target species LONG-TAILED DUCK of which we saw 29. 10+ Great Crested Grebe, 10+ Red-breasted Merganser, Common Eider, 12+ Common Scoter, 2 Fulmar, 10+ Red-throated Diver and a superb GREAT NORTHERN DIVER were also noted here. Sanderling, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey & Ringed Plovers, Oystercatcher, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Pink-footed and Brent Geese were also seen. On to Titchwell and the aforementioned Woodcock was our second bird, the first being a smart Water Rail seen slinking through the undergrowth. In alders by the visitor centre 5 Lesser Redpoll were feeding, and flocks of Golden Plover in the fields included 4 Ruff. On the freshmarsh, Avocet, Pintail, Common Snipe, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit and Pochard were present, while Marsh Harrier and Sparrowhawk were also noted. On the tidal pool, 2 Spotted Redshank gave good views and Stonechat, Rock Pipit, Reed Bunting and Skylark were among the passerines noted. The sea was less productive than Holme but still 20+ Goldeneye and 15+ Red-breasted Merganser were present along with distant views of Kittiwake and plenty of waders on the shore. Little Egret, 2 Brambling, Siskin and a probable Mealy Redpoll seen briefly with a small group of Lesser rounded off the morning. After lunch we headed along to Burnham Norton to try and locate the Rough-legged Buzzard, this time without success though while scanning across the marshes towards Scolt Head we saw a hunting adult female Peregrine and a ringtail Hen Harrier floating over the dunes. Finally at Binham Priory a female BLACK REDSTART provided a great end to the day, as well as Fieldfare, Stock Dove, 2 more Barn Owls and a large flock of Brent Geese.
TUESDAY 12TH FEBRUARY: Another superb days weather made our visit to Breckland very successful. Our first port of call was Santon Downham where the mist lingered until mid morning but a good selection of species was encountered such as Green (2) and Great-spotted (3) Woodpeckers, 2 Nuthatch, Marsh Tit, Reed Bunting, 5+ Siskin and a fly over Common Crossbill. Nearby at Mayday Farm we enjoyed good views of 4 Bullfinch and it wasn’t long before the first song-flighting WOODLARK was heard, with 5 birds subsequently seen including good perched views as well as close flight views. An escaped Red-tailed Hawk put in a few appearances, and a pair of displaying Sparrowhawks was a welcome sight. The highlight, however, was a pair of CROSSBILLS, the male in song and the female busily feeding on pine cones. Several Brambling included some smart males and Common Buzzard, Siskin & Lesser Redpoll were also noted. After lunch we made for Lynford and had a very pleasant couple of hours exploring the woodland habitats. HAWFINCH was our target bird and we had several views of this shy bird, including a stunning display by a singing male, and many flight views of probably up to 7 different birds. Siskin were ever present; Treecreeper, Marsh Tit, Goldcrest and Coal Tit were also noted. Perhaps the highlight though was the stunning views we had of a singing male FIRECREST complete with erect fiery crown feathers and bronze washed shoulders gleaming in the afternoon sunshine. A great days birding!
WEDNESDAY 13TH FEBRUARY: A very disappointing day as dense fog prevailed throughout our trip to Broadland, basically prevented us from doing any birding! Our first stops at Buckenham and Cantley were in virtually zero visibility, though we managed to see Fieldfare, Marsh Tit, Stonechat, Wigeon and Teal. Moving along the A47 towards Great Yarmouth a brief gap in the fog allowed us to check roadside swan herds for Bewicks but without success. By the time we reached Breydon Water the fog was rolling in again, and we had about five minutes to see 2000+ Golden Plover, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Redshank, Little Egret, Wigeon etc before the estuary became totally invisible! On the promenade, the MEDITERRANEAN GULLS entertained us over lunch with at least 20 birds present. Moving up the coast to Horsey we took a walk along the dunes and located the female DARTFORD WARBLER seen earlier in the day, the bird giving good views in long grass by the path. Stonechat and Green Woodpecker were also noted while on the beach we had close views of the Atlantic Grey Seals and a lone Sanderling. Stubbs Mill roost was again disappointing as we were unable to see the marsh and bushes where the birds roost. 5 Marsh Harrier, a Sparrowhawk and Barn Owl were seen through the fog and Cranes were heard calling.
