North West Norfolk

On Wednesday, Dad and I took the long drive up to Titchwell area. We arrived at Titchwell, and went straight out onto the beach. We soon found the masses of Common Scoters, about 5,500 birds in total with about 15 Velvet Scoters.

The long line of scoters

Female Velvet

Young Male Velvet

Near Adult Male Velvet

We then went to look on the Freshmarsh, Saltmarsh and Volunteer Marsh. Here's what we saw...

A very theatrical Dog on the beach - very funny to watch

Brent Geese

Both Godwits

Distant Goldeneye offshore

Distant Goldeneye offshore 

Grey Plover

Knot

Ruff

Saltmarsh

Shoveler

Teal

Titchwell Beach

Mixed Birds 

We then went to Choseley Barns, to see if we could get any Corn Buntings. No sign of any as their favourite hedge has been taken out. There were though however c. 30 Yellowhammers and a Buzzard...

Buzzard

Wren

Yellowhammer

Final stop of the day was at Burnham Overy Dunes. We got a Merlin from the layby...

Other stuff we got were...

Burnham Beach

Gulls on Burnham Beach

Dusk Curlew

Golden Plover

Mixed Geese

Distant Marsh Harrier

Brents and Pink foots with a Curlew

Pink Foots

Reed Bunting

We then got a very pale Buzzard. When it flew, it didn't show the white barring on the tail for it to be the resident Rough-legged Buzzard.

We then got a great Short-eared Owl and a Barn Owl, but too brief to photograph.

On the way back to the car, I tried to climb over a gate, which I was successful on the way to the marshes, but I fell over it on the way back and landed on my right side. Very painful. Not hurt much, and the optics weren't damaged! When we got back to the car, people were still in the layby and it was almost dusk, but they had the actual Rough-legged Buzzard sitting on top of Gun Hill. They saw it fly in with the white barring on the tail, but I wouldn't of told you it was a Rough-legged Buzzard if I'd of just seen it in the tree!

Happy Birding!

Little Things!

Since my last post, there has been a lot of signs of winter coming in. Yesterday, I was treated to go up to Manchester and watch Manchester United play Stoke. I am a Man U nut, and we go up to see the red devils play about once a year. The final score was 4-2 to us, and we thoroughly deserved it. But we had organised this trip earlier this season, and we had booked to go on the Man U Galloway Bus to Old Trafford. We went with our friends, and had a delightful day. It was an early start to the day so a bit of sleeping was needed on the bus, but we did see a great Buzzard perched on a shallow post in a field on the road side, and also a few Jays, a Kestrel and more unsurprisingly, a Red Kite. While waiting for the bus to arrive in Coddenham, about 50 Redwing's were flying about the car park, quite extraordinary that the birds have come this far in land. Even better, 2 Redwings were flying over the house on Thursday, so that was great to see. A Sparrowhawk drifted through the close this morning, but disappearing.

Happy Birding.

A Blog Post, at Last!

On Sunday afternoon, after coming back from Golf, I was in the garden hitting a tennis ball on the side of the house with a racket when I heard the alarming call of Meadow Pipit coming over my head. I looked up and saw 6 of them flying over towards Ipswich. These were firsts for the garden, so this will be updated on the Garden List page, so look out for that.

Then, I came home from school on Tuesday and Dad said that he had seen 6 Curlews fly over the house which I was absolutely gobsmacked at, and this is actually the first ever wader specie ever to be observed near the house. Superb!

Friday evening, we were watching the Masterchef Final, when a grey fury friend ran across the fence, followed by his mate. They were Grey Squirrels. 

The local sparrows weren't bothered at all.

Grey Squirrel Friday evening

Grey Squirrel Saturday Morning

Saturday was a golfing day, with a bit of birding in with it too. I got off to a good start when a couple of Jays came up from the roadside. A few Bullfinches were in the roadside bushes. I didn't get off to a good start with a double bogey, but followed that with a par regained myself. After being 4 and 3 over par at different points, I managed to regain myself both times to come level par. And I finished level handicap so that was great. Going round, a calling Little Owl was unusual, and a big passerine flock containing Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Long-tailed Tit, Marsh Tit and Bullfinch. The final action was a fantastic Buzzard that flew right over our heads and we got great views.

The Chiffchaff proving to be quite elusive in the garden now, but I reckon over 20 were at Cretingham yesterday, so they were good to watch. Always, I was checking for a Yellow-browed Warbler as there was over 70 in the British Isles yesterday. 

I also collected another egg shell yesterday, which dad thinks it could be a partridge or pheasant. I shall put a picture of this on next week. 

Recent Sightings

Not much to add in this post, but just a few recent sightings and some catch-up on British Bird News. Yesterday, Dad and I got back from seeing my Nanna and Dad spotted a massive bird of prey going over the house. I raced in, grabbed my binoculars and my camera, and had a look. I think it was probably a Buzzard, although it was a long way away by the time of id. It may have even been an Osprey, because it wouldn't have been the first time.

Thursday evening, at 7:30 I filmed this outside my bedroom window...

A Probable Pipistrelle Bat.

Also, the Chiffchaff was seen on Friday and Yesterday during daylight, not singing yet, that being a good sign of a all year stayer?

Chiffchaff

Hopefully going Golfing this afternoon, so an update on that if anything unusual is seen.

Plenty of Pectoral Sandpipers are dominating East Anglia, with ones at Titchwell, Cley, Salthouse, Hickling Broad in Norfolk, and Minsmere in Suffolk. Also, the Barred Warbler at Holme Dunes, Norfolk, with a Glossy Ibis in Cambridge. We are tempted to go down Minsmere way to try and catch the Juvenile Montagu's Harrier that's hopping about on the coast if it still lingers. The Spanish Sparrow is still putting in a few less appearances at Landguard, Suffolk, but that's looking tempting too. Happy Birding.

Whats Happened to the Greenfinches?

Sorry about not posting as much as normal, but that will be the case now because I am back at school. If your wondering, I am having a great time back at school, and have still got plenty of friends, even with me giving them a bird update from the holidays. A vast majority just say "Moysie, I'm not interested in your birds!" I find that very hurtful. Jokes. Anyway, enough about school, lets get on with the birds. This is not going to be the most amusing of posts but it is worth looking at.

We have had a burial session for birds this last 2 weeks in the garden, because unfortunately, we have had 2 dead Greenfinch, and a very rare visitor to the garden was a dead Whitethroat under the Red tree, home to the past Willow Warbler. Here is a picture of one of the Greenfinches...

This exact bird was seen roosting and twitching in a bush over the top of this picture, so he obviously fell off the branch and died here. This disease is caused by trichomonosis. It has affected Chaffinches as well as the Greenfinch, but not as much. The other bird found dead was under the feeders. Why can't they be like this bird here...

Here's a video of a Greenfinch that doesn't look in a great condition, maybe carrying trichomonosis.

Check out this link for information on the Greenfinches decline - Greenfinches Decline

Moving on from the sad to the living birds, and highlights in the garden have been a group of 6 Magpies...

Here's one of them

Also, plenty of Starlings have been about, with a flock of about 100 flew over to roost.

A small flock of Starling on the roof

Also, the local Chiffchaff has been putting in appearances in the evenings. 

Chiffchaff in Garden

Highlights going to school have been a very low Common Buzzard, and plenty of Woodpeckers.

Happy Birding.