WHITLINGHAM: Hobby & an unusual Swift

30th May 2013

An overcast day, once again bringing the Swifts and hirundines low over the Great Broad. There had been a change in the ratio since my last visit, with a rise in House Martin and Swallow numbers and a decrease in Swifts. I left the south shore and went through the woods to look for a 'green man' carved stump that is somewhere in the woods. I didn't find that, but did find some interesting fungi on a log by the riverside. Shortly after a Hobby flew over towards Thorpe Marsh, my 99th patch bird of the year.

Possible Pluteus petasatus and a Peziza sp.

Back at the broad I was scanning the conservation area when I heard the mew of a Buzzard. Looking up there were actually three Buzzards, two of which continued to circle whilst a third bird (presumably an interloper) continued northwards. Birdsong was muted, but I did turn up a couple of interesting insects, notable Red-and-black Leafhopper and Red-headed Cardinal Beetle. As I neared the Watersports Centre a/the Hobby flew through the Swifts. I stopped at a suitable vantage point to try to re-find it, and in doing so noticed a Swift with a lot of white on it. The white wasn't constrained to the rump, and it was the same size as a nearby normal plumaged Common Swift, so it was fairly straight-forwardly an aberrant plumaged Common Swift. It continued to swoop backwards and forwards along the north shore of the broad, and eventually I managed to get several photos of it, none of them particularly sharp.

Incidentally if anyone does know where the 'Green Man' stump pictured here is, I would appreciate directions.

WHITLINGHAM: More Swifts and some interesting insects

25th May 2013

Still plugging away at Whitlingham, I arrived to find another huge Swift invasion under way. There were literally hundreds (at least 600+), and I was able to stand at the edge of the Great Broad and let them fly either side and over the top of me, sometimes so close I could hear the wings as they changed direction. A couple of Common Terns were calling, one in flight and one on a raft, and a Common Sandpiper was perched on one of the fishing platforms. I saw my first couple of hoverflies of the year too, including this Helophilus pendulus.

I saw my first damselflies of the year, with several teneral Common Blues on emergent vegetation. Other interesting stuff included a Slender Groundhopper and a smart Orange-tip. There were also a few more plants in flower, and an interesting green jelly like thing. It looked like a type of fungus, but having got home and checked, it is actually a mass of a type of Cyanobacteria.

WHITLINGHAM: Swifts, Cuckoo and May Shoveler

18th May 2013

An appointment in the city meant that I didn't get down to Whitlingham until lunchtime, but the overcast weather meant that it still wasn't unduly busy. Large groups of Swifts were still wheeling around in the sky like pointy-winged bats on acid. A scattering of Swallows and House Martins were still present but vastly outnumbered. The bird screen came up trumps (there isn't often much to see from here in summer), with a Common Sandpiper on the edge of the island and a pair of Shoveler. This is my latest patch record by quite some way, although I am aware of two later records for the site, both from the end of May. I finally heard my first Cuckoo (98) of the year, and after trying to pinpoint the sound it helped me out by flying into the trees on the island.

A bit further down the path I met another local birder, and we stopped for a chat. He had seen an aberrant Swift with a white patch, possibly the same bird that has been seen at Strumpshaw before. He had also noticed a leg ring on one of the Lesser Black-backs, although it was presumably one of the ones loafing on the broad as we couldn't find it on the posts to read the ring. One other interesting sighting from April was of an adult Med Gull he had seen amongst a flock of Common Gulls, a species that still eludes me here.

On the way back along the south shore I there were three broods of Canada Geese - judging from the size one of the original broods that was missing last week has died, but there are two new broods. Three small Greylag goslings must be a new brood as well, adding to the impressive year for this species here. Whilst searching for a singing Garden Warbler I noticed an unobtrusive green-flowered plant called Crosswort, which turns out to be new for me.

