Day in Norfolk. 09.09.14

A 4.45a.m. start for North Norfolk where I had been booked to take a birder out for the day, to less well known areas of the coast that may offer good bird watching. I picked Adrian up from the hostelry where he was staying at 7 and we were soon at Titchwell for some early morning birds. Good to get here before the crowds and so it proved as only a handful of birders were present. An early curlew sandpiper was noted on the Freshmarsh as we headed to the sea. Usual suspects all around: dunlin, black tailed godwit, 12 spotted redshank on Thornham Marsh were good, along with teal, and 2 garganey, pochard, little grebe etc.
From the beach the morning mist made sea watching tricky, but 5 arctic skuas, sandwich terns as well as common terns were present. All good day listers and it wasn't 9 a.m.,
Back at the Parrinder hide there were plenty of birds to check. A little stint performed well outside the hide, as did a bathing meadow pipit. Spoonbills, avocets, black tailed godwits, a few knot, redshanks and greenshanks all got on to the daylist. Back on the path we heard and then saw, a sizable party of superb bearded reedlings. I had only earlier commented upon the fact I had never managed a pleasing photo of this species. Hopefully, you'll agree, I have improved upon this with these offerings. Also, from the path, a great white egret.

ruff from Parrinder Hide

meadow pipit, Parrinder Hide

Little stint, Parrinder Hide

ruff and 2 little stint, footpath

great views of a party of bearded reedling near island hide, Here a male

2 females/first year birds

After coffee, we headed up to Choseley barns but, apart from yellowhammer, finches and red legged partridge we were disappointed. Whinchat had been recorded here, but not at that present moment. So, off to Burnham Overy Staithe, walking as far as the sea defence path. Added kestrel, willow warbler, chiffchaff, whitethroat before a bird, distant in reeds turned out to be a whinchat. On our wander back a large skein of pink footed geese were airborne along with several common buzzard, all towards Holkham Freshmarsh.
After a brief trip down Lady Anne's Drive we stopped off at Warham Greens and a walk to the metal gibbet. Not too much here at all apart from flocks of finches, but checking the sky we discovered a peregrine circling in thermals with another common buzzard. Then, we found ourselves at Cley ready for lunch. Picnic Fayre in the village supplied us with vitals and a coffee at the the visitors' centre was much appreciated. On to the reserve and into the hides where more waders were noted, mainly ruff and another group of little stints.

pink foots

long tailed tit, Burnham Overy Staithe

We then headed for the beach carpark and a brief wander towards the North hide that was. Many dog walkers here, so we returned to the car, having noted more meadow pipits and a brief glimpse of a probable wheatear. On to the east bank where we went straight to Arnold's marsh. More super waders with curlew sandpiper, curlews and more greenshank. A look skyward produced a hobby thermalling with a sparrowhawk above. A marsh harrier roosting in a tree was noted before a brief sea watch. As we headed back a long tailed, pointed winged bird appeared over the trees at Walsey Hills for a few seconds. Wings not seen above the body gave the impression of cuckoo, but not enough to confirm. Back to the car and off to Salthouse beach, but nothing here so a final stop on our easterly journey at Kelling water meadows. The reported bonellis was not to be seen, albeit seen by a group just as we walked away, but not evident to us as it flew off with a chaffinch, both birds flying in a most finch like manner! However, the most bird busy part of the day away from the marshes, with willow warbler, whitethroat, stonechat, teal, a flyby party of ruff as we arrived towards Muckleborough Hill.  A good walk and by now we were approaching 6pm. A long day with just one more stop at Stiffkey Fen. Here, the sun would be in our favour and birds would be coming into roost. We were not disappointed as green sandpiper, 2 eclipse pintail, more spoonbills, little egrets, wigeon etc were noted before a drive back to Sedgeford to drop Adrian off. The main purpose of the visit was to acquaint Adrian with the best birding sites along the coast. I think we managed quite a few, covering around 14 miles on foot, as I set off for home .
Upon arriving back in the village, I made a quick tally of species: 95 definites, 2 heard only and 2 possibles. A good tally for a busy day.

male stonechat, Kelling Quags. Note colour ringed, details forwarded to BTO

Female stonechat towards Muckleborough Hill.

