Hoar Frost

Thursday January 31

-6C overnight left everything thickly encrusted with hoar frost. A favourite winter sight of mine. That and the remaining snow would have made for spectacular photographs - if it wasn't for the accompanying, thick, freezing fog.This meant that Pam decided not to drive to our usual meet with friends at Cley Centre.
With unexpected free time, I spent the morning catching up with emails and Blog. 
After lunch, the fog improved enough to consider driving to Sheringham to buy new rubber feet from Blyth and Wright for a folding chair we use for moth-ing . By the time we reached the town the sun was shining but not warm enough to dissipate the frost. Roadside verges were still white.

If the weather continues, I hope to photograph our garden Mimosa and Witch Hazel, blossoming bright yellow through the frost.
After a successful shop visit, we drove to the car park at the sea end of the High Street. A justincasa visit. Waw, a single Purple Sandpiper picked at the growth on top of the breakwater rocks immediately below the car park.
I only had my Canon Powershot SX270 with me - the one I use for digiscoping and is always in my handbag. The wall is too tall to set up the scope,  I had a couple of shots before the bird flew. This is the best it could manage in very poor light and highly magnified.

I've never been able to chase a big year list. Something I'd always intended to do when I retired, but elderly relatives put paid to that. I searched for my year records and was interested to see that in 2005, the year I had both knees replaced in August, I had my record list of 289, despite the operations and spending 6 weeks in Australia. My January month record is 158, 156 in Norfolk. Those were the days !

Local Patch?

Wednesday January 30

We don't really have a local patch which we 'do' regularly. In the days when we did winter recording of 1 k squares for the BTO, our local squares were already allocated to others - who actually live elsewhere in the County. 

Bob is now probably the hardest worker of our area, taking in Bacton Woods, the coast from Mundesley to Winterton and inland to North Walsham. He found the Black-bellied Dipper at Ebridge Mill which recently won him the Great Yarmouth Bird Club Jane Bamford trophy, for 2018's best bird discovered by a member, reported, and available for all.

We decided to have a mosey about , starting with Crostwight Common then Honing Long Lane, Edingthorpe, Bacton Woods and Walcott sea front. The 1 cm of overnight snow had cleared from the roads and a lovely sunny day lifted the spirits.

We added four birds to our year list, Goldcrest in Crostwight Common woods and Red-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver and Guillemot at Walcott. 

In the twenty minutes we spent sea watching, we saw over twenty Red-throats either flying by or on the sea. 
Whilst Pam was searching for the Kingfisher at Ebridge, I spent some time watching a young Mute Swan playing with a buoy. It pushed it around with its beak, sometimes successful in grabbing the blue rope and dragging it as far as it would go. It was having fun.

We've never seen Little Grebe on the canal. To-day there were 9 birds.
 
We'd seen Chiffchaff at Glandford yesterday after meeting friends at Natural Surroundings. Greg mentioned that he'd seen one there. We were looking for Grey Wagtail at the Sewage Works really, we often bird that lane when we are in the area. 

My bird photograph folder now holds 73 species - a good handful of them are of embarrassing quality. I hope to make improvements to those during the year. I doubt that I will be able to improve on my female Smew digiscoped smudge. Actually seeing another would be an achievement.

It IS Possible

Sunday January 27

A late morning start after overnight and early morning rain. I've missed visiting Sculthorpe Moor reserve which is one of my favourite visits, mostly for the photographic opportunities as well as the variety of  birds, fungus and excellent hot chocolate. The volunteers here are both friendlier and more helpful than most too.

It is possible to drive as far as the Volunteer Hut Hide, which is what we did. Pam took my Blue Badge in but was told that it wasn't necessary, of course we could drive down. But, we had to open the gate ourselves as there was only one person on duty. Big deal.

From the parking area, it'ds a short walk to the screen shielding the feeding area. This screen has sliding door viewing rectangles at varying heights. Unusually, Pam found one the right height for her ! I sat at mine and we both had a lovely time watching the frantic activity of the feeding birds and photographing them for the year's folder. Male and female Bramblings and Bullfinches, Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits, Dunnock, Greenfinch and a scavenging Pheasant. A Marsh Tit called and flew from a tree behind us - without feeding.

