Tuesday, 7 January 2014
Benefits of non-motorised year-listing ?
Much impressed by Chris's approach to low-carbon, non-motorised year-listing (see last post but one), I thought I'd nip out today for a quick lunchtime birding session. I didn't really have time to cycle to the reserve then walk all the way back and I didn't really fancy dumping my bike in a bush for an hour, so thought I'd just do the drive there and back bit (but in a car, not in a van, hopefully producing less by way of carbon emissions) and do some birding, without a bike to get in the way of my scope. As it happens, I went to the cliffs on foot, got blown about a bit, but I did see an adult Little Gull. The highlight though was some Common Mouse-ear in flower, which I'd certainly have whizzed by whether on my bike or in car or van. Just goes to show what you can miss if you get from A to B too quickly !
Monday, 6 January 2014
The first moth of the year
One of two Winter Moths found moribund at the base of a beech tree in the downs on 1st January. On the previous evening, I drove through hordes of them along the Old Hunstanton to Ringstead road. Let's hope 2014 turns out to be as good as 2013 was for moths
A Punctuated Day with more new birds & mammals
I started out aboard my mountain bike, pulled in at Old Hunny church again, no Long-tailed Tit or Great Spotted Woodpecker but recompense in a single Fieldfare.
On to Holme a quick stop at Redwell produced a squealing Water Rail. Then mega close up of the Short-eared Owl off the boardwalk I wheeled past at 5m! Then an almost repeat of yesterday's birds on the sea all 3 Divers, very good views of Great Northern & Black-throated, plus Red N Grebe, 3 Velvet Scoter (2E & 1W). Highlights for the year-listers & me 3 Pintail, Pied Wagtail & I at last caught up with Greenshank. Both Common & Grey Seal
were also seen & the 2 Chinese Water Deer were again in the fields near Redwell.
I then headed to the village & frustration arrived in the form of a puncture! I really didn't want to lose my Non-motorised year list (NYML) birds, so there was nothing for it.......a long walk back to Hunny. my mood was immediately brightened as 2 Long-tailed Tit, called from nearby bushes.
I arrived home around 3.30pm quickly snaffled some food & headed back in the minibus to collect the bike. I decided to hang around & 2 Barn Owls & 1500 Pink-feet were nice. But a stroll at dark down the dead end drove produced 2 more year birds - Tawny Owl & Woodcock! These will have to be recovered on the NYML at some point---hopefully!
Chris 109
On to Holme a quick stop at Redwell produced a squealing Water Rail. Then mega close up of the Short-eared Owl off the boardwalk I wheeled past at 5m! Then an almost repeat of yesterday's birds on the sea all 3 Divers, very good views of Great Northern & Black-throated, plus Red N Grebe, 3 Velvet Scoter (2E & 1W). Highlights for the year-listers & me 3 Pintail, Pied Wagtail & I at last caught up with Greenshank. Both Common & Grey Seal
were also seen & the 2 Chinese Water Deer were again in the fields near Redwell.
I then headed to the village & frustration arrived in the form of a puncture! I really didn't want to lose my Non-motorised year list (NYML) birds, so there was nothing for it.......a long walk back to Hunny. my mood was immediately brightened as 2 Long-tailed Tit, called from nearby bushes.
I arrived home around 3.30pm quickly snaffled some food & headed back in the minibus to collect the bike. I decided to hang around & 2 Barn Owls & 1500 Pink-feet were nice. But a stroll at dark down the dead end drove produced 2 more year birds - Tawny Owl & Woodcock! These will have to be recovered on the NYML at some point---hopefully!
Chris 109
Patch Predictions!
A little bit of fun I hope Andy, Chris and Gary (when he get back from Ecuador) take part in...
1. Great Shearwater on a August sea watch.
2. Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Twite marsh.
3. Alpine Swift at Holme.
Rob
1. Great Shearwater on a August sea watch.
2. Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Twite marsh.
3. Alpine Swift at Holme.
Rob
Kingfisher
The sea was still producing the goods this morning from Gore Point with 2 Red-necked Grebes, 3 Great Northern Divers, Black-throated Diver, 4 Pintail west and a female-type Velvet Scoter east (Chris had 2 drakes west before I arrived). Short-eared Owl over the Grazing marsh was a Patchwork Challenge (http://patchworkchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/) yeartick and a Greenshank called from Twite marsh. A trip into the village produced good views of Kingfisher and a heard only Bullfinch.
The Bramblings were still present in Hunny and on the Downs a Marsh Tit and a Treecreeper put in a brief appearance.
With the additions of Pintail, Pied Wagtail, Kingfisher and Bullfinch the patch yearlist stands at a extremely pleasing 111.
Robert
Birds: 111
Plants: 10
Mammals: 7
Fungi: 5
Moths: 1
The Bramblings were still present in Hunny and on the Downs a Marsh Tit and a Treecreeper put in a brief appearance.
With the additions of Pintail, Pied Wagtail, Kingfisher and Bullfinch the patch yearlist stands at a extremely pleasing 111.
Robert
Birds: 111
Plants: 10
Mammals: 7
Fungi: 5
Moths: 1
Sunday, 5 January 2014
Wagtail hunt turns up Roe Deer
After spending an age trying to spot a flock of c100 Brent Geese containing a single Pale-bellied bird - which Chris could see well from his vantage which was a field, swamp and river away from mine , I tried, in vain, to find a Pied Wagtail. A nice Roe Deer was in the field at beet field at the west end of Green bank though and three hares seemed to be enjoying the peace and quiet up there.
