David, Roger and I set off
this morning hoping for Goshawks at a Norfolk watch point. We had three Red Kites and a Buzzard before
we had left Leicestershire & Rutland but then saw very little else of note,
except for a Great Spotted Woodpecker near Peterborough. We parked in the lay-by at the watch point
and saw there was another group of birders further down the road but we stayed
in the normal view point. There was a
Red Kite and several Buzzards showing behind us and I then noticed a large
party of Chaffinch that were dropping in the field and I was pretty sure I saw
the white rump of a Brambling. The birds
were quite restless and kept flying back into the trees after a brief excursion
on to the ground. Roger then found a
Brambling on the ground but before David and I could get on it they were all
back in the trees. However I then found
three when they dropped down again and David eventually managed to find one as
well. There was also ten Fieldfare and a
single Yellowhammer. As we continued to
scan the trees we saw three Sparrowhawks, at least eight Buzzards and a
Kestrel. Roger then picked up two birds
some distance off and quite high, that were clearly accipiter-type birds. As we watched we could see that they were
clearly a pair of Goshawks but unfortunately they drifted further away before
disappearing. We had heard a Woodlark
calling earlier and decided eventually to go up the road to see if we could
find it. I had just placed my scope on
the other side of the road to David and Roger when I saw an accipiter fly out
of the wood just in front, which was a female Goshawk. I alerted David and Roger and we had some
superb views of the bird as it gained height before passing out of sight to our
left. The there was no sign of the
Woodlark and so we decided to make tracks for the coast.
As we set off we had some
discussion as to whether to head for Weybourne or Burnham Overy Staithe as
there had been both Garganey and Lapland Bunting at Weybourne. However as it was now quite breezy we felt
that the Lapland Buntings would be quite difficult at best from the cliff top
and headed for Burnham Overy Staithe. By
the time we arrived there was less cloud and it was bright and sunny although
feeling a little cool. As we scanned the
marsh we found a Red Kite, three Marsh Harriers, a Sparrowhawk, at least six
Buzzards and a Kestrel. Roger then found
two Grey Partridge on the other side of the road, which I only saw in flight as
they were flushed by a farmer spraying the field. I then found another two on the opposite side
of the road and this time we all saw them despite the heat haze.
After a bite to eat we moved
off to Titchwell intending to call at Choseley before going to the RSPB
reserve. However as we approached the
turn for Choseley there was a sign indicating that the road to Hunstanton was
closed and so we went straight to Titchwell.
We heard a Chiffchaff calling in the car park and found five Ruff and a
Redshank on Thornham Pool, which is still drained. There was a Little Egret on Thornham Marsh
and two Marsh Harriers were observed over the reedbed. Roger then found a pair of Red-crested
Pochard coming down one of the narrow channels just before they disappeared
into the reeds.
The Fresh Water lagoon was
pretty full with few areas suitable for waders and consequently there weren’t
many, mainly just a few Avocets but also an Oystercatcher, two Dunlin, two
Black-tailed Godwits, Curlew and Redshanks.
There was a good variety of ducks with Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal,
Mallard, Shoveler and a couple of Pintail.
Volunteer Marsh was a little
better as it was low tide and we had more Avocets, Grey Plovers, six Knot, a
Bar-tailed Godwit, more Redshanks and two Turnstones. The final marsh produced, more Grey Plovers,
another Knot, several more Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks.
Avocet on the Volunteer Marsh
Avocet on the Volunteer Marsh
Avocet on the Volunteer Marsh
Bar-tailed Godwit on the Volunteer Marsh
Redshank on the Volunteer Marsh
Redshank on the Volunteer Marsh
Redshank on the Volunteer Marsh
The sea was relatively quiet
with just a single Fulmar, a Long-tailed Duck, a Common Scoter, eight
Red-breasted Mergansers and a Great Crested Grebe. The shoreline held more Oystercatchers, two
Ringed Plovers, a Sanderling, several Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew, Redshank and
a few Turnstones.
Adult summer Black-headed Gull on the beach
Female Linnet on the beach
Male Linnet on the beach
Male Linnet on the beach
Male Linnet on the beach
We walked back along the west
bank towards the centre stopping at regular intervals. There were more Pintail on the first marsh
going back with two providing excellent photo opportunities and a Water Rail
was observed bathing.
Drake Pintail on the Tidal Marsh
Female Pintail on the Tidal Marsh
Adult summer Herring Gull on the Tidal Marsh
As we walked back there were
other opportunities for photos in some excellent light and David heard Bearded
Tits call on a couple of occasions and I was fortunate in getting a brief
sighting as one as it dropped into the reeds.
Curlew on Volunteer Marsh
Curlew on Volunteer Marsh
Meadow Pipit on Thornham Marsh
Meadow Pipit on Thornham Marsh
When we got back to the car
park we felt we hadn’t seen as much as we sometimes do and perhaps there wasn’t
the number of birds but the range must have been close to what we normally see
with sixty-six species being recorded.
We left Titchwell and headed for
Choseley in the hope of seeing a Corn Bunting but there were just a few
Yellowhammers around the drying barns. A
pair of Grey Partridge was our third sighting of the day and a brief view of a
Merlin as it flew across one of the fields before disappearing behind a hedge
was an excellent bird and a good note to make our way home.
David decided that we had time
to go via Eyebrook Reservoir but we only stayed for a few minutes, seeing a
Dunlin and five Snipe at the inlet. As
we started to leave and head for home I noticed a Barn Owl sitting on one of
the roadside posts but as we approached it flew off towards the south of the
reservoir. A quick stop at the old oak
also produced a single Little Owl and we left having added a few species to our
day lists. However at the turning to
Glooston just after passing through Cranoe we had another Barn Owl hunting
along the roadside.
It had been an excellent days
birding in which I recorded ninety-eight species.
No comments:
Post a Comment