THURSDAY 14TH FEBRUARY: at Beeston Common where we had amazing close views of a wintering BITTERN in full view! Bullfinch and Siskin were also noted during our stop here. Nearby on Kelling Heath, a walk down to the area south of the railway line produced excellent close views of the GREAT GREY SHRIKE, the bird catching and eating beetles in front of us. Down at Cley, we caught up with the long staying adult male WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, the bird giving good views and even singing for us! Bullfinch was again noted here. After lunch we visited Salthouse where we had very good views of 40+ Snow Buntings, as well as a brief Water Rail and plenty of Turnstone, Dunlin and Common Teal, plus the hybrid drake Common x Green-winged Teal. Offshore, a gathering of Red-throated Diver numbered around 100, and 20+ Guillemot, 20+ Common Scoter and a Great Crested Grebe were seen. Along the East Bank at Cley we had several tantalising views of Bearded Tits in the reeds, and both Sparrowhawk and Marsh Harrier perched in bushes in the reedbed. Down at Arnold’s Marsh, a Kingfisher was seen and Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Pintail, Gadwall and Dunlin were noted. Our final stop today was Warham Greens where a walk down to the gibbet afforded good views across the saltmarsh. We soon located a female MERLIN perched in the sueda and enjoyed 4 Hen Harriers, including good views of a male, 4 Marsh Harrier and a Barn Owl.
FRIDAY 15TH FEBRUARY: A cool easterly wind but sunny by the afternoon, we started the day down at Burnham Norton. Parking by the A149, we located the juvenile ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD very distantly over the dunes of Scolt Head Island. Heading down into the village we walked the (very muddy!) path out to the seawall to get better views of the bird. Almost immediately as we set up the scopes the bird took flight and gave excellent views as it hunted briefly over the island before dropping down out of sight behind sueda. A ringtail Hen Harrier gave excellent views over the reedbed, often in company of a Marsh Harrier, and Pink-footed and Brent Geese, Shoveler & Wigeon were also seen. Spending the remainder of the day around Holkham, the park was very quiet though we did see Great-spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest and 50+ Brambling. Offshore, a Red-breasted Merganser was noted and from the hide we enjoyed Marsh Harriers again plus a good selection of wildfowl. On our way home, stops at Wells Harbour and West Barsham yielded Common Snipe, Grey Plover, Little Grebe, Grey Partridge and 6 Tree Sparrow.
CUSTOMISED TOUR 8TH - 10TH FEBRUARY
SATURDAY 9TH FEBRUARY: Our first port of call this morning was Salthouse beach, where we enjoyed incredibly close views of 50+ Snow Buntings, often within just a few feet and often in danger of perching on the telescope! 20+ Turnstone, 15+ Dunlin, Marsh Harrier, 200+ Golden Plover, Teal and Ringed Plover were also noted. Moving along to Cley we took a walk along the East Bank to Arnold’s Marsh where a flock of 12+ Bearded Tits gave good views feeding in the reeds and a pair of Stonechat were often visible along the path. A large flock of dark-bellied Brent Geese on Pope’s Marsh contained both an adult BLACK BRANT and a juv pale-bellied Brent Goose, while good numbers of Curlew and a pair of Pintail were also noted. Arnold’s Marsh itself yielded plenty of common wildfowl including Gadwall, and 3 Grey Plover and a Little Egret completed the scene. Offshore, 4+ Red-throated Diver were seen. Our next stop was to pay our respects to the adult WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW in Cley village, adding again to the growing fund for the Cley church restoration project which has reached an amazing £5000. Excellent views were again had of the bird, down to about 10ft. After lunch we took a walk through Holkham Park where a good selection of woodland birds included Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Green & Great-spotted Woodpeckers. By Lady Anne’s Drive, flocks of Pink-feet and 6 Barnacle Geese were noted, and in total we noted 4 Barn Owls here. From the boardwalk 7 Red-breasted Merganser and Common Eider were noted, with Sanderling on the shore. From the hide, close encounters were had with both Barn Owl and Marsh Harrier, the male bird of the latter indulging in spectacular display flight no doubt encouraged by the balmy conditions! Finally, 5 Brambling showed well in the pine belt and Jay, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Siskin, Pochard and 2 Goldeneye were seen.
