Early morning happiness!

29/5/08 Denver Sluice - Simeon

I was all over the place in the last few days so I decided to keep it local today and got up at 5:00am to go to Denver Sluice. The usual stuff was about; Turtle Dove (2), Cuckoo (2), Great-Crested Grebe (5), and the normal warblers; Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Blackcap. It was nice, but nothing special. Then, a Roe Deer walked through a field and stopped at the edge of a ditch. It gave really good views and allowed me to get some lovely shots of it:

About half way along the main bank, I heard the "peep....peep" call of Oystercatcher and looked up to see 4 birds going South following the river. At the end of the bank a Grey Heron flew over me and I noticed a Fox walking across the cow field. I quickly set up my scope and got awesome views of it eating something it had cought. I was really lucky to get the views I did and of course, I managed a few shots!

It didn't seem afraid of me at all and eventually wandered into the nearby hedgerow - maybe it had a litter in there? The final highlight was just after I had photographed the Fox. I was standing looking at my photos when I heard a familiar wader call above me, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it! Looking up, I spotted two birds and got my bins on them as soon as I could. They were Avocets! Not the rarest of birds, but very nice ones, and they were a first for the Sluice! I returned home after a bit more photography very happy...

Above: Jackdaw

Below: Mallard

End of Spring?

28/5/08 Holme - Simeon, Connor, James
We started late and got dropped off at Holme. James had revision so he returned home. Connor and I stopped at Redwell Marsh first of all. The only bird of note was a male Ruddy Duck. Connor then phoned Ray Roche to see what he had had (he was also at Holme). We were then alerted of an Icterine Warbler at the beach car park! So we raced down there to find one or two others listening to the bird and watching a bush! After about 5 minutes of listening to the bird, I phoned James who was only in Heacham so he turned round and got dropped off at the end of Broadwater Road. After about 5 more minutes, someone got their iPod out and played the song, to which our bird responded by flying right over our heads and into a line of pine trees. After another couple of minutes and some OK views, the bird flew back to a large tree and then dropped into a plum tree next to it. Fortunately, it flew right onto the outside and good views were seen by all eventually.
We were then told about another Icterine Warbler that had been seen early morning on the NOA reserve and had been relocated at the West end of the NWT pines. So Connor and I then walked the back way to the Forestry, flushing a Nightingale out of a bush on the way! The habitat was good, but only common warblers were seen. Just before the NWT pines, we heard the second Icterine Warbler a few times briefly but it was deep in the scrub so we walked to the NOA observatory.
After a rest to have lunch we were about to do the final thrash of the Forestry but the Citrine Wagtail came up on the pager at Titchwell. I hadn't seen it yesterday as I was in Sussex so we got a lift to the reserve. On arrival no-one had heard of it and the report sounded "dodgy" apparently. Never mind... I would have to wait until another day to be able to tick off this species! There were plenty of other birds to keep us occupied though. 3 Temminck's Stints were on the mud along with 27 Little Gulls (some coming into their lovely summer plumage). A male Red-Crested Pochard was in front of the reeds at the back of the marsh.
It had been a great day and the Icterine Warblers had been a life tick for all three of us! Could this be the final push of Spring though?

A change of scenery...

27/5/08 Ashdown Forest - Simeon
My sister was having an outing to Thorpe Park and we were staying in Sussex so I met up with my uncle and a Bird Forum member called Deborah. We drove to Ashdown Forest - the largest area of open Heathland in the country. It was very different from Norfolk and we had a great time. The highlights were; 2 Cuckoo, 1 Kestrel, 2 Woodlark, 15+ Tree Pipit (singing loads and displaying), 3 Redstarts (including a beautiful male), a male Stonechat and a Buzzard.
It was really good but James ruined my day by telling me he had seen a Citrine Wagtail and found a Red-Backed Shrike in Norfolk!!! Oh well...

A twitch and a self find

Bored with memorising the reactions of methylbenzene, but determined to stick at it anyway, I was torn apart inside when I recieved the phone call from Connor about a Citrine Wagtail at Titchwell! Luckily mum managed to persuade me that I needed a break, so I gunned it down to the coast, bagging myself a Connor on the way. I felt bad about going without Simeon (who was in Sussex), but I reminded myself that he has Red-breasted Goose and Great Reed Warbler on his list, both birds I dipped sorely!