Crosswort

WHITLINGHAM: Red-rumped Swallow (no, I didn't see it)

13th May 2013

There is probably no more frustrating time to hear that a rare bird has been seen on your local patch than Monday morning. I had been at work for around an hour when Neil came in, asking if I had checked BirdGuides recently. It turned out a Red-rumped Swallow had been seen at Whitlingham at 08:12, a site first and a bird I've never seen. It could have been a nervy day waiting to see whether it was still there when I finished work, but as it turned out a text from Justin told me that it hadn't been seen since 08:25. I had checked through the hirundines on the previous day to no avail, which combined with the large arrival of Swifts on Monday (estimate of 1000, up from c300 on Sunday) suggests that the Red-rumped Swallow had just arrived. Interestingly one was seen early morning on 14th May 2012 at Colney GPs, so hopefully we are starting a trend of mid-May Norwich area records; although hopefully the next one will stick around!

I'm not sure that there are any, but if any photographs were taken I would be very interested in seeing them.

WHITLINGHAM: Swifts and goslings

12th May 2013

I made an early morning trip to Whitlingham to complete May's WeBS count. The weather was overcast, which meant that a huge number of Swifts and hirundines were feeding low over the broad. They moved in relentless waves across the surface of the water surface, occasionally swarming up to form a screeching cloud when a patch of sunshine broke through. Twice they were parted by a male Kestrel cutting through the flock, but I once again failed to see the Hobby that has been kicking around for a couple of weeks. Lots of Swallows and House Martins were mixed in, along with a few Sand Martins.

It appears that this year is the best year I can remember for Greylag broods, as well as the super-brood of 13, there were broods of 2, 2 and 3 at the west end (plus the Swan Goosiest hybrid had a lone gosling), a brood of 3 in the conservation area and two broods of 5 at the east end. One brood of nine Canada goslings was along the south shore of the broad but there was no sign of the other one from last week. Duck-wise the Pochard had gone, so it was three Tufted Ducks on the Great Broad and one Gadwall at Thorpe.

Garden Warbler was the pick of the passerines, whilst I once again didn't see or hear a Cuckoo. A few more plants were in flower, including Greater Celandine, Common Stork's-bill and Dove's-foot Crane's-bill.

NORWICH: City centre Common Sandpiper

7th May 2013

A new inner Norwich tick today, with a Common Sandpiper on the River Wensum level with Greens gym. It flew along the river, briefly landing on the muddy edge of the river, before flying off, calling as it went.

WHITLINGHAM: Nice evening, no new birds

6th May 2013

A nice evening, so a quick lap of the broad seemed in order. Given that a few Little Gulls and Black Terns had been seen at other sites around the county I walked round anti-clockwise to scan the broad first. The net result of this was three Common Terns, along with a second brood of Canada Geese and three more broods of Greylag Geese. Two of the Greylag families appeared to have creched their young together into a group of 13. Nothing of interest flew over, and one of the Garden Warblers that I first saw on Saturday was the pick of the singing birds. Back in the car park I noticed loads of Cuckoo Pint had unfolded.

WHITLINGHAM: Warblers & Butterflies

4th May 2013

By the start of May most warblers are present and singing locally, so I headed down to Whitlingham in the morning to try to connect with the ones I hadn't seen. Conditions weren't perfect, a strong breeze in particular made hearing an pin-pointing bird song that bit more tricky. Despite this I managed to clock up nine species of warbler (Gropper being the only one I could reasonably expected to have heard - I don't know of any being seen here this year so far). I had to work hard to get views of a calling Lesser Whitethroat, but managed good views of two Garden Warblers. A count of Common Whitethroats produced a minimum of 12 around the Great Broad, almost certainly an undercount, with more elsewhere.

Whilst scanning across to Thorpe a passing boat disturbed a Common Sandpiper from the river margins, which flew up and appeared to land on the shingle edge of Thorpe Broad. Swifts were still very much in abundance, and the first brood of Greylags has hatched, albeit only two of them. There was no sign of the Mute Swans on the nest near the bird-screen, but no sign of any cygnets either. This nest was predated last year, so perhaps the same thing has happened again. There were a few butterflies around, including a Peacock, Orange-tip and two Green-veined Whites.

