Saturday 25 October 2014

Local Twitching

Bit disheartened with the patch this week so ive not really been around the whole site just small parts, ive been running parts of it but most of the time ive been covering the village and Corton Promenade.
It was good a nice change and still part of the patch just not one id cover very oftern. Anyway a nice Juv/female Black Redstart was a really nice surprise and a flock of 7 Bewick Swans were a patch find.
Anyway onto today and it was a bit of a local twitching day. Firtstly I had to wait in for my van windscreen to be fixed but then Rach and I had a walk along Breydon north wall where 4-5 Rough Legged Buzzards had been showing. After a good 2 mile walk we finally found 1 of the RLegs, then a second and possibly a 3rd but very distant. Good scope views were had of the slightly closer birds.




A Merlin, Kestrel and a couple of Chinese Water Deer were nice too.


 
 
Then I got the tweet a Hoopoe had been found at Kessingland, Doh!. We did spend some time with the buzzards before heading back a bit faster than we arrived.
Got to Kessingland to find the Hoopoe showing really nice although through a fence, it did eventually come out of the fenced area so I rolled off some shots before the DSLR boys started pushing there luck with the bird, so it was time to go before I got a bill for smashing a few grand's worth of lens`s.
3 Swallow, a Northern Wheatear and a flock of Brents were birds added to the day.






Sunday 19 October 2014

All About the patch

The patch has been absolutely Crap! this last couple of weeks and I mean CRAP! Redwings and Red Throated Divers were the only things of note.
Best bird of the week was actually on a roof at Work in the Centre of Norwich a cracking Black Redstart.
Friday night hosted 1500 Pinkfeet over the garden.
On to yesterday I didn't get out at all, sick as a parrot I was but today I made much more of an effort. I went for a run first thing try to clear my head and see what was happening in this rain.
Amazingly as I got round to the main road a Woodlark flew over calling bingo!.
Got back home had a shower and decided to nip straight back out things were moving. Stood at the front door and could see and hear Brambling x5 and Redwing. Further down walking towards the coast 31 Pinkfeet and then my second patch tick of the day a Tree Sparrow calling south.
Onto the coast patch I could see loads of Gannets going south, Cormorants going north and good numbers of Mipits, Skylarks, Starlings, Redwings, Pied Wagtails and a single Swallow.
I worked the rest of the patch lots of Robins and Thrushs, and something which was probably a Wheatear without a tail, brown thing with a white rump but it looked very odd and couldn't find it after it flew towards trees.
Onto the NSW and my 3rd tick of the day, not had any ticks for ages either, 8 Egyptian Geese, not very exciting but a nice tick all the same. That was it bird wise Dragons on the pond, Migrant Hawker, Common Darter and a Willow Emerald still.

Pics of a Shortie and Wheatear honest!


Monday 13 October 2014

Birding at its best

This Is why I moved to Suffolk and the sea. Its not always about the rares but about Visible Migration and today a mixture of East winds and rain made it perfect.
Whilst seawatching birds in off were ....
Brambling 40+
Meadow Pipit 60+
Redwing Song Thrush 50+
1 Skylark
2 Reed Bunting
1 Yellow Wagtail

Passing
1 Short Eared Owl which was fighting to fly south but I watched it for ages and it never really moved just very slowly heading inland.
570+ Dark Bellied Brent.
1 Little Gull
1 Kittiwake
8 Pintial
1 Wigeon
1 Bonxie
16 Gannet including a flock of 8

Corton Disused Railway and Church
1 Ring ouzel Yay!
5 Blackcap
8+Goldcrest
17 Brambling
70+ Song Thrush and Redwing.
3 Chiffchaff
20+ Robin

Hopefully more of the same and better tomorrow.

Sunday 12 October 2014

Southern Grey Shrike

So ill start off with the patch. Went out early this morning and it started off quiet, Reed Bunting flew over, and after that small numbers of Linnet, Chaffinch and Greenfinch. Other things moving were Skylark, Meadow Pipit and 2 Swallow and plenty of Song Thrush.
Made my way to the Disused rail track and bingo Yellow Browed Warbler calling, YES!! called a dozen times before going quiet never to be heard again Arghhhh!. Whilst hoping for views and it to call again I had views of Bullfinch 2 Chiffchaff and a Treecreeper. Carried on around to the ponds another Chiffchaff and first returning Snipe of the season.

Onto the week just gone Thursday onwards 4 Swallow 3 Bonxies, Shoveler Wigeon, Song Thrush, Goldcrest and Chiffchaffs was all.

