In search of winter birds, Day 3 - Norfolk 2015

Day 3 began with yet another hearty breakfast, which was much needed given that we were going to spend most of the day in the field. Whilst loading the car we recorded another new species for the trip, a Goldcrest, and then we were ready to go.

Choseley Barns

Choseley Barns has been a regular stop for us over a number of years as it has been a guaranteed site for Corn Buntings, Yellowhammer and Tree Sparrows. One by one the species have declined and this year we recorded none. There were other species present, including four Blackbirds, a Chaffinch, a handful of Common Gulls and six Red-legged Partridges. It is so sad to see that despite various government schemes aimed at protecting farmland bird species, they continue to decline. Of course we do not know the reasons for the loss of farmland birds from Choseley Barns, but can make an educated guess.

A149 at Brancaster

We were feeling a little depressed after our visit to Choseley Barns but our spirits were heightened as we approached Brancaster. There was a large flock of around 6,000 Pink-footed Geese feeding in a field close to the road. We quickly took up some well-placed locations along the road and began to work our way through them. There have been some Bean Geese in with the Pink-foots but we did not find them. In fact we didn't have the time to finish our search as a couple of dog walkers flushed them, so we moved on.

Pink-footed Geese - Brancaster

Pink-footed Geese - Brancaster

Wells Harbour

Our next stop was Wells Harbour in search of the long-staying Shag, and also a Red-necked Grebe that has been present on and off this winter. The tide was high when we arrived and there wasn't really much to see. A shout from Paul quickly alerted us to a Red Kite that was drifting east over the harbour, a scan of the sky line produced two more hunting behind the harbour over East Hills.

Red Kite - Wells Harbour

We continued our search for the Shag and eventually picked it up sat on a spit on the opposite side of the harbour. Apparently when it is not feeding it roosts in this spot or on the jetty, so hopefully it will be a regular feature each winter in the future.

Shag - Wells Harbour

Cley Coastguards, East Bank and Arnold's Marsh

Our next stop was Cley Coastguards and a scan for the wintering Black-throated Diver. We picked up on a good candidate immediately and after a short deliberation we concluded it was the bird. A scan over the sea produced a couple of Common Scoter and a couple of Red-throated Divers.

After quick stop at the centre to check for any news and a scan over the marsh we decided to walk up the East Bank in search of a reported Golden Plover. There were very few birds on the marsh, Teal, Avocet, Dunlin and Grey Plover to name a few. The Golden Plover was all alone on the beach, not the usual place to see one, but it was the only one we had seen on the trip to date, so a welcome sight.

Golden Plover on the beach at Cley

We headed back down the East Bank and picked up a calling Bearded Tit (or Reedling or Parrotbill). At first it was the other side of the ditch, but soon flew across and began grubbing around at the base of a patch of reeds. It was amazing to watch the bird as it fed, it was scraping back the earth with both feet like a miniature chicken. It was occasionally calling but regularly sat up giving excellent views.

Bearded Tit - East Bank, Cley

Bearded Tit - East Bank, Cley

Bearded Tit - East Bank, Cley

Bearded Tit - East Bank, Cley

Sheringham

With time pressing on we headed to Sheringham in search of Purple Sandpipers. This is another site we visit annually, but have only ever seen them here once. We picked up a bird on one of the groynes, but it quickly went out of sight. We began working our way along the promenade to get a better view when we spotted another. This one was on a rock right next to the car park, and stayed there for several minutes giving excellent views.

Purple Sandpiper - Sheringham

Warham Greens

The harrier roost at Warham Greens was our final stop of the day. We arrived at just after 3pm and picked up a flock of 48 Golden Plovers in a nearby field. It was a bright, sunny day and ideal for looking for raptors. A couple of Marsh Harriers were hunting over the marsh and a Peregrine perched up on a distant sandbank. Our first Hen Harrier was brief, but the second, a cracking male performed well. Further sightings brought our total to at least three male and two female Hen Harriers, a Merlin, a Peregrine, a Sparrowhawk and one Barn Owl. It was pretty dark by the time the Barn Owl came past but I managed one record shot.

Barn Owl - Warham Greens

Great Bircham
We arrived back at our accommodation and were greeted by a couple of calling Tawny Owls   from the nearby trees. It was pitch black by now but we were able to make out their distinctive shape.

We finished the day on 88 species with several new species our grand total was now 115, so not bad after three days birding.

In Search of Winter Birds, Norfolk 2013 - Day 3

For day 3 of our trip we decided to start at Burnham Overy Staithe in search of the rough legged buzzard that had been in the area. We set off just after sunrise, but en-route our attention was drawn to a large flock of geese that appeared to be dropping into a nearby field around Choseley. We immediately changed direction and headed inland towards them.

Pink-footed geese Anser brachyrhynchus

We had yet to encounter a large flock of pink-footed geese on this trip but the spectacle of thousands of geese flying over calling, then wheeling around as they fall from the sky, really makes these trips worthwhile. Today we must have timed it perfectly, as the geese were moving inland from their overnight roost before dispersing across the landscape.