Edit: just received details of the ringed male stonechat. It was ringed as a juvenile at Kelling Heath 06.07.12 and then paired up with a local unringed female at bred successfully at Weybourne Camp in both 2013 and 2014. So, very much a local bird.
Species list;
little grebe, gannet, cormorant, little egret, great whie egret, grey heron, spoonbill, mute swan, pink foot goose, canada goose, greylag goose, shelduck, mallard, gadwall, pintail, shoveler, wigeon, teal, garganey, pochard, tufted duck, common scoter, marsh harrier, common buzzard, sparrow hawk, kestrel, hobby, peregrine, red  legged partridge, grey partridge, pheasant, water rail (heard), moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, avocet, ringed plover, golden plover, lapwing, knot, turnstone, dunlin, curlew sandpiper, little stint, green sandpiper, redshank, spotted redshank, greenshank, black tailed godwit, curlew (50 species) snipe, ruff, arctic skua, black headed gull, common gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, greater black backed gull, sandwich tern, common tern (60 sp) stock dove, wood pigeon, collared dove, swallow, house martin, meadow pipit, pied wagtail, grey wagtail, wren, dunnock (70 sp) robin, wheatear (probable) whinchat, stonechat, blackbird, blackcap, whitethroat,cetti'swarbler (heard), reed warbler, willow warbler (80 sp) chiffchaff, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, bearded reedling, magpie, jay, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow (90 sp)starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, linnet, goldfinch, greenfinch, reed bunting, yellowhammer + cuckoo possible, making it 99 species for theday if you count the possible and probable. I do as neither are year listers etc and 99 is a good total. Oh for a grey plover, song thrush or common sandpiper to help make the ton.
However, I know Adrian got red backed shrike earlier today, so I am sure he will pass 110 species for his 5 day stay. Good luck with those woodpeckers!

Another successful local wander

Starting from town, I took footpaths to the north and east of the parish as I headed back to the village. Not too much about to begin with but a distant brown and white bird of prey had me going for a while until it took off: common buzzard! Towards the ponds at Hadham Hall were several swallows and 15+ house martins. Not too many left here, now. I scanned the water's edge and 2 common sandpipers were evident. A green woodpecker called, a barn owl scurried for cover in its tree hole and the willows were dripping with chiffers and willow warblers. Time was on my side, meaning I could grill each and every tree, but nothing else of migratory note. A goldcrest and treecreeper, plus jay were all about and a grey heron flew in. A loud call indicated the arrival of not one, but 2 grey wagtails that alighted not too far from where I was "hiding," trying for warbler photos.
All in all, a pleasing morning, as this is my first record of more than 1 common sandpiper and grey wagtail at this site and only 4th common sandpiper record.

common sandpiper

grey wagtails

grey wagtails

chiffchaff

chiffchaff

Insect wise, my 2nd brown argus of the year as well as migrant hawkers, ruddy and common darters as well as large white, speckled wood, red admiral, small tortoiseshell and common blue butterflies.

underwing of brown argus

brown argus

ruddy darter

More new moths

Another cold and cloudless night meant just 15 moths of 8 species in the trap this morning. Of note however, was the 1st lunar underwing of the year as well as 2 micros, carnation tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) and a tiny Btyotropha affinis. The latter, identified by dissection.

Bryotropha affinis

Cacaecimorpha pronubana

lunar underwing

New macro moth for garden

Oak nyctleoline

double striped pug

Conditions looked perfect for an early September moth trap, but for some reason this was not to be. Just a handful of moths in overcast, warm conditions. Very strange.
However, an Acleris variegana was taken before midnight and whilst emptying the trap this morning a strange looking tortricidae was noted along with usual suspects and a double striped pug. On checking books, I suddenly realised it was a new for me moth, a macro species oak nycteoline. Not the most inspiring moth but nevertheless, very pleased to take it

Acleris variegana

Moth round up.

Whilst there have been plenty of moths about recently, it has certainly been quantity over quality, with large yellow underwing, setaceous hebrew character and square spot rustics making up the bulk of the records.

30th August saw 30 setaceous hebrews to the trap, whilst last night, 16 of the same species, with 15 common wainscot, 18 square spot rustics and double figures of large yellow underwing.

In amongst this common stuff a few new for year moths: feathered gothic on the 1st and centre-barred sallow and six striped rustic on the 2nd. Also, singles of common wave, angle shades, chinese character, small square spot and sliver y have made checking the trap worthwhile.

