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Chandlers Ford “Falcons” |
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Date: February 2007 |
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Feb in Norfolk with Derek and Lynne |
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NORTH NORFOLK 10th FEBRUARY-16TH FEBRUARY 2007
INTRODUCTION For the very first time Lynne and I paid a second winter trip to Norfolk. The aim was to locate and view birds that we had missed or with the very mild winter just weren’t around in December. Again the weather was incredibly mild and I feared that some of the traditional “winter treats” that Norfolk can give would not be there. I was to be proven wrong on most accounts, except for one and that was the winter thrush numbers.
SITES VISITED
CLEY MARSHES AND SALTHOUSE BEACH. Cley marsh remains in my mind one of the birding spots, and as always held many of the species that are found throughout Norfolk. Our first visit there produced a second year Glaucous Gull close to the east bank on the beach. The bird was very obliging and views down to 30 metres were possible. Spotted Redshank mingled with the Redshank on Arnolds Marsh,while from the hides at Cley the Avocet flocks numbered over 30. A late afternoon visit to the marsh produced a Bittern briefly and 2 Water Pipit off the east Bank. Up to four Marsh Harrier were in the air at one time. Early morning visits to Salthouse Beach produced close views of 31 Snow Bunting, although this flock was very mobile, sometimes roaming up to Cley eye !.Also heard and viewed at the eye was a Twite.
CLEY EYE The “eye” is always worth a spell of seawatching, especially early in the morning at first light. The bonus on visits here this time was the presence of 8 Shorelark some 200mtrs up Blakeney Beach from the eye. These birds were sometimes very elusive, and through the week proved very popular with visiting birders. Lynne and me were surprised on one occasion to see the Shorelark being pursued by a male Merlin !,It didn’t catch them I hasten to add. On the sea were many Red throated Divers, and the one Great Northern Diver, and a large oil like slick about 300 metres out was in fact a flock of 900 Common Scoter, which after close scrutiny also included 2 Velvet Scoter!. A surprise on one early morning visit was the presence of a juvenile Long Tailed Duck padding east some 20 metres from the shoreline!
HOLKHAM AND HOLKHAM GAP Holkham was remarkably clear of geese, except for a small flock of about Pink Footed Geese. Close scrutiny of the gap area produced a charming flock of 29 Snow Bunting and 8 Shorelark feeding with them, close views were had of this flock and they appeared oblivious of Lynne and me. By shear chance we pulled over close to the Holkham gap road and spotted 2 Waxwing, the birds eventually coming to feed on Hawthorn berries next to the car!
CHOOSEY BARNSUnlike are last visit in December, Choosey barns was alive with Buntings, Yellow hammers were everywhere, and counted on the wires was 39 Corn Bunting. However the highlight was a Juvenile Lapland Bunting feeding with the Yellowhammer flock.
TICHWELL MARSHRSPB Tichwell gave excellent comparison views of Redshank, Spotted Redshank and Blacktailed Godwit, indeed all three species fed together. From the hides a first year Little Gull and a first year Mediterranean Gull allowed comparisons with the commoner gulls. On the sea were many Goldeneye and Red Breasted Mergansers. A close up view of a Woodcock was a a added bonus, the bird was roosting within 15 metres of the main entrance path to the reserve.
WELNEY WWTWelney wetland reserve in the Ouse washes, is the place to see Wild swans. In late winter it is a great idea to stop off on route to Welney at TOTTENHILL gravel pits.These pits are very good for wintering ducks, however on this visit it was the presence of a rare resident the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that caused much excitement!. The male put on a calling display right next to the road and could also be seen drumming. Welney turned out to be totally flooded, however there were large flocks of Whooper and Berwick Swan feeding in the fields. Flying over the car and landing on some farm stubble was 6 Tundra bean Goose,there orange legs very visible in the sunlight.
STUBB MILLThe customary evening visit to the raptor view point at Stubb mill, produced stunning views of fly past Cranes,and three hunting Barn Owls, a Hen Harrier female joined over 6o Marsh Harriers in the roost.
Derek and Lynne Lister
NORFOLK SPECIES CHECK LIST 10th FEBRUARY-16TH FEBRUARY 2007
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Red Throated Diver,max 10 off Cley eye Black Throated Diver 1 off Kelling Great Northern Diver max 1 Cley Grey Heron Little Egret Bittern 1 Cley 15/2 Common Crane 4 at Stubb mill Cormorant Great Crested Grebe Little Grebe Shelduck Eider Teal Mallard Shoveler Gadwell Pintail Tufted Duck Widgeon Pochard Mandarin Duck Goldeneye Long tailed Duck 1 juv Cley eye 16/2. Common Scoter Velvet Scoter 2 Cley Red Breasted Merganser Pink footed Goose Tundra Bean Goose Greylag Goose Egyptian Goose Brent Goose Canada Goose Mute Swan Berwick Swan Whooper Swan Gannet Black Headed Gull Little Gull 1 juv Tichwell Mediterranean Gull 1 juv Tichwell Common Gull Herring Gull Glaucous Gull 1 juv Lesser Black backed Gull Great Black Backed Gull Kittewake Marsh Harrier(max 40+ Stubb mill) Hen Harrier Buzzard Kestrel Sparrowhawk Merlin Barn Owl Curlew Oystercatcher Black tailed Godwit Bar Tailed Godwit Avocet 30 Cley Lapwing Sanderling Golden Plover Grey Plover Turnstone Ringed Plover Knot |
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Dunlin Redshank Greenshank Spotted Redshank Snipe Moorhen Coot Guillemot Razorbill Pied Wagtail Grey Wagtail Wood Pigeon Collared Dove Stock Dove Great Spotted Woodpecker Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 1 male Tottenhill G.P. 15/2 Red legged Partridge Pheasant Stonechat Blackbird Mistle Thrush Song Thrush Fieldfare Skylark Shore Lark 8 at Cley,8 at Holkham Gap Redwing Robin Wren Dunnock Treecreeper Nuthatch Blue Tit Coal Tit Great Tit Long tailed Tit Marsh Tit Bearded Tit 4 at Tichwell Goldcrest Chiffchaff Cettis Warbler Meadow Pipit Rock Pipit Water Pipit 2 at Cley Greenfinch Goldfinch Chaffinch Siskin Linnet Twite 1 male at Cley House Sparrow Yellowhammer Corn Bunting Reed Bunting Lapland Bunting 1 juv at Choosey 14/2 Snow Bunting max 32 at Salthouse Starling Waxwing 2 Holkham 15/2 Carrion Crow Rook Jackdaw Magpie Jay.
126 species |