Pam noticed two wheelchairs parked near the notice board. I could borrow one to use as a zimmer frame in which I could sit whenever necessary. Two men told us of four Otters they'd seen from the third hide. The wheelchair would make a longer walk possible. No. Pam cannot be expected to push it with her painful and movement restricted shoulders.

The light was fading fast. Time to try for the Rough-legged Buzzard at Choseley. I knew that hedges should be checked, both near the farm and the barns. I was doing so as we approached the corner leading down to the barns when Pam called 'What's that, straight ahead'. 'Where' I asked. Straight ahead was the answer. I scanned as well as I could when Pam said 'flying up the green field and dropped out of view'. A white-tailed Buzzard. Another one missed. We tried again on the way home but nothing doing. No finches or buntings at the drying barns either. 

Drove Orchard parking area overlooks the orchards with plenty of fallen fruit and a couple of ornamental fruited trees. We didn't see any Waxwings, neither were they reported to-day. We did see an enormous flock of flighty Fieldfare and Redwings, always entertaining.

We found and scoured Holt Sewage Farm as our first stop. 20  + Pied Wagtails, Corvids and Starlings skipped over and around the circling effluent spouting bars over the sewage treatment gravel tanks. Finding plenty to eat. Thanks for the info Mike. No Grey Wagtails to-day.

Monday January 28

More heavy rain overnight, the roads were heavily puddled. Buckenham Marshes called. More Wigeon than on previous visits, whistling their way in and out of the drainage dykes, grazing the marsh greedily, the drakes' custard head stripe gleaming in the sun. Yes. Sun.

Three Taiga Bean Geese in the far distant corner, a few Canadas, at least six Ruff, one a white male and a sprinkling of Lapwing. A large flock of geese rose from Cantley Marsh, appearing to fly towards us, tantalisingly, (is this a word) before returning out of sight .Then they came again, this time landing in front of the beet factory. About a hundred and fifty White-fronted Geese. 

We also added two Mistle Thrushes to the year list.

Many more photographs for the folder, very few good enough to even make an appearance on here.

No Fog This Time

Wednesday January 23

We visited Ormesby Little Broad on the afternoon of Monday January 21. leaving home in bright sunshine. We encountered patches of fog en route but nothing like the pea souper which descended at Filby. 

I stayed in the car park whilst Pam walked to the bridge where she met two chatting birders. Yes, the birds were there a few minutes ago. One kindly put up his scope to see .... nothing, apart from a wall of grey fog. 

Home via Winterton  beach where large sections of the dunes have fallen into the sea. I doubt that the cafe will be in use again. Record numbers of Seal pups at both Blakeney and Horsey this year. Well over 2,000 just up the coast at Horsey will have brought many visitors.

After morning appointments, we set off for Filby.  Again bright sunshine and blue sky at home. A very large, dark grey, cumulo-nimbus did squeeze out a few drops of rain but the sun shone still when we parked at Filby. News from another birder was that the birds were now on Ormesby Little Broad but viewable from the platform, not the bridge. This meant a 'short' walk through the woods from the parking area. That's what the notice board said. For me it was 700+ steps each way - I count as I walk to make the time pass more quickly. I was pleased to see a seat about half way out. A short rest enables me to continue. And I was carrying my scope, not much use out there without one.

No hide these days, an enlarged platform with a couple of benches on which to sit - after drying one off, removing much of the green mould.

Setting up my scope I scanned the far gap,  which is the channel to the Ormesby Great Broad .I soon found the beautiful brightly plumaged female Smew. The Red-necked Grebe - also in splendid plumage - took longer. Both species were very actively feeding.

Unable to carry my camera kit as well as the scope, I'd pocketed my small Canon point and shoot which I have used for digi scoping in the distant past. Merely holding it manually agains the scope lens. I had a go and one of the Red-necked Grebe steaming along the edge of the reeds is discernible ! The Smew isn't !

I didn't think of photographing the Great Crested Grebes, Marsh Harrier, Tufted Ducks, Coot and Grey Heron also present. 

Photo Folder

Tuesday January 22

It was such a beautiful day that - after Natural Surroundings - we drove to Blakeney and Morston.

