Norfolk birding & racing

 Pallid Harrier

Sandering & Dunlin

Juvenile Sedge Warbler

Spoonbill

Golden Plover

Avocets

Black-tailed Godwit

Golden Plover

Ruff

Golden Plover

Redshank

Wader flocks at Snettisham

Egyptian Goose

My annual leave year finishes each September and faced with the option of using it or using it, I decided to take a two-day visit to Norfolk. The first day would be around the north-west coast line before I headed east for a day at Yarmouth Racecourse (My 51st in the UK). 

It seemed like a long time since I'd been birding along the coast road and it was a pleasurable experience. I visited three separate locations and my sightings were as follows:-

RSPB Snettisham

10 Curlew Sandpiper, 5 Grey Plover, others waders numbers I didn't count but the numbers were large of Bar & Black-tailed Godwit, Knot, Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, 2 Marsh Harrier, 11 Spoonbill, 6 Pink-footed Geese, Great Skua & Turtle Dove.

RSPB Titchwell

Bearded Tits,Teal, 8 Ruff, Great White Egret, 500 Golden Plover, 6 Spoonbill, 25 Avocet, Black & Bar-tailed Godwit, Shelduck, Teal, Grey Plover

Holkham

Pallid Harrier & Pink-footed Geese

First Ring Ouzel is April addition

Midweek Ouzeling

 Chiffchaff

 Chiffchaff

Common Sandpiper

First brood of Canada Geese

 Turnstone

Our local idiotic dog walker

The last few days of April and the start of May brought some more nice birds to the pits.

On Tuesday evening I was searching for a Winchat seen by Jon, near the central lagoon, when I flushed a male Ring Ouzel from the scrub. The bird flew into cover and headed up on to the bunds. After Paul arrived we both headed up the bund and I got a terrific flight view across the area into one of the drainage ditches. Ring Ouzel is a species I’ve been desperate to record on site, finally the patience had paid off.

Saturday was very quiet but I did record my first Swifts over the south lagoons. I got some amazing views of the Chiffchaffs by the railway line that certainly made the morning worth the splodging round in the mud. On the main pit, the Oystercatcher was trying to keep a large number of Herring Gulls away from its second nest of the spring.

Jon and I did a full site visit on Sunday the highlights we recorded were two Golden Plover in summer plumage flying over, seven Common Sandpipers and 14 Swifts.

With heavy rain showers forecast for Monday afternoon I held back my visit until then. Just as I was getting ready, Mike Inskip called to say a Turnstone was on the main pit. The bird was still there on arrival and was feeding on the main island. Sadly the bird was flushed by our local dog walker who despite walking past myself and Paul, climbed down to waterside and flushed the Turnstone, Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper. Mind blowing………………………….

Golden delights on patch

 Golden Plover

  Golden Plover

 Distance shot

  Golden Plover

Lapwing flock (Plover flock in top left corner)

Lapwing flock

Linnet

Fieldfare

Common Buzzard

Green Sandpiper

I'm still struggling with the stomach & fitness so patch visiting is limited to short walks and scoping from the car. Milder air moved in over the weekend so the Wigeon and Pintail had moved on. 

In the fields close to the A46 I found a flock of 1150 Lapwing and 340 Golden Plover (two fields to the north). The birds caught my eye flying high in the sky when looking north from the bridge at Abbots Salford. The Plover were being harassed by a Male Merlin high above Salford Priors church. I managed to get as close as possible to get some record shots.

Heading east from the Plover flock, I found a single Grey Partridge in one of the field furrows however views were limited as the ground dropped away whilst four Skylarks were singing. Close by I picked up a large flocks of 300-400 Linnets on the edge of one of the farms. Also at the same location there were two Redpolls, a very useful patch challenge tick.

Fieldfare are plentiful all around the patch. On Saturday morning there were 400 opposite the Broom racing stables. 

7 Green Sandpipers were feeding close to the island on Pophills as the water levels continues to rise. Over at the main pit sightings were limited to 50 Canada Geese, a Shelduck, 30 Lapwing and the normal wildfowl.

Patch challenges moves to 77 species (80 points) but Nuthatch and all owl species remain elusive.

Oystercatcher returns to Salford Priors

Oystercatcher on Pophills Pit

Patchwork Midlands Mini League

I was pleased with our standing of 12th out of 30 in the Patchwork Midlands Mini League at the end of January. We certainly haven't got the habitat that a couple of sites have that entered. It was interesting we scored the same number of species as @earlswoodbirds but our two 2 pointers (Jack Snipe and Scaup) pushed us up a couple of places and Morton Bagot recorded 64 species. 

After yesterdays excitement up north it was more regulation birding today. Spring is edging closer as the Oystercatcher had returned to Pophills Pit. There was also a single Shelduck and two Wigeon to accompany the regulars. The Skylarks and Yellowhammers were both in good voice with the Skylarks showing very well. 

I didn't pick up anything new in the plantation despite a good walk round.The Teal on the main pit were showing well for a change but the Pochard and Tufted Duck numbers were lower than normal.

I headed over to the hidden pools on the hope of locating a Water Rail but had to settle for one Jack Snipe, 10 Snipe, 115 Teal, Reed Bunting and a flock of 45 Golden Plover which flew over at 10.00am. 

I finished off with a walk around Dunnington and Hillers (great for sausage sandwich and coffee) where the highlights were 2 Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, large flock of Chaffiches and a Long-tailed Tit which had been outstanding on the patch year list ! Phew ! Roll on next week.

Winter sunshine at Cley

Avocets on the marsh

Twitchers delight

Brent Geese

Marsh Harrier

Marsh Harriers in food transfer switch

Marsh Harrier

Pink-feeted Geese along Beech Road

Cley has made a remarkable recovery since the great storm surge 12 month ago and it was hard to believe Seal were swimming along the road which we crossed on the way to the marsh.

There was a nice selection of birds to watch including Avovet, Little Egret, 200+ Golden Plover, Pintail, Ruff, Little Grebe, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveller, Gadwell, Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, 2 Stonechats and of course the magnificent Marsh Harriers which treated us to some fantastic views. 

We then headed up Beach Road where there were massive numbers of Brent Geese and Pink-footed Geese feeding in the fields. A stunning sight once again. 

Looking out to sea there was a good number of Red-throated Divers and 1 Black-throated Diver which I was particually pleased to see as it had been an omission on my year list up to this point. A Grey Seal was feeding off the beach.

Return to Hawling

Digiscoped images

Photographers waiting for show time

I couldn't resist a return to Hawling in Gloucestershire on Saturday. A nice day with no wind was the deciding factor before making the hour long journey into the heart of the Cotswolds. Arriving just after 1pm there were plenty of spectators all hoping for a good showing from the Owls.  

I set up my tripod next to Birmingham based photographer Pete Walkden who I hadn't seen for quite some time so we had a good rattle. There was a nice selection of birds to watch whilst we waited which included 2 Red Kites, Buzzard, Raven, Kestrel, 30 Golden Plover, 50 Lapwing and large flocks of Redwings and Fieldfares.

There was no early show from the Short-eared Owls the first one didn't show until gone 3.15pm appearing sat on top of the field wall before starting to hunt. He was quickly joined by another Owl which then increased to a maximum 5 Owls all hunting at the same time. A brilliant session of birding. One of the Owls perched up to enable the photographers to get some great shots. 

As the final rays of light faded I headed off down the lane. As I reached the cross roads and turned right a Barn Owl took flight and flew along the road before crossing in front of me into the farm. Another top afternoon. 

Many thanks to Pete who kindly forwarded the above images he took.