THORPE MARSH: LRP, Green Sandpiper & Sand Martins

10th April 2013

A trip to Thorpe Marsh this morning, and reaching the bridge the unfamiliar but welcome sound of a Chiffchaff reached my ears. The water level on the scrape looked too high for smaller waders, and the only birds on the water were some Teal. A second Chiffchaff sung from near the railway line and a couple of Lesser Redpoll flew over. The only bird of note on the marsh was a Reed Bunting, one of several around the site today.

Scanning from the bird screen I couldn't see anything on the spit, but I heard a Green Sandpiper nearby so I decided to walk to the end of viewing area at the edge of the broad and have a look around. Carefully scanning the shingle broad edge I found a Little Ringed Plover, and later a second bird also emerged. Some loud calling behind me drew attention to a Water Rail out in the open. After turning my attention back to the Little Ringed Plovers I re-scanned the spit, finding a Green Sandpiper. A second Green Sand flew up from the broad and towards the edge of the river. A Sand Martin flew past my head, and soon after it was joined by four more, swooping and chattering before continuing on their journey. All in all a very successful morning, and it did actually feel a bit like spring!

Despite appearances, this Green Sandpiper did have a head

On the way back I noticed a small white flower which looks like either Common Whitlowgrass or Hairy Whitlowgrass, both of which would be new for me.

[A good day locally: also in Norwich today - A Red Kite flew over Thorpe later in the day, a Common Sandpiper was at Marston Marsh, a Med Gull flew over Eaton Park and a Spotted Redshank was at Bowthorpe Marsh]

WHITLINGHAM: Egyptian Goslings

23rd March 2013

A Lesser Scaup in Lincolnshire acted as a spur to get down to Whitlingham today, along with my eternal spring target, Garganey. It was sleeting as I left, which later turned to snow, and finally ended up being blown horizontally at me by the strong easterly winds. Stopping alongside the Little Broad I got excellent views of a feeding Water Rail, and also a quieter than normal flock of Siskins.

On the Great Broad I saw that a pair of Egyptian Geese had six goslings, around a week earlier than the past couple of years. Further round I saw another Egyptian Goose looking very squat as it shielded its brood from the snow. I didn't disturb them, but caught up with them again at the end of my walk and counted at least eight goslings in a big huddle. Elsewhere around the broad I heard a Bullfinch, saw 19 Pochard, 60+ Tufted Ducks, a displaying pair of Great-crested Grebes and a Mute Swan on a nest.

There was a final point of interest before I left. I had seen a caravan in the overflow car park last week and wondered why it was there. I went over to read a notice on the gate nearby and saw that a camp site is opening in that area. I don't have a particular issue with this, but I did notice that it features boutique-y Shepherd's Huts, which sounds rather like one of those "masterplan" schemes that there was meant to be another consultation about. A brief bit of further investigation also suggests that these aren't mentioned on the planning application that was accepted by the Broads Authority, so this may warrant a post of its own once I have done a bit more research...

WHITLINGHAM: City Pochard & showy Water Rail

23rd February 2013

There is only so much time you can spend at home waiting for the Vatican to reply to your job application, so I gave up and headed down to Whitlingham. The car had given up the ghost last weekend, so I walked along the river, and was rewarded with a drake Pochard, looking out of place in the river basin just north of the Lady Julian Bridge.

Pochard with Norwich castle in the background

Having walked along the edge of the Little Broad I stopped and scanned, and a Water Rail ran out in front of me. It didn't go too far, so I moved and took up a position a bit further along, and was rewarded with cracking views as it walked along the opposite side of the ditch. 

The first time I have managed to photograph Water Rail here

Further along I spotted a Kingfisher perched in an Alder, although it soon flew off as some people walked past. I had a good scan of the broad, hoping that the cold weather (it was snowing at this point!) would have brought in some more wildfowl, but in fact it was quieter than usual. The best bird seen in the second half of the visit was a Great Black-backed Gull, which ominously appeared to have blood on part of its beak. GBBGs aren't particularly common here, but I soon saw another, this time with the gull flock across the river on Thorpe Broad. There were more ducks here (although similar numbers to my previous visit, so not accounting for the 'missing' Whitlingham birds). On my way home I saw a Goldcrest in the hedge near Trowse Meadow, only a couple of feet away.