Tuesday 4 April 2017

Busy Norfolk Day

Setting off at 7.15am for a day's birding along the North Norfolk Coast. I arrived in Wells for a coffee at 9.00 and then headed for Warham Greens between Wells and Stiffkey. A good migrant site, but not today and this area set the tone for the whole day. The fog was slowly clearing and the temperature was rising but still a sweater required. I wandered to the Metal Gibbert roundabout and back, noting regulars for this time of year. A hoped for ring ouzel didn't materialise but first chiffchaffs of the day were noted, along with curlew, redshank, brent geese, chaffinches etc. I planned on trying for photos that depicted birds in spring: a few worked but many didn't!
Black headed gull in early morning light

Brent goose

Linnet, they followed me throughout the day!

chiffchaff in hawthorn

Chiffchaff on Alexanders, a plant that is taking over the whole of North Norfolk!

Another linnet

Smart springtime chaffinch

Dunnock

Brent geese put up by Marsh harrier


From here, I headed to Kelling Water meadows where I met a couple that informed me that very little was about. Common sandpiper, stonechat, 4 avocet, wheatear, gadwall, shoveler, redshank, mallard, wigeon and shelduck seemed good to me, coming from landlocked Hertfordshire. As I returned to the car, small tortoiseshell and peacock butterflies were an indication of the temperature increase (necessitating a sweater removal) and several blackcaps were singing, but not performing for the camera.
Male kestrel over Kelling Hard

Another linnet!

Small tortoiseshell
Shelduck with a wigeon pair on the water
Back to the car and up to Kelling Heath. I arrived at the car park and asked a birder if the wood lark were about. "Over there 20 minutes ago," he replied. I knew that a pair were near the metal gate at the car park and after 10 minutes one flew over, typically disappearing from view before a photo. However, several willow warblers could be heard and I tracked one down. It refused to emerge for a decent photo, this, sadly was the best I could manage.
male willow warbler
I then thought it was time for a shot of caffiene, so off to the Visitors' Centre at Cley. A double espresso and Bakewell flapjack fired me up again and even better! I searched through my wallet for my membership card to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and, in the process, came across some bank notes I had put away during our Sri Lankan trip. I had looked for these after we had landed at Heathrow and then forgotten. A most welcome £55.00!!
A wander to the hides gave views of a few new birds, black tailed godwits, knot, dunlin, but nothing too noteworthy.
Just great plumage

Lapwing that is very shy!

2 Black tailed godwits showing differences as they come into breeding plumage

Knot, not a frequent visitor to the scrape from Daukes Hide

Black tailed godwit

Avocet
Following this excursion I drove to the beach car park for a sea watch but nothing was moving apart from a selection of the gulls, so off to Holkham and a drive down Lady Anne's Drive. Nothing here, so on to Burnham Norton for a wander to the coastal footpath and back. 2 distant garganey were pleasing, little egrets, tufted duck and another marsh harrier.
Meadow pipit, a pleasing shot

A very high overhead marsh harrier

Little egret

Pair of tufties
Time was beginning to run out, so off to Choseley Drying Barns, but not before a stop at Burnham Overy Staithe where I added turnstone to the list for the day.
At Choseley, yellowhammer and red legged partridge made the list  before I had got out of the car.  In the distance, another male marsh harrier, plenty of partridge, both rlp and grey along with 8 brown hares in one field.
Always good to see a brown hare
After this; Titchwell RSPB Reserve and just in time to catch the cafe for one of their brilliant Bakewell Tarts. On to the reserve as everyone was leaving. Now gone 5pm but plenty of light left. 2 Mediterranean gulls were the highlight on the Fresh Marsh whilst from the beach: 100's of common scoter, long tailed duck and 3 great crested grebe. As I scoped the horizon, 2 red breasted mergansers were heading into The Wash for the night. Grey plovers were noted on the salt marsh. Just a peaceful, relaxing place to be as the sun sank over Thornham Marsh.
As I wandered back to the now empty car park both a nuthatch and another blackcap sang due to my departure.
2 Med gulls a long way off the footpath.

Shovelers

Teal drake

redshank

feeding (very noisily) knot

Brent goose

Avocet

Blackcap near Titchwell car park
A stop at Burnham Deepdale for petrol and drink and then the drive home, stopping for some food before arriving home 14 hours after leaving. A wonderful day, my first in Norfolk this year. Shame I didn't have time for Holme and Hunstanton cliffs to add to the 78 species noted. No cormorant, grey heron or Egyptian goose seen!
As always, I keep the best shots for my RSPB, Nat Hist and Bird Club presentations, so most of these are ones I am happy to share.

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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