Thayer's Gull and Bank Holiday patching.

Other Birding not listed in the Title

During the week we went to see the Peregrines at lunch, nice to see and will be making many more visits over the coming weeks.

A small family of three Jays also sat like statues in the Cathedral grounds, took a few minutes for me to be convinced they were actually real.

The moon was also showing well one night last week

On Good Friday it was my daughters Birthday so no actual birding was allowed. But the weather was nice so did have some time in the garden.

There were at least 20 frogs in the pond doing what they do this time of year.

I spotted this pale Buzzard fly over, which got me excited twice as by eye it first looked like an Osprey and when it circled a big white rump was showing so I thought Rough-leg, but once optics and camera were retrieved it was clearly neither.

I also have a very approachable Siskin in the garden.

10th Visit to Pigneys Wood 26th March 2016

An early visit to make the most of before the clock changed and stole an hour of morning light.

An obvious mix of winter and spring was in the air, with Fieldfare and Redwing flying over and an abundance of Chiffchaff singing all around the wood.

Plenty of Wrens in full song also.

As well as the same showy Song Thrush from the week before, this time in better light.

Around the reeds at least 5 Water Rail were present as well as two Bearded Tits and a Kingfisher.

Two flyover Meadow Pipits were the first for the year at Pigneys.

This hybrid goose has moved in, my guess CanadaxGreylag ?

Three drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers were nice to hear also and this one allowed be to get my most black and white full colour photo ever.

A Muntjac was showing just as I was leaving.

Pigney's species seen this visit 45 total for the year 69.


5th Visit to Ebridge 27th March 2016

Another dawn visit, and a nice sunrise to watch

As for the birds Canada Goose was the first for the year at Ebridge, as was the Kingfisher that flew through.

Otherwise the birds were fairly quiet although I was limited to time as had to hide some eggs in the garden. This Goldfinch was nice though, as well as Bullfinch, and Lesser Redpoll.

Ebridge species seen this visit 43 total for the year 64


Minsmere - Thayer's Gull

Yeah I braved the weather and saw the Thayer's Gull

I found shelter and waited for it to brighten up slightly in the effort of a better picture.

The the local Peregrine had other Ideas.

Most birds drifted off towards Sizewell, so I followed them scanned through with no luck, although it wasn't easy scanning through 3000 birds.

I was cold and wet so didn't stay long, but manged these pictures.

Blakeney and two great mornings on the Patch

4th Visit to Ebridge 19th March

An unbelievable 3 species for the year added to the whole patch year list, and a whopping 17 new species for the area.

I got on site well before dawn, and with only enough light to just about see I headed off.

Reed Buntings were in full song as I walked along the river.

Water Rail were also around creeping along the edge of the reed beds.

Teal were flying off from the river with a Total of 12 birds seen, the first seen at the site this year. Two Tawny Owls flew into the woods another new bird for the site.

I managed to sneak up on this Chinese Water Deer to get this picture.

Also saw Red & Roe Deer and a Water Vole.

Next a new bird for the year on the patch as Two Egyptian Geese flew over. Follow by the 100th bird on the patch as a Gadwall took off the from the far end of the river, the first ever for the site.

I then stood at the far end of the river as it got light, this is where I added most of the new birds for the site this year as they started to become active.

Redwing flew over, Yellowhammer started to sing, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit and Goldcrest started to move around the bushes.

Greylag, Mallard, Herring Gull and a patch year tick Lesser Black-backed Gull also flew over.

These Cormorants were also new for the site.

 

Before walking back Great Spotted Woodpeckers started to drum nearby, and two Brambling flew in.

Walking back this Heron flew over....

....and this Mute Swan gave a swim past.

The last bird seen of note and new for the year at the site was a Sparrowhawk.

A fantastic early spring dawn visit.

Ebridge species seen this visit 51!!! total for the year 61.

Blakeney

After the patch visit I had work to do but luckily this was finished by lunch so I headed to Blakeney Fresh Marsh.

In the car park was this very showy Jackdaw.

I then walked along the sea wall seeing Teal..

Little Egret....

and Redshank.

Large flocks of both Curlew and Oystercatcher were in the harbour.

I then arrived at the Lapland Bunting site and was straight onto the birds. Someone has kindly but some seed down to allow people some amazing views.

Probably saw around 8 birds but never at the same time a definite 6.

It wasn't just the Lapland Bunting that impressed me.

With Skylark giving great views to.

 A small flock of Chaffinch also showed well with strangely 5 females and 1 male. 

A few Reed Buntings also came down to the seed almost in their full spring finery.

A Marsh Harrier flew over scaring every bird up into the air from the Buntings to the Brent Geese.

This Rock Pipit dropped in for a while before moving on.

 

This Black-headed Gull is nearly ready for spring.

After Blakeney I went for a walk around the nearby heathlands with this Linnet the only bird I saw.

9th Visit to Pigney's Wood 20th March

I got out early again. Early birds were the usual Blackbird, Robin and Song Thrush singing the night away.

A Water Rail was sat out in the open briefly, Munjac and Roe Deer were also around

A surprising 7 Buzzards then took off from the wood and drifted away.

A part from the above showy Song Thrush this Barn Owl was the real highlight of the morning.

Did have Tawny Owl and two pairs of Great Spotted Woodpecker, the Nuthatch was also around.

Pigney's species seen this visit 45 total for the year 68.

Total species on the patch this year 101.

Sheringham and the Patch

On Saturday, I had to pop to Cromer so headed down to Sheringham after, in hope of seeing the Purple Sandpiper.

Didn't see it the tide was out which I think never helps as then the people come out.

The Turnstones were showing well and at one point one actually hopped on my leg.

I also found this female Eider that was very close inshore.

She seemed tired and slept for the most part.

But did wake up and started feeding before I left.

7th Visit to Trimingham 12th March 

Not a bad start with this Buzzard perched up.

Although bird numbers seemed down I actually added 5 Ticks for the Timingham part for the patch.

Nothing unusual but surprising to be adding Great Spotted Woodpecker, Rook and Long-tailed tit so late into the year.

And the other two added were the Wintering Brambling and the Summering(ish) Chiffchaff.

Trimingham species seen this visit 34, total seen 64

8th Visit to Pigney's Wood

All was incredibly quiet at the woods as I walked around. Not many birds about, nothing calling, nothing singing.

Then I had one of them random 5 mins you get every now in then with birding where a group of quality birds appear at once.

I first stumble upon these Goosander..

Then this Sparrowhawk flies over...

A Kingfisher calls and lands out of sight in a nearby tree, a Great Spotted Woodpecker then drums and last but not least a Tawny Owl starts calling.

After this birds kept cropping up making the quiet day a worth while visit.

These Mute Swans seemed rather unsettled and kept fly around.

Then this Heron gave a fly past.

Water Rail started screaming in the reeds and a Cetti's Warbler sat up gave a blast of song and dived back into the reeds.

Plenty of Great Tits seemed to be paired up, along with Long-tailed Tits and Blue Tits.

Then on of the last birds of the day was the Chiffchaff that has been here all winter, this is the first and only photo I have managed.

Pigneys species seen this visit 43 total for the year 65.

No new birds for the whole patch so total still stands at 98.