Cley

28-06-09

Me & Cath went to Cley, partly to enable her to see her first Spoonbill, and partly to try and catch some good returning waders (Lesser Yellowlegs was there the same time last year, plus Wood Sands starting to spread across the county). As it was we didn't see too much, but a couple of Bearded Tits, a Ruff, 4 Spoonbills and a Little Ringed Plover were a decent return for the morning. After lunch we spent a bit of time seawatching (pretty much just Sandwich Terns) and had just settled into North Hide when thick mist started billowing across the marshes, halving visibility. After 20 mins or so we gave up, completed our loop and got the bus back. A number of butterflies and moths about, including these...

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Leucistic Blackbird

20th June 2009

I know, everyone liked the Swallowtail picture, but it's just not a bird is it? I don't really talk about beer that much either (I have AA meetings for that). Luckily on my way to a music fair in the city I bumped into this partially-leucistic blackbird. I had been told by another local birder that there was one in Chapelfield Park, but I hadn't seen it on my daily walks through. The bird was initially feeding near Vauxhall Road until pedestrians flushed it, and further investigation showed it was feeding a fairly well-grown juvenile near Pedros restaurant. The juvenile bird showed normal plumage as I would expect (presumable leucism is a recessive trait), but that got me thinking whether juvenile plumages show albinism/leucism or not? Opinions welcome.

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Carey's Meadow

12th June 2009

An after work jaunt down to Carey's Meadow to look for orchids.

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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.

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Year total 182 species.

Whitlingham (14)

23rd April 2009

Having been at work all week I took advantage of a warm evening to get down to Whitlingham. The brood of 4 Egyptian Geese are all still alive and well, but the Mallard ducklings were down to 3! Walking round there were another two broods of Egyptian Geese (3 & 9), a brood of 4 Coot and a Moorhen nesting 6 feet up in a tree! The pair of Grey Wagtails were also around the Little Broad beach.

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Moorhen in a tree. According to the guy I was talking to, the Moorhens have to climb up the branches rather than fly in to the nest!

The Great Broad was fairly quiet, 13 Sand Martins and a singing Lesser Whitethroat were the highlights. Scanning the old workings produced one Shelduck and around 30 Tufted Ducks. Again my timing was off (next day Sandwich and Little Terns seen), but the walk was pleasant and had a good chat with one of the locals.

Whitlingham (13)

17th April 2009

Dragging myself out of bed, I made my way down to Whitlingham about half-pace. Along the Little Broad a Lesser Redpoll was singing in the alders and giving good views. A singing Reed Warbler was only seen briefly, and took a call recording for me to be confident it wasn't sedge! I must find some way of learning bird calls properly. The Egyptian Goose fledgelings have all survived so far, and a brood of 8 Mallard chicks had joined them. Both broads were devoid of ducks (6 Tufted, 9 Gadwall), but thats not too surprising considering the amount of dogs running around off leads. I imagined the following conversation, although it probably happens regularly. "Shirley, does that Conservation Area, Dogs On Leads sign apply to us?" "Don't be daft Bobby, we own a goat" "Oh yeah hur hur, silly me"

I counted five singing Cetti's Warblers, and four Sedge Warblers (seeing my first of the year). Hearing dogs barking loudly, I looked across the river where police were talking to the owners of the houseboat with the out of control dogs on it. I wonder if people have complained about them? A scan of the new workings turned up the missing 100-odd Tufted Duck, along with four Shelduck. Still no sign of any LRP though.

Continuing round, a flock of 15ish House Martins, 2 Swallows and a Kestrel flew over, a Grey Wagtail flew along the shore and the pair of Black Swans were on the slipway. A Gadwall looked like it may have a few farmyard mallard genes in it. A Blackcap was eating insects out of Blackthorn flowers, and a couple stared at me for taking pictures of a Treecreeper that they obviously couldn't see. I came home and had one of my Scottish beers, Harviestoun's Black Engine Oil. Described as viscous, chocolatey and bitter. Oh yeah.

Species list 173 species.

Whitlingham (12)

7th April 2009

Seeing how busy Whitlingham had been the day before, I planned an evening visit to avoid the crowds. Walking across Trowse Common a Kingfisher flew in a wide arc around the river. Some of the Tufted Ducks were already putting their heads into their wings, so I probably got there a bit late! There was a good range of ducks (no Garganey though); Pochard 6, Teal 2, Shoveler 4, Gadwall 12 and 140+ Tufted Ducks, along with a group of 5 Little Grebes. 5 Cetti's Warblers were singing, one of which we got a glimpse of. A lone Swallow flew over the east end of the broad. By the time we got to the far end, the sun was beginning to set. As we walked past the little Broad, four small bats (probably Pipistrelle) were hunting insects over our heads.

