Thursday, 16 October 2025

Norfolk for Oriole Birding 16th October 2025

It was a calmer but grey morning and Chaffinches were on the move west at first light with a few Bramblings in amongst them while the Pinkies once again pre-empted our breakfast with their high flight overhead.  Even higher still were a skein of hundreds of Golden Plover that I lost to view when the turned.

Pinkies

I needn’t have worried as almost as soon as we reached Titchwell after breakfast we could hear them out on the marsh and were soon immersing ourselves in the susurration of over 1000 Golden Plover murmuring quietly to themselves both on the deck and spiralling in from above.  Everyone was mesmerised. 




Golden Plover 

New trip birds came thick and fast from the humble Coot and Little Grebe to our first Great Egret while other waders on the pools Ruff, Avocets, Dunlin, two Curlew Sandpipers and four Little Stints.  Snipe were popping up all over the place and all the dabbling duck were present and correct.

Arty Great Egret


Several flock of Brent Geese came in to the freshwater marsh for a drink and bath while Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and Marsh Harriers were noted on a scan round but oddly at that stage no Kites.

Brent Geese

Brent Geese

Greylag Geese

Rock and Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and Reed Buntings represented the visible small birds while Cetti’s Warblers continued to elude our eyes but not our ears.  Further on we found a few finches and a pair of Stonechats and then a 1w Ringed Plover on the last pool.

Unlike my last trip the tide was mid-range and perfect and we set about adding more wadery things with Knot, Bar-tailed Godwits, Oystercatchers, Turnstones and distant scurrying clockwork Sanderlings as well as two adult Spoonbills with some Little Egrets on a tidal pool that had obviously trapped lots of prey and the Gulls and Curlews were joining in too.




Spoonbills and friends


A lady who had walked down with her dog on the lead proceeded to let it off and then walk all the way across in front us along the tideline sending the birds temporarily but unnecessarily on the move. I sounded like a flock of Brent Geese…



The sea was very disappointing with just a couple of Scoter blobs and six Great Crested Grebes. I seem to be more disappointed than otherwise when watching the sea up her nowadays.

Our return leg gave better views of now 13 Ruff including a fine white male and some good Barwit – Blackwit comparisons while a summer plumaged Golden Plover was found amongst the masses of spangley brethren.

Golden Plover


Ruff 

Lapwing

Ruff & Black-tailed Godwit

Blackbird

Lunch back at the car park and hen back east to Garden Drove where we were lucky to get a gap for the van.  A Hume’s Warbler had joined the Crest and Yellow-browed Warbler flock and we would spend the next hour with a small crowd staring into the Sycamores.  Most of the crew got a very good look at the YBWs and several got something on the Hume’s but it was basically silent and mobile – not an easy bird.  The YBW’s were occasionally very vocal and would stridently call around us and a Chiffchaff was also noted and found repeatedly.



The wet and soggy Long-eared Owl that we saw on Tuesday had survived and had been seen hunting of an evening and was back on his favoured perch looking fully fluffed up, warm and hopefully well fed.  Once again a delight to be able to watch a LEO and so good to see it looking so recovered.

Long-eared Owl - feet all nicely hidden away and snug now!

Long-eared Owl


Linnets were up in the Oaks with some Goldfinches and a Brambling and noisy flocks of Egyptian Geese moved from the fields to new feeding grounds.  They may be noisy but I do love that striking wing pattern.

Egyptian Geese 

Stonechat 

We spent some time scanning the saltmarsh for non-existent raptors but did pick the Glossy Ibis once again in flight and lots of cool Brent Geese before giving the Hume’s one more go with no additional joy so we ambled back up the lane to the van and notionally headed back to base although with a couple of diversions.

The first was to the Burnham Overy Dunes lay-by on the A149 (you can still get there although the road is closed further on and then turn up Burnham Thorpe Road to get back on the diversion).  There were no Grey Partridges but we did find five Cattle Egrets, Buzzards, some vibrant Yellowhammers, two glowing Green Woodpeckers, Jays and a selection of mammals with both the non-native deer and four plump Brown Hares which was good.