Now to the really good stuff, A Southern/Steppe Grey Shrike had been found in Norfolk, Burnham Norton last week and it had been showing well so I decided id go look, it wasn't a lifer as id seen the Lincs bird.
Rach n I arrived just after 10 to 6 Bearded tits showing really nicely but as I wanted to see the Shrike I left em and moved onto great views of the Shrike, like down to about 25 feet. Very pleased with my pics. Sorry couldn't pick a fav so chose em all ;-) Video too watch in HD.






 

 
  



 



I really do love this time of year in Norfolk, the Geese are going mad the sounds awesome, 500 Pinks around as well as smaller numbers of Brents.

After my fill of this wonderful bird I moved onto Tichwell and headed straight for the sea. On the way along the path a Bittern was showing its socks off in flight for a good 5 min.


 
Arrived at the beach but the tide was now out, it was tricky but managed to spot 2 Slavonion Grebes and a Red Necked Grebe before they drifted far away!  Other birds were many Red Throated Divers couldn't pick out the BT Diver that was about, 8 Eider and 6 Red Breasted Mergansers.
I then noticed on birdguides that there was a YB Warbler by the Island mere hide so rushed to go see it... dipped no sign. Took some shots of Ruff and a Juv Little Stint whilst I waited.


 
 

Wandered around the fen area for a little while before landing back at the visitor centre and was just about to leve when I stopped to talk to fellow digiscoper Gary. Whilst talking a Yellow Browed Warbler called briefly and showed in the top of the trees but all too quick. Whilst waiting for it to show up again someone found a Firecrest In the same trees this showed much better. Left them all too it as it was getting late and time to move on. Luckily the YB Warbler was seen again after id left.
Finished the day doing Rachels stuff and then wandering Kelling Heath and watching the distant lightening storm until dark finishing with a great meal in the club.
Fabulous Day in North Norfolk once again.

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Common Tern

Not a lot to talk about over last couple of days, yesterday 4 Brent Geese flew south otherwise not much.
Today a latish Common Tern saved the day, 2 Brent Geese and 6 Wader Species flew south. Gave a distant Juvenile Gannet a good grilling, its had me going for a split second... Again that was it.
Someone flying a Buzzard around the church field wont have helped my hope of finding something good.





Monday 6 October 2014

Little Crake

The patch has been very quiet all week, a young fox gave nice views as it came down to drink from the NSW ponds.  . in an hour. Other stuff including Med Gulls most days 5 Teal and a Common Sandpiper. 2 Mistle Thrush were new in.
Garden Stuff were Grey Heron over and a Hornet.
Come Friday I did a short sea watch from Corton OSW. An hour produced 3 Bonxies 109 Dark Bellied Brent Geese and 24 Wigeon.
The weekend only produced a Kingfisher sat on groins by COSW.
Now to this Little Crake, last Tuesday someone found a Little Crake at Minsmere but it wasn't confirmed and nailed down until Saturday. As it was showing from the Bittern hide at Minsmere I wasn't even gonna bother as the hide would be full of bloody twitchers, and full it was, its a tower hide and there was some worry about the weight.
Anyway I left going to look at it till today (Monday) but come ten past six and no sign since 9am this morning it was getting dark and we were all just about to give up. Then It was spotted out in the open and showing really nicely although in near darkness. What a great tiny little bird, stunning and my first lifer for a while.
Sorry about vid and Pics but it was almost dark.
 


Sunday 5 October 2014

Shots Digiscoped with the Leica D-Lux 5 and Leica Apo 82 Scope with Leica Adapter

  1. DESERT WHEATEAR
  2. KINGFISHER
  3. HAWFINCH
  4. SCAUP
  5. MED GULL
  6. MED GULL
  7. BLACK BRANT
  8. PURPLE SANDPIPER
  9. GREAT GREY SHRIKE
  10. STEPPE GREY SHRIKE
  11. BEE EATER
  12. BIRDS
  13. BIRDS 1
  14. BIRDS 2
  15. BIRDS 3 Including Parrot Crossbill
  16. BIRDS 4
  17. BIRDS 5
  18. BIRDS 6
  19. GREY WAGTAIL
  20. ADULT ROSE COLOURED STARLING
  21. JUVENILE RED BACKED SHRIKE
  22. SPECTACALED WARBLER
  23. SPACE
  24. WILDLIFE
  25. COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
  26. CORMORANT
  27. DUCKS AND GEESE
  28. EUROPEAN WHITE FRONTED GOOSE
  29. GANNET
  30. GREAT GREY SHRIKE
  31. GREATER YELLOWLEGS
  32. HAWFINCH
  33. HOUSE SPARROW
  34. ICELAND AND GLAUCOUS GULL
  35. JACKDAW
  36. LAPWING
  37. LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL
  38. LESSER SCAUP
  39. LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER
  40. MANDARIN DUCK
  41. MARSH TIT
  42. MED GULL
  43. NORFOLK
  44. NUTHATCH
  45. PUFFIN
  46. RED GROUSE AND BLACK GROUSE
  47. RED-BACKED SHRIKE
  48. ROBIN
  49. SHORT-EARED OWL
  50. SMALL BIRDS (RING OUZEL, BEADED TIT ETC)
  51. TITS
  52. TURTLE DOVE
  53. WHOOPER SWAN

