Oakengate, Shropshire

So with only my dissertation to write, and over a period of two months, I decided to take a 'day on, day off' approach so I hopefully had time to work my way through it without stress whilst still allowing me time to get plenty of stuff twitched and seen.

So for my first day off I decided to visit the Iberian Chiffchaff in Telford, Shropshire. I had a look, saw I could do it, then waited on news in the morning, and when positive news came in I set off. I was with the bird by half 1 in the afternoon. As soon as I got on site I heard it singing in the trees and was soon on it showing very well.

The problem was, the bird has no distinctive plumage features, so when the bird stopped singing, which it often did for up to 20 mins at a time, you simply had no idea where it was. This problem was made worse for the fact that the woods were filled with normal Chiffchaffs, and a bush could contain at least five at a time, and you simply had no idea if the Iberian was in there with them. But when the bird did sing you often got fantastic views, including on one occasion when it was sat only a couple of feet away from my face.

-Iberian Chiffchaff

For a little brown job it was a smart bird, and the song was really quite sweet. I tried to get some video footage of the song and have to some extent, although obviously the bird is barely in any of the video and its pretty shaky to say the least.

As for other birds on site, there were mainly only common woodland species including Jay, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler etc. I did grab my first Blackcap of the year though when a nice female emerged from the ivy and started feeding out in the open. A nice yeartick to add to the collection. 

-Blackbird

And thats the story of how I added Iberian Chiffchaff to my life list. A really smart bird and well worth the trip down.

Species List:

Granville NR: Chiffchaff, Iberian Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Jay, Magpie, Willow Warbler,

Norfolk Day 5

Since today was the last day Norfolk we had the caravan on the back and that restricted where we could go. Our decision was to go to Titchwell as we had done it before. The weather was really nice and crucially the wind had dropped.

As soon as I arrived on site I got more cracking views of the Bramblings that I only got fleeting views of last time. A really nice start to the day. My only year-tick of the day followed shortly after. I could see a crowd of people looking at something but did not need to ask what as the pinging call alerted me to Bearded Tits being the area. Scanning the reeds eventually produced a nice male, and then a female before they flew across the channel. This pattern was the pattern for the whole time I watched them, as they were not overly shy or difficult to get a good look at.

-Bearded Tit

Not much further up the path I finally got a decent view of a Cettis Warbler this year, including getting to see its explosive song. It sat up for all of five mins before it dived back into the shrubbery. This was just after it had gone bezerk chasing a wren. Anyway, who can fathom the mind of a bird.

-Cettis Warbler

The rest of the walk passed with nothing new, though plenty of nice species. There were abundant White Wagtails on the meadow and out at sea there remained a large flock of Common Scoter. Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit were on the beach too along with the usual Turnstone and Grey Plover. All in all it made for a very pleasant last day.

On the way back to the car before heading home I managed to grab a few shots of the Brambling on the bird table. Sadly they were in a dark area of shade so only a couple of shots came out and sadly none of the rather handsome male that was about. Still, an excellent way to end an excellent week. 

-Brambling

And that was that. We called in at Hunstanton on the way home but nothing much there, and we did drive past the Wolferton Triangle but the pheasant was not showing in our brief passing.

Species List:

Titchwell RSPB: Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Wren, Moorhen, Greylag Goose, Blue Tit, Robin, Magpie, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Blackbird, Brambling, Marsh Harrier, Avocet, Redshank, Little-ringed Plover, Black-headed Gull, Teal, Pied Wagtail, White Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Bearded Tit, Coot, Red-crested Pochard, Brent Goose, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Kestrel, Curlew, Meadow Pipit, Cettis Warbler, Oystercatcher, Little Egret, Shoveler, Shelduck, Mallard, Gadwall, Herring Gull, Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Linnet, Red-breasted Merganser, Dunlin, Great-crested Grebe, Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Gull, Sandwich Tern, Turnstone, Knot, Little Grebe, Canada Goose, Chiff-chaff, Coal Tit,

Norfolk Day 4

Continuing on the theme of trying to avoid popular sites in Norfolk for birding I decided to go to Holkham for a visit today. A GWE had turned up yesterday and though it had dissapeared after half an hour with no further news it remained a possibility despite not really thinking I would see it. The dunes are also great places for migrants so I figured my chances of finding something were pretty good.

