Mainly Norfolk Birding with Gary White

2005 Was a special year although at the start I had no idea.

1st January started well as always with a personal record of 111 species in the one day, but with the greed of seeing as much as we could I decided not to bother to retry the King Eider which later proved to be a bird I shouldn't have missed as the was the only day it was seen.

The rest of January was good with seeing Waxwing and the lingering Glossy Ibis.

An Iceland Gull (below) was the only real highlight for the February of 2005 this bird was a hard one to track down at Blackborough End Tip.

 

 

 

March slipped though nearly un-noticed until me a Philip were photographing Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (right) at Holkham when on the pager comes MEGA - Killdeer Breydon. Basically we ran, drove up to the speedlimit and made it to Breydon. We ran again got to the wall where everybody was and then relised the bird had flown -bugger. We hung around all day but still no sign, it was almost great.

 

 

Then the next day on the way to work it happened again - MEGA Killdeer (left) Breydon, I arranged the time off and headed down there in my suit. Got there and saw it job done. (lifer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Kentish Plover on Breydon was the only highlight for April.

 

I awoke to see that a Whiskered Tern was at Hockwold Washes on 2nd May so I dashed down there and sure enough there it was it kept flying over the boarder which kept the Suffolk birders happy. Then done the usual around the area and headed off to Titchwell to see the Temminck's Stint (right).

 

It remained quiet after that until the middle of the month when I then had a lifer practically every week for three weeks, and a few other good birds were thrown in also.

 

 

 

First bird was a Stilt Sandpiper (left) I ran and ran and then missed it - bullocks. But lucky for me I had the next day off when this bird made a return t he same spot at Burnham Norton 13th May (lifer).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two days later I had views of parts of a Night Heron (right) at Holkam, from the pictures I dont think there is any doubt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

21st May Two Birds, Two Trips, Two Counties. Started the day by heading to Langard and straight away I was on my next lifer a Trumperter Finch (Below - Left). The bird was amazing what more can I say below is a awful picture of the bird and the peolpe at the twitch also. I then zoomed to Cley to see a Purple Heron on the same day. The next day I headed up to Cromer to see the Woodchat Shrike (below right).

 

The last day of may and an after work excersion to Cley alowed be to see a bird that I had missed before a lifer that was the Collard Pratincole which I have to say is one of my favorites.

Another after work trip on the 7th June ment that I could see the Female Red-footed Falcon at Hickling.

 

Norfolk County Listing

2004 List Total 253

The year started well with 101 species on the 1st day, highlights for the year were: -

Pine Bunting at Chosley 29th February, spent all day the day before waiting for this there at about 10.30 just after the news came out gave up at around 3.00 due to frost bite and then half way home it shows again - missed it. Up before dawn next day snow everywhere 5th Person there only the first three had seen it. Waited until 1.00 gave up (thought it had gone) at about 2.30 I was in Norwich when the bloody thing turned up again so raced back to Chosley to see it - Great! Lifer.

Alpine Accentor at Overstrand 20th April, got home from work, got changed, sat down, looked at the pager, and left. Lived in Gimingham at the time so only 5mins drive to see it, got there peared over the cliff edge to see it, it only stayed that evening so very lucky. Norfolk Lifer.

Alpine Swift at Sheringham 21st April, had a football game after work in Sheringham so all a bit of luck really that I would be there, I went to the end of the golf course where it had been seen most of the day but it was there, another chap was there and as a was about to leave for my game he spotted it across Sheringham at Beeston Bump, followed him down there and had cracking overhead views. P.S we won our game 2-1. Norfolk Lifer.

Hoopoe at Hickling 22nd April, another evening after work at Hickling, some good flight views but that was all as it flew off the reserve. 2nd for Norfolk first being 6 years earlier.

Red-footed Falcon at Waxham 12th May, yet again out after work but some super views down to 10m, also saw 4 Dotterel.

Broad-billed Sandpiper at Hickling 14th May, it was a friday night down at rush hills distant views but ok. Third for Nofolk.

White-winged Black Tern at Hickling 19th May, midweek birding again after work down at the Ferry Boat Inn looking across the Broad.

Kentish Plover at Cley 29th May, late saturday afternoon on Pats Pool good views. British Lifer. White-rumped Sandpiper at Cley 2 days before.

Glossy Ibis at Berney & Greater Sand Plover at Snettisham 4th July, started early down at Berney to get flight views only of the Glossy Ibis (but returned week after to see it proper). British Lifer. Then the afternoon brought news of a Greater Sand Plover at Snettisham, an hour and a half of battling through holiday traffic finaly got there to see it. Lifer.

Purple Heron at Breydon 28th August, sat all day and got very sunburnt to get a 15sec flight view, was it worth it - yes.

Baird's Sandpiper at Buckenham Marshes 22nd September, got wet in pooring rain, wearing a suit so looked a bit stupid around the fishermen, did see a great Kingfisher also, Baird's Sandpiper Lifer.

Sardinian Warbler at Winterton 15th October, had holiday booked so day of birding got some great views in the gorse, third for Norfolk.

17th October, this was a good day started with Red-necked Grebe at Weyborne, then the Lesser Yellowlegs ( below -second Norfolk) which I had missed during the week as I was in Cornwall, it re-appeared at Stifkey so I went down to get that, then I went to Holkham to see the Pallas's Warbler there by the cross-roads. But the day was not finished it was back to where I started at Weyborne to see the Red-throated Pipit (2nd Norfolk and Lifer) and a Waxwing flew in off the Sea also.

