Penny's Hot Birding and Life!

Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????

2012-02-12T23:05:00.005Z

For the past few days I have been receiving tons and tons of exactly the same emails. It is driving me crazy. Yesterday I received around 70. I have never had this kind of problem before. I have to spend ages deleting them all on the iphone as well!!! Today I have received 101 emails which are titled the following:

"Delivery Status Notification (Failure) Inbox"

When I open the email up it reads the following:

From: Mail Delivery System
Subject: Delivery Status Notification (Failure)
Date: 12 February 2012 22:43:25 GMT
To: Penny Clarke

The following message to <1316601651@qq.com> was undeliverable.
The reason for the problem:
5.1.0 - Unknown address error 550-'Mailbox not found. http://service.mail.qq.com/cgi-bin/help?subtype=1&&id=20022&&no=1000728'
Reporting-MTA: dns; mk-outboundfilter-6.mail.uk.tiscali.com

Final-Recipient: rfc822;1316601651@qq.com
Action: failed
Status: 5.0.0 (permanent failure)
Remote-MTA: dns; [112.90.140.86]
Diagnostic-Code: smtp; 5.1.0 - Unknown address error 550-'Mailbox not found. http://service.mail.qq.com/cgi-bin/help?subtype=1&&id=20022&&no=1000728' (delivery attempts: 1)

From: 通知
Date: 12 February 2012 22:26:51 GMT
Subject: [POSSIBLE SPAM] 480745

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ANYONE ANY IDEAS PLEASE?

Titchwell RSPB - a glittery world of ice and birds!!!

2012-02-11T23:13:00.010Z

I got up very early this morning. Left the house at 6.15am and went to buy newspapers for my parents. It was unbelievably cold - I had every layer on imaginable. I caught an early bus to Hunstanton and then caught the Coastliner bus to Holme to deliver newspapers, arriving at 7.55am. My mother seems to have an adopted a stray cat which now has first choice of where to sit! Father was very fed up with the icy weather and stated that he had not been out of the house for 11 days due to the fact the road where they live, is still compacted ice. Had breakfast with my parents and then caught the next Coastliner bus to Titchwell RSPB arriving at 9.20am.

Titchwell RSPB
My Russian Style Cossack Hat I bought a year ago is so warm - I just love this hat and its also a good disguise - I said hello to several people today who did respond back how they normally would - they didn't know it was me! Anyway I started walking along the main path - glittering white snow and frost blanketed everything and the sun was shining brightly with blue skies. Eddie joined me half way along the path. Mealy and Lesser Redpolls were feeding on the Alders on the main path near the visitor centre. Goldfinches were feeding next to the path and also several meadow pipits and reed buntings were seen and of course several cute robins. The fresh marsh was completely frozen over and looked amazing, although I am sure the birds didn't think so! Two Chinese Water Deer were on the west side of the main path.

From the sea we had stunning views in the sunshine of 5 Long-tailed Ducks, 6 Velvet Scoters, tons of Golden Eye, 5 Eiders, a Great Crested Grebe, Sanderlings, 2 Ringed Plovers, Grey Plover etc. Standing on the viewing platform I attempted to stab my walking pole into the sand to balance my scope on (too much to carry tripod on bus/walk aswell) when I discovered that the sand was frozen!!!!! I have never seen the sand like that before! We walked back along the main path to watch 3 beautiful Smew on the Volunteer Marsh, a 1st winter drake along with 2 red heads at 11.10am and also close enough to get some record shots! Further along the path we watched along with others a Bittern on the Thornham pool - there were three at one point apparently! Couple of grey herons there also.

Had an early lunch in the Feeding Station - I am normally hard core and sit outside, but it was a joy to sit inside today!

Burnham Overy Staithe
Quick stop here to see if there were any rough-legged buzzards. A female Peregrine was seen over Holkham pines. Paul Lee was here, who is 60 tomorrow Eddie told me - you don't look it! - Happy Birthday for tomorrow.

Holkham Lake
I have not been here for a long time - it was a beautiful walk. The carpark is still free - hope its stays that way! The path to the lake held several woodland species including nuthatch (heard) and several treecreepers, although no woodpeckers were seen or heard at all. Fieldfare, redwings, mistle thrush and chaffinches were also seen along with loads of deer grazing and looking very photogenic in the snow by the hall. On the lake by the hall were a mass of wildfowl including loads of pochard, tufted duck, mallard etc, but nothing more excting. A few egyptian geese around too. I then had one of my best wildlife experiences ever - we followed the path along the lake and I suddenly spotted a Woodcock sitting inches from the path up ahead - I spent a long time stalking it and got so close with the camera that I filled the frame - it was magical being so close to this beautiful bird - its beady eye was keeping a close eye on me though - it eventually flew off into the woodland.

Wells-next-Sea
Common Buzzard seen along Beach Road. On the boating lake by the carpark we had fabulous views in the setting sun of 4 Red-headed Smew and also 5 Goosander (1 drake) along with 5 little grebes and loads of mallards. We were really chuffed with finding these birds here as RBA had a report earlier that the lake was frozen solid with no birds - the water had since melted enough in places for the smew and goosanders to return.

Stiffkey Campsite Carpark.
Got here a bit too late really, but did see a barn owl, whilst drinking coffee.

I got the 5.43pm Coastliner bus from Stiffkey, arriving back in King's Lynn at 7.10pm and then had a 20 minute walk home. Fell asleep as soon as I got in!

The Met Office reported: "Temperatures on Friday night fell widely below minus 10 degrees Celsius across parts of southern and eastern England with Holbeach in Lincolnshire recording a minimum -15.6C, making it the coldest night of the winter across the UK so far and also the coldest night since Boxing Day 2010."

PICTURES TO BE ADDED

First ever killer whale sighting off Norfolk, at Sheringham - News - Eastern Daily Press

2012-02-11T23:10:00.000Z

First ever killer whale sighting off Norfolk, at Sheringham - News - Eastern Daily Press

Killer Whale seen off Sheringham, Norfolk!!!!

2012-02-09T22:38:00.017Z

News about this from "Rare Bird Alert" "Killer Whale east past Sheringham at 8.15am" today. Wow what a sight that must have been - a female, seen by Giles Dunmore (ex Norfolk County Bird Recorder) and Phil Vines. See here: http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/first_ever_killer_whale_sighting_off_norfolk_at_sheringham_1_1206930#.Tzb1acFBj0g.blogger

Heavy snow again late afternoon and its still snowing now at 10.30pm - looks like another trudge in the snow to work again in the morning!

Its my mother's birthday today and my sister Lucy's tomorrow - expensive time in February! Currently baking a chocolate cake for Lucy.

Norfolk Bird News
Some really good birds around in Norfolk the last few days with good numbers of Smew around the county including 23 at Saddlebow in King's Lynn yesterday and a count of 19 today. Also 3 smew at Wells, 2 at Hickling, 3 at Downham Market, 1 at Whitlingham Country Park. Rough-legged buzzard at Holme and Holkham. 2 Firecrests and 4 Shorelarks at Holkham. 440+ Red-throated divers (incl 391 west in 30 mins) off Titchwell!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 Twite at Cley. 2 Ross's Geese at Holme. 35 Waxwings at Great Walsingham. Also 22 Goosander on Wells boating lake today see here. Also 25 Goosander at Downham Mkt (Relief Channel) on the Nar Valley website!!! Also more smew counts from the narvalley email group!

10 inches of Snow!!!

2012-02-05T11:00:00.003Z

When I opened the front door - snow fell in! It took me an hour to walk to work this morning and I was late. It was seriously hard work walking through 10 inches of snow on the pavements. Not snowing this morning though and hopefully it won't! I don't think we need any more today!

I was supposed to be working until 9pm but I couldn't go on any longer and asked to finish at 8pm - took me 20 minutes to get dressed up for the walk with wellies etc and it took the slightly less time of 40 minutes to walk home. No more snow had fell since this morning, but with fog and ice predicted for the morning I will have to allow at least an hour to walk to work.

Snowed in!!!

2012-02-04T23:28:00.007Z

I awoke to a magical, sunny, sparkly white scene - the heaviest frost I have seen lately. I didn't hurry this morning as I was birthday shopping for my mother and Lucy, so knew I wouldn't get much birding done. Topped up the bird feeders and table and bashed out the solid block of ice from the bird bath. Put a second bath outside and filled that one with warm water - I read somewhere that birds love to bathe in warm water in this kind of weather and why not! Whilst having my breakfast I sat and watched a good selection of birds in my garden: a song thrush, 2 robins, collared dove, wood pigeons, hedge sparrow, blue tit, blackbirds and 2 starlings who ate my daily ration of meal worms at a tremendous speed! The robins raided the raisons first, almost as soon as I had shut the patio door!

Walked into town to buy presents and do some errands and then ended up in the Wimpy, which actually was really nice - nice because a plate of food was put in front of me and I haven't cooked it and because it was relaxing sitting and people watching. I know a fast food take away is not exactly the Ritz but I prefer simple food and you can't beat fried eggs, hash brown and beans with toast and a cup of tea! All good for the waistline! Its pretty hectic at work at the moment and I tend to get quite stressed and very emotionally involved with my job - probably too much so. My one day off needs to be relaxing!

Caught the 1.30pm Coastliner bus to Holme to deliver mother's presents. As the bus arrived at Hunstanton I noticed that there was a light covering of snow, which I hadn't expected as King's Lynn was clear of snow. I had a really nice time chatting with my parents. At 3.30pm I decided to go for a walk in Holme. I walked along the main road and down Eastgate and past the church - a green woodpecker was feeding in the churchyard and a large flock of goldfinches were in a tree. Next to the church is my old primary school, which is now a weekend cottage. I have such fond memories of this little school. I continued to the junction with Peddars Way and walked north along 'Busseys Lane' and through 'NOA Redwell Marsh' to the pay hut and along the boardwalk path to 'Gore Point' and across the beach to the seas's edge. Good numbers of lapwing on the marsh and a marsh harrier distantly, but little else. From the boardwalk I watched a short-eared owl and a barn owl hunting over Holme marsh and 15 curlew flew over towards the 'Saltings'. On the shore there were sanderling, oystercatchers, redshanks, herring and black headed gulls etc. A group of what looked like eiders were sitting mid-distance on the sea, but with now fading light I couldn't be sure and also I didn't have my scope with me. The dunes had a good sprinkling of snow which made the beach look very atmospheric. The walk along the beach was so peaceful, there wasn't another person or dog in sight - a rare occurence! I walked back the same way and heard a tawny owl on route. I arrived back at my parents house just in time to pick up Lucy's presents (from my parents) and walk to the crossroads to catch the Coastliner back to King's Lynn. Still no sign of snow. I had another 25 minute walk to my house from where the bus dropped me.

7.45pm - snow started to fall. After dinner I baked a chocolate cake - a practice one before I make another for my sister's birthday next Friday. A major blizzard outside and several inches building up - can't see the cars by 10pm. 12am - just measured outside, there are 6 inches so far and its still falling heavily. Can't see the bird baths at all! Looks like I will be walking to work in wellingtons in the morning - bother!!! Also means my shifts will be seriously hard work as loads of staff won't be able to get in!

PICTURES TO BE ADDED

Snowy Weekend Ahead!!!

2012-02-03T23:58:00.006Z

With fog warnings thrown in aswell, l am glad I am not driving at the moment!
Snow forecast by 1pm on Saturday.

