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.
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 MigrantHawkers 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.
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 PiedWagtails 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 itheaded 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.
