Saturday 14 March 2015

Norfolk Day 13.05.15

A very early 4.45a.m. start for a day birding in Norfolk. First stop was Lynford Arboretum near Mundford. The hawfinches were not to be found but siskins, chaffinches, nuthatches, brambling all kick started the day list. Poor light before 7 meant disappointing shots taken of the brambling. The temperature was pleasant and it was great just listening to the chorus of great tits, blue tits, goldcrests, treecreeper, nuthatch, blackbird, wren and song thrush all competing.
Half Moon at Lynford

wood pigeon in sunrise

early morning wren

Brambling at the feeders


nuthatch
From here, I headed off to Cley East Bank and the beach where I came across a single water pipit commuting between Arnold's Marsh and the reserve. Bearded tits called and flocks of brent and greylag geese overhead. At one point, 4 marsh harriers were in the air, with one seeing off a carrion crow. Lapwings, dunlin, ringed plover and godwits made it on to the day list, before I headed off to Weybourne beach.
greylag goose

roosting herons at Cley

brent goose flyover
distant marsh harrier sees off a carrion crow

 Here, I walked east, stopping to watch a few kittiwake fly past to a field that held a sizable flock of gulls. An inceland gull had been recently reported from this area and it looked like a job of going through several thousand gulls to find it. I joined a fellow birder, Nick but my concern was not warranted as the gull was sitting alone, on a ploughed field and was easy to spot. Both of then carried on towards Sheringham to find, firstly, a wheatear when we were joined by Lee. A scan of the ploughed field gave up 6 snow buntings and then, in the distance, 2 lapland buntings. The latter, too far way for a photo and barely visible with binoculars, definitely a scope job.
Iceland gull


off to join the flock

Find the snow bunting

one hard to find snow bunting
From here, Nick and I headed towards Kelling Heath but after a rather quiet half hour wander, with no dartford warblers or woodlark, we returned to the car. Goldcrests and tits in good numbers along with a green woodpecker. I returned to Cley carparkand the regular confiding black headed gull. The sea was exceptionally quiet so I then thought a quick view at ceratin vantage points along the A149. Stops at Holkham, Burnham Overy Staithe were made before I finished off at Titchwell. By now it was 4.30pm and the light was dreadful so no chance of anymore photos. As it happened, I didn't miss anything, with avocet, water rail, sanderling added to a reasonable daylist. Wonderful day out.
meadow pipit display flight

male reed bunting


female reed bunting

The ever present Cley beach car park black headed gull

Stonechat
Species list;
little grebe, great crested grebe, cormorant, little egret, grey heron, mute swan, pink footed goose, greylag goose, canada goose, brent goose, (10 sp) egyptian goose, mallard, gadwall,  teal, shoveler, pochard,tufted duck, marsh harrier, kestrel, common buzzard (20 sp) red legged partridge, pheasant,
water rail, coot, moorhen, oystercatcher, avocet, ringed plover, golden plover, lapwing (30) sanderling, dunlin, turnstone, redshank, black tailed godwit, curlew, black headed gull, common gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull (40)kittiwake, iceland gull, wood pigeon, collared dove, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, skylark, water pipit, meadow pipit, pied wagtail (50) wren, dunnock, robin, wheatear, stonechat, song thrush, mistle thrush, blackbird, cettis warbler, chiffchaff, (60)goldcrest, great tit, coal tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, nuthatch, treecreeper, magpie, jay, jackdaw, (70) carrion crow, rook, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, brambling, linnet, goldfinch, greenfinch, siskin (80)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