Micro wise, very quiet with just last few Agriphila geniculea appearing, and the next generation of Celypha lacunana now on the wing, along with a Pandemis heperana this morning. Should now be starting to get the true autumnal moths, so still plenty to look forward to.

feathered gothic

six striped rustic

Pandemis heparana

centre barred sallow

Last night, I had a brief wander round the local lanes with head torch and net. In the hayfield just up from the house were literally hundreds of square spot rustics and common wainscot and I stopped counting setaceous hebrew characters after 50. Just shining the torch into the field revealed many pairs of eyes reflected in the beam.

Both square spot rustics after dark.

New bird for parish records

Having checked the moth trap at 6.00a.m. I thought a quick wander over the local golf course to the high ground of the parish may give views of some migrants. Very little in the way of birds as I approached the golf course, but immediately I went through the gate a small brown bird with black and white tail flew in front of me, landing some 20 yards away.
A whinchat: a new bird for my records. One that I had anticipated bumping into eventually but, nevertheless, very pleasing. The morning mist was still hanging so photography was not easy, as demonstrated below. As I tried to improve on shots taken, I noted a 2nd bird close by, another whinchat. This one, either a first year bird or female as it didn't show the bright supercillium of the first bird. Excellent stuff.
Apart from this; mallards, corvids, green woodpecker and a chiffchaff were about the sum total of birds seen on the course, with hedgerow birds added as I wandered back home.
This bird becomes the 105th species I have recorded in the parish.

initial view in murky conditions 6.45a.m.

adult male

adult male showing diagnostic tail feathers. 1st year bird or female perched

Successful Village Wander

Having dropped the car off near Cradle End for a minor repair, I wandered along to Costa coffee  at
Tescos for a morning beverage. From here, I headed back towards Bury Green and Green Street hamlets before crossing the A120, through Hadham Hall, visiting the lagoon before a leisurely walk to collect the car some 4 hours later.
A yellowhammer was most confiding in fields near Green Street, but apart from a couple of chiffchaffs, a whitethroat and tits, not much to see or hear.

yellowhammer

From here, I wandered along Green Street, where I met a local rambling group. On the wires adjacent to the lane, a spotted flycatcher. As I was attempting a photo, my attention was drawn to a 2nd bird on the nearby fence. These have not been present through the summer, so clearly migrants on the move and enjoying the insects over the horse field. These 2 birds disappeared into a silver birch, from where they made several sorties. This tree was alive with bird: aswell as the 2 spot flies, 4 great tits, 2 blue tits, 8 long tailed tits, at least 1 willow warbler and 2 chiffchaffs. The movement was constant, until a local dog walker came around the corner and all moved off to a tree further away. On more wires, parties of up to 8 swallows were resting.

spotted flycatcher no. 1

Spotted flycatcher no. 2

Pair of migrating swallows

From Green Street, I cut through a footpath alongside the farmhouse, over a field and on to the main A120, which, after 200 yards brought me to the entrance road for Hadham Hall. Here, little to be seen in or around the moat and ponds apart from this muntjac that sauntered out in front of me, until startled by the camera shutter.

muntjac

one of many rabbits

a successful trap in the web: a common blue damselfly

However, things were to change as I approached the lagoon. On the water, a little grebe, 2 tufted duck and 3 moorhens, but right over the farside, a common sandpiper, only my 3rd parish record in 7 years. I spent a long time stalking this bird to improve on the photos, with these results.

Using the willows to crawl fairly close.

As I was doing this, I heard another piping sound, a kingfisher in flight! Not a regularly seen bird within the parish and my 1st record since the cold snap of 2011! Eventually, this bird alighted right the other side of the lagoon but again, I tried getting nearer but this was more wary and must have taken a good hour to catch up with it as it flew from one side to the other.

Shame about the focus. 

House martins and swallows were constantly drinking whilst overhead both a kestrel and common buzzard.

drinking house martins

overhead house martins

 I then headed towards the garage, whereupon 2 reed bunting flew from the hedgerow. A successful 4 hours.
Insect wise: speckled wood, large and small white butterflies and this smart common blue. Plenty of common blue damselflies, a latticed heath moth but not too much to report.

Species list;
little grebe, tufted duck, common buzzard, kestrel, pheasant, moorhen, coot, common sandpiper,black headed gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, wood pigeon, collared dove, kingfisher, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, swallow, house martin, wren, dunnock, robin, blackbird, whitethroat, willow warbler, chiffchaff, spotted flycatcher, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, magpie, jay, jackdaw, carrion crow, rook, starling, chaffinch, goldfinch, linnet, yellowhammer, reed bunting. These 40 species constitute somewhere around 38% of my parish list, so not too bad at all.