Pam and I have continued with the mooted 2019 bird photos folder challenge which is proving to be an added fun feature of our birding time. It's not competitive from my viewpoint. We don't start from an equal base. I have a 300mm lens, Pam uses her Canon bridge. To be a true competition we should both be using the same equipment.

The bird feeders at N S are wrell stocked and used. Not ideal conditions as I was viewing into the morning sun and through the cafe window.

Waiting for dropped food, a Pheasant

Robin

Nuthatch - still upside down M

I also took Great Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch and Goldfinch - too awful to display here.

Morston ia a favourite place, after negotiating the ghastly speed bumps and checking that the turkeys didn't make the Christmas table. The tide was out leaving mud and boats and rotting wooden structures. Plus a Greenshank, Redshanks and a Little Egret. 

Enforced Hiatus

Saturday January 19

A respiratory infection has hindered the usual January list additions. We've still managed the odd one from the car such as Greenshank at Morston and Reed Bunting along Beach Road at Cley. 

We'd planned a visit to Welney or Snettisham yesterday but common sense won. I'm not noted for that where birds are concerned. Instead, we made a leisurely start, beginning with a look for the Cranes in the Clippesby/Thurne area. A parked car in a muddy lay-by attracted the eye to three adult Common Cranes at the edge of a maize stand. 

 One disappeared into the stalks, two set off, striding purposefully east. Where were they going?

A parked tractor partly obscured our view of more Cranes in the next field. Turning the car, we parked in the next field entrance where we had this view.

When the two walking Cranes joined th group, we counted a maximum of 13 in sight at one time. There may have been more. Not our record number but great to see. Such beautiful birds.

Cropped even more and with a 1.4 converter on my 300mm lens.

 We spent the rest of our time out at Buckenham, adding photographs of any 'new' birds to our 2019 folder. That's a new listing aim. I set the tentative target as 100 different species having no idea what was possible. I've already got 40 in my folder adding Wood Pigeon, Canada Goose, Teal and a truly awful Barnacle Goose. I look forward to adding Blue Tit, Great Tit and Robin !!
The hoped for White-fronted Geese were not present. A small flock of Pink-feet, rather more of the butch Canada Geese and a few Barnacles gave me plenty to scan. A couple of Ruff, handsome whistling Wigeon, Lapwing, Rooks, Starlings and at least three Chinese Water Deer on the marsh. Two Buzzards, a Kestrel and a Marsh Harrier completed the picture.

January 2-5

Wednesday January 2
Chasing Dipper and Rainbows

First Wednesday of the month - coffee morning. Barbara's in Bangkokj. Lynne is in Australia, Viv has taken Roy to a hospital appointment (she was not happy) and Joan has injured her back pushing her broken down car in Sainsbury's car park . Joan is 85.........

Home to change before driving to Briggate Lock via Ebridge. A few stalwarts braved the drizzle, standing on Briggate Bridge watching the Black-bellied Dipper go about its life. I took a few photographs despite the conditions. 

No light in its eye but nictitating membrane showing.

As Pam said - not tactful - no light in its eye. I responded with 'No light, full stop''. David B's photograph is the best I've seen so far. He generously said that I could use his photographs, but it doesn't seem right somehow. One sunny day, I shall return.........If not, I may succumb to copying a really good photo.

Siskin made their high buzzy contact call from nearby alders.
On the way home, a bright double rainbow, one of the very short and wide ones, they have a name but I can't remember it. We chased it, hoping to find a group of trees or a church against which to photograph it. Nothing was right and it faded fast as we drove. 
We ended up at Walcott, where there was room to park and a lengthening rainbow highlighting the foaming wave tops. The sea looked lovely, long, white-toppped, rainbow lit waves crashing onto the sea wall.   A 300mm lens is not the best for landscape.

Thursday January 3

Ludham airfield again. This time there were swans. Both Whooper and Bewick (Tundra) loafing about on the grass before waddling onto the plough,  finding something to eat. Was it a sugar beet crop? Bits of beet are usually to be seen lying about, none obvious here.

One Bewick between two Whoopers a useful comparison.

Friday January 4

Pam's final - we hope - visit to her new bank to sort out a credit card for the account.  Apparently  it's a different branch so has to be negotiated separately. What next. 

