Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Norfolk Day

After many weeks I returned for a day's birding to North Norfolk last Friday. As it was mid July my expectation anything out of the ordinary would turn up was low and this proved to be correct. First stop was Cley and a wander along the East Bank and a brief sea watch. Not too much and nothing noteworthy on what was becoming a warm and sunny day. Off to Kelling water meadows and 2 wood sandpipers were a pleasing find before a quick trip up to Kelling Heath. Here, a 15 minute walk realised 1 wood pigeon.
Back to Cley beach car park where sky larks, more avocets and a med gull were noted but the view from the North screen was too hazy for any good viewing. Dunlin, redshanks and not a lot else.
Then, after a quick stop at Burnham Overy on to Titchwell where the light was better but heat haze was an issue. Little stint, 2 whimbrel, spoonbills made the day list along with the regular fare, before returning to Wells for a couple of jars with Gary before heading home.
Whilst the list is not a typical Norfolk one, still great to be there and I plan to return in the next fortnight, when waders should be returning in greater numbers.
Species list:

  1. little grebe
  2. great crested grebe
  3. cormorant
  4. little egret
  5. grey heron
  6. spoonbill
  7. mute swan
  8. greylag goose
  9. canada goose
  10. shelduck
  11. mallard
  12. gadwall
  13. teal
  14. tufted duck
  15. red kite
  16. common buzzard
  17. kestrel
  18. hobby
  19. pheasant
  20. moorhen
  21. coot
  22. oystercatcher
  23. avocet
  24. golden plover
  25. lapwing
  26. dunlin
  27. little stint
  28. wood sandpiper
  29. redshank
  30. spotted redshank
  31. black tailed godwit
  32. bar tailed godwit
  33. curlew
  34. whimbrel
  35. ruff
  36. black headed gull
  37. meduterranean gull
  38. herring gull
  39. lesser black backed gull
  40. sandwich tern
  41. common tern
  42. wood pigeon
  43. collared dove
  44. swift
  45. kingfisher
  46. greater spotted woodpecker
  47. skylark
  48. swallow
  49. house martin
  50. meadow pipit
  51. pied wagtail
  52. grey wagtailwren
  53. dunnock
  54. robin
  55. song thrush
  56. blackbird
  57. reed warbler
  58. cettis warbler
  59. chiffchaff
  60. great tit
  61. blue tit
  62. bearded tit
  63. magpie
  64. jay
  65. jackdaw
  66. rook
  67. carrion crow
  68. starling
  69. house sparrow
  70. chaffinch
  71. linnet
  72. goldfinch
  73. greenfinch
  74. yellowhammer
  75. reed bunting




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This is me

This is me
At the end of another Norfolk Coastal footpath walk. 47 miles, 3 days 99 species of bird. September 2009

Caley Wood view

Caley Wood view
sunshine through the canopy 29.05.08

A walk along the Warta Valley, Poznan, Poland. Feb 2007

A walk along the Warta Valley, Poznan, Poland. Feb 2007
Best birds on this walk: black and middle spotted woodpecker and short toed treecreeper

About Me

My photo
A primary school teacher for 30 years, I retired from teaching in July 2009 to set up my own science enhancement and communication company. The Primary Works offers science clubs, workshops and staged science shows nationwide. I have always been interested in bird watching since my early years. Apparently my first tick was after inquiring about a chaffinch and then receiving the Observer book of birds. By the age of 9 I had moved on to Tory Peterson's collins guide and was now involved on YOC birding holidays to Northumbria, Essex coast, Slimbridge and Yorkshire. My twitching rule is that I will willingly travel 1km for each gram the bird weighs. However, I have had many rarities just by being in the right place. I have travelled widely throughout Europe and also visited Australia and Sri Lanka. In 2016 I spent time at Portland Bird Obs and two trips to Aviero, Portugal. 2017 found me back in Sri Lanka in Feb/March, then July and back for New Year's Eve celebrations in December. Also returned to The Camargue in May for a 4 day trip. Few plans for 2018, but nothing yet booked apart from a trip to the IOW.