Digiscoped Shots Taken with Nikon Coolpix 4500 and Leica Apo 77 and 62 Scope

  1. 2 BARRED CROSSBILL
  2. ADDER
  3. ADULT ICELAND GULL
  4. ADULT YELLOW LEGGED GULL
  5. AMERICAN EIDER (DRESSERI RACE) 1st for WP
  6. AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER
  7. AMERICAN ROBIN
  8. AMERICAN WIGEON
  9. AMERICAN WIGEON
  10. AMERICAN WIGEON
  11. BAIRD SANDPIPER
  12. BARN OWL
  13. BARN OWL
  14. BARN OWL
  15. BARRED WARBLER
  16. BARRED WARBLER
  17. BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
  18. BEARDED TIT
  19. BEE EATER
  20. BITTERN
  21. BLACK BRANT
  22. BLACK GROUSE
  23. BLACK KITE
  24. BLACK REDSTART
  25. BLACK STORK
  26. BLACK-THROATED DIVER
  27. BLACK-THROATED THRUSH
  28. BLACK-THROATED THRUSH
  29. BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE
  30. BLUE WINGED TEAL
  31. BLUETHROAT
  32. BONAPARTES GULL (SELF FOUND)
  33. BONAPARTS GULL 1
  34. BROAD BILLED SANDPIPER
  35. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER
  36. CANADA GOOSE (Tavaners and Cackling) also Swans.
  37. CATTLE EGRET CUMBRIA
  38. CATTLE EGRET DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY
  39. CHANNEL WAGTAIL
  40. CIRL BUNTING
  41. CITRINE WAGTAIL
  42. CITRINE WAGTAIL
  43. CITRINE WAGTAIL (Record shots)
  44. COLLARED PRATINCOLE (Record Shots)
  45. COMMON CRANE
  46. COMMON ROSEFINCH
  47. COMMON ROSEFINCH
  48. CORN CRAKE
  49. DARTFORD WARBLER
  50. DESERT WHEATEAR
  51. DESSERT WHEATEAR
  52. DOTTREL
  53. DUCKS (Old Collection)
  54. EASTERN CROWNED WARBLER (1st for UK)
  55. FAIR ISLE COMMON STUFF
  56. FEMALE BLACK GROUSE
  57. FERRUGINOUS DUCK
  58. FINCH,S BUNTINGS, PIPITS, ETC (Old Collection)
  59. FIRECREST (Record Shots)
  60. GARGANEY
  61. GEESE AND SWANS (Old Collection)
  62. GLAUCOUS GULL
  63. GLAUCOUS WINGED GULL (Poor Record Shots)
  64. GLOSSY IBIS
  65. GREAT GREY SHRIKE
  66. Great Grey Shrike Cumbria
  67. GREAT NORTHERN DIVER
  68. GREAT REED WARBLER
  69. GREAT WHITE EGRET (CUMBRIA)
  70. GREAT WHITE PELICAN
  71. GREATER SAND PLOVER
  72. GREAT-WHITE EGRET
  73. GREEN WINGED TEAL
  74. GREENLAND REDPOLL
  75. GREENSHANK/SPOTTED REDSHANK
  76. GREY HEADED WAGTAIL
  77. GREY PHALAROPE
  78. GULLS AND TERNS (Old Collection)
  79. HAWFINCH
  80. HOBBIE
  81. HOODED CROW
  82. HOOPOE
  83. HUDSONIAN WHIMBREL
  84. HUMES LEAF WARBLER
  85. IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF
  86. ICELAND GULL
  87. ICELAND GULL 3
  88. ICELAND GULL SILLOTH (new bird)
  89. ICTERINE WARBLER
  90. ISABELLINE SHRIKE
  91. ISABELLINE SHRIKE (TURKISTAN)
  92. IVORY GULL
  93. JUV ICELAND GULL (self Find)
  94. JUV RED-BACKED SHRIKE
  95. KESTREL
  96. KESTREL
  97. KINGFISHER
  98. KITTIWAKE
  99. KUMLIENS GULL
  100. KUMLIENS GULL 1st winter
  101. LAUGHING GULL
