Having checked the moth trap at 5a.m. I set off for North Norfolk. My first site was Holkham beach and some half a mile east of Lady Anne's Drive. Here, I came across the reported surf scoter, showing reasonably well on the swell, but too distant and spasmodic for a photo. 20 snaps of waves were testament to the fact that, due to the sea conditions, it showed, along with wigeon and velvet scoter, for 1 second and then vanished for 4 seconds. It was drifting east at quite a rate, and when other birders arrived it appeared to have flown west to drift back again. I met a few later and they all found it. Also on the sea from the dunes here, 2 guillemot, 2+ slavonian grebes, 3+ red throated divers as well as 2 flying east, a few cormorants, various gulls, 1 arctic skua on the horizon and 3 gannets. Not bad before 9.30! Also, as I walked along the beach, a whimbrel following a curlew and 3 grey partridges.
From here, I spent a little time in the pines, but only got goldcrests.
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| goldcrest |
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| goldcrest |
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| pink footed geese. |
After, the pines, I checked the fields adjacent to Lady Anne's Drive as the pink foots were coming in, but nothing else apart from wigeon and curlew.
Off to Cley for a coffee, check the board, but nothing to get excited about, so I thought that it was time for a bit of self finding. I headed off to Salthouse Heath which was virtually birdless. Jay, stonechat, dunnock and the highlight, a fly past female merlin heading for a flock of linnets. However, ruddy darter dragonfly still on the wing and a host of very tasty parasol mushrooms.
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| ruddy darter |
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| parasol mushrooms |
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| another large specimen: breakfast sorted! |
From here, I wandered off to Kelling Heath, but work was being carried out, with gorse being grubbed up and some tree felling, so little chance of finding a dartford warbler. I left, having added magpie, red legged partridge and blackbird!
On to the Bishop's Hide for a quick scan over the reserve. Usual fare in increasingly poor light: avocet, black tailed godwit, teal, wigeon etc. A flyover marsh harrier put everything up.
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| drake pintails: always a cracking bird |
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| descending marsh harrier |
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| From Bishop's Hide |
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| Marsh harrier in poor light |
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| Marsh harrier effect: shoveler, black headed gulls, lapwings, wigeon, teal etc |
As the light continued to fade, I set off for Burnham Overy Staithe. A rough legged buzzard, at the end of Holkham pines, showed briefly whilst, in the distance, a possible black brant. Not 100% sure on this, viewing from the A149, but tweets later confirmed it, 6th year lister of the day, (surf scoter, whimbrel, slavonian grebe, merlin, rough legged buzzard and black brant)
There was still time for one last stop en route home, so off to Sculthorpe Moor for a quick whizz to the Jarvis Hide. A tawny owl called and showed briefly and a marsh tit visited the feeder whilst a brambling was very unaccommodating, remaining well hidden for photos.
As shown here, a great day for bird watching, not a good day for bird photography.
Species list;
red throated diver, slavonian grebe, gannet, cormorant, little egret, grey heron, mute swan, pink footed goose, greylag goose, canada goose (10 sp) brent goose, black brant (just to get Stuart going on sub species and to see if he reads my report!!) shelduck, egyptian goose, mallard, pintail, gadwall, shoveler, wigeon, teal (20 sp) tufted duck, common scoter, velvet scoter, surf scoter, marsh harrier, rough legged buzzard, common buzzard, kestrel, merlin, red legged partridge (30 sp) grey partridge, pheasant, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, avocet, golden plover, lapwing, sanderling, redshank (40 sp) black tailed godwit, curlew, whimbrel, arctic skua, black headed gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, guillemot, stock dove, wood pigeon (50 sp) collared dove, tawny owl, skylark, meadow pipit, wren, dunnock, robin, stonechat, redwing, blackbird (60 sp) cettis warbler, goldcrest, great tit, coal tit, blue tit, marsh tit, long tailed tit, bearded reedling, magpie, jay,( 70 sp) jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, brambling, linnet, goldfinch, greenfinch, (80 sp) reed bunting.
All in all, a cracking day. Next big day out: 15th Nov, with a few days birding around Rome next week. Up to Frascati, eagles and raptors in the hills above the eternal city. Could be good.
2 comments:
I do read it thank you! You've reminded me that I have both British and Scandinavian Rock Pipits this year which puts me at 119 ;)
I do read it thank you! In fact you've reminded me that I've had both British and Scandinavian Rock Pipits this year so I'm actually on 119 ;)
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