From here the lanes gave us fields dotted with more Brown Hares (I counted 32) and we poodled along searching for Barn Owls and Partidges with no joy before a final stop at Burnham Norton for a short walk out onto the marsh. Despite perfect conditions there were again no Barn Owls but it was a pleasant end to the day and we did see Marsh Harriers congregating before roost, 11 Cattle Egrets heading off to theirs, a Great Egret, Stonechats, heaps of Greylags and two Grey Wagtails before giving up and having an interesting discussion about Reedmace not being Bulrush and the internet lying…

A Harey field

BOS Mill

Cattle Egrets

As for dinner; well it degenerated into a lively debate about ET being an Asogian and Admiral Ackbar not being one and that both are in Star Wars and no, that is not the one with Captain Kirk.

Wednesday, 15 October 2025

Norfolk for Oriole Birding 15th October 2025

The day began as yesterday with a spectacular display by skeins of Pink-feet headed west once again pre breakfast which lured everyone outside.  We soon headed in the other direction with Blakeney and Friary Hills being our destination and a Barred Warbler being our target passing Cattle Egrets at BOS Mill on the way.

A very pleasant few hours was spent staring at Brambles (and the marshes behind) and we had just been talking about the fact that Barred Warblers very rarely call in the UK when the tell-tale loud chattery rattle came out of the clump and subsequently a couple of very brief views were had as it flicked around but it was frustrating.



A large Tit and Goldcrest flock came and went bringing and then taking away a smart little Yellow-browed Warbler that stridently called several times just in front.  Shortly after this what we presumed was the Barred Warbler clambered up the front of the clump and after some false starts stopped where we could all see it and get the scope on it.  At this point doubts were raised.  Why wasn’t this perching bird a Garden Warbler?  And that is indeed what it was.  A valuable lesson for all and it was good to get feedback from the other birders on site.

Garden Warbler

Garden Warbler

After we left the Barred was heard again and I presume it called when it bumped into the Garden in its chosen patch.

There were plenty of other birds with many fly over finches that added a few more Bramblings amongst the Chaffinches and a smattering of Siskins too. Blackbirds dropped in and we picked up the odd Song Thrush and Redwing and a high flying Mistle Thrush too.

Frantic Mute Swan wing flapping resulted in Whooper Swan trumpeting and a low level circuit deposited one in the field in front and I think it had been pushed off a ditch by the Mute.  Sparrowhawks, Kestrels and Marsh Harriers were almost constantly on view and Ian picked up a party of Glossy Ibis dropping in and thankfully they took flight again 20 minutes later and we counted six as they moved off to Cley where they dropped down in two groups.  Moorhen and Water Rail were heard and musical Rooks and conversational Jackdaws moved between the cattle fields and the tall trees behind Friary Hills.

Whooper Swan

Glossy Ibis


Glossy Ibis in action!

The sun even came out as we walked back and there were Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers patrolling the lee side of the hedge but the Ivy was now in fruiting mode and only a few Wasps were seeking out the last flowers.

Great Mullein

Big and low

I presume that this dark bird is an argentatus Herring Gull

Choreutis nemorana grazing on every Fig I found


A coffee and cheese, Marmite Swirl at the Two Magpies and then back in the van before a wave a drizzle hit!



East again to Cley and Walsey Hills where I smugly said that we had missed the rain only to find ourselves in a heavy shower as we walked through the Blackthorn tunnel down to the glade where the Dusky Warbler had been frequenting.  I was glad that I had played the call to the crew as we heard it in there almost immediately and although it only called now and then we could follow it around – albeit invisibly!  But we got lucky and a couple of calls and suddenly it moved up into a Willow and I think I managed to get most of the gang on to it as it flicked around before deciding that eight foot off the ground was just too scary.