SUNDAY 10TH FEBRUARY: A fabulous day in spring like weather conditions! We made an early start for our planned visit to the high tide roost at Snettisham, and arrived to the spectacle of thousands of Pink-footed Geese leaving their night time roost to head inland to feed. Soon we were at the south end of the reserve watching the gathered throng of shorebirds on the rising tide, and wheeling flocks of Knot and Bar-tailed Godwits provided a fantastic sight indeed. Ringed Plover, Redshank, Dunlin, Curlew, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Wigeon, Teal, Brent Goose and Shelduck also featured in numbers. On the pits, roosting Oystercatcher were numerous along with more Knot, 4 Goldeneye, Pochard, Little Grebe and flocks of Redshank. Skylark were everywhere and 2 Rock Pipits gave good views. A Marsh Harrier was the only raptor noted, and a smart adult MEDITERRANEAN GULL gave a super fly past. Titchwell was our destination in the afternoon and only a short distance from the visitor centre we had close views of Water Rail and 5+ Lesser Redpolls in the alders. Reed Bunting, Linnet & Skylark were numerous on the walk and a Marsh Harrier cruised over the freshmarsh sending a flock of Avocet skyward. Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, Common Snipe, Golden Plover and Pintail were seen on the pools, with the large Brent Goose flock again hosting a BLACK BRANT. On the shore, waders included Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Curlew, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover and Knot, while offshore 25+ Red-breasted Merganser and 40+ Goldeneye were both good counts. Finally, we stopped by the A149 near Burnham Norton to look for a juvenile ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD reported earlier, and after an initially fruitless search of the birds most recent haunts, it appeared from nowhere and landed on a bush giving superb scope views! It was subsequently seen in flight and perched on a fence, giving a brilliant end to the weekend.
SOLWAY COAST 31ST JANUARY - 3RD FEBRUARY 2008
FRIDAY 1ST FEBRUARY: The winds had abated somewhat this morning and the sun was shining as we set of for Loch Ken RSPB just a short drive away from Castle Douglas. Virtually our first bird was a RED KITE which drifted over the road, the first of several sightings involving perhaps 4 birds. Flocks of Icelandic Greylag Geese were feeding by the roadside and we also noted Common Teal, Eurasian Wigeon, Little Grebe, Northern Lapwing, Common Goldeneye, Great Cormorant and a nice mixed flock of Fieldfare, Redwing and Mistle Thrush. Further along towards Mains of Duchrae Farm, we located a flock of approx 75 GREENLAND WHITE-FRONTED GEESE grazing by the lochshore. Despite the distance, good scope views were obtained of these rare geese, and a male Eurasian Sparrowhawk flashed through. The walk from the RSPB car park down to the hide yielded 3 Common Buzzard, 2 Treecreeper, Song Thrush, Reed Bunting and a large mixed flock of approx 100 Chaffinch and 50 Linnet. A Red Squirrel gave superb close views and 3 Bullfinch included a nice male. From the hide, several Coal Tits and an obliging Nuthatch were seen, with 2 Common Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe and Common Teal on the river Dee. 2 further RED KITE sightings were had over the far hillside. On our walk back to the car park, we had what could only be described as amazing views of a pair of WILLOW TITS just a few feet away from us, showing beautifully all the salient features to separate them from the s
