Post Abigail

Saturday November 14

Storm Abigail didn't really hit the east coast but, we had low grey skies, a strong south westerly and rain ! 

Despite this, we drove to Buckenham Marshes. My first impression was 'no birds'. The marsh is usually alive with Teal and Wigeon. Lapwing, Starlings and geese.

Eventually,  after assiduous scoping, I found one dyke had 50+ Teal and, at least a quarter of a mile away from the drive - in lane, a few Lapwing and Starling.

Cantley's Beet Factory chimney was billowing white smoke,  parallel with the ground, never veering nor pausing in the constant semi gale. 

Moving to a different viewpoint before a final scan, I found an enormous flock of Canada Geese, the largest I've ever seen. At least 80. Working my way through these, I reached one of the gate/fences which appear in the marsh. A perched Peregrine! The geese to the right,  with bottoms raised, feeding, barely visible in the poor visibility,  lifted their heads, White-fronted Geese, our first of the winter. 

i found that the fresh battery I'd put in my DSLR was dead..... I tried my Canon SX60 bridge camera , extending the lens to  60x . The resulting photographs were brighter than I had seen through my scope, amazing. Not pin sharp but... at over a quarter of a mile in very poor visibility?

Cropped even more

One Marsh Harrier, two Kestrels, a lone Black-headed Gull and time to drive home.

Western Conifer Seed Bug update

As posted on my Facebook page, the bug is fairly widespread in Norfolk, found in most squares, confirmed by James, thank you. Andy probably found that too when he got home and checked his books. Both Chris K and Perry reported finding one in their traps. It caused quite a bit of interest though as it's spectacular looking. Easy to miss these critters when not in a moth trap.

 

Garden Comes up Trumps Again

Thursday November 12

Moth traps frequently attract other insects.  yesterday morning, we found a bug we'd never seen before not a surprise). i thought itr was a shield bug sp. from shape etc but with long antennae and legs. I couldn't identify it from the web and Pam couldn't find it in her book. We potted it and took it to mothing at Cley this morning where it caused a small sensation. To Andy, our beetle expert  in particular as it was the first he'd seen. 

It is a Western Conifer Seed Bug, a non native species originating in western USA and an alien invader. 

 It was first detected in Britain in 2007, when a single adult was found in a classroom at Weymouth College, Dorset. In the late summer of 2008. In the UK, the majority of records have been of adults observed at light traps

along the south coast of England, clearly indicating a large migration across the

English Channel

Probably the third for Norfolk.

More Moths and Birds

Tuesday November 10

Full group attendance at moths this morning, apart from DN who is usually a regular. There were 19 of us clustered around the table at Natural Surroundings. Greg nearly always opens the four traps, 3  and 1 Heath, Giles was scribing this morning. The egg boxes are passed around the group, anything  'good' is potted before being passed around, in case it flies away before all have seen it. A very late Orange Sallow was the worst for wear. Best for us was our first Sprawler. 

The females are flightless, staying in their larva food plants, the males come to light but never feed during their entire adult life.

The other highlight was a very attractive bug which our beetle expert Andy, took home and later sent us the following information :

. Rhododendron Leafhopper Graphocephala fennahi (Cicadellidae), introduced from the USA and now widespread in southern Britain

Richard sent me this photograph.

Apart from the bug, all to-day's photos are Pam's, I didn't carry a camera.

On to CleySpy. During my clear-out I decided to sell two of my tripods, a lightweight Velbon and my heavier Manfrotto carbon fivbre. I also included a hardly used Opticron mini scope. It's lightness did not make up for the superior optical quality of my Swarovski 82mm which I still carry about. All are now on commission sale at the showrooms.

Pam's elderly Zeiss binocs are not up to the required standard any more. Scratched eye lenses, dented rubber and a very loose focusing ring = expensive repair. She came away with a beautiful pair of Swarovski 10x32 - small, light and optically superb. Much better for her shoulders and neck.

Time to give them an outing. We parked at Iron Road and walked to the newly opened Babcock hide - at last. The path is known as the Attenborough Way as he opened it. What path? It's rough, uneven and undulating tussocky pasture bordering the dyke and fenced off field. Clumps of Willow and Hawthorn, in their plastic sheaths, have been planted along the fence at irregular intervals. 

This small fungus was showing above the grass.

The very strong and gusting wind was blowing from the west so the hide was sheltered - except when the door was opened. 

We sat for more than an hour, overlooking a very large pool, I didn't expect such an open expanse with several islands, some covered in reed, others low mud. Looks like good habitat but very few birds to-day. Black-headed Gulls and Lapwing sheltered in the far corner, two Little Grebes were very active indeed, spending more time beneath the water than above. One came near enough for a photo.