Severe weather warnings for the weekend here:
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/ee/docking_forecast_weather.html
http://www.accuweather.com/en/gb/hunstanton/pe36-6/hourly-weather-forecast/329722?hour=8

Anglian Water says region could suffer ‘worst drought since 1921’ - News - Eastern Daily Press

2012-01-31T20:26:00.000Z

Anglian Water says region could suffer ‘worst drought since 1921’ - News - Eastern Daily Press

BREAKING NEWS: Armed robbery in Lynn - Crime and Courts - Lynn News

2012-01-31T19:06:00.001Z

BREAKING NEWS: Armed robbery in Lynn - Crime and Courts - Lynn News

Update: police recover Mercedes used in King’s Lynn armed robbery - search continues for BMW - Crime - Eastern Daily Press

R.I.P.

2012-01-30T22:29:00.001Z

http://www.noa.org.uk/

A Beautiful Day!

2012-01-28T23:01:00.004Z

Our intention was to arrive at Holkham at first light to watch and photograph Firecrests in the sunshine. But news of 17 Cranes yesterday at Titchwell changed our plans.

Driving through Ringstead along the 'Thornham Road' by "Blue Stone Farm" we watched 2 Corn Buntings on wires at 8am which was a good start to the day. It was a beautiful morning, with early morning mist, making beautiful landscape scenes.

The message to RBA yesterday at 6.01pm of 17 Common Cranes being seen at 9am east of Chalkpit Road, Titchwell was enough to get several birders out looking in the area this morning. Several birders, who had travelled quite alot of miles to get here - that's petrol, money and time. Time is something very precious to most of us nowadays. It certainly is very precious for me - I work most Sundays doing an 11 hour split shift, aswell as working a full 37.5 hour week, Monday to Friday. Birding time for me on a Saturday is very precious indeed. We searched and scanned along with several other birders around the roads and fields, but no sign of any cranes. Obviously they have moved on I thought? We saw a ring-tailed Hen harrier at 9am between Ringstead and Thornham and also a sparrowhawk. After much searching, we ended up at Choseley Barns and had lovely views of 9 fieldfares, a mistle thrush, song thrush and a common buzzard.

Titchwell RSPB - a Siskin was feeding on the alders next to the main feeders. We didn't see the Coues's Arctic Redpoll this morning. We were sitting having breakfast in the feeding station when I noticed on RBA via my iphone that the cranes had been seen again! This is what the message at 10.10am read: "19 Common Cranes south of Titchwell in field at 8.30am then flew off" - bit selfish I thought to watch them at 8.30am and then put the message out an hour and a half later and also why didn't they say which direction they cranes had flown? THEY DIDN'T SAY, BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANY CRANES ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME!!! I phoned RBA to find out it was the same person who had reported them yesterday. I did some homework and asked around to find out that the person who reported the cranes is a hoaxer. Very sad really, because besides wasting alot of people's valuable time and money, if they do ever find anything good, no one will ever believe them!

Brancaster Staithe harbour - stopped here briefly and photographed turnstones and dunlin. One of the turnstones was colour ringed (got photo of).

Burnham Overy Staithe - 11.45am. 5 Lapland Buntings flew over the stubble field adjacent to the A149. 2 Rough-legged Buzzards with 2 Marsh harriers distantly over Holkham pines.

Wells Quayside - there were 6 little grebes by the quayside. Holkham - north west corner, 3 common buzzards circling overhead.

Holkham Pines - how things have changed. Twenty odd years ago, there would have been hardly any cars at this time of the year parked in Lady Ann's Drive. It looked like a bank holiday weekend! Dogs barking, children screaming and general mayhem - not a peaceful scene. Walked west along the path through the pines and eventually had good views of at least two Firecrests in the Holm oaks by "Salts Hole". Several goldcrests about too and a lovely view of a Chiffchaff which I managed to photograph (back end of!) high up in a Holm oak only 50 yards west of Lady's Ann's on the way back to the car.

Cley NWT - Visitor Centre - scones and jam with a pot of tea! Daukes's Hide - Eddie saw the Western Sandpiper distantly - it flew off and we couldn't refind it again. Several marsh harriers cruised round, scattering all the wildfowl.

PICTURES TO BE ADDED

17 Cranes my Ass!!!

2012-01-28T21:59:00.003Z

Done a bit of homework on the person reporting the cranes at Titchwell yesterday and today and very sadly, it looks like it was a hoax. I could name and shame them, but I won't be that cruel. They have wasted mine and others valuable time this morning. When they grow up and get a job, they will realise how precious time is. This person's blog gives so much away about them - birds apparently photographed in the wild, when in fact they are photographed in captivity and in a very well known place!

17 Cranes at Titchwell today!!!

2012-01-27T22:12:00.003Z

On RBA - 17 Common Cranes SE of Titchwell in field east of Chalkpit Road at 9am. Y'day 10 Common Cranes (for 3rd day).

It would have been really nice to have known about these in daylight hours and to have seen those on my birthday, would have made my day. Oh well - nice for whoever saw them.

Update: HOAX

Its My Birthday!!!

2012-01-27T00:45:00.004Z

21 Today!!!

Have a day's holiday and going birding!!!

A beautiful sunny, but cold day.

The day didn't start well - I missed the first two coastliner buses - eventually arriving at Holme at 10.15am. Walked through the village and went to Holme Marsh Bird Reserve. From the first hide there was a grey heron, loads of teal, mallard and tufted duck. A water rail called and two bullfinches were seen. A marsh harrier was seen from the second hide, but little else.

Walked to my parents house and sat chatting for a while. Father was chuffed to bits with, as he called it 'a fan mail letter' in the EDP complimenting his dedication etc as warden at Holme Bird Observatory in response to last week's front page article (January 17th) in the EDP and double page spread on the 50th year anniversary of Holme Bird Observatory. The anniversary is actually on 6th September this year.

I caught the bus to Titchwell RSPB where I met Eddie. Had my best views ever of the Coues's Arctic Redpoll feeding on alder catkins almost above our heads in the sunshine along with Lesser Redpolls. An incredibly sweet, fluffy robin posed every possible pose for my camera by the seat on the Fen trail. Had lunch at the Feeding station.

Flight views of 23 Lapland Buntings in the stubble field adjacent to the A149 at Burnham Overy Staithe and a lone Common Buzzard sat on a tree. Barn owl at Burnham Overy Mill and another one near Wells.

Went to Holt and bought a new pair of sealskinz waterproof gloves. Now back in King's Lynn and out birding early tomorrow.

PICTURES TO BE ADDED

Raining Redpolls!!!

2012-01-21T23:10:00.004Z

Fabulous Day's Birding!

I was speed walking along the road from my house to catch the coastliner bus and had intended on walking Burnham Overy Dunes and Holkham, when Eddie unexpectedly cruised along the road beside me! So change the plan and went to Fakenham to see the Great Grey Shrike, which obliged straight away - as soon as we got out of the car it flew up from the hedge, but I was not able to capture it on my camera at all.

Salthouse - wonderful scene of 50+ turnstones feeding in the carpark along with a flock of around 30+ snowbuntings, which were very mobile due to wind and flushing photographers with exceptionally bad fieldcraft! I lay down and stayed motionless on the west side of Beach Road waiting for the snowbuntings to return to a favoured spot - they flew back near me and were gradually getting closer for some decent shots, when several big lens photographers walked straight towards them and flushed them without a thought for anyone else. I suppose being female and only having a baby lens I don't really count or matter in the slightest! I was not a happy bunny (Eddie was even less happy), but remained calm and just left - can't be doing with it.

Kelling - the two Coues's Arctic Redpolls showed beautifully in the garden near the teashop, along with an unbelievable scene of at least 70+ Lesser and Mealy Redpolls all feeding on the lawn and on the niger feeders. Goldfinches and house sparrows added to the scene. I got a frame filling picture of one of the 'Coues's just by the wall! Bumped into a few familiar faces here too! It felt so cold, it felt like it was going to snow!

Cley NWT Visitor Centre for warm up, lunch and catch up with several good friends - nice to see you all.

Kelling - again for more views of the Redpolls. The Coues's showed again and sat in the tree with now failing light, but did not feed on the ground this time - too late in the day. Had a nice surprise and bumped into John (BF Reader) http://www.coventrybirder.co.uk/ The owner of the garden, kindly requested that a maximum of two people stand by the wall at any one time and the others stand on the other side of the road to view. Eddie gave us all a laugh - he was standing on the turf lining the stream and stepped back into it - I received one of Eddie's 'you are going to die' stares for laughing - couldn't help it x!!!!!!!

Mid Norfolk - waited in the dark to see a Long-eared Owl and we were just about to give up when the Long-eared Owl flew over the hedge at 5.30pm, across our car headlights and sat in the tree next to us briefly before flying off again - fabulous end to the day!

PICTURES TO BE ADDED

The First Annual Scottish Bird Fair!

2012-01-20T21:19:00.001Z

19-20 May 2012

http://www.scottishbirdfair.org.uk/

Hot Winter Birding!

2012-01-16T23:45:00.006Z

Good selection of birds in Norfolk today including:

Great White Egret flew over Belton Marshes, Rough-legged Buzzard at Holme NWT and also at Chedgrave Marshes and Holkham, Snowbuntings at Cley, Titchwell and Caister, Shorelark, Tundra Bean Goose and Lapland Buntings at Holkham, Coues's Arctic Redpoll remains at Titchwell (note a french birdwatcher on Saturday confimed that it is pronounced 'Coos') and also the Western Sandpiper is still at Cley. Great Grey Shrike still at Fakenham, Waxwings in Norwich, Lesser White-fronted Goose at Buckenham. Most notable being Whinchat on Friday between Heacham and Sedgeford!! Even more notable - apparently a Willow Warbler seen at Holkham by a few people now - a county first for this time of the year, surely!!! See here and here

Year of the Dragon!

2012-01-16T23:28:00.003Z

Its going to be my year!!!!!! Didn't realise that 2012 was 'Year of the Dragon' - rock on!!!

"dragons move like lightning and whirlwinds - - all powerful yet totally unpredictable" - that's sounds exactly like me!!!

http://www.stanssewingsupplies.com/catalogs/store.asp?pid=254835

A Very Sad Day!

2012-01-16T23:00:00.005Z

Some people you meet in life are so lovely and so, well just simply amazing. I wish that I could write here, of the events that have occurred over the past three weeks, but for confidentiality reasons I can't. But what I can say is, that I met and cared for an amazingly brave and wonderful person, who was a patient on a ward on my Sunday shifts and very, very sadly is with us no more. It can be extremely difficult to detach yourself from some people, however many years you have spent caring for patients. I suppose its the same for us all - there are just some people you bond with and even though you have only known them for a short space of time - those people become a treasured memory in your journey through life.

My sincere condolences to their family and friends.

R.I.P.

Happy Birthday Malcolm!!!

2012-01-16T22:57:00.002Z

Your card is in the post today - apologies, its late!!!!!!

Hope you had a lovely day! X

A Beautiful, Frosty Day!

2012-01-14T23:54:00.002Z

Hunstanton
A beautiful, frosty day. Arrived in Hunstanton on the bus and walked towards the lighthouse. Starlings feeding on the green by the Golden Lion hotel, but no turnstones with them today. A big flock of house sparrows were chirping away in the pitch 'n' putt area next to the bowling green along the cliff top. Several goldfinches in the Millennium garden along with at least 50 mallards in the round ornate pond! Tons of birds feeding amongst the seaweed covered rocks below the cliffs including turnstones, oystercatchers, redshanks, sanderlings, brent geese, herring gulls etc. Fulmars were gliding through blue skies over the cliffs and a pair were sitting on the cliff edge in courtship! Met Eddie at the lighthouse and we watched a single Red-necked Grebe.