And so it turned out. Scanning the hedgerows near the car-park as I arrived I picked up a blackbird with a white crescent on its chest. Ring Ouzel. I couldn't believe it and quickly tried to get my camera out of my bag. However, when I looked again it had gone, and despite half an hour scanning I was unable to relocate it. I was gutted to say the least, my first decent find in my week visit and it goes after five seconds. Still, there were plenty of other good birds in the car park area, including Marsh Harrier and Egyptian Geese.

-Egyptian Geese

I decided to walk along to the hides first and then explore the dunes after. I was treated to obscene views of Jay and especially Muntjac Deer, which seemed to be very abundant and tame despite the number of dog walkers.

Just before I reached the main hide I scanned across and to my disbelief picked up the Great White Egret fishing in a ditch. I was so please. Buzzing even. What a striking bird, the best view I have ever had of one and certainly the best photos I have ever managed to get of one. Sadly it was very mobile and after around 10mins it took off and flew to the far side of the freshmarsh well out of view. It did do a massive poo though on the way, which was something of a novelty. I can now add GWE to me species seen pooing list. And on the subject of lists I should mention that Ring Ouzel was my 150th species this year, GWE being the 150th for public transport.

-Great White Egret

Walking on I arrived at the main hide and decided to pop in and have lunch there. Looking over I picked up Pheasant and Grey Partridge in abundance, as well as a smart Peregrine. Then a couple of other birders came in, saying to look out for the resident Spoonbills, they were hoping to see from the hide. It was not long after that we had Spoonbills flying, followed by views of one actually feeding. Not sleeping, actually feeding. Granted it was rather distant but to get views like this is something of a novelty with this species.

-Spoonbill

After lunch I decided to move on. A hooded crow seemed to have set up at Blakeney having being moving West along the coast all morning. As a result I decided to make a move there. It turned out to be a waste of time as the bird had clearly flown off about two hours before I arrived and nobody had bothered to put news out yet. Anyway, I was at least given some consolation with my first Yellow Wagtail of the year, although it was nothing more than a distant yellow spec.

Following a breif stint there then I moved on and ended up with time to kill in Sheringham on the way back. I wandered down to the seafront to kill time but instead found that there were some seriously tame Turnstones feeding around the area near my feet so spent the time photographing those instead.

-Turnstone

Thats the account of my last full day in Norfolk, and I pretty much had the best of it. A real nice way to finish off an excellent week.

Species List:

Holkham NNR: Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Pied Wagtail, Shelduck, Teal, Lapwing, Marsh Harrier, Starling, Black-headed Gull, Greylag Goose, Egyptian Goose, Meadow Pipit, Shoveler, Redshank, Ring Ouzel, Moorhen, Chaffinch, Jay, Robin, Blue Tit, Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Pheasant, Great-white Egret, Peregrine, Goldcrest, Canada Goose, Avocet, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Grey Partridge, Spoonbill, Common Buzzard, Magpie, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Brent Goose, Red Kite,

Blakeney Freshmarsh: Yellow Wagtail, Rook, Jackdaw, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shelduck, Shoveler, Greylag Goose, Willow Warbler, Robin, Greenfinch, Peregrine, Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Mute Swan, Grey Heron, Redshank, Pied Wagtail, Oystercatcher, Marsh Harrier, Egyptian Goose, Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Chaffinch, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Goldfinch, Pheasant, 

Norfolk Day 3

Having done both of the 'main' reserves on the Norfolk coast I was keen to try birding somewhere where there were not many people and I might have a chance of finding something of my own. I decided to go to Stiffkey saltmarsh, as it was an area I knew a little bit from the red-flanked bluetail all those years ago.

It was fairly quiet on the bird front, although a couple of Blackcaps singing were my first of the year, although I could not see them despite trying. Three Goldcrests were a nice holiday tick, and there continued to be great views of Marsh Harrier and Red Kite to be had. Overall it was a nice walk through an area of fantastic saltmarsh. I managed to grab a few photos of a couple of Muntjac Deer sunning themselves along the edge of one of the fields, another species to add to the walk.