Green and Goldfinches

With others waiting for a chance to get it we bailed and walked back for lunch at the van pausing to watch the Green and Goldfinches and a smart Coal Tit on the feeders on the way.  The plan had been to walk the East Bank but news that James L had found a Bluetail at Wells Wood sent us that way instead at in theory there were people on site and looking for it.  A very pale roadside Common Buzzard with a Rough-leg tail temporarily halted us but the Bluetail was unfortunately not to be and was not actually seen again after the initial sighting but it was a very pleasant spot to linger and a huge Tit and Crest flock kept everyone entertained along with several Treecreepers, tacking Blackcap and Green Woodpecker. A few Brambling moved overhead and it felt like there should have been more in there but no one found anything else despite diligent searching.



There were plenty of Dragonflies here too and a couple of Wall Browns to suggest that summer had not let autumn completely take over yet.

Back near the van a solitary Swallow hawked around the cattle and Muntjac and Chinese Water Deer could be seen out on the marsh but we were a little early for Barn Owls on the drive back and somehow managed to get home between to very wet looking weather systems after a slightly bitty but very productive day in the field.

Muntjac


This squall to the west developed very quickly!


Tuesday, 14 October 2025

Norfolk for Oriole Birding 13th-14th October 2025

13th

The Oriole trip to Norfolk was not meant to really start until the following morning but after picking up three of the crew from Kings Lynn it seemed very rude not to stop in South Wooton to have a look for the Lesser Yellowlegs in the failing light as it was quite literally on my route and required just a two minute walk to view the settling lagoon for one of the many new housing estates springing up all around this part of Norfolk.

We walked up to the heras fencing an it only took a few seconds to find this elegant American visitor high stepping around looking all spangly.  Four Green Sandpipers, 18 Black-tailed Godwits and 13 Snipe were on the pool with it and with The Wash only a short distance away, hopefully it will remain open and wildlife friendly as the estate nears completion.


Lesser Yellowlegs


A few Pink-feet and Greylags flew over and a flock of Canada Geese may well be the only ones we see this week.  There were a couple of Redwings calling and Grey and Pied Wagtails around the pond edges.

With that we were back on the bus and off up the coast in the gloom to Briarfields in Titchwell, our base for the week.

14th

The pre-dawn chorus consisted of thousands of Pink-feet nudge nudge wink winking over the hotel in organised squadrons.  I will never ever tire of this classic autumn experience. 



Wavy lines of Starlings headed strongly west although I am not sure if they were leaving roost somewhere or where immigrants.  There were a few Chaffinches and the odd Brambling going the same way and the first Red Kites and Marsh Harriers were up and about.

Breakfast and then on the road although I was following my nose and not the diversion signs and ended up turning round at Burnham Overy Staithe Mill and parking up on a now empty road where Cattle Egrets were dotted around us and moving between the herds of cattle.  Blackbirds moved overhead and we added Jay too.

Cattle Egrets

Cattle Egret

A wiggle through the back passing a Buzzard on the way and then past Holkham and through Wells to North Point Pools which was to be a main stop for the day.  It was drizzly and murky and I had high hopes of migrants still being on the move but the pools and fields held our attention to start with as we worked our way through the dabbling ducks and picked up Curlew, Ruff, Redshank, Greenshank, Snipe and Black-tailed Godwits.  A Red Kite was down at a hidden carcass and a Raven was in close attendance and everyone got a look in the scope before it  headed off towards town. 

A scarce but increasing Norfolk bird it is never an expected bird on these trips.  The Kite hopped up on the fence and seem replete and dozy after its feast.  It was magnificent.

Raven

Red Kite

Behind us there were more Cattle Egrets with 15 in the first field but only loosely with the livestock and eight more in a green field further back.  The fortunes of this species continue to grow and at this point we had not seen one Little Egret although that changed as we neared the saltmarsh.