Two men entertained us - unwittingly - by trying to make one of the grebes a Slavonian . We found later that one had been reported here this morning. Probably this paler one with a dark cap !!

After a short and rather unsatisfactory view of a Water Pipit, rising from an island, calling and flying away, we trudged back to the car. 

A most enjoyable way to spend a day.

It's the First

Sunday November 1

Very patchy, often extremely dense, fog made for a less than interesting drive from North Walsham west. Would we see anything at Sculthorpe Mill? 

It was full of birds. The car park held our first Redwings, Goldfinches, Blue and Great Tits, wild-flying migrant Blackbirds and Mistle Thrushes. Peering over the bridge at the mill race, we startled a Kingfisher from its perch and a Grey Wagtail from under the bridge. The Wag landed on some stones but the Kingfisher arrowed downstream and away.

The back garden held more of the same apart from a surprising Nuthatch on the stony path.

The hedges leading to Abbey Farm were devoid of birds as was the farm itself. Not even any Greylags. No water at all ! 

Driving west towards Sandringham, past Flitcham school,  the lanes are narrow and well hedged,  with varied crops growing in the fields.At one junction at least eight young Grey Partridges stood in the road staring at us, until we drove on. 

Further along the lane, nearing another farm, we stopped to scan the hedges as there was movement. Pam had a sunflower strip on her side, Brambling amongst the many finches feeding on the tops. I had a large number of Fieldfare flying from hedge to field and back again on my side, finches feeding on the seedheads left at the edge of the field. Thank you farmer.

 Not the highest of tides at Snettisham, due to peak at 9.22. We arrived before 10.00, in thick fog, the water's edge, still lapping the shore, barely visible. Oh dear. Several birders were giving up and trudging back to the car park. 
Teasels were festooned in glistening cobwebs, irresistible.

It cleared enough to view the pier 

and a ghostly Little Egret

 















Suddenly, the sun broke through and thousands of birds, avidly feeding on the rich food-filled mud left by the receding water, became visible.

A thousand Golden Plover, clouds of swirling Knot, another reef of Oystercatchers and Godwits of both species, scattered Redshank, Grey Plover, occasional probing Curlew, Shelduck massed on the water. All in warm sunshine and an almost cloudless sky.
Soon the air was filled with flighting skeins of gently calling Pinkfeet and the more strident calls of Brent Geese heading inland to feed. Wonderful.

Heading, slowly, back the Dunlin numbers increased, the odd Sanderling became a small flock and 20-30 Pintail paddled the creeks and shore edge. There were probably more, the females are pretty unobtrusive at this distance.
I love the pooled mud patterns left  by the tide. Could my camera do them justice?

Hunstanton was as crowded as it is on a holiday weekend. Loo and petrol stop at Tesco, no space to park on the clifftop, straight to Holme where we'd been told - in a text from friend Bob - that Short-eared Owls 'are easy'. He and his wife were there getting the caravan ready for winter. The kiosk was manned (?) by a woman we know from Scilly. She used to push her demanding and ungrateful mother around in a wheelchair every year. She told us that there were three SE Owls. We saw none.
From the car park hide, where Pam had her first meal, a pot of porridge, we saw Gadwall, Teal,  several Little Grebes, Shoveller and two Snipe. I heard the distinctive  kvik call of a Spotted Redshank and Pam saw it land on a near reedy edge, barely visible through the stems. At last, we've managed to miss them by not walking at Titchwell. Despite extensive scanning, no SEO here, only a Buzzard perched on a bush in the marsh. A Cetti's Warbler called once. Still a few Darters to be seen. We set off at 6C and the thermometer rose to 17C mid afternoon.
Titchwell would be packed, we tried Choseley. That area was packed too, Black Redstarts were about,  David the dog told us. We had a quick, fruitless, scan and left for Brancaster Staithe.
Plenty of room here. The clubhouse is now a pile of rubble and work on the foundations have started so,  no lunching yachtsmen. Pam ate her second meal. Lunch? I enjoyed photographing an adult winter Herring Gull,
 

standing sentry over a small flock of Turnstone. They see cars and come for food. Disappointed to-day. Unusually - although they're apparently easy - I managed some in focus shots. They're always scurrying about, other birds getting into the shot  and spoiling the focus.