 

                    Lesser Yellowlegs Stifkey (a couple of weeks after above when I got camera)

 

 

 

Arctic Redpoll (below) at Titchwell 4th December, Went at dawn for this one stood around the corner from the crowd then I found it in one of it favoured trees watched and photographed for around 40mins when someone walks around asking me if I had seen it as nobody else had, i pointed it out to him of course and I couldn't believe that nobody else had it as they were closer to the tree. Second Lifer and Norfolk.

 

Last highlight for Norfolk was the King Eider at Titchwell 12th Dec, very distant but distictive second lifer and Norfolk.

 

So a good year in all 2005 was even better - watch this space.

 

National Highlights

2004 list total - 273

American Robin at Grimsby 2nd January, superb trip to see the robin although after that it was a stayer (until it was eaten). Lifer.

Ring-billed Gull at West Cliff 7th February, It was a nice day so I went to the Ice Cream parlor to see the ever returning Ring-billed Gull also saw Long-Eared Owl at Lower Holbrook on the way home.

30th April - 6th May Scotland, 30th April We went to Cairngorms and a few of the Isles, drove up to Scotland on the friday it took 14hrs due to mass roadworks but we finally arrive at our B&B in Boat of Garten and then went to Loch Garten and saw Crested Tit.

1st May we were up at 5.30 to go and try and see Capercallie but we had no joy, after relaying with my sister about going into the Cairngorms she promised that the fog would clear and this would be the best day out of the four we were in the Cairngorms to go. So we set out in the fog across the paths after about on hour of walking upwards the fog was thining then we could see the snow covered mountains - what a sight. We could also then see Red Grouse in flight below us. Once the sun was out I could hear Ptarmigan calling but they were very distant, so we kept walking. We then reached the snow covered top and Ptarmigan (lifer) were every where couldn't believe it down to 15m. We then walked back down which took about a quarter of the time of what it did to walk up.

2nd May up even earlier to try and capper (4.30) today didn't want to risk not seeing any, we were first in the que and first in the hide and when we walked in there were 20 scopes all pointing onto a male Cappercallie (lifer) it was fantasic words cant really discribe it. I knew then that the rest of the Holiday I would be happy as I had now seen the great capper. The rest of the day we went to the Black Isle and saw Dophins and to Findhorn Valley and saw Raven.

3rd May had a lie in, caught the mountian trian and saw 4 more Ptarmigan from the cafe. Then went to Findhorn and saw a distant Golden Eagle. That night though we went to the High Forest Lodge were we sat in the car park and watched the bins and just after dark and just after a closer car left a Pine Martin plunged onto the bin (it was alot bigger than I had imagined).

4th May we went to Ilse of Mull and on the ferry we saw Black Guillemots and Gannets. We then arrived on the Island and we went for a drive round everyone on the Island is really nice and they all wave at you as you drive past. Not more then 10mins into the Island I spotted a Golden Eagle then around the corner there were two Circling together. In the afternoon we went to grass point and saw two White-tailed Eagles one was an adult which i hadn't seen before.

5th May we stayed the night on Mull and the ferry wasn't until the afternoon so for the morning we went to Staffa and had close views of Puffin ( right - image is a film shot scaned in) around our feet, we then left the Island and had to catch the ferry back to mainland but on the way I spotted something dive into the water so I stopped, and when it popped back up it was an Otter.

6th May we were up early to catch the ferry to Islay on the crossing we had Manx Shearwaters. The first stop was Ardnave Point which when we got there it had 20+ Chough flying around. Next place was Portnahaven where it was reported that by the village hall a corncrake was heard the night before. Bearing in mind that this was 3pm and the sun was shining I could believe that when I stopped within 10mins a Corncrake was singing. It sounded like it was coming from the field behind the village hall so me and my wife went round the back to have a better listen. We got around and there was no singing we stoad about an arms length apart when just  in front of us this Corncrake started calling (it was very loud) it was only breif then it stopped. We stood inslience for about 5mins when i then took a step towards my wife and a which point the Corncrake (lifer) flew out from under my foot and into the garden next door and ran across the lawn. I couldn't believe it the grass was hardly covering our ankles but inbetween us was a Corncrake amazing it was the pefect end to our holiday. I had seen everything and more on this trip that I had hoped for.

7th May - we got stuck on Islay so we had to wait one more day, we went to Jura where we saw another Otter.

Cirl Bunting at Prawle Point 10th October, A trip to Cornwall and Devon for a few days aloud me to see Cirl Bunting a British lifer on a execetional wet a windy day.

Sora at Attenborough and Ring-necked Duck at Long Eaton 19th December, Left with the intention of seeing the Sora in Notts got there early and picked my spot. About 30mins past when it walked round right infront of me - see picture below left (lifer). Then the Ring-necked Duck came on the pager and I didn't realise it was only ten minutes up the road. It was asleep most of the time we were looking but it was another lifer (below right).

2004 was a good year with 273 species in Britain and 254 in Norfolk alone.

Saw Shorelark (left) at Holkham 14/01/2006, Hawfinch (middle) at Eaton 15/01/2006 and Black-necked Grebe (right) at Filby 15/01/2006

The Bittern (right) was at Kelling 7th January taken at 8.05am in terrible light.

Ross's Gull (left) 31st December and 1st January a top bird for both years, and this Waxwing (middle) was at Northrepps on 10th December 2005