2012

Sunday January 1

We had a great day, leaving home at 6.45, having already ticked off a Tawny Owl at 12.15 when we went to bed after the awesome London fireworks. The best ever I think, we didn't have those little boats chugging up and down the river spewing fire in various colours.The next bird was a Barn Owl shortly before Fakenham as it began to get light. Somewhere between Holt and Fakenham, a Woodcock did a VTO from the near verge and we also had one flying over the road.

Harpley Area

Breakfast (ham sandwiches, home cooked ham and bread), watching a couple of Brown Hares chasing about in a stubble field.  The first skeins of many thousand Pinks seen to-day, drifted across the sky, calling all the while. As it got light, as usual, our favourite lane added Red-legged and Grey Partridges, Tree Sparrow, a singing Song Thrush and a few finches.

Flitcham and Abbey Farm

Our worst experience ever at Abbey. A mere puddle of water in front of the hide, a few Mallard in the pool behind and the usual scurry of white-tail-flicking Moorhens, Very disappointing. Too early for any raptors. Yellowhammers and a single Fieldfare  along the road.

Flitcham - West Newton - Sandringham - Wolferton Triangle

A flock of Redwing with the odd Fieldfare in the orchard area, a field of Curlew at West Newton,

a quick recce around the Sandringham car parks (full of royal watchers and radio/TV cameras and reporters), Goldcrest at Wolferton and off to Snettisham.

Snettisham

What we know as the quinoa field, had a dozen or more Mistle Thrushes and a small flock of Greenfinches using the wires as a jump off for the fruiting hedge.

That road through the chalets gets worse! Even our 4x4 suffers. The tide wasn't as well in as I'd expected but, distances for scoping were reasonable. All the usual waders plus a splendid group of 6 male Goldeneye displaying to a single bewildered looking female. Being anthropormorphic....I'd swear she was saying ' What are you on about'. Four Bewick's Swans flew through, which was a bonus.

Heacham

Responding to a pager message, we toured both North and South sections before giving up. The pager hadn't said which area - nor where chalet 46 with its Black Redstart was. We gave it up as a wasted half an hour and went on to

Hunstanton

Tesco was closed, good job for the workers, good that we didn't need the loo nor a food supplement.

The cliffs were crowded to-day, we parked in a different area from usual, another lucky happenstance. Fulmars, 'Rock' Doves, a close Razorbill, a small flock of common Scoter and ........a Black-necked Grebe. Excellent.

Holme NOA Hide

Time for another re-fuelling, two more sandwiches and a banana and a struggle to open a rain swollen hide hatch. Was it worth it? With a little patience and steady scanning, yes. A lone Shoveller sleeping on an island, firstly a Marsh Harrier, then a female Hen Harrier and two Grey Herons perched together on a fence post. We often miss Heron.

Thornham

Too many Hoorahs about... our first Brent and an immediate turn round.

Titchwell

Usually avoided on New Year's Day but I really wanted to see the Redpolls  so we drove in and actually found a parking place in the first  car park. Jammy.

We only had to wait about 10 minutes for the birds to return to the Alders around the feeding area. We had one Lesser, one Mealy and the lone Coue's Arctic Redpoll feeding in close proximity.

The walk to the pools and the sea will have to wait for another day despite that it would have added up to six birds to the list.

Choseley

Zilch. It's months since we saw a Corn Bunting there, before we went to Australia.

Brancaster Staithe

For lunch, there was room on the far mound, which is our preferred spot. Ringed Plover added whist we gulped down a piece of leftover Turkey and Ham Pie ( frozen precisely for the occasion), a piece of Pam's delicious cake and a cup of coffee.

Burnham Norton

We still haven't seen any Canada Geese - none here either.

Holkham - Gun Hill end

No sign of the Roughie....

Cley

The light was fading fast as we walked out to Daukes. Several thousand Golden Plover took off and swirled around the hides, their wing noise had to be heard ... it made the hairs on my neck stand up.

We started in Daukes, adding Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Water Rail Gadwall and  Avocet before moving to the one with a better view of Pat's. The Western Sand had been seen on the furthest spit, in front of Bishop's and crammed with Goldies. I tried my best to scope it but I was not alone in failing. A scope emphasises the gloom and it was very gloomy. Spirits were lifted by a Bearded Reedling apearing in the reedbed.

Bird number 89 was a Sparrowhawk zooming across in front of us as we passed Ebridge Mill. 'Our' Buzzards must have gone to bed.

We saw some very good birds but had some incredible misses. No Wren, Long-tailed Tit, Snipe, Jay, Bullfinch, Coal Tit, Canada Goose. Pied Wag was our 80th bird and Mute Swan the 78th. Typical birders, bemoaning the birds missed rather than celebrating the ones seen ! We're very happy with the result though, we've only made the upper 90s once when we were younger and fitter.

No feeders in the garden either, although we think the rats have gone, we have to wait for the pest man's all clear.