Titchwell RSPB
5 Lesser Redpolls in the alders. A siskin feeding on the ground with chaffinches, goldfinches and hedge sparrows and also several cute looking robins. Water Rail in the usual ditch at beginning of the main path. Wonderful scope views of the male Red-crested Pochard. Loads of golden plover, few pintail, good numbers of lapwings, pochard, great crested grebe, 2 little grebes. On the sea: 4 Long-tailed Ducks, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers. I left Eddie seawatching and walked off in the distance to attempt to photograph the Long-tailed Ducks, but this was not very successful! When I got out there, I realised they were still too far away to photograph - I could have walked closer, but the tide was coming in, the sun had just set and I would have disturbed a whole mass of gulls and other waders, so didn't bother. The sunset was very beautiful - red rays mirrored across the wet sands and I got some lovely photos on the iphone.

On the way back we saw a Short-eared Owl hunting over the reed bed, west of the main path at 4.45pm.

"The Big Year"

2012-01-14T23:46:00.000Z

DVD Release for this film is 26th March 2012.

Rumours rife that megastar Johnny Depp has bought a Burnham Market house - News - Eastern Daily Press

2012-01-14T02:56:00.003Z

Rumours rife that megastar Johnny Depp has bought a Burnham Market house - News - Eastern Daily Press

http://www.countrylife.co.uk/news/article/527689/An+exceptional+country+estate+in+Norfolk.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/periodproperty/8803543/For-sale-Burnham-Westgate-Hall.html

UPDATE: Had an email from someone after they read this post, that they bumped into Johnny Depp going for a walk at Burnham Norton last summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Note to self: visit Burnham Norton every weekend!

"Hampshire Spanish sparrow attracts scores of twitchers"

2012-01-14T02:48:00.001Z

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-16529892

http://www.itv.com/meridian-west/

Fenland farmers boost for wildlife and farmland birds - Farming news - Eastern Daily Press

2012-01-07T23:57:00.000Z

Fenland farmers boost for wildlife and farmland birds - Farming news - Eastern Daily Press

Turquoise Delight!

2012-01-07T23:06:00.005Z

Felt loads better this morning when I woke up - decided to go back to sleep - half an later, an unexpected visitor awoke me - thought it was the postman knocking on the door, wrong it was a knight in shining armour! I had to go into town for a few bits and pieces this morning, so on route I showed Eddie the "Millfleet" by the quay in King's Lynn which is a favourite spot for both kingfisher and grey wagtail. We luckily found a free parking spot close by and we walked up to the Millfleet. Looking down into the stream we had instant views of a flash of turquoise speeding along the stream and then landed on the wrought iron ladder to enjoy his silvery fish - a beautiful kingfisher! The kingfisher continued to fish - his favourite perch seemed to be from the low bows of the willow tree next to the small reed bed. We didn't see any grey wagtails though. There used to be loads of turnstones sitting along the quay wall feeding on the grain from the working grain silos, but they are no more since the silos have ceased and have also now been demolished. Anyone interested in the history of the "Millfleet" see here. Or pictures of the Millfleet that I took a year ago here.

Went to Titchwell RSPB in the late afternoon - 5 Marsh Harriers in the roost along with 1 Barn Owl.

Birding in Norfolk this weekend!

2012-01-06T23:18:00.007Z

A selection of birds seen in Norfolk today - RBA:

Western Sandpiper at Cley NWT
Coues's Arctic Redpoll, Scaup, Water Pipit,
White-fronted Geese x 3 at Titchwell RSPB
Grey Grey Shrike remains at Fakenham.
Snow Buntings x 23 at Holme opposite main beach gap.
Lesser White-fronted Goose at Buckingham Marshes RSPB.
Common Crane flew over NOA Hempton Marsh.
Shorelark x 4, 2 Rough-legged Buzzards, 2 Ross's Geese,
15+ Barnacle Geese, 75+ Eurasian White-fronted Geese,
16+ Tundra Bean Geese at Holkham.
Smew (drake) at Pensthorpe.

Silver linings for our wildlife - Lifestyle and Leisure News - Lynn News

2012-01-06T18:43:00.001Z

Silver linings for our wildlife - Lifestyle and Leisure News - Lynn News

Note: Few typo errors in father's article this time!

6lbs lost in 3 Days!!!

2012-01-06T18:21:00.004Z

Yep, 6lbs lost in three days!!! Being off work for the last three days with a stomach bug was not a good way to start the new year, but has assisted tremendously with the diet!!! I feel so guilty, I have only been at work one day this week!!! Nothing I could do about it though, its not like a cold, you can't physically come into work with...... well I won't spell it out!!! Wednesday I ate nothing, Thursday I had 2 dry cream crackers and lemonade (enormous thanks to Sarah B. for getting me some lemonade and delivering it - my angel x). Today I had a piece of toast with margerine and late this afternoon had vegetable soup and 2 slices of brown bread. I hate being on my own for what seems like such a long period of time - the first day I felt so ill, I didn't even want to watch the tv - I needed silence, but next door's dog didn't allow it! Slumped on the sofa for day two and three - dog seemed to bark less, but that's because owner was in most of the time. Only so much rubbish tv you can watch. I could have done loads of jobs, but had no energy to do so, dozed, slept and so on.

So while I am on a roll - might as well start dieting again! New Penny, new car, new year!!!

Police launch murder hunt after woman’s body found on Royal Estate at Sandringham - Crime - Eastern Daily Press

2012-01-03T21:10:00.001Z

Police launch murder hunt after woman’s body found on Royal Estate at Sandringham - Crime - Eastern Daily Press

Makes me shudder - we were birding in this area on new year's day!!!!!!!

2012-01-02T23:12:00.005Z

A song thrush appeared at the bird bath this morning - where was it yesterday morning when I needed it?!!! Had a nice lie in this morning and then cycled to my sister Lucy's to deliver some of my home-made fruit cake, banana cake and flapjacks. It was a beautiful sunny day. After I left Lucy's, I went to feed the ducks with the remainder of my pizza from new year's eve - flew home, had lunch and then went to work for 6 hours. The ward was so busy they asked me to do another hour, but I couldn't - I was burnt out! Good night!

New Year's Day Bird Race!

2012-01-01T19:41:00.006Z

NEW YEAR'S DAY BIRD RACE

• King's Lynn • Castle Rising • Wolverton • Sandringham • Almer
• Flitcham • Hunstanton • Holme • Choseley • Titchwell RSPB

Penny Clarke and Eddie Myers

7.45am - started off with robin and blackbird in the garden. Stopped along the old Castle Rising road to attempt to see treecreeper by the Babingley River bridge, but no luck. Continued onto Wolverton and passed several cars of birders looking for golden pheasant - as we drove along the north east side of the triangle we stopped to look in a clearing on our right side and within seconds a stunning male golden pheasant appeared - if only the camera had been in the car instead of in the boot!

We continued on to the Sandringham bird table to find very little - no marsh tit or treecreeper to be found, in fact all we had here were blue, great and coal tit, wren, nuthatch and a jay! We had a better selection at the Sandringham Sawmill which produced a good tick of goldcrest, redwing, fieldfare, stock dove, common buzzard, egyptian geese, kestrel and common gull.

At Manor Farm we had house sparrow, starling and greenfinch and further along the road we had two grey partridge by a field entrance. At Amner we had several yellowhammers in the hedges and on someone's bird table we had chaffinch and brilliant views of a nuthatch on the table! In a ploughed field on route to Flitcham, we had an unusual find of a carrion crow, greater black-backed gull and a common buzzard feeding together on a dead rabbit! A sparrowhawk zoomed low along the hedge line.

10.00am - At Flitcham Abbey Farm we only saw a red-legged partridge - Abbey Farm was a complete waste of time, there was almost no water in front of the hide and I have never seen it so birdless!!! No sign of little owl, kingfisher or tree sparrows or anything else, oh apart from four common buzzards distantly.

10.50am - Hunstanton Cliffs - Oystercatcher, turnstone, fulmar, goldeneye.

11.30am - Holme Bird Reserves - Magpie, shoveler, wigeon, grey plover, redshank, linnets, barn owl, tufted duck, teal, coot, heron. Seawatching produced: cormorant, red throated diver, red-breasted merganser, great crested grebe, razorbill and a huge flock of bar-tailed godwits. On the way back down the Firs Road, Eddie was understandably furious when he discovered his passenger rear tyre was completely flat - but changed it much quicker than I would have done.

1.45pm - Choseley Drying Barns - Nothing!

2pm - Titchwell RSPB - Loads of birders looking at the feeders! Lesser Redpoll and Coues's Arctic Redpoll together in the Alder tree next to the visitor centre - thanks to Dave Holman for allowing me to look through his scope! Eddie found a frog! Water rail in the ditch. Got several ticks here including mandarin, yellow-legged gull, hen harrier. Walked to the end of the board walk and saw sanderling, knot, dunlin, long tailed duck. Walked back along the bank and into Parrinder hide to see a single avocet and mute swan. Stood by the Fen Trail path (off main path) and watched and waited - woodcock flew across us! This was the last bird of the day. Attempted to find a tawny owl but failed.

Had fish 'n' chips at Sunny Hunny and then went home.

Disappointingly, we did not see a single pied wagtail! We expected to see the following birds: great spotted woodpecker, treecreeper, eider, ringed plover, little owl, short-eared owl, snow buntings, stonechat, reed bunting, song thrush, mistle thrush, Cetti's Warbler, brambling, bullfinch, bittern.

Besides Eddie's very unusual find of a frog, we also saw a stoat, muntjac deer, hare, squirrel and a large bull with nose ring staring right in the hide window at Abbey Farm bird hide!

93 birds seen - listed in the order we saw them:

Robin
Blackbird
Woodpigeon
Mallard
Herring Gull
Collared Dove
Jackdaw
Rook
Pheasant
Hedgesparrow
Pink-footed Goose
Greylag Goose
Black headed Gull
Goldfinch
Curlew
Long tailed Tit
Golden Pheasant
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Wren
Nuthatch
Jay
Redwing
Fieldfare
Goldcrest
Stock Dove
Common Gull
Common Buzzard
Egyptian Goose
Kestrel
House Sparrow
Starling
Greenfinch
Grey Partridge
Yellowhammer
Moorhen
Chaffinch
Greater Black-backed Gull
Carrion Crow
Sparrowhawk
Red-legged Partridge
Oystercatcher
Feral Pigeon
Turnstone
Fulmar
Goldeneye
Magpie
Shoveler
Wigeon
Grey Plover
Redshank
Linnet
Barn Owl
Tufted Duck
Teal
Coot
Heron
Cormorant
Red-throated Diver
Red-breasted Merganser
Great Crested Grebe
Razorbill
Bar-tailed Godwit
Lesser Redpoll
Coues's Arctic Redpoll
Water Rail
Marsh Harrier
Black-tailed Godwit
Little Egret
Shelduck
Golden Plover
Pochard
Pintail
Gadwall
Brent Goose
Scaup
Ruff
Snipe
Spotted Redshank
Mandarin
Yellow-legged Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Canada Goose
Hen Harrier
Little Grebe
Sanderling
Knot
Dunlin
Long-tailed Duck
Avocet
Mute Swan
Woodcock

Happy New Year!!!