Pink-footed Geese

It was so difficult to count how many birds were present since they were constantly on the move, then dropping out of sight into a distant field. We estimated that there were at least 7,000 birds in this one flock.

Pink-footed Geese

When on the deck the geese were quite nervous, taking to the wing as soon as any potential predator approached. In most cases they needn't have worried, as what was approaching was a brown hare. The hares seemed unperturbed by the presence of the geese and would just carry on their daily routines, often running straight across a field through the middle of the flock, making the whole flock take to the wing.

Brown Hare Lepus europaeus with Pink-footed Geese

We arrived at Burham Overy Staithe as the tide was falling. A few waders (ringed plovers, redshank, bar-tailed godwits and a knot), were scattered sparsely over the mud, and marsh harriers hung in the wind. A quick look out to sea from the dunes produced a couple of red-throated divers, common scoter and eider, and a flock of white-fronted geese grazed on the fresh marsh behind the dunes.

If there is one rule in birding it is always to expect the unexpected, and today that rule was re-enforced by the presence of a purple sandpiper on a freshwater pool, in the middle of a meadow at Cley. Typically in winter this is a species of coastal, wave-washed, seaweed covered rocks, well at least that is their habitat in Hampshire. The bird at Cley was on a freshwater pool, along with a lapwing and a redshank, not the sort of habitat I have seen them in before. It was feeding in a similar style to the black-bellied dipper, submerging its head and walking forward in search of food....very bizarre!

Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima with Redshank and Lapwing on a Freshwater Pool

After our brief visit to Cley, we decided to head back to an area where we had recently seen some barn owls feeding. Visitors to North Norfolk in the winter will be very well aware of how visible and approachable this species can be, and subsequently how easy they are to photograph. Unfortunately, the light today was not so good and therefore I had to set a high sensitivity level on the camera to stand a chance of getting even a half decent photo. 

Barn Owl Tyto alba (male)

As we headed towards our destination we were greeted by a stunning male barn owl hunting along the roadside verge, a precarious place for this species to hunt. The bird seemed oblivious to our presence, making several close passes before heading off across the field.

Barn Owl (male) 

This individual was a male, which can be seen by the pure white, unspotted underparts, females tend to have a more yellowish tinged breast with fine dark spots.

Barn Owl (male)

With not much light left for birding, we headed back to our accommodation for a short break before another well earned visit to the local pub.

In Search of Winter Birds - Norfolk 2013 Day 1

So here we are again back in Norfolk for a spot of winter birding and a chance to catch up with birding friends from around the country. Our trip would normally begin at Lakenheath Fen, but this year we decided to start in Thetford. An odd place to start one might think, but this year a black-bellied dipper, the nominate (European) race of the British sub-species, had decided to take up residence on a small stream next to BTO headquarters. 

Black-bellied Dipper Cinclus cinclus cinclus, Thetford, Norfolk, the nominate  race from 
Northern Europe and North-western France. The resident race in the UK is 
Cinclus cinclus gularis, which is distinguished by the presence of a reddish brown 
colouration beneath the white throat.

During previous visits to Norfolk when this sub-species has been present, we have spent hours looking, but to no avail, this year however, we spent seconds looking and there it was! Unfortunately, the light was very poor and combined with steady rain photography was difficult. We spent a good half an hour enjoying what proved to be a very confiding individual, in stark contrast to the birds I normally see in Valency Valley, Cornwall. The British sub-species of dipper has a rich reddish brown colouration between the white breast and the dark brown belly. This individual lacks this reddish brown patch, as can be seen on the picture above.

Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra feeding along the river bank on the Little Ouse, 
Thetford Photo A. Mason

Before heading on to our next stop we had a quick stroll along the Little Ouse in Thetford is search of a resident otter. Initially we were unsuccessful before an animal was spotted feeding along the opposite shore. The otter was feeding directly under the bank and when submerged it could be followed by a line of air bubbles breaking the surface. In recent years the otter population has seen a marked recovery and many individuals, as this one can be very approachable.

Whooper Swan - Lakenheath Fen

Content with our views of otter and dipper we headed on to Lakenheath Fen. The birds have not been guaranteed at Lakenheath this year, probably due to a combination of the high water levels and the mixed weather conditions (one day mild, one day freezing). We did manage to see the usual species, such as marsh harriers, bearded tits and a brief view of a flying bittern. 

A lone whooper swan, which was associating with the local mutes swans, was a welcome surprise, and a male barn owl gave us prolonged views for a while, but unfortunately it was the other side of the river so the the views were distant. A hunting peregrine provided us with  a brief but exciting view, whilst flocks of lapwing and fieldfare moved steadily overhead. 

Barn Owl (Male) - Lakenheath Fen

Having exhausted the birding opportunities at Lakenheath Fen we headed north to our accommodation at Great Bircham. Our journey was briefly interrupted for a flock of over 100 Bewick's swans, before pressing on to our destination. 