I may get round to adding a list of 'seens' to-morrow, if birding allows. If not, later in the week as every day after to-morrow has an appointment of some sort.
List of birds seen - in order of appearance
Tawny Owl
Barn Owl
Woodcock
Black-headed Gull
Pheasant
Jackdaw
Robin
Blue Tit
Pinkfooted Geese
Blackbird
Rook
Chaffinch
Wood Pigeon
Tree Sparrow
Red-legged partridge
grey Partridge
Dunnock
Stock Dove
Song Thrush
Collared Dove
Goldfinch
Kestrel
Moorhen
Egyptian Goose
Great Tit
Mallard
Yellowhammer
Starling
Carrion Crow
Fieldfare
Redwing
Goldcrest
Mistle Thrush
Magpie
Greenfinch
Common Gull
Red breasted Merganser
Wigeon
lapwing
Bar-tailed Godwit
Go;den Plover
Dunlin
Shelduck
Oystercatcher
Knot
Teal
Pintail
Cormorant
Curlew
Coot
Little Egret
Goldeneye
Greylag
Little Grebe
Herring Gull
Turnstone
Grey Plover
Sanderling
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Greater Black-backed Gull
Meadow Pipit
Linnet
Tufted Duck
Bewick Swan
Rock Dove
Fulmar
Scoter
Razorbill
Black-necked Grebe
Grey Heron
Hen harrier
Marsh Harrier
Shoveller
Brent Geese
Coue's Arctic Redpoll
lesser Redpoll
Mealy Redpoll
Ringed Plover
Mute Swan
Pied Wagtail
Black-tailed Godwit
Gadwall
Ruff
Avocet
Water Rail
Bearded Reedling
Sparrowhawk

I've missed one somewhere... must check my list.

Eureka Moment

Christmas Eve

Having printed off our updated year lists for 2012, I decided to do a tick count. 500 for me. Never thought I'd make it and it sneaked up on me. Western Sand. was the magic number bird. Pam still one short, what will always be known as Duncan Mc'Donald's bedroom bird. Queue outside Rose's Pightle, money in a bucket, shoes off at the door and upstairs to the main bedroom to see a Chestnut Bunting. Pam refused and returned to the car. Also memorable for the handsome bare torso'd young man framed on the wall - unexplicably carrying a tyre in his left hand.....

Short trip

Saturday Dec 24
For the first time in at least two weeks, we both slept well and woke late. No patter of feet and gnawing from the roof space above and yowls from a hungry cat.
Much too late to venture far, we did the Winterton run. About 150 Golden Plover took off from a field beyond our church, flying off overhead, lovely.
A large flock of Pinkfeet was feeding on the harvested beet field on the Happisburgh road, nowhere safe to stop, we had to drive on.
No Marsh Harriers at Horsey, even better, a Rough-legged Buzzard wheeled over a field, did a short hover and disappeared.
Many cars on the approach road to Winterton, luckily the Coastguard had opened the car park again. Pam lobbed a £ coin towards the bucket...and missed ! She had to get out and scrabble for it amongst the gravel. Waste of money too. One Red-throated Diver, a Cormorant and a Herring Gull over a calm sea, we didn't stay long.
Fancy not buying any mandarins for to-morrow's stockings. We stopped at Cooke's which is very upmarket these days, a far call from the draughty old barn of previous years. Banana Curd sounded interesting.
Home to prepare the turkey and veggies for to-morrow, less to do in the morning.
I love Les Dawson, he always makes me laugh, two great programmes in his memory to-night.

Birds and Shopping

Tuesday December 20
The title sounds like an idea for a birding tour company....... They already have Birds and Cricket and Birds and Photography.
Such a lovely day after the recent wet gloom. We started at Sculthorpe Reserve, walking to the Woodland Hide first (turn left at the first junction). They've really developed the Education area, fenced it in using rough poles and explained the programme of events for a local Primary. There must have been a dozen mammal traps in a very small area just before the hide. They must have to check them at least once a day, nice job for someone. The hide door was wide open, a volunteer was filling the feeders from a sack stored in the corner. This might have explained the paucity of birds. We didn't stay long, it was cold.
The walk to Whitley Hide was more productive. A mixed flock of Siskin and Goldfinches high in the Alders, two Willow Tits and a Marsh Tit. All three were calling, making identification positive. They looked lovely too.
Much work still going on the other side of the river, brush felling, chewing and spewing - a very noisy piece of machinery. Fresh wood-smoke plumed into the pale blue winter sky.
Us and an assistant warden in Whitley Hide, we could choose our seats. A male Bullfinch was the highlight here, a distant Sparrowhawk perched on the Scrape Hide. no sign of the Water Rail to-day.
Pam noticed a cage with movement as we returned through the Centre. A minute milk chocolate coloured Harvest Mouse had emerged from its haystack cover to feed. Apparently the two became seven this morning, no sign of the babies yet.
After a welcome cup of hot chocolate from the machine, we drove to Swaffham and a Waitrose superstore, Christmas treat ! So much better than the one at Cringleford in our opinion - we went there last Christmas. We bought a splendid looking free range bronze turkey as well as a few other treats, Diet? What diet.......