2012-01-01T19:36:00.002Z

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Facebook page advertising dead whale’s teeth from Old Hunstanton is condemned - Crime - Eastern Daily Press

2011-12-31T22:53:00.000Z

Facebook page advertising dead whale’s teeth from Old Hunstanton is condemned - Crime - Eastern Daily Press

NEW YEAR'S EVE!!!

2011-12-31T00:56:00.004Z

Birding by Bus!!!!

I was cooking so late last night, that I couldn't get up and then when I did get out of the house, I missed the Coasthopper I had intended on catching! So not a good start to the day. Got on a service bus along Wootton Road to Hunstanton and had 20 minutes to kill before the Coasthopper bus left to go to Cley. I walked across the green by the Golden Lion Hotel and watched 44 Turnstones feeding along with a good number of starlings. Caught the 12.07pm bus to Cley. At the Titchwell RSPB bus stop Simeon, James and Joseph got on the bus to go to Cley too! I slept most of the journey as I don't travel well on buses and the best tonic is to shut my eyes. I luckily stirred when going past a whole flock of pinkfeet grazing in a field east of Burnham Overy Staithe.

Arrived at Cley at the respectable time (ha ha) of 1.20pm and went to the Visitor Centre for lunch with Eddie. Well I say lunch, Eddie had cakes and I had a cheese jacket potato and salad. Went to Teal Hide and saw the Western Sandpiper (my second viewing) and a Peregrine that scattered everything in sight. Went into Avocet Hide to see if the sandpiper had relocated closer - it hadn't. Nice surprise of Pete S. and Graham - Happy New Year to you both.

Drove back home via the Sandringham bird table to stock it up for the morning and someone already has! Thanks! Back in King's Lynn this evening and preparing for our Bird Race tomorrow.

I am in the fatbirder top 50 this evening - not been that for a while!!! No. 49! Must be because of Pete's shrike video!

Enjoy your festivities this evening and good birding tomorrow and throughout the coming year. Thank you to all my friends and 'blog followers' for your support.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Video of the Great Grey Shrike near Fakenham

2011-12-31T00:30:00.003Z

Pete Snook kindly allowed me to link to his fabulous video of the Great Grey Shrike near Fakenham, Norfolk.

GREAT GREY SHRIKE
Near Fakenham, Norfolk

Discussion on the shrike here:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=219205

Busy Bee, baking cakes!

2011-12-30T21:46:00.003Z

Cycling to work and back in the rain is getting rather boring now!

Spending the evening cooking – making a Fruit Cake, Banana Cake and Honey Flapjacks!

Off birding tomorrow by bus!

Getting Excited!!!

2011-12-29T22:54:00.003Z

Cycled to Tescos straight from work last night to get a few bits of shopping and also bought a Kelly Holmes Weighted Gym Ball with all good intentions to get fit. It was a workout in itself to get the thing blown up!!!!! (pump provided in kit) I then discovered that this gym ball is the perfect height and the best EVER foot/leg rest for my sofa - ha ha ha!!!!!!! Obviously what it was intended for really!!!!! I can see it being used more for a luxury foot rest than anything else!

I'm getting excited about January 1st Bird Race - how many birds will I see this time? But this year it will be "We" as in Eddie and I. Now we should see more with two sets of eyes, BUT will Eddie, who will be driving, be as speedy as Penelope Pitstop between ticks? We shall see!!! Hopefully we will beat my last year's race of 87 species!

I am hoping that someone fills up the 'Sandringham Bird Table' with lots of goodies as this is the best place to start the day's list - I usually tick Nuthatch, treecreeper, woodpigeon, jay, hedgesparrow, robin, blackbird, chaffinches, greenfinches, blue/great/coal/marsh tit etc, at this spot!

Earthflight - BBC1 - 8pm Thursday 29th December

2011-12-27T11:54:00.002Z

First of a six part series. Looks like its going to be spectacular looking at the pictures here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2011/dec/20/bbc-one-earthflight-in-pictures

Spoon-billed Sandpipers a WWT Slimbridge!

2011-12-27T10:35:00.002Z

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-16243751

Important Bird Feeding Advice and Tips from the RSPB

2011-12-26T23:38:00.001Z

http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/300504-dont-cause-bird-fatalities

Boxing Day - Whale of day!!!

2011-12-26T22:34:00.010Z

Old Hunstanton - Sperm Whale
Eddie and I went to look at the remains of the Sperm Whale at Old Hunstanton Beach. It had been pulled and prodded and part of its jaw was missing* and not many teeth were left!!!!! I don't quite understand how someone could hack this animal about - I mean I know its dead but for goodness sake - let it rest in peace!!! Loads of people and dogs yelping all over the place. Not exactly a joyous seen, poor thing and the stench if you stood the wrong side was enough to make you 'whale'!! (John F.'s fault - its catching!) Update: * here.

Titchwell RSPB
Several robins surrounded our car as soon as the sandwiches came out! Eddie was not amused at me giving away one of his mince pies to some very happy robins - well it is Christmas - poor robins!!! The bird feeders by the centre held a good number of the usual birds including greenfinches, house sparrows, robins, blackbirds, fat wood pigeons etc and a nice surprise of a Brambling. Walking along the main path Eddie found the Coues's Arctic Redpoll for me at 12.30pm, feeding in the alders along with 2 Mealy Redpolls and 3 Lesser Redpolls!!! The light was bad, twigs were in the way and the distance, did not enable me to get any good pictures, sadly. Several goldfinches also feeding alongside the redpolls and a treecreeper. Water Rail feeding in the ditch. John Furse greeted us along the path and we all walked to the seawatching platform and watched 3 Long-tailed Ducks sitting on the sea, along with 1 Scaup, 11 Golden Eye (flew west) and also 1 Slavonian Grebe on the sea. John entertained us as usual!!! Some linnets landed on the brackish marsh on the way back.

Holme Marsh Bird Reserve
From the first hide we saw a Sparrowhawk and a Water Rail along with the usual tufted ducks, mallard and teal. A wren very amusingly peeped around the corner of the hide flap opening and looked in at us!!!

Work tomorrow afternoon (bank shift) and then back to work as normal on Wednesday and for rest of week, then Saturday, Sunday and Monday off. Somebody I know very well has two weeks off!!!

CHRISTMAS DAY!!!

2011-12-25T11:23:00.005Z

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

I have eaten sooooooooo much today - a lovely Christmas day and the sun was shining too!

Used my new oven for the first time - very impressed. Saw all of my family today which was lovely. One of the highlights of the day was mother's Sherry Trifle was I am sure was well over the legal limit!!!

I have not been birding for two weeks, so looking forward to a full day's birding tomorrow!!! I have serious withdrawal symptoms now. I am hoping to catch up with the Coues's Arctic Redpoll tomorrow.

Christmas Eve!!!!

2011-12-24T23:40:00.007Z

After a difficult week, I had a nice snooze in this morning - lovely! I spent the rest of the day cleaning the house and doing really boring stuff like ironing and going to Tescos! Had to go into town to go to the bank and decided to buy a few christmas presents. Eddie came over in the afternoon and also delivered my amazing new "Rolser" Shopping Trolley, which I have bought from "Bakers and Larners" of Holt so that I can walk to get my food shopping for the next three months. I wouldn't want to risk locking my cycle up outside Tescos!!! It is the most amazing piece of equipment - its lime green and is really trendy looking, not like the typical, tarten trolley aimed at the older generation (no disrespect to any older people reading!) All Rolser trolleys are 100% Waterproof and it looks very robust. See reviews here

Watched a brilliant film last night called 'The Bourne Identity" - a brilliant action thriller and along with a few measures of brandy (in one glass) and munching on crisps, I at last felt quite chilled!

A very busy week and more mishaps!!!

2011-12-24T23:39:00.005Z

The electrician came round Tuesday evening and told me my electricity WAS earthed and pointed out the cable to me!!!!!!! He installed the new oven and it looks so much better than my old one! Only annoying thing was, that when I was trying to adjust the cheap, plastic, screw-in feet underneath the bottom of the oven to raise it, I noticed that there was something hanging down - on closer inspection there was three strips of insulating stuff, covered in a type of silver foil and taped together - part of this was ragged and hanging to the floor - what's all that about!!!!???

Wednesday lunchtime I ripped into Curry's on the phone and pointed out that my electricity was earthed and demanded that they come out and collect my old oven (which they did the following day) and that my £55 installation fee was refunded - quote "you will have to go into the shop where you bought the oven to do this" - great, that's a bl**dy long way on a bike!!!!

Wednesday night I walked with a sack barrow to Tescos and bought a Microwave and some food shopping - got some funny looks walking home, but hey ho!!! Yeah I could have got a taxi - but it didn't kill me to walk! In fact I spent Thursday and Friday night, walking with that sack barrow getting in food shopping for the weekend. But Thursday didn't quite go to plan!!!

Thursday - I finished work and went to get my bike - had loads to do as it was late night shopping and needed to go into town and also to the supermarket. My bike is locked with two locks - one locks the removable seat to the back wheel and the other stronger, thick cabled lock goes round the frame, front wheel and to a set of external metal stairs in the grounds of the hospital. As I put the key into the front wheel lock, it broke clean off in the lock!!! The word 'bother' came to mind, well not quite that word - shorter word ending in 'k'!!! It was pouring with rain and proceeded to walk home which takes 35 minutes and dumped work rucksack. Walked into town with sack barrow, got shopping and bought a new cycle lock and walked home. Shattered when I got back and like a drowned rat. What has life come to - I am nearly 47 years old (god that sounds scary) and here I am walking with a bl**dy sack barrow to get food shopping!!!!! I thought life was supposed to easier when you got older!!!!!

Friday - phoned the estates dept. at the hospital as I walked into work and asked someone to cut through my cycle lock - which they kindly did. Tough last day at work and then flew into town on my bike to get essential christmas dinner ingredients for christmas dinner.

A Very Stressful Week!!!

2011-12-17T23:57:00.016Z

That's an understatement really!!! Sad News and Exciting News!

I hate making big descisions, but was forced to with the bad news that my beloved Hyundai Coupe was going to cost a bomb to fix it for the MOT. I just simply couldn't invest any more money in this car, even though it broke my heart to give it up. Every night this week I sat working out figures, looking at cars on offer around local garages, looking at new car deals etc etc. I decided that I was totally fed up with car bills full stop and decided to buy a new car on finance. Could I afford it? Well no, not really, but I could if I worked a single shift every Sunday, extra to my full time job - which I have being doing for years anyway. Also delaying delivery of a new car until 1st March will help me financially, with no car insurance and no petrol for 3 months! Birding by bus will be the new trend - well for a few months anyway! I suppose its probably the best time of year not to have a car for 'rares' - I will just have to hope that no first for Norfolk's turn up before March!!!

I took Friday afternoon off as holiday to look for cars and to trade in my car. I went to Marshalls Ford Garage in King's Lynn and was very unimpressed with their service. A sales lady dealt with me and basically she didn't know the finance side of things at all or anything much really and every time as I asked something different, she left me sitting at the desk whilst she trotted off to the other end of the showroom to ask a salesman in an office behind closed doors - very personal service indeed - not! In any case I couldn't afford any of the new Ford Cars, apart from a KA but the boot was much too small for all my gear! I went to the shop where I bought my recent new car radio and they kindly took it out for me, so if anyone wants to buy a virtually new JVC KD-R311 CD/Radio for £70 ono then please email me!