  102. LESSER GREY SHRIKE
  103. LESSER SCAUP
  104. LESSER SCAUP
  105. LESSER YELLOWLEGS
  106. LESSER-BLACKBACKED GULL
  107. LITTLE BITTERN
  108. LITTLE EGRET
  109. LITTLE GREBE
  110. LITTLE GULL
  111. LITTLE OWL
  112. LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
  113. LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
  114. LONG-EARED OWL
  115. LONG-TAILED DUCK
  116. MAJORCA
  117. MAJORCA 1
  118. MAJORCA 2
  119. MAJORCA 3 (Record shots)
  120. MAJORCA 4 (Canon 300d)
  121. MANDARIN DUCK
  122. MARSH TERN (including American Black Tern)(record shots)
  123. MED GULL
  124. MONTAGU'S HARRIER
  125. MOORHEN
  126. MORE AMERICAN WIGEON SHOTS
  127. MORE ICELAND GULL
  128. NORDIC JACKDAW
  129. NORDIC JACKDAW
  130. NORFOLK MAY 09
  131. NORTHERN WHEATEAR
  132. OLD BLOG (BEFORE 21ST APRIL 2011)
  133. ORIENTAL PRATINCOLE
  134. OTHERS (Old Collection)
  135. OYSTERCATCHER
  136. OYSTERCATCHER
  137. PACIFIC DIVER
  138. PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER
  139. PECTORAL SANDPIPER
  140. PEREGRINE
  141. PIED BILLED GREBE
  142. PIED FLYCATCHER
  143. PIED WAGTAIL
  144. PIED WHEATEAR
  145. PTARMIGAN
  146. PURPLE HERON
  147. RAZORBILL
  148. RED FOOTED FALCON
  149. RED GROUSE
  150. RED KITE
  151. RED KITE AND WHITE KITE
  152. RED-BACKED SHRIKE
  153. RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
  154. RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL
  155. RED-NECKED GREBE
  156. RED-THROATED PIPIT
  157. RING-BILLED GULL
  158. RING-BILLED GULL
  159. RING-NECKED DUCK
  160. RING-NECKED DUCK
  161. RING-NECKED DUCK
  162. RING-NECKED DUCK FEMALE
  163. ROLLER
  164. ROSE COLOURED STARLING JUV
  165. ROSEATE/COMMON TERN AND MED GULL.
  166. ROSE-COLOURED STARLING
  167. ROSS'S GULL
  168. RUDDY SHELDUCK
  169. RUFOUS ORIENTAL TURTLE DOVE
  170. SANDELING
  171. SCARLET IBIS
  172. SCAUP
  173. SEMI PALMATED SANDPIPER
  174. SHAG
  175. SHORE LARK
  176. SIBERIAN STONECHAT
  177. SNOW BUNTING
  178. SNOW BUNTING
  179. SORA RAIL
  180. SPOONBILL
  181. SQUACCO HERON
  182. STEPPE GREY SHRIKE
  183. STONE CURLEW (Record Shot)
  184. TAWNY OWL
  185. TREE PIPIT
  186. TURTLE DOVE
  187. TWITE
  188. WADERS (Old Collection)
  189. WAXWING
  190. WAXWING (Keswick)
  191. WHISKERED TERN
  192. WHITE CROWNED SPARROW
  193. WHITE SPOTTED BLUETHROAT
  194. WHITE STORK
  195. WHITE WAGTAIL
  196. WHITE WAGTAIL
  197. WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER
  198. WHITE'S THRUSH (Fair Isle) Record Shots.
  199. WHITE-TAILED PLOVER
  200. WILSONS PHALAROPE
  201. WOODCHAT SHRIKE
  202. WOODCHAT SHRIKE
  203. WOODCHAT SHRIKE
  204. WRYNECK Barns ness
  205. YELLOW HAMMER
  206. YELLOW LEGGED GULL
  207. YELLOW LEGGED GULL
  208. YELLOW WAGTAIL
  209. YELLOW WAGTAIL
  210. YELLOW WAGTAIL