Waxwings

Tuesday December 13

We called in to George Fox Road on the way to Global this time. Second time lucky. 24 Waxwings perched high in the top of a birch tree. I managed a few photos using my Canon Powershot SX 220 'point and shoot' which lives in my handbag, before they flew off.

Justin Lansdell was around the corner. It was his 7th visit and he'd seen them, at last, before they departed. They don't seem to feed here but regularly perch/rest  in the same tall birch.

Enlarged

We had a trip out to Waxham and Winterton yesterday morning as it was sunny and beautiful. very few birds about en route. The usual flock of Lapwings and Golden Plover and a single Marsh Harrier. The sea was pretty calm considering the wind we had on Sunday. We parked in the car park which you can still do for a donation (bucket!) if the coastguard has opened up. Sparse but regular Red-throated Divers, a few Guillemots, three passing Gannets, 5 Scoter and at least 50 Cormorants. The latter had found a shoal of fish close inshore and feeding avidly. One more Marsh Harrier on the way back, an adult this time.

Chance Birding.....

Sunday December 4

George Fox Road is near the UEA village and on our route home from Global (knee scan). No sign of the reported Waxwings. We met the lad who phones the news in and he said they'd flown away about 10, they're often not there. The page reported them again at mid-day and in the afternoon, have to be lucky I guess.

Salhouse Nursery didn't have the new Daphne I'd heard about on the radio yesterday, so that was a cheap trip.

Next was a scan through 2,000 Pinks south of and off the main road to Walcott. My heart sinks....As always, the field was undulating and many of the birds at the back and  a good number lying down. I made myself use the scope through my window and found at least two of the Tundra Bean Geese present. Whitefronts and a single Barnacle should have been much easier, no sign of either.

Probably a dozen Red-throated Divers flying off Walcott and a few Gannets. Plenty of Gulls and a scattering of Turnstones scavenging for titbits along the sea wall.

Waw - and Excellent Views Too

Thursday December 1

Setting off at 6.45 on a very dark overcast morning meant no birds at all seen until well past Holt - Black-headed Gulls !

As we drove west, the weather improved so that Abbey Farm was bathed in cold sunshine. We'd had to back all the way from the horse stable end until the first cottage of the back road to Flitcham. A lorry driver decided he was bigger than us. Then we met more lorries moving sugar beet. The lane to Abbey was like a ploughed field. We did see a Buzzard along there but nothing of note at Abbey itself. Still no water and the hide door had been left wide open, midges aplenty.

An inrushing tide at Snettisham with avidly feeding waders of the expected species, no surprises to-day. Always a pleasure.

Our journey along the north coast was rather faster than usual due to a pager message received at Hunstanton. Viwing from Hunston cliffs added Red-breasted Merganser, Eider, Fulmar, Great Crested Grebe and a Guillemot. It was surprising not to see Gannets after yesterday's wind.

Holme NOA Hide was a waste of time - I was getting anxious to get to Cley.

A hastily eaten breakfast (me, at 11.30) at a full of water Brancaster Staithe, where I photographed Ringed Plovers before hastening along the coast.

At 12.20, we threw the car into a grass verge/field gateway at Cley 'triangle' - the parking area was full -and walked as fast as we could (still slow) out to Daukes. A returning birder told us it had flown off, inner groans. Daukes was fullish but not jammed, most birders standing looking through tripods, which always takes up more space. After seeing a small group of waders fly off out of view, it included THE bird, I manoevered a space for mine and the bird soon re-appeared towards the back of the central island. Our first WESTERN SANDPIPER. I missed the one on the south coast about seven years ago when I was sent back in to hospital with open knee wounds, also missing the Courser on Scilly that year. It still rankles.

Western Sandpiper - not my photograph

During the next half an hour, I had excellent scope views of a lovely juvenile bird, it looked freshly minted. Smaller than a Dunlin, its beak was half the length of a Dunlin's and slightly down turned at the end if seen in profile. It flew ever nearer, the camera shutters were on rapid fire, I wish I'd taken mine. Knowing how distant the birds usually are at Cley I'd decided it was a waste. I should always take one.

The bird has been present all week, originally identified as a Semi-palmated Sandpiper. Still a nice bird but Semi-p not a lifer for us, nor even a Norfolk tick. I'm pleased that it was re-identified. After a chat with Richard Porter we sat in the hide facing Pat's, admiring a large flock of Golden Plover, two pairs of Pintail, a single Ruff and 14 Avocets. In the excitement I forgot to look for the Green-winged Teal on Pat's Pool.

No sign of any Snow Buntings at Salthouse. Brenda drove up for a coffee from the van, we had a quick chat with her before driving up Station Road in Weybourne. Steve Gantlett was parked in the only gateway overlooking the geese field and generously moved to allow us in. I soon found two White-fronts and then.......the whole flock of Pinks flew off, including the Tundra Beans we were after. Another day.

A lovely day enhanced by the icing on the top. We saw 82 species in total, despite the haste, including a Common and a Rough-legged Buzzard, Bullfinch, three different thrushes, a Sparrowhawk and both Partridges.

Home at 3.05.