-Muntjac Deer

By lunchtime I decided to move on to Cley again on the way to going home. Fairly standard affair with lots of nice species on the scrapes: Avocets, Turnstones, Green Sandpiper and other waders, plus Swallows and Wheatears for the early migrants.

By mid-afternoon I had all but done at Cley, so decided to walk the shingle along to Salthouse in the hope of finding something along the edges on the fields. Nothing doing other than a couple of Wheatears. I did however pick up some 3G and was able to check out other sightings in the area. A couple of firecrest caught my attention at a site I was not familiar with 'Gramborough Hill'. A quick check of the map showed that it was in fact at Salthouse. Despite the birds not apparently been seen that day I decided to check it out anyway, in the off chance nobody had checked, or not put it out,

The wind made it difficult but with perseverance I managed to relocate one of the Firecrests, but it was very elusive and extremely tricky. I had fantastic views but as for the photos, well they were sadly not up to the same standard. I managed one photo which shows what it really is.

Still, only my third ever Firecrest and they really are stunning birds. To be honest its what I was hoping to find at Stiffkey so to get one here was a real bonus, even if it wasn't 'self-found'

-Firecrest

By now I had to go as there was only one bus left to take me home. In the hour I waited I only managed to see the Firecrest four times, before each time it vanished into the shrubbery. What a tricky little bird.

Species List:

Stiffkey NT: Starling, Jackdaw, Robin, Greenfinch, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Redshank, Brent Goose, Curlew, Black-headed Gull, Chaffinch, Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Wren, Goldcrest, Meadow Pipit, Lapwing, Red Kite, Linnet, Dunnock, Long-tailed Tit, Herring Gull, Mallard, Common Buzzard, Skylark, Pheasant, Black-tailed Godwit, Avocet, Shelduck,

Cley Marshes NWT: Black-tailed Godwit, Shelduck, Mallard, Redshank, Ruff, Green Sandpiper, Avocet, Black-headed Gull, Greylag Goose, Moorhen, Teal, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Lapwing, Woodpigeon, Ringed Plover, Starling, Pochard, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Rook, House Sparrow, Collard Dove, Cettis Warbler, Swallow, Pheasant, Mute Swan, Skylark, Brent Goose, Wigeon, Shoveler, Cormorant, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Meadow Pipit, Turnstone, Sandwich Tern,

Salthouse and Gramborough Hill: Herring Gull, Redshank, Dunnock, Wren, Firecrest, Black-headed Gull, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher, Little Egret, Canada Goose, Norther Wheatear, Ruff, Jackdaw, Rook, Wigeon, Shoveler, Shelduck,

Norfolk Day 2

Having done Cley yesterday, today's logical choice was Titchwell. The bus scenario meant I diddnt arrive on site until eleven, but I quickly settled down and began to rack up some year-ticks. Brief glimpses of Cettis Warbler were frustrating and a superb drake Red-crested Pochard remained sadly distant up the reed-beds.

I wandered up to the beach, getting more views of great waders: Redshank, Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit and my first Little Ringed Plover of the year. Brent Geese were also showing quite closely to the walkway. Out at sea it was fairly quiet, though there was a smart flock of Common Scoter not far offshore, as well as a couple of Great-crested Grebe in their summer finery.

Walking back down the sea wall I managed to grab a few more things, that were perhaps less expected. First I managed to pick up a smart Merlin hunting over the saltmarsh, though sadly it only passed through as opposed to hunting anything. I was able to grab a shot of it though although the light was not over helpful.

-Merlin

Back down near the visitor center I bumped into a crowd off birders looking into a ditch, and following where they were looking I could see they were looking at a Water Rail feeding right out in the open no more than a couple of meters away from us. It really did not seem bothered about us being there, although it had plenty of cover from fallen vegetation. I managed to get some shots but it was very dark in the shade and the vegetation obscured but I'm still pleased with the results that I got. 

-Water Rail

I was hopeful of picking up brambling on the feeders but there did not seem to be any about. Walking through the willows though I grabbed my first Chiff-chaff of the year. I had heard them since arriving in Norfolk but this was the first one that I had seen, mainly due to the fact that I could not face chasing them round given I was bound to bump into one at some point, as in here...