Bewick's Swans

So by the end of our first day we had seen 64 species of birds, the highlight for me was undoubtedly the black-bellied dipper, but for others the otter was the star. The most interesting thing was undoubtedly the large movement of lapwings and thrushes, movements such of these are usually associated with cold weather but there is no cold weather in the forecast....where are all these birds going?

What a difference a year makes.....

This time last year we were basking in gloriously summery weather conditions and ringing record numbers of migrant birds at Titchfield Haven, in particular large numbers of Grasshopper Warblers, with over 70 captured in the first week of ringing. This year however, we are still suffering from the effects of a lower than usual jet stream, and very unseasonably wet and windy conditions. It is therefore not surprising that so far the autumn migration has struggled to get going, and after four sessions we had not even managed to catch a total of 100 birds.

Juvenile Grasshopper Warbler

We did manage to catch our first Grasshopper Warblers of the year though, one on Thursday 12th and one on Saturday 14th. Both birds were juveniles, and since they do not breed at Titchfield Haven they must have been migrants. We did also catch an adult Willow Warbler, which is another species that doesn't breed at the site so must be a migrant, this bird won't be going anywhere for a while though because it was undergoing it post breeding moult. Presumably it has given up on breeding and moved to the coast to moult before moving on.

With the ringing session over, after having ringed another disappointing total of 20 birds, I headed back to Manor Farm Country Park to check on the Barn Owls, and I am pleased to report that they were doing very well.

Juvenile Barn Owl

The larger of the two birds had lost all its down and looked as immaculate as an adult bird. Its primary feathers were no longer in pin and it was in very good condition. The second, and smaller of the two chicks, had also put on some weight and grown significantly, in fact it was much heavier than the older bird.

Juvenile Barn Owl

I have to admit I was worried about these two owl chicks and how their parents wood fare catching food in the often wet nights we have been having, so I was very relieved to see them doing so well.

What's in the Box?

Had a busy day planned today checking nest boxes at Manor Farm and then doing some dormouse monitoring at Titchfield Haven, and so a 5:30 start was the order of the day.

There are eight owl boxes at Manor Farm, which are situated in a variety of locations, and many have been used over the last few years. We started down near the farm museum and were instantly rewarded with a brood of six Common Kestrels. The chicks were very well advanced and had almost fully grown wings, but we still managed to ring them.

Juvenile Kestrel

The weights of the different birds ranged from 189 to 210 grams so they were all healthy, the parents must have worked so hard to rear six chicks.

A Cosy Brood of Kestrels

The next box that we checked is located in the farmland in the middle of the park and last year there was evidence of a roosting Barn Owl but no sign of breeding. However during the early spring, when in search of Woodcocks, we had heard Barn Owls calling, so I was quietly hopeful that we would be in luck. Sure enough as I looked in the box there were two chicks nestled in the bottom. The larger chick weighed 380 grams and was beginning to grow its feathers but the smaller one weighed only 300 grams, but it did have a very full stomach. It must be so difficult for Barn Owls to provide enough food when we have weather as bad as we've been having in the UK recently. I will go back and check on them in a couple of weeks to see how they are doing.

Barn Owl Chicks

The next box we checked had been occupied by Grey Squirrels in previous years, but this year there was another brood of Kestrels. Well when I say a brood, one chick, one long dead chick and an addled egg. So a much smaller brood than in the other box, but success all the same! This chick was smaller than the smallest chick in the other brood, but only just, weighing 182 grams.

Juvenile Kestrel

The next two boxes were empty, but then success again, this time a brood of two Stock Doves. These birds were just starting to grow their primary feathers but one was still quite downy, and weight wise they were very similar at 238 and 242 grams. I have not ringed this species at the park before so it was a nice addition to the ringing list.

Stock Dove Chicks

The final box was also occupied by Stock Doves, but the eggs had not hatched yet. Before leaving we popped into the stables to check on the resident Barn Swallows. Five chicks were in the nest but they were too small to ring so we will have to go back next week. 

My next stop was a visit Titchfield Haven for some dormouse monitoring. I have been helping out with the monitoring for a couple of years now whilst also training the rangers towards a Natural England licence. We started at a site to the west of the main reserve where 30 boxes are up, and had several other rodent species, Yellow-necked and Wood Mouse and Bank Vole, before we found our first dormouse. The nest was classic, stripped bark on the inside with very fresh, green leaves around the outside, it was so clean and tidy we felt bad disturbing it .

Dormouse Nest

The animal inside was a female and she was a good size, weighing 18.5 grams, and seemed to be quite unperturbed by the handling experience.

Female Dormouse

In fact, she was so relaxed that she seemed to find it a struggle to stay awake.......bless!

Sleepy Female Dormouse

Our final stop was Titchfield Haven and the boxes around the bird ringing area. There is a mix of nest tubes and boxes here, but only around 20 in total. We found a couple of nests which had been made this year, but no animals other than another Bank Vole, a nest with young Bank Voles in and another Yellow-necked Mouse.