Sunday 31 January 2016

Hard work - patch work, and Carleton Forehoe

4th Visit to Gimingham this year

It was cold and windy yesterday, although sunny. An after lunch visit to the patch was on the cards, I started in Gimingham where during the week Six Goosanders had been seen (not by me), although none today. 

In general there were hardly any birds, Skylark was new for this bit of the patch for the year.

Also saw my first Snowdrops of the year.




Snowdrops

Gimingham - species seen this visit 15, total for the year 39

4th Visit to Trimingham 

Even more wind on the coast, made birding feel near impossible. With all land birds seemingly blown away the sea was my only hope.

On the walk do to the cliff edge a Pied Wagtail was feeding in the field this was new for Trimingham this year. As was the Buzzard that flew from the Middle Wood scaring the Wood Pigeons away.

I got the the cliff and anchored myself down so as to not get blown off. I managed to see one Red-throated Diver and 5 Dunlin on the beach before I gave up due to wind shaking the scope so much.


I walked back along the cliff up to the woods, and about 50 yards from the wood a huge Peregrine flies up over the cliff top nearly hitting me, I guess by size and colour it was a juv female.

This was a actually a year tick and I watched it fly west low along the fields scaring every Pigeon away as it went. It also spooked up a group of 65 Golden Plover.

The wood itself was dead, Wren, Robin and two Goldcrest, the far side of the wood was sheltered so I had another seawatch. 

I was soon onto many more Red-throated Divers and three Guillemot. A patch tick Fulmar flew through also and four Gannets.


Trimingham - species seen this visit 24, total for the year 57.

4th Visit to Pigney's

Very similar to Trimingham with not many birds around although it was getting late in the afternoon so that may contribute to the lack of birds. 

The Bearded Tits were still present, and a Kingfisher was around. 

A couple of bonus birds though with a Grey Wagtail which was new for Pigney's and a Woodcock flew from the undergrowth my first for the year.

Pigneys - species seen this visit 28, total for the year 58.


Carleton Forehoe

Today I was in the city anyway when the message about 2 Hawfinch came on the pager, I like Hawfinch so thought I would have a try.

When I arrived and the whole time I was there I didn't see another birder, I didn't see the Hawfinch's either but the other birds around were great.

I watched a Barn Owl Hunting for most of the time I was there, a Kestrel was far from happy with it and kept trying to chase it away.


A Little Egret fished the river and a pair of Egyptian Geese were making a racket in the fields.


A rather large number of small birds were around with Great, Blue, Long-tailed and Marsh Tit and lots of Chaffinch and Greenfinch. Quiet a few Nuthatch to.


No Hawfinch but a nice peaceful place.





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