-Chiff-chaff

Continuing round to Pats Pool I did not pick up a great deal more for the daylist but there was a nice pair of Red-crested Pochard there that were showing a bit better than the birds in the reeds so I attempted to grab a record shot to work with and it seems decent enough for that.

-Red-crested Pochard

It was now about three in the afternoon and I decided to move on from Titchwell. I did manage a Brambling on the way out, in the feeders near the entrance although the views were badly obscured through the trees, still a nice addition to the day and yearlist.

Next on the agenda was the last Golden Pheasant at the Wolferton Triangle. The history of this bird is that this is the only disclosed tick-able Golden Pheasant left of the old population. An old bird, time is probably not on its side. I knew how to get there and what to do, but at this time in the afternoon I did not fancy my chances, especially with stories of having to wait up to 3 hours from first light, which was supposedly the best time of day. I arrive at Wolferton for half 4. Being on foot put me at a massive dis-advantage as the bird could come out at one side of the triangle and I would have no idea if I were on the other side, and it would take time to get round to check. I figured my best strategy was to pick a side, set up and the pray it played ball. I was in luck though. I initially walked the north side with no joy but there was a lot of traffic. Seeing the traffic made me even less confident of seeing it, but I figured if I was on site I at least had a chance.

Walking the south side I heard a call I was not familiar with on the far side of the road to the triangle, and a quick check of Xeno-canto via the phone confirmed that it may in fact be the pheasant I was after. With this possible lead I decided to set up on the south side and scan the road. It was about half an hour since when I turned around from looking up the road to see a flash of gold dissapear into the bushes behind me. It had obviously come out when I was facing the other way and when I turned my movement had spooked it back in. However, it had now not only been seen, but its position and intentions had been given away. It was clearly trying to cross the road to Triangle. Now all I had to do was wait.

It took another 10mins before, emerging from the bushes, he decided to saunter across. It was incredible to see, but it quickly turned to horror when a car decided to come speeding round the corner and reduced possibly a 10 second crossing into a 2 second crossing. The pheasant put on a spurt across the road into the triangle and that was that. With the sudden pressure of the car I had no time to think, and one of the things I failed to do was focus the camera, what a muppet. The bird moved so fast I had no time to judge and by the time I had the focusing right the bird was already gone...

-Golden Pheasant

I was so pleased to have seen it, and after only an hour. I was buzzing. The road was still busy and now with no pin-point on its location I knew the odds were stacked against me for re-finding it. I decided to call it a day at that, but what a result, I did not expect that at all. Result.

Species List:

Titchwell RSPB: Common Buzzard, Woodpigeon, Red-legged Partridge, Black-headed Gull, Siskin, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Marsh Harrier, Greylag Goose, Brent Goose, Common Teal, Pochard, Coot, Cettis Warbler, Red-crested Pochard, Curlew, Gadwall, Canada Goose, Shelduck, Pied Wagtail, Mallard, Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Little-ringed Plover, Avocet, Shoveler, Moorhen, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Scoter, Great-crested Grebe, Oystercatcher, Common Gull, Cormorant, Meadow Pipit, Herring Gull, Swallow, Goldfinch, Sand Martin, Jackdaw, Magpie, Pheasant, Collard Dove, Chiff-chaff, Wigeon, Water Rail, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Brambling, Wren, 

Wolferton Triangle: Goldcrest, Siskin, Long-tailed Tit, Common Buzzard, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Golden Pheasant, Robin, Blue Tit, Blackbird,

Norfolk Day 1

So my parents decided to go to Norfolk for a week and I of course was not going to decline tagging along. Having travelled down overnight I set off for the first day by heading to the usual Cley Marshes followed by Blakeney for the long staying Lapland Buntings. 

First port of call were the hides at Cley where I picked up some wader species for my yearlist, namely Avocet, Ruff and Green Sandpiper. I also had nice views of Marsh Harrier which was also a yeartick. Species all familiar to the site but ones which I had not seen overwinter, so was pleased to see again.

-Avocet

-Ruff

-Marsh Harrier

The reason I did not start my day at Blakeney was simply because of the weather being awful, but as it began to clear late morning I decided to just take the hit and go. After all, the birds had reduced from around 8 being present a week ago to only 2 the last I heard. Along the walk through Cley-next-the-sea and Blakeney Freshmarsh I picked up my first Swallow of the year. They were quite abundant already this far south but none had really appeared up north so this was quite exciting.

