Bramfield Cemetery

A few spare hours today, so off to Bramfield village near Hertford where hawfinches had been observed in the churchyard.Upon arrival there were 2 chaps in situ with cameras, firing away and, as I walked towards them, noted 6 hawfinches in a distant ash tree. They flew off before I got a photo.They continued to fly around and each time either landed in the ash, on the far side of it so no good for photos, or disappeared into the depths of a yew tree.
I passed the time noting all the birds in the churchyard and getting a few photos of greenfinch and one of the 4 nuthatches which all seemed to be prospecting for nest sites. One pair seemed interested in a tree hole whilst the other pair visited a newly placed nest box on several occasions.Goldcrests flitted around the conifers whilst great, blue, coal and long tailed tits flew around. A common buzzard overhead and also blackbirds, song thrush, chaffinch, female bullfinch were observed before I was just about to head off. At that point a splendid male hawfinch landed right at the top of a tree and gave the opportunity for a few pleasing shots of this rather elusive and shy bird.

Hawfinch

nuthatch

greenfinch

another nuthatch

February Moths

The last 3 weeks have been very poor for moths due to the night time temperatures frequently falling to zero or below. Consequently, there have been many blank nights and ones where I have not run the portable trap around the parish, just relying on the garden trap. Between 29th Jan and 7th Feb no moths were recorded, my longest barren spell since 2014,  but a warmer night on the 8th meant I carted all the gear into Stocking Wood. Upon returning later in the evening I had trapped 8 moths of 4 species

Chestnut

Dark chestnut

Pale brindled beauty

Satellite

There were another 7 blank nights before the temperatures picked up enough for me to get out. I visited Millennium Wood with just my headtorch and net where Graeme Smith was running a single trap. Between the 2 methods we took 29 moths of 6 species. Dotted border, Early moth, Spring usher and March moth shown here. The other species as above.

Dotted border

Early moth

March moth

Spring usher

another blank night followed before a break in the weather as temperatures remained around 12C. Time to leave the portable trap at Pig's Green and run the garden one, too.
27 moths of 7 species taken to the portable trap. I also wandered a few woods with the headtorch and net, catching Agonopterix heracliana in good numbers. The garden trap realised 4 moths of 3 species, all taken already.

Small brindled beauty from Pigs Green

Common quaker, 1st of the year from Pigs Green

1 of 9 Agonopterix heracliana, this one from Millennium Wood

The temperatures dropped a little on the 19th but still worth running both traps. Alder Wood was the destination for the portable trap where I scored with a disappointing 8 moths of 6 species, but nothing new and the garden trap was empty this morning.
This leaves me on 142 moths recorded, made up of 14 species (11 macro species, 3 micro species)
Millennium Wood has given up the most so far this year, with 9 species, but it has had more trap nights than anywhere else. The next 7 - 10 days look fairly bleak and, I suspect, very little to record.

Another Norfolk Day

Due to a spare day and Wendy being on grand children duty, I grabbed the chance of another visit to North Norfolk. I contacted Gary in Stortford and he was up for his first birding trip of the year and he was duly picked up at 6.30am. We had a coffee at Wells before 8.30am and then off to Salthouse to check if the snow buntings were still present. I had seen these here 22nd Jan and once we got close it was interesting to note the amount of birds that were moulting into adult male plumage, compared to the brown/fawn birds of a month ago.

3 snow buntings: Salthouse beach

Male moulting into breeding plumage

Compare to the photo below taken on 22.01.18 at the same site.