With time disappearing fast I ended up making the hopefully sensible decision of going back to Walkers of King's Lynn and trading my car in for £500 and buying a Skoda. The salesman who I have seen each time here was very good at his job and made you feel that you had all the time in the world to make a decision, ask questions etc - an excellent service. I was so exhausted I was too tired to make my mind up properly in the end. I couldn't decide between a petrol or diesel basically. Left my car there as MOT ran out at midnight and went home. I decided to wait until Saturday before making my final decision and signing paperwork.

SATURDAY
I had to wait in to receive my new oven - yep that's been dying for ages too, along with the car, so ordered a new one (my first new oven - wahoooo!) from Curry's. I requested as early as a delivery as possible and guess what, they turned up at 2pm! The bad news was that the electrician refused to disconnect my oven as my electricity is not earthed!!!!! I knew my electric was dodgy, but didn't realise how bad - my heart sank, here I was with a lovely new oven, now sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor. I rang an electrician who is a relative of a colleague at work and thankfully he can come out Tuesday to 'put a spike in' - connect new oven and then on another day, put in a new fuseboard (mine is so old, you wouldn't believe it), hopefully before christmas - more expense! Then of course I will have an old cooker sitting outside which Curry's would have taken away for nothing had they been able to disconnect it!

Got the bike out of the shed - not looked at it for a year - to find both tyres flat which was to be expected really. Pumped tyres up, but the front one stayed flat - bother! It was now 4pm and the Skoda garage shuts at 5.30pm. Walked to Surf55 bike shop, which is not far from me and they put a new inner tube in for me straight away which was good of them. Flew up to Hardwick to the garage and made it there by 5.10pm.

Bought a Skoda Fabia SE 1.6 TDI CR 75PS in Petrol Blue with Telephone preparation GSM II Bluetooth (means I can phone someone/answer phone, play music via my iphone through car speakers, handsfree - how cool is that! The car will be delivered in early March, so I will be ready for spring migration. I can't believe I have signed on the dotted line for a brand new car with 42 months finance - oh well, too late now!!! No MOT for 3 years, no services costs (included), no car breakdown costs (top RAC package inc.) and 3 years full guarantee. Can't go wrong really!

Huge thanks to all those people that emailed me/posted on my blog to advise me.

So, no birding exploits today, but hope to be out soon either on the bus or with Eddie over the Christmas period! Working all next week - finish end of Friday 23rd December.

Update: Eddie said he and several others saw a Black Guillemot this morning at Coastguards, Cley along with bonxies and several other good birds (can't remember them all now). He also found 5 Waxwings at the bottom of Old Woman's Lane.

Urgent car decisions and advice please?

2011-12-14T23:53:00.006Z

I have been massively stressed this week about my car, what to do, auction it, leave it on the drive for while and declare it SORN, while I take more time to find another car. It will cost £709 to sort my car out and that's with a second hand CAT which the garage would have to source - dead money. Trade it in for a new car etc etc. I am seriously thinking of buying a very, very, boringly, sensible NEW car - a Skoda, Fabia 1.6 TDI CR 75PS on a Personal Contract Plan and they have offered me £500 pounds trade in for my car, better than the estimated £200 max in the local auction or £105 offered from buyanycar.com!!! I am not in a hurry for another car, I can wait, but I am in a massive hurry to do something with the Hyundai!!!! The offer on a new Skoda sounds good to me - free service for 3 years, no MOT, top of the range car breakdown for 3 years, no car tax for the first year and only £20 for the 2nd and 3rd year and full guarantee for 3 years. I test drove the car on Sunday and I was pleasantly surprised - quite sporty looking interior, although nowhere near as nice as my Hyundai, but excellent for a Skoda! The car was nice to drive and actually had more welly than my sports car! Just need to choose the colour - sounds like I am buying it doesn't it! Also allows me to save on insurance and petrol costs, whilst I walk or bike to work as I have to wait for the new car in approx. 9 weeks time. I don't want to buy another older, second-hand car and pay out more repair bills - spent so much on my car over the last year, its sickening thinking about it. Any advice please will be very helpful?

Murder and Mystery!!!!

2011-12-14T23:35:00.002Z

Our work's Christmas bash this year was 'Murder, Mystery Dinner' at The Stuart House Hotel in King's Lynn. Food was fantastic, couldn't fault it, excellent service. It was nice to see us all dressed up in our finest glitz and glitter, as normally we are in boring uniforms and hair up all week. The actors were placed randomly and seated at our tables and we were able to question each one to find out who the murderer was. It was set in roman times and the dress attire of the actors was togos and was highly amusing. We worked quite hard at playing detective initially, but the novelty wore off as the evening progressed and we all became tired. Our team didn't win, but all good fun. Thanks to Sarah B. who organised the whole evening. It was good to catch up with Donna P. again who I worked with at the Lynn News for seven years - thanks for a fab evening Donna!

Police warning after cars targeted by thieves at West Norfolk beauty spots - Crime - Eastern Daily Press

2011-12-14T00:19:00.000Z

Police warning after cars targeted by thieves at West Norfolk beauty spots - Crime - Eastern Daily Press

"Little Mix" win X Factor!!!!!!!

2011-12-11T23:58:00.001Z

Congratulations to Little Mix - Wahoooooooo!!!!!!! and to their mentor on the show, N-Dubz member Tulisa Contostavlos.

Little Mix are crowned this year's X Factor winners, making them the first group to win the singing contest.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16132047
http://xfactor.itv.com/

Rubbish Day!!!

2011-12-10T22:21:00.005Z

As expected, the car failed its MOT miserably. I will be given a quote on Monday for the work to get it re-tested, but it looks bad news for my beloved Hyundai Coupe. Yes I know its only metal, but I LOVE this car! The day continued to get worse, including dipping on the Coues's Arctic Redpoll, basically because I got there far too late.

Dropped the car in at the garage at 9.15am and was told it would be ready by 11am. So I mooched around the town, window shopping and watched people doing their christmas shopping. My heart sank when I found out it failed, I knew it would, but didn't think it would fail on major things, after all the money spent on it in the last year.

"Offside rear (under sill) suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded."
"Rear (cross member) Sub-frame corroded and seriously weakened"
and the emissions were "4 CO high at fast idle."

So with welding, labour and a new catalytic converter, you're talking at least £500, if not more. I laughed my head off when I input my car into www.webuyanycar.com - it offered me £105.00!!!!!! How sad!!!! I have only very recently, put two new tyres on the car that cost more than that!!! I was also told that I wouldn't get more than £200 for it at auction. The MOT runs out on Friday, so I have 5 days to do something with the car.

I would probably get a alot more for the car if I traded it in. I did something crazy and went into the SKODA garage to ask how much it was cost to buy a new Skoda Fabia SE 1.6 Turbo Diesel and pay for it monthly. It was very, very tempting. No MOT for 3 years, free services for three years, free roadside recovery for 3 years, no car tax for first year and £20 for second year! I didn't have time to test drive it, but when I sat in the driver's seat, it felt good! But can I afford it? No, not really. So my coupe could be in the local auction on Wednesday. Very, very sad.

Its Friday!!!!!

2011-12-09T18:03:00.010Z

Its 5 'o Clock and its CRACKERJACK!!!!!!!!

Only anyone over 40 years old, will have a clue what I am going on about!!!

My appraisal was today and its all over for another year, thank goodness. Now I can concentrate on other jobs.

Whilst driving out to see a patient today I was travelling at exactly 60mph and a pheasant ran out into the road, stopped dead centre in front of the car and looked at me - dozy bird!!! There was no way I was going to brake and swerve at that speed, it was the bird or Zoe and I - I am glad I choose the right option! Had the pheasant carried on running, he would have made it. I think this is the first bird I ever killed, I have always managed to avoid hitting any birds. They say things happen in threes. The second incident was someone pulling out of a side road in front of me when I was travelling at 60mph and pulled out slowly out aswell, don't some drivers just wind you up! The third incident was a person breaking in front with no brake lights - great!!! We got back in one piece!!! Stressful day!

MOT tomorrow morning. If the car passes, I will eat my hat! It never does! If it costs alot to put through, it will be left at the garage and I will be buying a bus pass. Ohhhps no, I am not quite that old yet, but I will be birding on public transport - oh what fun that will be, not!!! You can't get anywhere early from Lynn, not early enough for a mega at dawn anyway! I found that out to my cost, when I had no car for about two months when doing my 'Surfbirds' county list in 2009. Not having a car cost me several ticks! Might buy a lottery ticket for Saturday night. X-Factor Final Saturday and Sunday evening - looking forward to that - hope 'Little Mix' win.

VOTE for "Little Mix"!!!

I don't know how people can afford to run all these christmas lights, although there certainly are not as many around my estate as there normally are at this time of the year. If the car passes tomorrow I may venture over to Titchwell RSPB to see the Coues's Arctic Redpoll, but staying local, as weather forecast not good and also need to sort my bird tables and drinking baths out and tidy the patio.

Western Sandpiper still at Cley today, which is good for those that have not seen it yet. Also at Cley a massive number of 57 Little Auks!!! a Short-eared Owl, Water Pipit and the Green-winged Teal remains. 4 Tundra Bean Geese south of Brancaster with pink-footed geese. A Greenland White-fronted Goose between Stanhoe and North Creake.

David Attenborough - Wonderful World

2011-12-09T18:03:00.001Z

Rare Bumble Bee discovered in US - last seen in 1956!

2011-12-08T22:05:00.000Z

http://newsroom.ucr.edu/2805

BREAKING NEWS: Judge rules against Norfolk incinerator legal challenge - Environment - Eastern Daily Press

2011-12-08T19:40:00.000Z

BREAKING NEWS: Judge rules against Norfolk incinerator legal challenge - Environment - Eastern Daily Press

Windy Day in Norfolk!!!

2011-12-08T19:01:00.009Z

Very windy here today in Norfolk and lashing down with rain late afternoon, but nothing compared to what's going on in Scotland!
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/update_east_coast_flood_alerts_likely_for_suffolk_but_environment_agency_says_norfolk_will_not_be_affected_1_1149023

Update on Weather for East Anglia at 10pm: http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/flood_alert_flooding_is_possible_around_suffolk_1_1149393

The Western Sandpiper remains at Cley along with the Green-winged Teal. Here is another video Gary White has taken:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s4M3JMFqeg&feature=g-all

A possible Coues’s Arctic Redpoll has been found at Titchwell RSPB and the Yellow-browed Warbler remains in the picnic area.

8.30pm - Winds picking up this evening, much stronger than earlier.

Storms rage across the UK!!!

2011-12-08T18:25:00.004Z

Winds of 165 mph were recorded today in Scotland, only 8 mph off the UK record!!!

A wind turbine spins so fast that it catches fire!!! - see picture here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/uknews/8943507/Parts-of-Britain-are-battered-by-gale-force-winds-and-storms.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-16079849

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/12/08/uk-britain-weather-scotland-idUKTRE7B71H920111208

Earth-like Planet Discovered!!!

2011-12-05T22:32:00.001Z

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16040655

Conservation progress on River Nar - Environment - Lynn News

2011-12-05T21:34:00.002Z

http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/environment/conservation_progress_on_river_nar_1_3296038#.Tt043gvgfkM.blogger

Eight Snowy Owls!!!

