Norfolk Birding - 2nd January 2025

 Jayne and I set out early this morning, to try and add a few more species to add to the Year List. We had a few false starts, but, in the end, managed to add 19 new species.

Our first new bird was Tawny Owl (46), that was heard from the house. Red Kite (47),  Kestrel (48), Curlew (49) and Blue Tit (50) were added on the drive across to Old Hunstanton, where, after a while, we managed to get distant views of the juvenile Glaucous Gull (51). Whilst walking along the beach, we had great views of at least 200 Sanderling, 10s of Redshank and Turnstone, 100+ Oystercatchers, Black-headed, Herring and Common Gulls.

Fieldfare (52) and Barnacle Goose (53) were added, on the drive to St Anne's Drive. Whilst searching (unsuccessfully) for the Long-billed Dowitcher and Shorelark (!!), we saw Ruff (54), Snipe (55). Chaffinch (56), Meadow Pipit (57) and Cormorant (58). 

Later in the day, a Sparrowhawk (59) flew low along the road, and, when we got to Stiffkey, we added House Sparrow (60), Great Spotted Woodpecker (61),and, perhaps the bird of the bird, a Glossy Ibis (62).

Glossy Ibis

Our last stop was Stiffkey Marshes, where we spotted a hunting ringtail Hen Harrier (63) and a female Merlin (64). Not a bad way to end the day!

Norfolk - 31st December 2024

 Today, Jayne and I came down to Norfolk for a few days. We started off our trip with a visit at Old Hunstanton to see a juvenile Glaucous Gull. Unfortunately, the bird had been seen early on, but had been disturbed by other visitors before we got there, so we "dipped out"! Thankfully, for us there were other birds around, including a singe Knot, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Sanderling , Common and Great Black-backed Gull  and best of all, a flock of 6 Shorelarks, that we managed to see.

Shorelark

Afterwards, we drove down to St Anne's Drive (Holkham Hall Estate), where we caught up with a Long-billed Dowitcher (204), that has been wintering with a flock of Black-tailed Godwits. We got great views, despite the strong wind, and even managed a record shot, before the flock got flushed by a Red Kite and a Marsh Harrier! A great bird to end the year on. 

Long-billed Dowitcher

Year List Update - 4th March 2019

The "Year List" has moved on again, with several new species added at Carsington Water last weekend (numbers 119 - 121), Red-legged Partridge at Linacre, Iceland Gull at Ogston Reservoir (1 adult and 1 1st winter) on Saturday, and Peregrine Falcon (Hardwick Wood fly over during a ringing session) and Great Grey Shrike at Clumber Park on Sunday.

Great Grey Shrike

Whilst at Ogston there were also a 1st winter and a near adult  "Viking" Gull a.k.a. a Herring x Glaucous Gull hybrid in the roost. The 1st winter looked very Glaucous-like, but had dark primaries, but I didn't manage to see the adult bird. Nice to see, even if it's not a  full species!

Year List update:
119 – Barnacle Goose (F)
120 – Tree Sparrow
121 – Snipe
122 – Red-legged Partridge
123 – Iceland Gull
124 – Peregrine Falcon
125 – Great Grey Shrike

Iceland - Day 1

Jayne and I were in Iceland for 4 days last week. It wasn't a "birding break", but we did get some nice views of the local birdlife, including 2 "lifers" and a darvic, colour ringed Redwing.

The first thing to say about Iceland's birds, is that there aren't that many... at least not in March! The first species we saw was Raven. Up to 6 birds were seen flying around together, and it was the only species of corvid seen during our trip. Having said that, they were very easy to see, and included several birds present in and around the streets of Reykjavik.

Raven

We spent our first day in Reykjavik, and it was here that we found a very noisy and confiding group of Redwing, feeding with a couple of Blackbirds and Starlings.

Redwing

In amongst the Redwing was a darvic, colour-ringed individual, 075. A quick search of the internet, found a project, The Turdus Project (see here), being run by the University of Iceland, and I was able to find out that this bird had been ringed in Reykjavik on 23rd May 2017, as a nestling. It had been reported  10 times in and around the city since then, and had not migrated. This is one of the aims of the project, to see the link between migratory strategy and breeding success, so it'll be interesting to see how the birds that stay in Iceland for the winter, do, compared to those that migrate. Here's the only photo I got of 075.

Redwing 075

A walk along the sea front produced several pairs of Eider Duck, whilst in the harbour we spotted Herring,  Lesser and Great Black-backed Gulls, and then, a couple of distant adult Glaucous Gulls. I tried luring them in with some bread (about £5.00 a loaf!!!), but they weren't interested. 

That's it for the first day. More in a second post.