The only appointment available was at the Cromer branch.

Home for a quick bite before leaving for Buckenham/Cantley \Marshes. Crossing the railway line, stopping near the station to view the geese's favourite corner, there was nothing. Vision was hampered by low lying mist and poor visibility. It's January. We made our way slowly down the track towards the fishermen's car park, pleased by the lack of traffic. We parked whenever the reeds and weeds allowed scoping finding two Buzzards on a distant gate, Canada Geese, Barnacle Geese and a small flock of Taiga Bean Geese before the latter flew over the river. 

Up to five Chinese Water Deer enhanced the entertainment, two males having a fight, somersaulting high in the air over each other, kicking out as they did so.

On the return drive, Pam found a lone Ruff stalking about in its stiff legged way amongst the flock of Lapwings. I managed to see it in the end when Pam turned the car so that the bird wasn't behind the large wing mirror.

Shortly after this, we passed two male birders - I was quite oblivious as is the norm -  Pam saying, ''It's him, he taught with us''. We reversed. It was Mike J who started off at Sprowston and then came to Stalham where he stayed until he retired. A lovely man and an excellent teacher. We chatted for a while during which he mentioned knowing David Bryant and how helpful he found him. Small world .

We got home to find an answerphone message from Bob re two Taiga Bean Geese in a flock of Pinks near Happisburgh crossroads. Hm.

Saturday January 5

Mid morning, we set off to look for the flock of Pinks. No sign of them in the usual beet field. Barton Broad sounded promising. It would be the first time I'd walked from the car park to the platform since my knees'  prognosis. I knew that there was a bench part way and, with luck, would be able to sit on a bench at the platform. A Great Spotted Woodpecker called as we left the car park, the alder carr through which we walk was quiet and activity free.

Only two birders on the platform, every one complaining about the cold. A north easterly wind, however light, is always cutting.

One birder waved towards the far shore saying that the grebe was near the island last time he'd seen it. Island? What island.........

It didn't take long for me to set up my scope and find a beautiful Black-necked Grebe against the far reeds and then, two female Scaup amongst the Tufted Duck/Goldeneye flocks. It took twenty minutes more scoping before finding the female Long-tailed Duck. She was as far as she could be, actively feeding, against the reeds on the other side from us. Brilliant. Coal Tits and Long-tailed Tits in the car park area brought an end to the day's list.

First of the New Year 2019

Tuesday January 1

It was a short night, having waited up for Big Ben and the London fireworks at midnight. It would probably have been better if we'd waited until it was light before setting off. The sun did begin to make its way up from the east behind us, I could see a golden glow in the sky. Looking to the front, it was dark with low cloud which became drizzle and light rain. So few birds about, we'd barely reached double figures by Sculthorpe Mill, our first port of call. 

Our first definite identification bird was a Blackbird after a couple of 'might have been' Tawny Owl and Blackbird flash and gone sightings. Not a good augury for the year. In common with many other birders, I like to see a 'good' bird first on the lst. At least the list had been started.

Our usual Tree Sparrow site only had chirping House Sparrows and our second sighting of Red Kite. We had five in total, one swooping down to the road in front of us. In a fairly confined area, they could all have been the same bird. We saw five raptors during the day, Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, Marsh Harrier and Hen Harrier. It's the first time I can remember missing out on at least one species of Owl.
Scouring the small mixed flock in the hedgerows at Abbey Farm, we found Tree Sparrows but no Brambling nor Greenfinch nor Yellowhammer. Where are they?
We had Snettisham RSPB to ourselves most of the time. Not a low, low tide, the waders were well scattered across the mud. A flock of 3,000  + Golden Plover huddled low in a long line, not even a gleam of gold showing in the dull light and drizzle,

About a third of the flock

I don't remember ever seeing a larger flock.
A few Goldeneyes on the pits, Cormorants and Lapwings with the usual flock of Greylag. We depend on here for our wader list, not a long one to-day.
A white bird flying in to one of the large muddy creeks became a Spoonbill, which then actively fed along the channel beloved of Wigeon and Teal. It's feeding action always reminds me of an old Hoover advert. ' It beats as it sweeps and it cleans'.