Incidentally the RSPB and Broads Authority are running a dawn chorus walk, boat ride and cooked breakfast at Whitlingham at Whitlingham tomorrow - I would welcome any sightings (or particularly counts) of singing warblers if any readers of the blog go on the walk.

NORWICH: City centre Canada Goose

3rd May 2013

A central Norwich tick on the way to work today with this Canada Goose on the river near Cow Tower. Also in the past few days a Chiffchaff and a Blackcap have been singing, and a pair of Mute Swans abandoned a nest they had been making and assembled an even bigger one near Fye bridge.

WHITLINGHAM: Canada Goslings & Whitethroats

2nd May 2013

I made a brief visit to Whitlingham this evening, hoping to catch up with a Hobby or Cuckoo, both of which had been seen earlier in the week. As I walked between the two broads a Weasel ran across the path and into some nettles. I waited quietly to see if it was still there, and was rewarded with a great view of it's head as it stood up to see if the coast was clear. A bit further round I had a Vole sp. run across the path as well.

There had clearly been another influx of Whitethroats since my last visit, they seemed to be singing from every suitable area of scrub along the north shore. A few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were also singing, but the birdsong in general was rather muted, and it didn't come as any great surprise that I didn't hear any Lesser Whitethroats or Garden Warblers. Looking out across the broad large numbers of hirundines (mostly House Martins and Swallows) and Swifts flew low over the broad. Looking over to Thorpe my hopes were raised by a soaring falcon, but as it got closer it became obvious that it was a Kestrel.

On my way back along the south shore I saw the first brood of Canada Geese of the year (8 goslings) and a large brood of recently fledged Mallard ducklings, accompanied by a dark 'bibbed' type adult.

WHITLINGHAM: More spring birds

27th April 2013

Well it's finally spring, traditionally the most bird-filled time to be at Whitlingham and the most likely to turn up an interesting species of non-wildfowl. Standing in the car park I heard Swifts (90), and looking up saw a small flock flying against the grey cloud. Walking through towards the broads I heard my first Reed Warbler (91) of the year singing from the hedge along the gas compound. I kept listening out for warblers as I walked along the north shore, stopping to see a Bullfinch at the top of one of the willows.

Further along I decided to make an effort to see a Cetti's Warbler, having only heard them so far this year. After a short vigil by the riverbank I did manage to get some rubbish views of one in the bramble scrub (92). Further along I saw the first of at least six Whitethroats (93). Further round and a scan of Thorpe Marsh didn't add anything, so I continued round to the south shore. Here I met Simon whilst scanning a couple of Terns, at least one of which was a Common Tern (94). He told me that he had seen a Wheatear at Thorpe earlier in the day. Being a species that I haven't seen locally I went to the woodland car park to scan across in the hope that it would be visible. Despite trying several different viewpoints (all obscurred to a certain extent by trees) there was no sign of the Wheatear.

So, six more birds until the patch hundred - I'm guessing Common Sandpiper, Cuckoo, Gropper, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Marsh Harrier are the most likely. Of course a Wheatear or something new would be even better... 

Everything looks better with a yacht

SOUTH NORFOLK: Ashwellthorpe Lower Wood

21st April 2013

A lovely sunny day, so we headed out to Ashwellthorpe Lower Wood in search of Bluebells and Early Purple Orchids. I had never been before, and nearly kept up that record as we went past the new car park twice (not seeing it the first time, then seeing it too late the second time!). As we walked down towards the wood a Peacock butterfly flew past us, and we were greeted by the strong smell of Wild Garlic just inside the wood. Many of the spring migrant birds have now 'caught up' following the late onset of spring, but it soon became apparent that the flowers are still well behind. We didn't see a single Bluebell in flower, and early spring flowers like Lesser Celandines and Primroses dominated. We did see lots of Wood Anemones, which was nice. On the bird front we heard a Tawny Owl and had a couple of Buzzards fly over, whilst butterfly wise we saw more Peacocks and Brimstones. A nice place, I'm sure we'll visit again at some point.