Whitlingham (11)

6th April 2009

Seeing that the country was being flooded by Little Gulls, I went down to Whitlingham in hope rather than expectation. As I'd suspected, the country park was full of families and dog-walkers, suffice to say no sign of any Little Gulls. As it was, 14 were reported from Colney GPs, so I wasn't far off. The day wasn't a complete failure, the first brood of Egyptian Geese chicks were on the Little Broad, and the 2 Black Swans were doing a brief courtship of head raising and bobbing. Further round I found a hybrid goose that me & Adam first saw last year. We think it's parentage is likely to be Lesser Whitefronted Goose x Barnacle Goose.

Around the back of the broad the Willow Warbler that started singing a week ago was still in the same group of trees, and back in Trowse a Kingfisher flew out of a buddleia and downriver. The next day I found to my despair that after I had left, a pair of Garganey were located that evening at Whitlingham by one of the punks. Darn it!

Thorpe Area

4th April 2009

A number of local sights visited, starting with Rosary Cemetery, where we saw two Nuthatches. Lion's Wood gave up another Nuthatch and a few Chiffchaffs. Carey's Meadow was quiet, give it another couple of weeks and it should be heaving with warblers. Finally we ended up at Thorpe Marshes, where I failed again to see any LRPs. Ample compensation was an Avocet, sitting on the shingle spit and occasionally being chased by gulls. This was the first one I've seen around Norwich, and a notable Whitlingham area tick.

This duck was smiling, isn't that nice?

Mousehold Heath

Feeling guilty for staying at home doing nothing, me & Cathy went to Mousehold Heath. Nothing out of the ordinary about, GS Woodpecker, Chiffchaff etc. Whilst I was there I got a call and offered a job! Hoorah. Two and a half months is quite enough unemployment for me! Three flyover Fieldfares were probably heading back north. We went to the Playhouse on the way home for a celebratory pint (Oak Grain).

In the evening I headed out again with Adam, walking the local stretch of the Wensum. Little about, three Chiffchaffs holding territories, and three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, including one in the middle of a park. I located them all by call, at this rate I'll be able to find everything like this in 60 years! We called in at the Fat Cat on the way back, which was absolutely packed. I had a pint of Wild Cat, then we wandered home.

Thorpe Station Marsh

31st March 2009

I braved the dogs to check out Thorpe Marshes again, hoping to see the Little Ringed Plover. Again I was unsuccessful, despite scanning every bit of mud and gravel I could see! If anyone knows exactly where to look, do share ;-) I did manage decent views of a Green Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatchers and 2 Kingfishers before the long walk back.

Whitlingham (10)

30th March 2009

The latest in my Whitlingham extravaganza. Not surprisingly, there was a similar range of species to the 27th, although I dipped a reported Goosander, continuing my poor luck at finding this species at Whitlingham. The Siskin flock was down to 2 birds, the Black Swan had moved to the Little Broad, and five Shoveler had re-appeared. The first birds of note were two Sand Martins that flew over high, and I had a run of Kingfisher, Cetti's Warbler and Chiffchaff around the conservation area. The bird of the day was a singing Willow Warbler, which I think is my earliest record.

Year list 156 species.

Whitlingham (9)

27th March 2009

Ignoring the weather forecast I went down to Whitlingham again, determined to find a migrant! Along the Little Broad a Mealy Redpoll was with the Siskin flock, showing a deep pink on the breast. Unfortunately the light was too poor for decent photos. At the edge of the Little Broad two Grey Wagtails flew along the bank, the third consecutive trip I've seen GW in the past few days, maybe new arrivals?

The conservation area was quiet, a Kingfisher along the river and three Little Grebes of note. Around the front the drizzle set in, but a nice bonus was a Black Swan gliding along. Having brought my camera, I was looking to get pictures of the geese, and had a look at a domestic-type goose, only to notice the two geese with it had Swan Goose-coloured necks. The beaks recall birds I saw last year, which I put down as Swan Geese. As they had knobs on the beak, internet research suggests it may be more accurate to say they were Chinese Goose (a domesticated form of Swan Goose) and the birds pictured are likely to be Chinese Goose x Greylag Goose. Interesting birds, and whilst looking at them, a hybrid Canada x Greylag swam into view as well.