All around Norwich

9th-15th May 2009

A great week for birding at the coast (Kentish Plover, Collared Pratincole, Citrine Wagtail etc etc) but not such a great week around everybody's favourite fine city. A series of afternoon and evening walks around UEA, Mulbarton, Whitlingham, Whitlingham Thorpe Marsh, Mousehold Heath and Earlham Marshes was not enough to catch any of the clouds of Black Terns filling the place. Highlights (trades descriptions act warning) were Kingfisher, Muscovy (!), Greenshank, Common Sandpiper (a confiding bird on the slipway at Whitlingham) and loads of Whitethroats and Blackcaps.

Whitlingham (15)

4th May 2009

I managed to catch up with Garden Warbler following a recent mini-influx, one singing in the hedge between gardens and the little broad. Other warblers around were Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Cetti's and Sedge. Breeding is now in full swing, with broods of Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, Coot, Great Crested Grebe x 2, Mallard and Egyptian Geese x 4. The cloudy weather helped bring the hirundines closer, and around 10 Swifts were catching insects over the great broad. A pair of Pochard lingered in the conservation area.

Incidentally, it appears that the finder of the Weybourne Cowbird has previous experience of the species, and with the recent find in Shetland, good luck to anyone searching for it!

Carey's Meadow and Thorpe Marshes

30th April 2009

An after work jaunt to see if any more migrants had trickled Norwich way. Carey's Meadow was relatively quiet, although it took me about 5 minutes to recognise a Whitethroat call, which doesn't bode well. I was quicker with the second one! Walking further along to Thorpe Marshes, I walked around the path, doing my best to stop, scan and scowl at the guy that decided that it was a great idea to ditch jump and wander along the waters edge. I almost forgave him when he flushed a Greenshank, giving good flight views and distinctive "chew chew chew" call, but not quite. It's not like he gained anything, it was quite clear that he didn't see it, he was too busy staring at the back of Tufted Ducks (56 still around) as they swam rapidly away from him. I despair sometimes. Two Cuckoos were calling distantly, although no hope of seeing either, and still no sign of any Swifts.

.

Year total 182 species.