Wednesday, 31 August 2016

North Norfolk Day

Thursday 25th found me checking the moth trap at 4.30 before setting off for a birding day in Norfolk. Having collected Gary from Egmere near Holkham, we headed off to Titchwell.
Light quality was appalling so few photos taken. From the island hide, ruff, dunlin, avocets, moorhens and distant curlew sandpipers. We moved on and got great views of curlew sandpipers from the footpath, feeding busily on the Freshmarsh. Ringed plover were noted here and a flyover grey plover.
On to the beach hoping for some good sea movement but, having lingered for a whinchat, we noted the darkening sky. This observation was followed by several close by lightning bolts so we headed back towards the Parrinder hide to shelter from the probable torrential downpour that appeared to be heading our way. No such luck with the shelter, the rain threw it down for the last 800 yards to the hide and we were both consequently soaked to the skin, wearing as we were, shorts and shirts! Several spoonbills and more curlew sandpipers from the hide as we waited for the rain to cease, which it did after half an hour. We dripped our way back to the car and applied the heaters on full blast!
Curlew sandpiper

Another curlew sandpiper

ruff

curlew sands in worsening light

little egret

Black tailed godwit with 1 feather of summer plumage still to moult.
As Gary had to be home for an afternoon of work, we headed straight for the path at Burnham Overy. We wandered along, noting Egyptian geese with greylags and calling bullfinches. A stile was blocked but the farmers said they were bringing cattle down later, but it was Ok for us to climb over. We got as far as the coastal footpath without noting any hoped for migrants so we headed back in now dry clothes as the sun was now out. We returned along the path to find it completely blocked by a large herd of cattle! Very noisy as we waited half an hour for the farmers to collect the 2 bulls from the field and put them in a cattle truck. A few flyover house martins, swallows and more greylags were noted.
No way through!
A quick whistle stop trip to Stiffkey fen before I returned Gary to home. At the Fen, 6 spoonbills, many canada geese, greylags, golden plover and redshanks but again, no migrnats in the trees along the overgrown footpath.
Once Gary was home I headed off to Jon Clifton's in Hindolveston to pick up moth supplies, but he was out so I headed down to Cley for a coffee and to note if anything was about. A hobby was hunting behind the VC and a caspian gull on Pat's Pool along with common and green sandpipers. 
From here, a quick whizz to Kelling Water Meadows where a pair of wood sandpipers were present, stonechat, linnet and flocks of goldfinches, along with calling chiffchaffs but again, due to the wind being in the wrong direction, nothing unusual.
I finished off at Cley beach where gannets were heading west, mainly juveniles, before a visit to see Jess and family at Stiffkey Campsite. A quick check around the site for moths with the as ever enthusiastic Sidney. We found several and I managed to find some leaf mines on hawthorn that had him searching for more.
Back on the road and home by 9.15pm. A long day.

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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