Grey heron

Grey heron
Over the allotment 28.09.08

Southern Hawker

Southern Hawker
Ridge footpath 27.08.08

Juvenile green woodpecker (17.08.08)

Juvenile green woodpecker (17.08.08)
Note the stripes, denoting a bird fledged this year.

common blue

common blue
Ash Valley G.C. 15.08.08

Indian balsam (impatiens glandulifera)

Indian balsam (impatiens glandulifera)
River Ash

azure damselfly

azure damselfly
River Ash 28.07.08

marbled white

marbled white
Discovered at Westland Green 22.07.08

ruddy darter

ruddy darter
Bush Wood 21.07.08

honeysuckle 19.07.08

honeysuckle 19.07.08
growing in hedgerow in Chapel Lane

cinnabar moth caterpillar

cinnabar moth caterpillar
Photographed on ragwort 19.07.08

Bittersweet

Bittersweet
Study of petals 11.06.08

male yellowhammer

male yellowhammer
08.06.08

common blue butterfly

common blue butterfly
06.06.08

River Ash

River Ash
looking south from the bridge at Hadham Ford

Common poppy (papaver rhoeas)

Common poppy (papaver rhoeas)
in rape field 29.05.08

Caley Wood sunshine

Caley Wood sunshine
29.05.08

Millenium Wood fox

Millenium Wood fox
24.05.08

common comfrey (symphytum officinale)

common comfrey (symphytum officinale)
06.05.08 banks of the River Ash

Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge,(Alliara petiolata)

Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge,(Alliara petiolata)
flowers, leaves and fruit edible . Good in salad and pesto

April showers

April showers
Double rainbow 30.04.08

Caley Wood bluebells

Caley Wood bluebells
22.04.08

Yellow Archangel

Yellow Archangel
Chapel Lane (20.04.08)

sunlight 16.04.08

sunlight 16.04.08
looking south west from Bush Wood

snowy buds

snowy buds
06.04.08 in Bush Wood

Looking north west

Looking north west
05.04.08 evening shower approaching

Back Garden

Back Garden
Easter Sunday (23.03.08)

Brick Kiln Hill

Brick Kiln Hill
Looking east (23.03.08)

No play today

No play today
The 2nd hole at Ash Valley golf course

Teasel head

Teasel head
Bush Wood (21.03.08)

Reflections

Reflections
daffodils at Bush Wood pond (21.03.08)

Swollen River Ash

Swollen River Ash
The river at the bottom of Winding Hill 16.03.08

Daybreak over the chapel

Daybreak over the chapel
Thursday 13th March

Wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus)

Wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus)
growing in Bush Wood

January snowdrops

January snowdrops
Banks of River Ash, north of Much Hadham

Good Moon

Good Moon
From garden 24.01.08

Village Green

Village Green
Looking east towards Acremore Street

Looking south before Hadham Ford

Looking south before Hadham Ford
rare January blue sky

Useful sites

The following are some useful websites that may interest readers of this blog.
Firstly, Bishop's Stortford Natural History Society http://bsnhs.webplus.net/

Fellow birder, Gary Whelan's blog. Gives reports from our trips out together plus reports from his trips abroad. http://hairybirders.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.hertsbirdclub.org.uk/ The official herts bird club website. Frequently updated, listing bird sightings around the county. Offers links to many other websites. Both of these sites also offer links to yahoo discussion groups.
http://www.birdforum.net/ An international site. You can enter as a guest but become a member( free) to post comments, bird sightings and just about anything to do with wild birds. Good news updates, classified section for binoculars, cameras etc.
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com/ A new site set up where you can contact people worldwide who will help you find good birds in their country. UK section being set up presently.
http://www.britainsbirder.co.uk/
Fellow birders blog. Strtford resident, Graeme Smith regulary birds the area south of Stortford as well as around Spellbrook and the River Stort from Spellbrook to Twyford Locks. Some superb bird photography: Graeme uses a digital camera attached to his powerful telescope to get detailled images of the birds he sees. Well worth a browse.
Two local sites that may be of interest can be found at
http://www.thehadhams.com/ www.thepelhams.net/content/section/12/139/

South Easterly walk

South Easterly walk
black, normal, red extended walk

South Westerly route.

South Westerly route.
Black usual, red extended

North Easterly walk

North Easterly walk
black short, walk. Red, extended

North West Patch

North West Patch
black route regular. Red route the extended wander