2011-12-05T18:11:00.004Z

This stunning picture was highlighted on Birdforum: and see: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1122515

I would love to see a Snowy Owl – one of my dream birds to see – one day!

Also see: http://host.madison.com/news/local/environment/378fab8e-1c8c-11e1-9d46-001871e3ce6c.html
with news of 'A rare sight: More than 100 Snowy Owls seen across Wisconsin'

No birding on Sunday sadly as hard at work doing a double 11 hour shift. Keep falling asleep as I write this! Early night this evening I think! My house seemed chilly when I walked in the door tonight and the heating is on!

The WESTERN SANDPIPER remains in Cley today.

WESTERN SANDPIPER - MEGA - My First!!!

2011-12-03T21:55:00.016Z

1 Western Sandpiper, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Green-winged Teal, 40 Barnacle Geese and a Ginger & Pear Cake slice for me!!!

Wow – What a Day!!!

WESTERN SANDPIPER - CLEY NWT

There was an unusual amount of traffic on the road this morning as I made my way to Cley in the dark - arrived in the NWT carpark just after 8am. Good to see someone checking membership cards! I could have parked on the 'triangle' at the bottom of 'Old Woman's Lane' but changed my mind after phoning Eddie, who saw the bird fly from Dauke's Hide towards Bishop's Hide. Also the sun was about to come out, so Bishop's Hide most definately looked the best bet as the sun would be behind the bird. Power walked to Bishop's Hide and Eddie walked in the hide with G. Etherington shortly after me. Annoyingly the Western Sandpiper had flown back to 'Simmond's Scrape' - typical! As I sat in the hide I could see loads of birders in 'Teal', 'Dauke's' and 'Avocet' hide with scopes and bins all looking in the same direction, almost jostling for space - this scene reminded me of Steve Gantlett's picture (might have been Sue's actually?) of the all the birders packed into the hides like sardines in a can, when watching the Great Snipe in May this year!!! The Western Sandpiper was most definately somewhere on 'Simmond's Scrape', but I couldn't see it from Bishop's! A Water Rail was seen fairly close to the hide and also a Sparrowhawk flew across. Quite a few Avocets, loads of Golden Plover, a pair of Pintail, teal, wigeon etc. I stubbornly stayed in the hide, hoping the Western Sandpiper would return as there were only a few people here - I just didn't fancy being jam packed into a hide. But as time went on and Connor kindly informed me a couple of times, that it was still showing from Dauke's, I gave in and power walked round to Dauke's hide with Eddie! Had fabulous views through Eddie's scope of my first WESTERN SANDPIPER at 9.30am!!! Not long after this, the bird was flushed with dunlin by a marsh harrier and flew off to the other side of 'Teal Hide' on 'Pat's Pool'! It was rubbish for photography - I only ever saw the bird distantly - well, cracking views through the scope, but a smudgy dot through my 300mm lens and there was no point in even bothering putting the teleconverter on at that distance. Went back to 'Bishop's Hide' again and had fabulous views of the Green-winged Teal in the sunshine! Eddie left before me for his VC cup of tea! I waited for a while longer in case the sandpiper appeared - it didn't! A Cetti's Warbler burst into a few melodious notes as I left the hide and walked back along the path to the visitor centre. It was nice and warm in the visitor centre. I ate my cheese scone alone - it was scrumptious!

One of the most boring lunches ever - a cheese and cranberry roll and cup of semi hot soup standing outside my car.

Cley Coastguards
Not too bad a seawatch really - the best bird being a juv. Sandwich Tern which I photographed flying west, as I stood at the water's edge photographing a juv. gannet on the sea and a guillemot! Other birds seen: A Shag on the sea, 1 Little Gull going west, a few Goldeneyes flying west, a couple of Red-throated Divers, several Gannets, a few Guillemots and auk sp's, and several flocks of Common Scoter. Note: the Sandwich Tern was seen by several people over the course of the day.

Dauke's Hide NWT
Spent the rest of the afternoon here, in hope that I might actually got a half decent photo of the Western Sandpiper - no chance!!! Watched the Western Sandpiper on and off up to 3.45pm – it was nearly always distant, feeding along with dunlin. It tended to feed in a hurried manner and nearly always with beak down, probing for food as it moved. It moved around in a scampering fashion in half circles and was quite flighty at times. It was easy to pick out, as much smaller than the dunlins. It was quite fiesty too - almost butting a dunlin out of the way when it barged in too close! It tended to favour the far left hand corner of 'Simmond's Scrape'. I managed a very poor record shot only. A Merlin appeared on the island in front of 'North Hide' which looked beautiful in the orangy glow, as the sun started to set at 3.30pm. A Water Rail was seen and heard right in front of the hide along with all the usual waders on the scrape: teal, wigeon, shelduck, avocets, godwits, black headed gulls, huge numbers of golden plover etc etc. A fantastic surprise of 40 Barnacle Geese flew over 'Pat's Pool' and landed on 'North Scrape' at dusk!!! Fantastic end to the day. Stopped at the Picnic Fayre in Cley and bought a scrummy piece of Ginger and Pear Cake! Consumed lots of healthy food today!!!!!

Bought vege burger and chips from my favourite Holt fish 'n' chip shop, drove home and ate them watching the X-Factor Semi Final.

Note: Some of the best pictures I have seen so far of the Western Sandpiper are here

PICTURES TO BE ADDED

'The Hide' - Trailer

2011-12-03T00:22:00.003Z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctWvMJ0Rw4o

MEGA - WESTERN SANDPIPER!!!

2011-12-01T22:12:00.004Z

The Semipalmated Sandpiper that was found in Cley on Monday has now been re-identified as a WESTERN SANDPIPER which is a first for Norfolk!!!

Lets hope it doesn't do a Friday night bunk, which is what has happened several times this year with rare birds! Although I am not really looking forward to cramming into a hide first thing Saturday morning! Lets also hope that permits will be issued to all people that are not NWT members.

See discussions and pictures here:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=59348&page=572
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=217441
http://www.birdingworld.co.uk/Cley%202011.1.htm

BIRDFORUM steals the Number One Spot!

2011-11-28T23:27:00.007Z

Birdforum have stolen the Number One spot in the 'Fat Birder's Top 500 Ranking' - see here. Will I ever get there? Ha ha - maybe, possibly, well actually no, never. Does it matter anyway? No. Of course it matters!!!!!! Now, maybe if I posted something raunchy - hmmmm......... Being serious now, the highest I ever got in the 'rankings' was 20 something or other, when I was amongst the first to post pictures of James McCallum's Alder Flycatcher on Blakeney Point.

Birdforum was actually the reason I started my blog. I used to post my sightings on the Norfolk thread and had a habit of waffling on about other stuff - how dare I!!!!! A few members complained about me 'going off thread' and 'what had that got to do with the Norfolk thread' - fair enough, so I decided to start my own blog, so I could waffle as much as I liked, about anything I liked and when I liked and no one could stop me!!!! I soon realised what fun it was to have an on line diary. I still post on Birdforum - its a fabulous site and certainly the best place for reading all the latest up to the minute info on a rare bird - you need to join the site to see the rare birds thread though, but its free to join. The only real downside to keeping up a blog is the massive amount of time spent sorting, choosing, editing and adding pictures!!! I do wish I was paid though, that would be great! I spend a huge amount of time writing posts sometimes and then realise I actually should have been in bed hours ago! On that note, goodnight!

Semipalmated Sandpiper at Cley!!!

2011-11-28T22:17:00.013Z

Congratulations to Mark Golley who found the SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER today at Cley!!

Update - see 1st December post, now ID'd as a WESTERN SANDPIPER.

Didn't even know about this until late this evening as I had my phone switched off all day and had to fly to Barclays at lunch time, when I normally look on the RBA website via my iphone. Its good to see another good bird turning up in Norfolk! Also a Hume's Yellow browed Warbler was caught and rung at Holme Bird Observatory today.

Whilst chatting to my parents this evening and telling them about Mark's find, father told me that he had found the first Semipalmated Sandpiper for Britain and Europe at Cley in July 1953 (19th-24th).

See pictures and discussion about being a possible Western Sandpiper here:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=217239
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=59348&page=571

Tracking Cuckoos into Africa!!!

2011-11-27T01:13:00.000Z

http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking?dm_i=IG4,LRAM,39GZEK,1RHTI,1

Career of the week: photographer - Lifestyle - Eastern Daily Press

2011-11-27T00:36:00.000Z

Career of the week: photographer - Lifestyle - Eastern Daily Press

Lazy Day!

2011-11-26T22:37:00.007Z

After a stressful end on Friday to a manic week at work, I drove to Barclays through the typical Friday night traffic to pay some urgent bills. I had just made it in time, or so I thought. As the second hand on my watch was just ticking towards the closing time of 5pm, I sprinted across the Tuesday Market Place and rushed through the doors like a whirlwind - I was horrified to find loads of workmen in the store and no staff! I just stood there aghast - one of the workmen explained that the branch had closed and a new one in the high street would be opening on Monday - bl**dy great!

I decided not to get up early on Saturday morning. I had a very late breakfast and then went to Currys to look at ovens - my oven is so old, its probably older then me and its basically had it, yep that's me aswell! I looked and realised I couldn't afford to buy one anyway. The new store "The Range" on Hardwick Industrial Estate is creating massive traffic problems - it took me ages to get out of the estate.

I was going to stay at home today, to do loads of jobs and with my yearly appraisal coming up in two weeks, I really should be doing some case studies, but decided I couldn't possibly stay in, especially being as I am working tomorrow. So I escaped, like a rebellious teenager!

The car made its way along the A149 and I ended up at Cley - surprise, surprise! Silly really as I didn't get there until mid afternoon. Popped into the visitor centre and noticed that "The Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2012" has been published and I have been plugged!!!!! In the 'Blog' section, where only three blogs have been listed - an excerpt from this read '......the best blog I've seen written by a woman.......' - well, thank you very much!!!! Although, I certainly wouldn't describe my blog as that - my only criticism is that my name has been spelt wrong, but hey ho! It would be a whole lot better if I got round to sorting out all photographs taken since July and actual add them to the blog - IT WILL BE DONE!

Joined Eddie in Bishop's Hide to watch a distant Green-winged Teal asleep - awesome views - ha ha!!! A robin was hopping along the path to the hide and two mute swans were in the dyke. A few marsh harriers were cruising over the reedbeds, wavering in the increasing winds.

Got my sea fix at Coastguards, even though I saw very little. A few gannets, kittiwakes, a guillemot, a razorbill and a pied wagtail were the only birds I saw. There were a really weird bunch of people standing in the side of the shelter, all lighting tealights one by one and as each tealight was lit, someone shouted 'fire'. The amusing thing was that I heard a couple of them question what we were doing with our telescopes, 'they are watching wildlife I think', exclaimed one of them!!!! I saw our behaviour quite normal in comparison!!! There were loads of Brent Geese on the Eye Field close to Beach Road and later on they took off and flew towards Blakeney Point against pink and grey, moody skies.

Drove back to King's Lynn and spent some of my evening watching X-Factor - 'Misha B' IS the X-Factor, second choice 'Little Mix' and third choice 'Marcus'.

Nature Notes - Lifestyle and Leisure News - Lynn News

2011-11-20T23:59:00.003Z

My father's monthly nature notes 'on line' picture is not represented by his recent 'First for Norfolk' Moth!
http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle-and-leisure-news/nature_notes_1_3262475

See: http://pennyshotbirdingandlife.blogspot.com/2011/10/rare-moth-in-norfolk.html

A Summer's Day!