White bellied Water Pipits and seeping Meadow Pipits flew around the pools and several Marsh Harriers and a couple of Buzzards and Kestrels were on patrol.  The Harriers were frequently spooking the Teal and Wigeon and one had a green wing tag that I could not read.

The big hill field was full of Skylarks, a couple of Yellowhammers and more Meadow Pipits and the Ivy and Elm copse added Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Song Thrushes and black billed Blackbirds.

The weather was at best trying; with waves of light but irritating drizzle drifting across the Brent Goose and Little Egret strewn saltmarsh.  The grumbling Dark-bellied Brents could be heard long before we got to see them. A Glossy Ibis was picked up over the saltings but soon dropped down but thankfully it got again ten minutes later and flew almost straight over our heads and over the hill to the pools. How long before they become as commonplace as the Egrets?


Glossy Ibis

The Hawthorns were disappointingly quiet given the fact that Garden Drove (where we were heading) had Yellow-browed and Radde’s Warbler but we kept looking and listening and found high flying migrant Dunnocks dropping in, ticking Robins and the odd Goldcrest.

News of roosting Long-eared Owl reached us just a short distance from the bird and before long we were all watching this slightly bedraggled migrant sitting on an Elder branch full in the open and not far off the ground.  It did not look amused.  We, however, we elated and it was a new bird for some of the group.  A Cetti’s Warbler was scolding but was not brave enough to venture close or into the open and only a Reed Bunting popped in to see what the fuss was about.


We were talking owls and I had just said ‘And when did you last see a Tawny Owl?’ when Jonny R and John R appeared and said ‘Have you seen the Tawny Owl in the copse?’ Ten minutes later we were all getting cracking views of a lovely rich chestnut Tawny (sounds like a beer) sat high in the Sycamore canopy.
  I do not know the last time I saw one this well in the UK.  Cue more smiles.

Tawny Owl 

The Radde’s had not been since just after dawn and not even a call had been heard so we went to the leeward side of the trees and found a couple of Chiffchaffs before walking up along the outside of the Garden Drove double hedge which very quickly gave us close encounters with a Goldcrest flock that contained a bold Firecrest and two stripy Yellow-browed Warblers although keeping tabs on them was tricky.

A big flock of Linnets was in the adjacent field with a few Goldfinches and more Meadow Pipits and Chaffinches while some invisible Crossbills gypped over.  They were calling loudly but we were unsighted.

A glance out over the saltmarsh saw a wall of white drizzle descending and speeding our way and it was soon upon us so with lunch overdue we started the walk back to the van stopping only to watch a Redwing perched up with a Song Thrush, a smart plump Grey Plover on the mud, a zipping orange flash of Kingfisher and a lark-hunting Sparrowhawk.

It had abated at the van and a pleasant lunch was taken with Cattle Egrets one way and the Red Kites and host of bathing Geese and dabblers the other. A female Stonechat popped up on the fence for us too.


Cattle Egrets

From here we headed east slightly to Stiffkey campsite wood.  Our walk through the wood was disappointing as the wind had got up and the temperature had dropped so we aborted half way along after just hearing a couple of Goldcrests and dropped down on to what should have been the more exposed coast path which was rather strangely very calm although the trees above us were shaking leaves avidly.

Brents mumbled away and skeins of Pink-feet moved from the sand to inland fields but there were no raptors out over the salting at all.  Activity in the Sycamores drew us to the canopy of one particular tree where several Chaffinches and more importantly at least six Brambling fed silently giving themselves away with movements at odd to the flapping foliage.  At least two were smart males with still mostly black heads while all had glorious orange fronts and white rumps.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese

Dark-bellied Brent Geese


With the weather clearing but the wind increasing we opted to call it a day and poodled back along the coast seeing more Geese, Kites and several Chinese Water Deer in the process.  It had been a grand first proper day in the field.

Pink-footed Geese