Displaying winter plumage

Inevitable turnstones at the end of Beach Road, Salthouse

A pair of stonechat and numerous linnets were also noted around Gramborough Hill before we did a quick sea watch but nothing at all, so to the car and off for another coffee at the NWT Visitors' Centre. There seemed to be little of note on the reserve at Cley so we drove around to the beach carpark for a check on the Eye Field and sea but not too much so off west. We dropped in at Blakeney and Morston where there were Brent geese and regular waders, so on to Holkham for a check on the sea and to see if the shore larks were still present as this is a species Gary has only seen on a few occasions. A buzzard, west towards Burnham Overy Staithe attracted our attention. Although distant, in good light, as it circled, a clear white rump denoting rough legged buzzard. A new for year sp. No sign of the larks even though an enthusiastic birder told us they were there and that he could actually see them as we were chatting. Others confirmed they were not present in their usual area. Interestingly, we decided to do a little searching and every time were stopped to scan the low vegetation we appeared to attract other birders hoping we were watching them.
Then, off for a sea watch. A Black throated diver was new for the year along with numerous  red throated, both on the water and flying into The Wash. Great crested grebes, cormorants and gulls were also noted.
Back in Lady Anne's Drive, huge numbers of pink footed geese, wigeon and 10 snipe altogether.

Black headed gull

Pink footed goose

Stonechat, Holkham beach

A wisp (or walk) of snipe

Snipe, Lady Anne's Drive.

From here we continued west, checking Brancaster harbour but nothing too unusual before grabbing some sustenance at Burnham Deepdale and a quick trip to Choseley Drying Barns. Nothing here at all so off to a very crowded Titchwell RSPB Reserve. A coffee and one of their excellent Bakewell Tarts and we were off.
First to the dragonfly pond where bramblings could be seen but were too far into vegetation for a photo. Siskins fed in the alders before we were off to the beach, having scanned the Volunteer Marsh for reported water and rock pipits. Weather remained fine as we set up our Scopes on the beach. Wigeon a plenty, great crested grebe, flyby red throated divers, goldeneye and a few scoter before a few red breasted mergansers were seen. A good session where I had a chat to Terry and Anne, birders now living in Hunstanton that I have known for many years. Good to see them.

Siskin

Siskins feeding in alder

Drake teal

Muddy redshank

Little Grebe

Dunlin in late afternoon light

Ringed plover in poor light

We checked the Freshmarsh and Salt Marsh for waders, adding grey plover and avocet to the day list before returning to the car park and a last trip of the day, to Thornham. Here, we were checking for twite, not seen and a 2nd year Iceland Gull that may have goon into roost some way off Thornham Point. A scope scan through the several 1000 gulls present didn't give up a white winger, so back to the car and home just before 6.00pm.
Great day and good to catch up with Gary. Last time we were birding together was last May in The Camargue.
Species list for the day. (year listers in red)

1. Red throated diver
2. Black throated diver 
3. Little grebe
4. Great crested grebe
5. Cormorant
6. Little egret
7. Whooper swan
8. Mute swan
9. Pink footed goose
10. Greylag goose
11. Brent goose
12. Shelduck
13. Egyptian goose
14. Canada goose
15. Mallard
16. Gadwall
17. pintail
18. shoveler
19. wigeon
20. Teal
21. Pochard
22. Tufted duck
23. Common scoter
24. Goldeneye
25. Red breasted merganser
26. Marsh harrier
27. Rough legged buzzard 
28. Common buzzard
29. Kestrel
30. Red legged partridge
31. Pheasant
32. Moorhen
33. Coot
34. Oystercatcher
35. Avocet
36. Ringed plover
37. Grey plover
38. Golden plover
39. Lapwing
40. Knot
41. Sanderling
42. Turnstone
43. Dunlin
44. Redshank
45. Black tailed godwit
46. Bar tailed godwit
47. Curlew
48. Snipe
49. Ruff
50. Black headed gull
51. Common gull
52. Herring gull
53. Lesser black backed gull
54. Greater black backed gull
55. Wood pigeon
56. Collared dove
57. Skylark
58. Meadow pipit
59. Pied wagtail
60. Wren
61. Dunnock
62. Robin
63. Stonechat
64. Fieldfare
65. Blackbird
66. Great tit
67. Coal tit
68. Blue tit
69. Magpie
70. Jackdaw
71. Carrion crow
72. Rook
73. Starling
74. Chaffinch
75. Brambling
76. Linnet
77. Lesser redpoll
78. Siskin
79. Goldfinch
80. Reed bunting
81. Snow bunting