However, when we arrived it seemed as though I may not have to overcome my birding morals anyway, as it had been seen once since discovery. Little Gulls were everywhere, with a Garganey, Red-crested Pochard and Temminck's Stints, but no sign of the Wagtail. Things got even more frustrating as we learnt of the Red-throated Pipit at Blakeney! Suddenly Connor went beserk - the Citrine Wagtail had flown in right onto a patch of mud in front of us, what a stroke of luck! It stayed for a minute or so and we even managed to get a few photos!

Next we set off at a brisk pace for Blakeney, but realised that was an incredibly dumb idea (luckily before we reached the road) and decided to stop off at Holme on the way back. At first glance this may appear to be equally dumb, and birdwise it seemed that it was so. However, it was immediately made worthwhile when I found three baby foxes in the forestry! A Cuckoo, Turtle Doves and a Barn Owl were lovely, but no sign of the Icterine Warblers that were obviously staring at us concealed in the thickest of bushes. However, just as we were approaching the car park, our instincts were proved correct. Something flew up from the grass onto a low bush - not an Icterine Warbler, but a female Red-backed Shrike! What a cracking end to the day!

James

Lovely day

11/5/08 Lakenheath RSPB - Simeon and James
James and I were having lunch when a Great Reed Warbler came up on the internet at Lakenheath. After getting indigestion, we set out to Lakenheath, arriving within 25 minutes!
A few questions later, we had found out that the bird had originally been seen at about 12, but had only been heard once since. After 3 hours of waiting I got views of the bird a couple of times, but they were poor and brief. Unfortunately, James didn't! There was also a drake Gargeney and 1 Hobby present.
Just after we left, the warbler came up again but we only found once w3e were nearly home!

Stupidity...

10/5/08 North Norfolk - James, Simeon, Mr. Munns (former English teacher!)
James is sensible, as is Mr. Munns, but I, on the other hand, am the opposite. I went to a party last night and got to bed after 12, so getting up at 3:45 gave me less than 4 hours sleep. Then we walked Blakeney Point.
Surprisingly, I didn't fall asleep and roll down the shingle bank into the sea. Actually I nearly did at one stage - we were sitting on the dunes in front of the seawatching hide watching Little Terns and Gannets go past, when the small area I was sitting on gave way and I reached the beach within seconds! I just hope the National Trust don't read this.
Bird wise, the point wasn't that good at all - the wind was right, but there was no rain to put the birds down! Totals were; Song Thrush 1, Willow Warbler 1, Whinchat 2, Wheatear 1, Yellow Wagtail 1. There was also a lovely adult summer plumaged male Turnstone near the visitor centre, which should probably have been in Norway.
We then went to Choseley and had 7 Dotterel. They were closer than when we visited 2 weeks ago, but the heat haze was very annoying.
The last stop was Snettisham where we had 2 Little Gulls, 8 Med. Gulls and a Marsh Harrier, along with another summer plumaged male Turnstone.
It was a nice day, but we didn't get the hoped for rarity!

Best Spring I can remember!

5/5/08 North Norfolk Coast - Simeon, Connor, James
James and I started early with a stop at Pentney, but the Black Terns had left overnight! We then picked up Connor and stopped at Stiffkey where we found a second Temmink's Stint, but again, no Black Terns. Next stop was Salthouse for the Green-Winged Teal. Knowledge had suggested that the bird was only showing late afternoon, but luck was now finally on our side and the bird showed well on the far side of the second pool. It was distant and the light wasn't too good, but in the end it showed well.
The next stop was Kelling Heath, but after an hour of searching, no Dartford Warblers could be found. We were just about to go to the last possible place when a Subalpine Warbler came up on the pager. It was on Blakeney Point, but none of us had had it before so we went for it. We walked the point with 4 other birders. Reaching the patch of seuda we remembered how big it was and split up to search for the bird, as no-one was there. David Norgate finally found it and in the end we all got reasonable views of the bird. It was very hard though, and it was nearly always seen only when flushed! James, Connor and I eventually got views of it on the deck, so after a while we left. The final stop was Stiffkey where there was no sign of the Stints, but we finally caught up with three Black Terns, and just before we left, they all perched on fence posts for us to get then in the scope!
It was a brilliant day, and certainly the best spring one I can remember!