Wood Anemones

WHITLINGHAM: Arctic Tern influx

18th April 2013

There was a large passage of Arctic Terns throughout the day, and so it came as no particular surprise to find out that some had been seen at Whitlingham. What was a surprise however was the amount, with up to 18 being seen. This is the largest number there that I can remember, although I haven't gone through the Bird & Mammal reports to check this yet. Last year the main passage was on 24th April, when I saw 4 Arctic Terns and 7+ Common Terns, but this year all of the birds I saw were Arctic - in fact a Common Tern would have been my earliest patch record as I usually see them in the fourth week of April: 2008 (23rd), 2010 (25th), 2011 (21st) and 2012 (24th).

Arriving at Whitlingham in bright sunshine I saw some Swallows flying over the Great Broad, and picked up my first patch House Martin into the bargain. A double check for anything rarer (Red-rumped Swallow in Kessingland and several Alpine Swifts were seen today) came up empty. Scanning down the broad I saw some Terns, all east of the island. Reaching them I positioned myself in a gap in the willows so that I could scan without standing out. I counted 16 Arctic Terns, and got some excellent views as they flew back and forth, stalling and swooping to catch insects just over the waters surface.

WHITLINGHAM: Beautiful evening & the song of the Nightingale

15th April 2013

This evening was one of those lovely patch moments, glorious sunshine and lots of birdsong. There was however a particular purpose for my visit, the discovery of a Nightingale at Whitlingham for the second year running. Handily I was visiting the in-laws in Lakenham when I heard about it, so I borrowed a pair of binoculars and headed down to the C.P. Walking along the north shore I stopped to find my first patch Blackcap of the year, singing rather softly from some Alders. The message I had received had said 'north shore', so I decided to head to a likely area and wait. Whilst listening I heard my first Willow Warbler of the year nearby.

After a while I began to wonder whether the Nightingale would sing at all, or was I out of earshot? Another birder appeared, and he decided to continue further round and listen from there. A short while later he beckoned me along the path, and a few seconds later I moved into earshot of a singing Nightingale. It was close by but initially hidden from my view in an area of scrub, but it didn't take long before it flew into a small willow. I was able to keep on it, and we were treated to excellent views as it perched in full view, singing with gusto. The song seemed to attract the interest of other birds. A male Blackcap came into the tree but was ignored. Two Long-tailed Tits then hopped towards the Nightingale, which stopped singing and chased one of them around the tree and out into the next bush. The Long-tailed Tit did attempt to return, but was chased off again. I listened for a little while longer, before leaving and returning the binoculars.

Whilst waiting for the Nightingale I also saw a Swallow (and two Willow Warblers on the way back). This puts me in the unlikely position of actually being ahead of my usual mid-April tally, despite the late spring. This gives me a slight chance of beating my earliest 100 (4th May), but I'll need some luck, maybe a Tern influx?

Many thanks to the finder for releasing news of the Nightingale.

BRECKS: Breckland trip

14th April 2013

My last day of the holidays, and I took up Paul Newport's invitation to check out some Breckland sites. We started early and after a couple of brief stop-offs we reached our starting point. We then spent the morning doing a circuit of the area, in places making use of bits of two long-distance footpaths, the Eastern Pingo Trail and The Peddar's Way. An enjoyable day's birding was sound-tracked by the now numerous Chiffchaffs, with good views of birds such as drumming Great-spotted Woodpeckers, several Marsh Tits, Bullfinches, Treecreepers and Nuthatches. A calling Golden Pheasant stayed frustratingly out of sight deep within cover. In terms of migrants, a Swallow was all we had for most of the day, until a House Martin flew across the fields as we were preparing to leave.

Non-avian sightings included Red, Roe and Muntjac Deer, Brimstone butterfly, Orange Underwing moth and some Scarlet Elf Cups. We also saw this rather nice moss, which I may eventually put a name to.

[Edit] Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I have been told that this is Common Tamarisk Moss.