WHITE-TAILED LAPWING – A FIRST FOR NORFOLK!!!

Mark and Tracey Bradberry

Who re-found the WHITE-TAILED LAPWING this evening at 7.30pm!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 

I was just thinking about cooking some tea, when a message came up on the Norfolk Bird News WhatsApp group at 18.34 ....... someone (don't know who) had emailed another birder with a report and picture of a WHITE-TAILED LAPWING at Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park at 4pm!!!!!

I leapt off the sofa, ran, got birding gear, chucked in car and went........  I have seen this bird twice now and most recently at Frampton Marsh RSPB on the 29th March, where it was last seen on the 3rd April and not seen anywhere else, until today! Norfolk birders were hoping and praying this may turn up in Norfolk, before it continues its journey. I was dreading it turning up somewhere that it would be suppressed, thank goodness it didn't! This fabulous White-tailed Lapwing is a FIRST FOR NORFOLK!!! It was very frustating that the news had come out so late though, but huge thanks to the birder who received the email and got the news out!

Along Beach Road (just north off the A149 Dersingham bypass) at Snettisham, drive all the way along until you see the sign for the RSPB car park on the left hand side, drive a short distance past here to the pull in area on the right hand side, where there is room for approximately half a dozen cars at most – do not block the drive to the house here. I parked here and then walked along the road north a short distance past the house and then up and right onto the inner sea wall. I speed walked along this path/wall and could see ahead of me four other birders. It was pretty desperate as the light wasn't going to last much longer. The other local birders were Jim Lawrence, Daniel (don't know his surname) and Mark and Tracey Bradberry.

I eventually caught up with them about 25 minutes later, no one had re-found it yet. We frantically scanned with bins and scopes. Jim and Daniel had walked ahead and Mark and Tracey and I remainerd together – I looked round to see Mark looking intently through his Kowa scope "I've got it" he said!!! Mark is a very good birder and I knew that if anyone was going to re-find it, he would! Eagle eyed Mark found this about 3/4 mile away at the edge of a very distant pool! Wow! We waved like hell to Jim and Daniel who then promptly returned to join us. It was clearly identifiable with its yellow legs etc, but SO distant that I couldn't even phone scope it and I tried several times! No good for big lenses either from here. Marcus Nash then turned up and then he, Jim and Daniel walked further along the sea wall to try and good closer views and Marcus managed to get a phone scoped picture, which is on Twitter here. Mark, Tracey and I stayed with our two scopes on the bird for any late arrivals. The only other two people to see this were Mark Golley and his girlfriend Lynnette – they were VERY lucky indeed, seriously lucky, if they had been a few minutes later, they would not have been able to see it/ID it through my scope!

So eight people saw this tonight, lets hope and pray its there in the morning. Its highly likely its going to roost there and didn't move from its final position for quite a while – I last saw it at 8.05pm. We walked back in the dark to our cars. I can't remember the last time I had to work a Sunday, but guess what? I am at work ALL day tomorrow, so won't be able to return until tomorrow evening at the earliest!

Walk along the sea wall for approximately 25 minutes, then walk a short distance past where you can see the path off to the right, that leads down the sea wall to a gate (to walk south across the marsh) – stay on the sea wall and then you should be able to see this view below – note my white crosses where the WTL was:

View from where we were standing – white cross is where the bird was!

Closer view of the spot

Closer still of the spot!

 

For anyone going in the morning, if you are not an early bird to get the free spaces where I parked, you have the choice of the Beach car park which is £2 for one hour, £5 for 3 hours and £6 for maximum time – there is a height barrier which is 2.10 metres – this is at the end of Beach Road, you can't miss it! OR park in the RSPB car park and walk. Should be a good twitch, as no one will be able to flush it where it is! GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!

Congratulations and thank you very much to the finder!