2011-11-20T22:39:00.016Z

This morning was beautiful, sunny and clear blue skies – common darters were seen, bees were buzzing, wasps were sitting on alexander heads, the sun was beaming down and its November!

Holme Marsh Reserve
From the first hide, there was little of note apart from a Pochard, a Heron sitting on the far bank and several Woodpigeons. Lots of blackbirds around this morning and a Song Thrush and Common Darter was seen. 4 Bullfinches were seen in the hawthorns just before the second hide and a Cetti's Warbler burst into song. From the second hide, 2 marsh harriers were seen and distant views of a Bittern flying over the marsh. Met two of my blog readers - nice to meet you both and thanks! Along the public footpath next to the carpark we saw and heard a Water Rail and another Cetti's Warbler.

Titchwell RSPB
Watched and photographed (badly!) the Yellow-browed Warbler in the picnic area as soon as we arrived. Walked around the Fen Trail via the main path. Had wonderful views of both male and female Siskins feeding on catkins at the beginning of the main path. Around the Fen Trail we saw a Cetti's Warbler which I managed to get a photo of (just!) before it disappeared just as quickly as it appeared and also a Common Darter sunning itself on a reed stem. Had a quick hot snack at the Feeding Station and then had to leave by 12.30pm to go to work and had to leave Eddie to carry on birding without me!!!! Torture!

I drove home via Choseley and saw a Marsh Harrier near the barns and about 15 Red-legged Partridges were close to the edge of the road in the field further along the road.

Please see: here and scroll to the bottom of post for 'Udate' on a confirmed Greenland White-fronted Goose that I saw and photographed.

See latest on the Eyebrowed Thrush including a street name now! https://twitter.com/#!/TillSmith and also discussion here on: BIRDFORUM

PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE ADDED

We couldn't raise the Eyebrow!!!

2011-11-19T22:06:00.005Z

Hunstanton Cliffs
A beautiful sunny morning, but very cold. Arrived at St Edmunds Chapel by the lighthouse at Hunstanton and walked along the cliff top and the public footpath that runs past the 'Le Strange Arms Hotel' and through Old Hunstanton Golf course and almost to Holme. Very few birds in the lighthouse garden itself, the usual house sparrows and a blackbird on the wall. Walked past the lifeboat station and through to the wooden chalets on the sandy cliff and continued on through the beach huts and way beyond. Saw a distant Stonechat, a large flock of linnets and greenfinches, a few song thrushes and blackbirds and that was about it! Walked back along the beach and photographed an obliging turnstone. Also bumped into a couple who live locally and told us that they had had awesome views a couple of days ago of the escaped Red Bishop sitting on sea buckthorn and then flying past them, back over the beach huts towards Hunstanton! Back at the pine tree copse by the cliff carpark we had a Red Admiral and a Comma Butterfly which made it feel like a summer's day!

Stood at the lighthouse at 11.25am seawatching and saw the following: 2 Velvet Scoters, 2 Slavonian Grebes, loads of Red-breasted Mergansers (didn't count them today as they were dotted all over the sea!), 8 Eider, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Red-throated Divers, 3 Gannets and lots of Little Gulls and also the usual Fulmars.

Lunch stop and then went to the Ski Ramp at Hunstanton to look for Purple Sandpipers, but no luck. Loads of turnstones feeding on 'The Green' at Hunstanton by the Golden Lion Hotel.

Cruised round some of the roads around the lighthouse area looking for the Eyebrowed Thrush. We found out the Eagle Owl is still about in the area! On the pitch 'n' putt by the lighthouse I counted 56 Oystercatchers along with curlews and black-headed gulls which were all scattered by a Sparrowhawk that bolted through them and across the road.

Titchwell RSPB
Fantastic views of the Yellow-browed Warbler in the picnic area, but no photographs obtained, but a robin posed very cutely for pictures! Along the main trail a Cetti's Warbler burst into song. Two Yellow-legged Gulls were on the fresh lagoon along with thousands of Golden Plover and Eddie also noted one with a white head. A Stonechat sat distantly on a bush out on the marsh and 2 ring tailed Hen Harriers were seen along with 5 Marsh Harriers.

I am removing all twitter information from my posts about the Eyebrowed Thrush as its looks messy on my blog I have decided!!!!!

PICTURES TO BE ADDED

Autumnwatch

2011-11-18T21:43:00.002Z

Nice to see Bill Oddie on Autumnwatch this evening. Bring back Bill and remove Martin Hughes-Games!!!!

No Sign of Louise"s Mega!!!!

2011-11-18T08:24:00.002Z

No exciting birds at the hospital this morning I"m afraid. Was there from first light with meal worms, seed and apples!!!!

No sign of the bird at all - had another look at lunchtime and Louise didn't see the bird again either. Very disappointing, another one that got away.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Eyebrowed Thrush in Hunstanton

2011-11-17T18:56:00.012Z

According to TillSmith on Twitter the Eyebrowed Thrush is still being seen in the garden in Hunstanton today both at lunch time and in the afternoon!! I know where I am going to be on Saturday morning!!!!

If the bird is being seen most days then please ask the owners to take some pictures and post to us all – would love to see some more poses please? If they haven't got a good enough camera to improve on the last picture – I would be more than happy to come and take an nice sharp photo of it!!! I am available to take pictures on Saturday! Please email me via my blog!

https://twitter.com/#!/TillSmith

MEGA in King's Lynn?

2011-11-17T18:29:00.007Z

The one that got away?

Two of my work colleagues saw a VERY, VERY interesting bird this morning in King's Lynn - they described it as 'black, white and blue' - 'a very striking, pretty little bird' the 'steely blue grey colour was on the back of the bird' and the rest of the bird was black and white, but the black and white was 'more prominent on the sides on the bird'. They are not birdwatchers, but know enough to know that it wasn't any of the common birds that I listed/showed them pictures of. It was a small bird and was seen on the grass by the kerb and also momentarily on a small 2ft wall and also in some lower branches of an oak tree. They described it as around robin(ish) sized. I was naturally VERY excited and flew home lunchtime to get my bins and camera and whizzed back to search for it in my lunch slot, but I could not find the bird anywhere. The only bird that sprang to mind when I asked someone's else advice was a Black-throated Blue Warbler or maybe a Siberian Blue Robin!!!!! Any other more sensible ideas please? Louise (one of the two ladies that saw the bird) has recently bought an iphone 4 and was trying to work out how the zoom worked on the camera to take a picture, but was unable to find this out until later when she did not see the bird again! I am absolutely gutted. I pointed out to Louise that if she had managed to photograph it and it had turned out to be a black throated blue warbler, she and I would have been mega famous - she is now cursing not being able to work the zoom on the camera! I am also cursing her!!!!!!

I will get to the spot at dawn tomorrow which means I will only have about an hour to look before work. Will ring RBA immediately if I find it, if its something good, even though I would be in massive trouble because of where it is - but hey ho, life's too short!!!

Update - 7.15pm - Louise is trying to find the bird she saw on the net and is suggesting 'Black throated Gray Warbler. I have so far come up with Cerulean Warbler and others to match her description...... but she said she is 'sticking with 'Black-throated Gray Warbler'. So I will look VERY hard tomorrow morning!!!!!

I can't cook, rest or do any jobs this evening - this bird is REALLY bugging me massively!!!!!

Nature is fooled into flowering in a 'second spring'

2011-11-15T22:05:00.001Z

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/13/warm-autumn-wildlife-oddities

Spoon-billed sandpipers brought to UK in last-ditch rescue attempt

2011-11-15T22:03:00.000Z

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/14/spoon-billed-sandpipers-uk-rescue

Incinerator: Lynn News Comment - The end of the beginning . . . - Environment - Lynn News

2011-11-15T21:51:00.001Z

Incinerator: Lynn News Comment - The end of the beginning . . . - Environment - Lynn News

King’s Lynn incinerator - what next for Norfolk, is the question now - Environment - Eastern Daily Press

Desert Wheatear re-locates!

2011-11-14T21:28:00.001Z

The Desert Wheatear has re-located to Titchwell RSPB. My guess is that it spent most of Sunday at Thornham Point just across the channel from Holme.

One Stop Nature Shop opening in North West Norfolk!!!

2011-11-14T21:22:00.003Z

This new shop opens in December.

http://www.deepdalefarm.co.uk/dalegatemarket/indshop.asp?UnitID=6

Director Richard Campey opens The One Stop Nature Shop on the 1st December at Dalegate Market, Burnham Deepdale and will feature a wide range of equipment from binoculars and telescopes , to bat detectors, nest box cameras, magnifiers, night vision scopes and a comprehensive selection of microscopes.

The shop will be open seven days a week 10am- 5pm and will also be running a series of courses based around nature conservation.

EYEBROWED THRUSH in Hunstanton!!!!!

2011-11-14T10:04:00.013Z

Unconfirmed report of an Eyebrowed Thrush in a garden in Hunstanton for second day. No access to garden – RBA!!!!!!!!!!

Apparently I was told of a rumour that the bird was in my parent's garden, well I think I would know if it was!!!!!!!! Also I would have photographed it and I would have posted the picture EVERYWHERE!!!!!! It most certainly isn't in their garden and whoever started the rumour – my parents don't live in Hunstanton either!!!!!!

All gossip/rumours/speculation etc etc and picture now on:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=216140
and picture linked here from Twitter which crashed!!!: http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2290804&postcount=62

https://twitter.com/?photo_id=1#!/TillSmith/status/136187187074056192/photo/1
https://twitter.com/?photo_id=1#!/TillSmith

Brilliant Torch for iphone!

2011-11-13T23:48:00.002Z

Search for "iTorch4" in "Apps" - it's a free download and it's brilliant. Considerably brighter than the iphone"s natural light and there is also a strobe effect option aswell. I have the 3GS and it works for this.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Spectacular Morning!

2011-11-13T21:42:00.015Z

I didn't get up as early as planned, as I needed as much sleep as possible. It was a gloriously beautiful day and I tried to blot out the fact that I had to be at work for 2pm!

Hunstanton Lighthouse
I arrived at Hunstanton Lighthouse just after 9am and parked by the remains of St Edmund's Chapel. A good place to start I decided, just in case the 'Pallid' Swift was still cruising round - but no swift sp.'s were seen at all. Lots of action in the lighthouse garden though – blackbirds, goldfinches, greenfinches, house sparrows and robins. I photographed a female blackbird eating hawthorn berries by the clifftop and also a house sparrow, who posed for a picture. Opposite the lighthouse on the pitch 'n' putt were 28 Curlew feeding, along with a few oystercatchers. I had left the scope in the car and asked another birder who was sea-watching if the birds I could see sitting distantly were Eider – they were indeed. I returned to the car to get the scope and went back to scan the sea. I was gobsmacked when I realised there were a huge number of Red-breasted Mergansers on the sea – my initial count was 11, which I thought was brilliant in itself, but further counts resulted in a massive number of 32 Red-breasted Mergansers!!!!!!! all sitting on the sea, along with 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Tufted Duck, 4 Drake Eiders and a Gannet flew east. I have never seen this many mergansers together before – it was simply magical! No sign of the 'Red Bishop' I mentioned in my post yesterday. The birder who had been seawatching told me that some friends of his had just seen the Hoopoe again at Holme! This was where I was going next anyway. Also the Desert Wheater had not been seen at Holme today at all.