Pam made the fortunate decision to turn down to Stiffkey Fen car park which was very full. We found a good spot on the front row where we pulled forward onto the grass so that I could scope from the car. The highlight was a diminutive Merlin, hardly bigger than one of the Starling flock he was harrying into a swirl of panic. Such a fast and acrobatic bird. He was unlucky on this occasion. John G came over for a chat. We saw a couple of Marsh Harriers and left as the light was fading, the sun a flaming vermilion orb on the horizon.
The Brent geese flock off Beach Road, Cley were at the main road end of the track. Pam drove out to the car park - just in case - and to turn round. The Eye Field exploded into at least 500 Golden Plover, taking to the sky before re-settling.
Straight back to the geese. I did one right to left scan and was on my way back when Pam called 'there it is'. A Black Brant had appeared on the nearside of the flock. Many geese were down in a dip. I took a few hopeful photos in the gloom before it disappeared into the dip again.

Photo enlarged and brightened

A lovely day which produced 82 species seen. Often missed birds such as Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Tree Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher and Snipe included. 
The Jack Snipe, Bewick's and Whooper Swans at Titchwell, the SE Owls all over the place, Hen Harrier at the west end of Stiffkey etc would have really bumped up the list. We were delighted with what we'd seen and had a really enjoyable day.
The drive home in ever thickening fog and darkness,  was not relaxing. 

 

Mid-day Outing

Saturday October 31

We decided to take advantage of the lovely Autumn day and drive to Ludham Marshes. On the drive out to St Benets Abbey, we saw a few feral doves and a Carrion Crow.  Good start.

Parked looking over towards Thurne, I had a good scan before settling to the DT crossword. Almost immediately, Pam said 'Look' and a Short-eared Owl appeared from behind the hayrick, gliding to land on the grass about 100 metres away. I watched it for nearly ten minutes, whilst it preened vigorously - until a Magpie landed nearby. Mexican standoff ensued. The Magpie hopped  stealthily ever nearer, the Owl swivelling its head to watch every move. Near enough to peck the Owl's tail, the bird had a go but the Owl saw it off.

A few feather-shakes and re- adjustments  later, the Short-eared flew off towards the Abbey, disappearing over the raised river bank. With so many SE owls being reported flying in off the sea, this is what I'd hoped for.

One of these days, I'll manage some really sharp photos of flying Owls.

Pam's photo of it sitting down, taken through the windscreen using her Panasonic Bridge, is much better than any of mine when the bird was perched. 

A Pied Wagtail kept an eye on the proceedings.

Moth day

Friday October 30

 The wind was from the south east, a cloudy and warm night , good conditions for putting the moth trap out. We trapped 15 moths of 10 species in our Robinson MV, not bad for this time of year. 

At last, our first lovely, furry, December Moths. We've had a couple at Natural Surroundings but not at home - until to-day when there were two .

This Satellite Moth has orange 'satellites' rather than the more common white centres.

We also trapped our first Mottled Umber of the year but it was far too flighty to photograph, even after a few hours in the fridge to calm it down. I don't like doing that even though it's accepted practice and does them no harm - unless you forget to release them !
Siskin   and Brambling on the garden feeders this morning. Good to see.

Such a Dismal Day

Wednesday October 28

An excellent start to the day. Our doctor's receptionist rang to say that Pam's blood test was good, giving her the all clear to phone her consultant so that her hip operation can go ahead. Waiting to hear from the Spire now.

The Robinson trap held 4 macro  moths of  4 species this morning - after a cold, rainy night. Still no longed for December Moth. Feathered Thorn are always nice.

A morning of rain with louring clouds reminiscent of late November, did nothing to perpetuate  the earlier euphoric mood. Time for some birding. The rain stopped at mid-day, the gloom got worse if anything. We drove to Winterton via Happisburgh, Cart Gap, Sea Palling and Horsey. Our daily flight of Pink-footed Geese had greeted us as we left home, there was another very large flock up to their necks in lush vegetation at Horsey. We scrutinised a Buzzard sat atop  a telegraph pole for some time. No way was it a Rough-legged, unfortunately.

On the premise that any pic is better than none (probably not), here's one of the Common Buzzard  - in the gloom.

Nearing West Somerton, a flock of about 200 Lapwing rose from the plough, a flight of smaller birds leading the way. After a patient wait, watching the startlement of finches fly hither and thither, a few landed in nearer willows. Mostly Chaffinches, a few Goldfinches and at least two female Brambling.

On to Winterton Beach and a calm sea with one Red-throated Diver, several Cormorants and a Grey Seal.

Stopping in a gateway on the return journey, to try for the finch flock again, two large Swans flew towards us. Yes !! Two Whooper Swans, our first of the winter, called musically as they passed. Why wasn't my camera to hand........

We did manage to see nearly 30 species on out trip out, including a dozen Turnstones at Walcott. No sign of the returning Mediterranean Gull which Bob seems to see regularly. Must follow him next time.