Sunny Hunny wasn't,  but again, the queue of cars from Dersingham onwards and then the no parking left clifftop was testament to its draw for holidaymakers and locals. Driving as slowly as we dared, we both managed to add Fulmar to the list, birds occasionally appearing above the cliff edge.
Bumping, lumping and complaining our way out to Holme reserve was next - to add Magpie and Shoveller. 
Would there be room at Thornham? Another favourite place for dog walkers, birders and New Year's Day in Norfolk trippers. No-one had used the muddy area in front of the small car park, until we did. Everywhere else was lined with cars and walkers. We had a look around and thought we'd try the car park as the Twite come down to the puddles to drink. The far end had a very large puddle and no cars so we drove through it and up onto the grassy bank from which we had a good view of the beach and marsh whilst eating our turkey soup lunch. Lovely, no people in the car park and the sun came out for a short while. Then, two women set up their scopes in front of the car !!!  Soon after, I saw a few Twite land on the old wooden posts to our left.I was just in time to take a couple of photos before birders appeared from nowhere, pushed past my lens and lined up, totally filling our view. No excuse for that. 

We soon left and thanks to Pam's sharp eyes - I only knew when she stopped suddenly near the Coal Barn - we had our first friend ticks of the new year. Sue and Ian and Richard and Julie. They'd got to Titchwell early enough to be able to park and to walk to the sea where they'd seen Peregrine and a Bonxie. The car parks were now jammed with others waiting. That was our next stop to use the loos. The supermarkets were all closed so loo stops were few.
We actually found somewhere to park at Titch. I wish that walking was an option as I reckon on adding 10-20 birds to the list here. The wardens and volunteers saw 103 on New Year's Eve. 
Early afternoon and the light was fading fast. The tide was rushing in at Brancaster Overy Staithe, most of the waders were huddled on the far shoreline. Black-tailed Godwits and Ringed Plover were ticks.

Scoping the birds I could see that the gull was a Lesser Black-backed. Despite its very dark wings, it had yellow legs, a Continental race.
A little early for the harrier roost at Stiffkey but it was a dark afternoon. We squeezed in at the far end of the row of parked cars, where Pam could pull forward far enough for me to scope the marsh. It wasn't long before I found a male Hen Harrier, one of my very favourite birds only slightly surpassed in its beauty by a male Pallid Harrier. Engrossed in my marsh sweeping, I nearly hit the roof when Pauline appeared beside me, munching cake and drinking coffee. No hands left for bins ! Peter was already scoping, standing beside someone named Simon. I found another male Hen Harrier and gave them a shout. This bird flew parallel to the car park about a third of the way out giving lovely views. I got a thumbs up from Simon as we left for Cockthorpe hoping for Little Owl. No luck.
Somewhere on our journey we came across a field of pigs and piglets. I asked Pam to stop so that I could look and photograph.  It was delightful.

Time to drive home in the dusk to start our new list before going out for supper with Kate and Jim.
 A total of 67 birds from the car, Pam saw a pair of Bullfinches. I didn't.
I spent the evening with Harry the Border Terrier on my lap, Pam had Charlie the British Shorthair cat. So good to pet an animal again, I really miss our cats.

A Gull Puzzle

Monday December 31

I decided to warm up for to-morrow. We drove to Ludham Airfield where.......there were no swans at all. There was a large flock of Gulls resting on the newly ploughed area.  There were also four birders discussing, binning and scoping a distant field. I looked and saw a large dark bird with a pale neck ring. Pheasant ? 

Scope in use, I saw that it was a large dark gull with a dark bill apart from a pale saddle where it met the face. I asked Pam to look uo American Herring Gull whilst I called out the features I was seeing. 

At that point a man came over asking if we were any good at gulls. Not really ! I'm interested but not a Larophile. Another man joined us saying 'are you the ladies who keep a Blog'. It was David B. Good to put a face to the words.

I took a few, less than good, photos using an extender on my 300mm lens in very poor light - again. 

Find the Gull (clue, it's where the plough meets the grass)

This is so magnified and photo-shopped.

A photo of David's was sent to a gull man but I haven't heard anything since.  It was probably something common.