-Swallow

Blakeney freshmarsh was a fairly standard affair, fields with pools, but I did pick up my first Brent Geese of the year, which initially only looked to be a few individuals until something spooked them, or the tide moved them and the sky was suddenly full of Brent Geese. Quite a site really, a really smart bird to look at.

The highlight of the walk along the marshes though has to be the really nice White Wagtail that was knocking about. A real stunner, and although they turned out to be fairly abundant during the day, there is something special about this European visitors.

-Brent Geese

-White Wagtail

And so I arrived at the location where the Lapland Buntings were meant to be. I picked one up, a female, distantly almost immediately but it soon vanished into the undergrowth and I could not find it again for around half an hour. 

I made a move past the gate where most people have been watching them from, and began to walk down the track to relocate it. I was able to, but it now seemed that only this female remained. I tried to get some photos but the bird was quite skittish. After a while I returned to my scope and tripod set up at the gate and scoped out the marsh whilst decided when to give the bunting another try. But I need not have worried, for whilst I was scoping the bird flew onto the fence next to me, before coming down and feeding around my feet. I only wish the light had been a bit better because the view I got was otherwise unparalleled. It was really something. It was so close I could have reached out and touched it. What a real treat. 

-Lapland Bunting

After that I was obviously buzzing. The bird flew off into the marsh and I decided to take my leave. I headed back to Cley and walked along the beach side where I was treated to nice views of a few smashing Wheatear. Willow Warbler was another spring migrant of which was my first of the year. I also yearticked Sandwich Tern flying up the coast, something of an expected yeartick but still a much welcome one. A really nice bird to see. I also year-ticked Sand Martin and a few other waders; Grey Plover and Knot.

-Sandwich Tern

So an excellent start to the week, with a host of yearticks and other awesome species, and of course the Lapland Bunting being the real highlight, even if there was only the one bird left.

Species List:

Cley Marshes NWT: Avocet, Wren, Pied Wagtail, Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Egyptian Goose, Greylag Goose, Meadow Pipit, Marsh Harrier, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Mute Swan, Shoveler, Dunlin, Ruff, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Shelduck, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, Lapwing, Woodpigeon, Herring Gull, Ringed Plover, Pochard, Carrion Crow, Rook, Starling, Collard Dove, Pheasant, Jackdaw, Swallow, Willow Warbler, Greenfinch, Sandwich Tern, Brent Goose, Sand Martin, Wheatear, Kestrel, Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot,

Blakeney Freshmarsh: Wheatear, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Black-headed Gull, Skylark, Jackdaw, Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher, Linnet, Redshank, Canada Goose, Avocet, Gadwall, Teal, Cormorant, Curlew, Shelduck, Shoveler, Moorhen, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Egret, Swallow, White Wagtail, Brent Goose, Marsh Harrier, Lapland Bunting, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Red Kite, Rook, Pheasant,

Bradshaw

Last night when it was fairly late evening I received a text from Brian about a Ring-necked Parakeet in Bradshaw. Not long after and I was off to hopefully track the bird down but alas I failed, the bird presumably gone off to roost.

I considered that to be that really and when I went down for a look this morning I did not expect it to still be there, and after 10mins wait in a fairly chilly breeze my expectations had not increase. I was at the point of leaving when, to my relief, I heard the bird call and the picked it up in one of the trees behind the four-seasons flats.

It was initially distant but soon came closer, allowing a chance at some photos of this local rarity. It was tragic in a way, as the bird was quickly drawn to its reflection in one of the windows, which it obviously presumed was another of its species given the way it tried to interact with it. For a social species to be on its own like this must be difficult, despite the presence of a good food supply.

I got to watch it for about half an hour before it moved out of sight behind some trees, although it will be back there during the day I am sure. Congrats to John Little for finding this local Mega, what a superb bird.

-Ring-necked Parakeet

Species List:

Bradshaw: House Sparrow, Collard Dove, Starling, Goldfinch, Ring-necked Parakeet, Linnet, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Canada Goose, Chaffinch,