North East Adventure

Every February half term I like to have a day out birding somewhere different. This year I spent a day with Luke travelling around the North East, picking up 2 "lifers", and 21 "year ticks".

The first stop of the day was Skinningrove in Cleveland, where an Eastern Black Redstart had been reported on rocks by the pier. We arrived at 8.30am, and enjoyed a couple of hours here watching the bird as it fed in amongst the rocks. It was a very confiding bird, coming to within a few feet at times. Although, not yet a full species, it's still a great looking bird and very nice to see. See here for details of the different subspecies.

Eastern Black Redstart

Also present here were several Stonechat, 4 Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks, Pied Wagtails, 4 Redshank, 4 Oystercatchers, Rock Pipits and c.20 Fulmars.

Next stop on our day trip was the Northumberland Wildlife Trust's East Chevington Nature Reserve. The main bird we were here to see was a juvenile Pacific Diver. With a little persistence and some help from another birder, we found the bird, swimming distantly with Mute and Whooper Swans. Unfortunately, we couldn't get any photos, so click here for some amazing shots of the bird, taken earlier in its stay. Other birds present on and around the reserve were: Shelduck, Red-breasted Merganser, Scaup (4), Slavonian Grebe (1), Gadwall, Skylark, Goldeneye, Mallard, Coot, Little Grebe, Lapwing, Curlew, Canada and Greylag Geese. Whilst here, we also walked down through the dunes to have a look for some Shorelarks and Twite that had been reported on the beach. Unfortunately, the Shorelarks weren't around, but we did see an amazing flock of c.90 Twite, and a few Linnets. Some seed had been put down by a couple of photographers and the birds kept flying in to feed about 10 feet away from us.

Twite

Ringed Plovers were also running around on the beach along with c.30 Sanderlings, including a colour ringed individual. Hopefully, I'll get the details of this bird, and update the blog later.

The last stop of the day was North Shields Fish Quay, where we hoped to catch up with a couple of "white-winged" gulls. The first species, a 1st winter/2nd calendar year Iceland Gull, was seen flying around as we parked up, but couldn't be found again (!), whilst a 1st winter/2nd calendar year Glaucous Gull was a lot more confiding. The bird flew in to some bread and sat a few feet away begging for more for the whole time we were there. Needless to say, we managed to get some great photos.

Glaucous Gull

Other birds seen around the quay were: Herring, Great Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls, 2 Guillemots, several Shags and Cormorants and 11 Eider Ducks.

Year List update:
80 – Red Kite (5 seen on the journey)
81 – Stonechat
82 – Eastern Black Redstart
83 – Rock Pipit
84 - Shelduck
85 - Pacific Diver
86 - Red-breasted Merganser
87 - Whooper Swan
88 - Scaup
89 - Slavonian Grebe
90 - Gadwall
91 – Skylark
92 - Goldeneye
93 - Ringed Plover
94 - Sanderling
95 - Twite
96 - Linnet
97 - Red-throated Diver
98 - Iceland Gull
99- Glaucous Gull
100 - Eider Duck
101 - Curlew

Glaucous Gull - Poolsbrook CP

No ringing today, due to snow, wind and family commitments, so when I heard about a juvenile Glaucous Gull at Poolsbrook Country Park, I thought I'd have a drive across to try and see it. I was in luck, with the bird present on the main lake and "showing well". I managed some decent photos, and a little bit of video footage (see here).

Glaucous Gull

As well as the Glaucous Gull, there were also Black-headed, Common, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, so I managed a couple of "year ticks".

Year List update:

63 – Great Black-backed Gull

64 – Glaucous Gull

White-wingers!

Every year several so called "white-winged" gulls appear in the UK to spend the winter. Neither of the two species are particularly common, so when I got the opportunity to look for both I jumped at the chance. Both species, Iceland and Glaucous Gull, have been reported on Birdguides at the Fish Quay at North Shields in Newcastle, so whilst visiting my son and his girlfriend, I popped across to have a look.

I spent a couple of hours on site yesterday morning and managed to see both species, a 2nd winter Iceland Gull and a juvenile/1st winter Glaucous Gull.

Iceland Gull

 

Glaucous Gull

 

These species can be quite tricky to tell apart, but luckily the BTO have put together this short video to help.

Also seen on site were over a dozen Cormorants, several Shags, Eider Ducks (make and female), Black-headed, Great Black-backed, Herring and Common Gulls, a winter-plumaged Kittiwake (my first ever) and a Turnstone.

Kittiwake (note the dark smudge on the head)

Year List:
88 – Shag
89 – Eider Duck
90 – Turnstone
91 – Iceland Gull
92 – Glaucous Gull
93 – Kittiwake