Frampton Marsh

After many years of planning a trip to this RSPB Reserve, I eventually got round to going there yesterday. A superb place and one I shall certainly be returning too soon as the whole habitat looks like a magnet for migrating waders.
Today, their was an icy breeze that made searching for distant birds difficult with frozen hands, hats disappearing over fences and the wind battering the binoculars. I had taken my scope with me, but didn't take it out of the car as it would have rattled around in the breeze and probably been more trouble carting it around than it was worth.
The Visitors' Centre opened shortly after my arrival, by which time I had noted regular species at the feeders. In the bushes were a few tree sparrows but in the time I was there, they refused to pose for a photo.
Having had a quick chat and gleaned a map, I was off to check the fields by the car park. Plenty of wigeon, redshanks and several ruff in fine plumage. Lapwings were everywhere and must, like the wigeon be excess of 10,000. Huge numbers of these birds rose as a merlin shot passed me, too fast for a photo.
I arrived at the 360 hide where I noted more of the same, so on to the reedbed hide. Shelduck, mallards, gadwall and large numbers of greylag and brent geese whilst out side, a superb male stonechat

female teal

wigeon in poor light conditions

Black tailed godwits

rather distant ruff

pair of ruff

Lapwing from the 360 hide

from the 360 hide looking towards the East hide

The East hide

Brent geese

Male stonechat

Fly past little egret

I continued on to the Wash Trail and into the East hide before wandering on to the Grassland trail. First surprise of the day was encountering 4 barnacle geese in with some brents and further along a solitary spotted redshank. In the far distance around 50 - 60 whooper swans before I checked the reservoir where a pair of goldeneye consorted with several tufted duck and a fair few drake pochard.
A coffee helped thaw me out back at the centre before I headed off back home. A thoroughly enjoyable morning despite the cold and what was now a stiff breeze and drizzle. The numbers of birds was amazing and I look forward to returning later in spring. Many thanks to Lisa at the centre for being so helpful. This is a reserve I highly recommend but I would advise warm clothes, gloves and a hat that remains on in a breeze.

1st year herring gull

Black tailed godwit

From the Wash trail, looking beyond the East hide

Barnacle and brent geese

drake pintail

winter plumaged spotted redshank

Redshank for comparison

Drake gadwall

Species list. Year listers in red taking running total for 2018 to 116 species

1. Cormorant
2. Little egret
3. Grey heron
4. Whooper swan 
5. Mute swan
6. Greylag goose
7. Canada goose
8. Barnacle goose
9. Brent goose
10. Shelduck
11. Mallard
12. Gadwall
13. Pintail
14. Shoveler
15. Wigeon
16. Teal
17. Pochard
18. Tufted duck
19. Goldeneye
20. Common buzzard
21. Kestrel
22. Merlin
23. Pheasant
24. Moorhen
25. Coot
26. Ringed plover
27. Golden plover
28. Lapwing
29. Dunlin
30. Redshank
31. Spotted redshank
32. Black tailed godwit
33. Curlew
34. Snipe
35. Ruff
36. Black headed gull
37. Herring gull
38. Great Black backed gull
39. Wood pigeon
40. Stock dove
41. Collared dove
42. Skylark
43. Meadow pipit
44. Pied wagtail
45. Wren
46. Dunnock
47. Robin
48. Stonechat
49. Redwing
50. Fieldfare
51. Blackbird
52. Great tit
53. Blue tit
54. Long tailed tit
55. Magpie
56. Jackdaw
57. Carrion crow
58. Rook
59. Starlin
60. House sparrow
61. Tree sparrow
62. Chaffinch
63. Greenfinch
64. Goldfinch
65. Linnet
66. Reed bunting

Brent geese

whooper swans with golden plover and lapwing

Distant goldeneye

shoveler