Great Birding - the power of the sea!
I headed out via my mountain bike at dawn & following Andy's tip stopped off briefly & successfully nr Old Hunstanton church, 5 minutes knocked off Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch & Coal Tit!
I then headed to Holme, halfway down the beach road I slewed to a halt, the Short-eared Owl was hunting over the horse paddocks, good start to the day.
I spent an hour at Gore Pt, 1 & then 2 Redpolls (claiming these as Lesser, boys!) flew over head, good bird considering the paucity of birds around.
The sea from here was still heaving with Red-throats, Great Crested grebe, Red-breasted merge, a dozen Eider flew by, auks, Kittiwake, 6 Long T Duck, but no year-ticks!
I tried off the Firs & met up with Robert, we then scanned for 30 mins, plenty of birds & eventually another good bird - Velvet Scoter, female flying east. With a report of Great N Diver & Slavs off Gore Pt from another birder I hot-fotted back to there. En-route I heard the "chu" call overhead & managed to bin a flyover Lap Bunt!! It was heard again by a few people at Gore Pt a while later.
Back at Gore Pt, we met up with Andy & Robin. More action with a Black-throated Diver, then a cracking female Merlin went cruising through the creek. More red-throats & eventually a big lumpy Great Northern Diver flew west. Birds were moving continuously, Red-throats, Mergs & at least 6 Long-T-Duck, plus Andy caught up with several Kittiwake.
I then picked up a cracking male Goosander flying east, another really good patch bird, fortunately year-listers 7 visitors all nailed it. Also a lovely flock of c70 Snow Bunts were on the beach below us.
We headed back to the Firs & tried the sea from here again! No new year birds, but lots of good stuff, 1 Black-throated Diver, 2 Red-necked Grebe, 15+ Red-throated Diver, 4 Goldeneye, 1700 2 flyby Long T Duck, more Mergansers, auks & GC Grebes.
By now it was gone 2pm so we all headed for home, I cycled back along the River Hun. I stopped off & scanned c400 Dark-bellied Brent, locating 1 juv Pale-bellied Brent.
I topped off a good days birding on the patch with a Stock Dove on fields just before reaching Hunny.
74 species recorded today. Year list moves on to 101 (new year birds in bold!)
I then headed to Holme, halfway down the beach road I slewed to a halt, the Short-eared Owl was hunting over the horse paddocks, good start to the day.
I spent an hour at Gore Pt, 1 & then 2 Redpolls (claiming these as Lesser, boys!) flew over head, good bird considering the paucity of birds around.
The sea from here was still heaving with Red-throats, Great Crested grebe, Red-breasted merge, a dozen Eider flew by, auks, Kittiwake, 6 Long T Duck, but no year-ticks!
I tried off the Firs & met up with Robert, we then scanned for 30 mins, plenty of birds & eventually another good bird - Velvet Scoter, female flying east. With a report of Great N Diver & Slavs off Gore Pt from another birder I hot-fotted back to there. En-route I heard the "chu" call overhead & managed to bin a flyover Lap Bunt!! It was heard again by a few people at Gore Pt a while later.
Back at Gore Pt, we met up with Andy & Robin. More action with a Black-throated Diver, then a cracking female Merlin went cruising through the creek. More red-throats & eventually a big lumpy Great Northern Diver flew west. Birds were moving continuously, Red-throats, Mergs & at least 6 Long-T-Duck, plus Andy caught up with several Kittiwake.
I then picked up a cracking male Goosander flying east, another really good patch bird, fortunately year-listers 7 visitors all nailed it. Also a lovely flock of c70 Snow Bunts were on the beach below us.
We headed back to the Firs & tried the sea from here again! No new year birds, but lots of good stuff, 1 Black-throated Diver, 2 Red-necked Grebe, 15+ Red-throated Diver, 4 Goldeneye, 1700 2 flyby Long T Duck, more Mergansers, auks & GC Grebes.
By now it was gone 2pm so we all headed for home, I cycled back along the River Hun. I stopped off & scanned c400 Dark-bellied Brent, locating 1 juv Pale-bellied Brent.
I topped off a good days birding on the patch with a Stock Dove on fields just before reaching Hunny.
74 species recorded today. Year list moves on to 101 (new year birds in bold!)
Saturday, 4 January 2014
Bird total soars to 108
Just added Water Rail from Jan 3rd. As Rob says - not a bad day at all. After we parted, I had Bullfinches on Holme Marsh between showers and a small flock of Fieldfares in hedge on A149 at Holme turn-off.
Good run continues...
The patches good run continues after a sea watch from The Firs produced the first Slavonian Grebe (two) & Great Northern Divers of the year. Two absolute beauties to nail so early in the year! Both species can be pretty hard to catch up with. The 1st winter Black-throated Diver Chris & I had on the 2nd was still offshore and again just beyond the surf. A walk out onto Lavender marsh, Thornham for Mipits and Rockits proved fruitless but worthwhile with a female Melin and two Whooper Swans west. With the rain looking settled in I called it a day after lunch but just before I left I checked North Field where Andy had seen the manky (Lesser?) White-fronted Goose hybrid with the Greylags but I couldn't locate it. Three Snipe went over though which was new for the year.
Rob - 101
Friday, 3 January 2014
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