Update: there was I, thinking how brilliant it was to have seen 32 Red-breasted Mergansers until I read on Birdforum this evening, that someone else had seen 40 and in the same spot!!!!! See here.

Holme NWT Reserve
Along the Firs Road, I noticed the owners of the standing caravan (opposite Sandy Ridge) were in their garden so I stopped to ask them very politely why they had cut so many of their trees down and the man replied 'watch this space'. As the youngsters say 'whatever'!!!!! I complimented his 'patch' and said those trees had been there a very long time and did he realise how many rare birds had been in there over the years - he replied 'we had a hoopoe in here this morning, so we can't be doing too much wrong'. Passing Robert at the pay hut, he told me that the Hoopoe had gone south-east over the pay hut, not west, as on the pager message. Parked by the 5-bar gate and worked the NWT Forestry hard, to find this hoopoe. I walked all the way to the far bunk houses and back again. In the gorse opposite Gore Point I had lovely views of a pair of Stonechats - the female being ringed, I noticed. Also a good number of greenfinches and goldfinches here, a few robins, blackbirds and wrens. I ticked off a dog walker - a couple with dog off lead and said they should 'have their dog on a lead on the reserve' and pointed out where the public footpath was. They replied 'we are local' - I replied that 'the warden would be less polite if he saw you' - they replied 'we know the warden' - at this point I gave up - another pointless 'dog' conservation! Back up on the pubic footpath I bumped into Sue Bryan and Andy B. and asked them if they had seen the hoopoe - they had not, but pointed out a Greenland White-fronted Goose to me in the lagoon, seaward side (The Saltings) which I got a few pictures of. Andy B. told me that the large number of red-breasted mergansers I had seen had been there for a while. Just before I got to the car a local birder very kindly let me look through his scope at a lovely Short-eared Owl sitting in the fields by the marshes. Left at 12.45pm to start work in Lynn at 2pm. I made it back in time - just!

DUSKY WARBLERS reported at Blakeney Point and Horsey today!!!!! The Horsey bird being found by Graham Etherington - see picture here.

UPDATE - 19-11-11: Robert Smith very kindly let me know that the day after I saw the White-fronted Goose in Gore Point channel at Holme, it was sadly found dead by a local birder, but was confirmed that the bird was of the Greenland race! Thanks Robert, for letting me know.

PICTURES TO BE ADDED

Desert Wheatear in glorious sunshine!

2011-11-12T21:02:00.017Z

DESERT WHEATEAR
Holme

I was tired before I started this morning, which doesn't help one get through the day! As I type, next door's dog is howling and barking continuously, like a devil possessed and all because the owner is not there - in fact they are not there much at all really. I wanted to go to sleep early tonight, but not much chance of that! Part of me thinks poor dog and the other part wants to go round there with a gun - can't take much more of it. People really should not have pets if they are not there, especially a dog, its a full time commitment and they should not be left in the house alone for any length of time. I am so tired tonight, that I am not even watching X-Factor and I ALWAYS watch it normally!

Eddie started at Cley this morning with a seawatch and had quite a good selection: Great Northern Diver, Black-throated Diver, a Bonxie, a Pom Skua, 2 Velvet Scoter etc.

Holme Reserves
I arrived at Holme NOA carpark at around 9.20am. On route along the Firs road I saw 4 Stonechats on the barbed wire fence and brambles. Quite a few cars in the carpark already! Andy W. pulled into the NWT carpark shortly after me, so we both walked across the dunes, through the pines and crossed over opposite the observatory and walked east to see the DESERT WHEATEAR at just after 10am. What a cracking bird! It was eating mealworms along the tide line – somebody had obviously sprinkled a few there earlier this morning! I phoned RBA with an update as no one else had bothered to do so since the first message just after 8am this morning and updated them again at 11.20am and 12.40am. I spent far too long really here - or did I? I sat on the sand for several hours watching and enjoying this beautiful little bird along with a Northern Wheatear who was not happy to be second best and chased the Desert Wheatear at every opportunity! With my 300mm lens I found it incredibly difficult to focus on this bird in the dull light as it camouflaged well against the sand and obviously I couldn't get as close as I would have liked - although I did wiggle as close as I dare! The light did improve later on though and I managed to get some reasonable shots. The bird didn't seem bothered at all by anyone's presence, but it was very much bothered by an unleashed dog. Now everyone knows how I feel about dogs, but this dog did me a huge favour - it bounded right up to the bird and the Desert Wheatear stood in a perfect stance on a large stone - the only shot on my camera I was happy with, so thanks dog! Having not eaten or drank since early morning, my head was rocking and I felt awful. The light was now beautiful but I was now on my last Sansdisk card anyway (still havn't sorted all my photos out!), so left and walked back to the carpark for late lunch. I watched a Woodcock fly from the pines behind the Firs house - it flew out across the marsh in a big circle and returned to the same pines! Sue Bryan came and joined me for a chat and whilst there, two birders walked into the carpark and kindly told us there was a Hoopoe along a grassy track the other side of a gate, half way down the Firs Road! Off we shot down the road! I phoned Eddie to let him know, (who hasn't got a pager anymore) who was watching the Desert Wheatear at this point. Anyway, got to the area where the Hoopoe was seen and guess what, it was out of view. We had missed it by minutes! In fact it stayed out of view for the rest of the day!!!! A few lucky people had seen it and one man showed me a record shot on his camera - see here. Dawn Balmer had found it apparently - congratulations! Lots of people stood there until dusk in hope of seeing this bird, but sadly it didn't appear again. I was bored with waiting and went off to the NWT Forestry to find something exciting, but only came up with lots of blackbirds, robins and hedgesparrows and masses of magpies. I returned to watch for the Hoopoe again with others and saw 4 Barn Owls hunting around the marsh and a Pipistrelle Bat. Whilst standing there, news came through about a Pallid Swift at Hunstanton this morning and also 10 Waxwings that were seen by the Hun Bridge at Holme at 3pm - nice late news now its dark on both lots of birds! A swift sp. has been seen the last couple of days at Hunstanton and had been ID'd as a Common Swift and now apparently re-identified as a Pallid. But is this the same bird? Possibly another swift that actually was a Pallid!!! Well, its gone now anyway, so we may well never know! I also heard through the grapevine, that there is a residing 'Red Bishop' (obviously escaped) in Hunstanton at the moment, that has been frequenting the same garden, but recently has been touring the rest of 'Sunny Hunny' – this morning it was seen in a small bush on the cliff top - how awesome is that!!! See pictures etc here on: birdforum.

Got chips from 'Sunny Hunny' on the way home.

Dog still barking.........

Desert Wheatear, Holme.

Happy Birthday Vivien!!!

2011-11-11T00:07:00.003Z

Happy Birthday
to my baby sister Vivien

who is..... no I am not going to say her age as this makes me feel REALLY old!!!!!

Have a lovely day Vivien - see you later!

Love Penny x x x

Rares all Week!!!!!

2011-11-10T23:57:00.003Z

Yep, and I am stuck at work. How frustrating is that!!!

MELODIOUS WARBLER at Happisburgh along with Pallas's Warblers, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler, Great Grey Shrike and Firecrest at Trimmingham.

My mother yesterday predicted 'there will be a Desert Wheatear at Holme this week' and up on the pager this afternoon "DESERT WHEATEAR male Holme Dunes at east end on tideline near Thornham Channel at 3.42pm. Access from Thornham harbour car park"

Trying not to think about all these birds too much, plus all the ones undiscovered yet!!!

Roll on Saturday!

4 Waxwings!

2011-11-08T21:32:00.002Z

I am working in the community at the moment and a patient I go out to see regularly in Watlingtoni had 4 Waxwings in their garden this morning!!!! Sadly I was too late to see them though!

SEAWATCHING - CLEY!!!

2011-11-06T21:22:00.014Z

6.50am–12.50pm Cley Coastguards with E.T.M.

Very difficult to get up this morning with the wind howling ferociously outside, but the excitement of a good seawatch enticed me to get out of the house! I arrived at Coastguards at 6.50am and was pleased to be the first one there - I even beat Eddie by 10 minutes! It was freezing cold, but I had prepared well with thermal leggings, trousers and rain trousers etc!!!

The first bird I saw through the scope was an Arctic Skua going east. It all looked very exciting. Huge numbers of wildfowl going through, especially shelduck. Loads of Kittiwakes and good numbers of Little Gulls. We had some surprising birds, as you will see from the list! Most of the passage had tailored off by midday though.

Several birders joined us both throughout the morning including R. M., Robin A., Pete S., Pete D., Steve B., Steve G., Tim and Irene L. and loads of others!

I photographed a Pom Skua which landed in the Eye Field - a stunning bird, but sadly it didn't fly in the short time that I stood there! I was torn between waiting for a flight shot or returning to seawatch! I returned to seawatch instead. Julian B. reported to me later (beaming from ear to ear) that he had got some flight shots - which means of course, they will be more than good!

Pete Snook picked up a Little Auk sitting on the sea (whilst I had nipped away for 10 minutes to go to VC) - luckily it was still there when I returned and I got some record shots of it, fairly close in to the surf. Several very annoying birders walked up the shingle and stood directly on the ridge in front of us - how rude! Eddie got rather hot under the collar (putting it mildly!)

Bird of the morning was a LEACH'S PETROL - seen by Eddie Myers only, at 11.49am going west. Very sadly no one else could get on it and we wondered if had turned and gone east and possibly been the same bird that Stuart White had seen at Gramborough Hill, that then flew inland being mobbed by crows.

Frustratingly I had to leave by lunchtime, as had to be at work for 3pm for a six hour shift.

Now absolutely shattered!

Birds I saw at Coastguards:

Loads of Kittiwakes, Little Gulls, Teal, Wigeon, Common Scoter, Gannets, a few Dunlin and Knot (I didn't count these)

Bonxies x 25
Arctic Skuas x 7
Pom Skua x 6
Little Auks x 3 (2 flying east and one on sea picked up by Pete S.)
Razorbill x 2
Guillemot x 1
Auk sp. x 8 (at least)
Puffin x 1 west at 8.55am
Merlin x 1 west at 7.55am
Shag x 2
Slavonian Grebes x 2 west
Red-necked Grebes x 3
Red-breasted Mergansers x 22
Red-throated Divers x 18
Golden Eye x 7
Eiders x 51
Long-tailed Duck x 1 with 2 Teal west
Shelduck x 173
Shoveler x 2
Gadwall x 3
Avocets x 6 (flew through in two lots of three)
Curlew x 1
Redwings x 3
Skylarks x 2

UPDATE: SABINE'S GULL - seen by Eddie Myers and others this afternoon at 2.55pm going east from Coastguards, Cley.

PICTURES TO BE ADDED

Cley Birding

2011-11-05T09:34:00.004Z

Coastguards - 7am-10.15am – foggy – with E.T.M.

2 Great Northern Divers going west at 7.55am, 1 Eider west, 2 Golden Eye going west, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Bonxie, 1 Razorbill. Lots of Gannets and Little Gulls, Red-throated Divers, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 100+ Common Scoter. A surprise Yellow Wagtail with Meadow Pipits, sitting on the shingle east of the shelter at 9.35am. Skies brightened up by 9.30am. Saw two Blakeney Point regulars heading off down the point. Went to the NWT Visitor Centre for cheese scones with Eddie (bad influence!)

Walsey Hills NOA – with E.T.M.
Quite a lot of birds in here including a Blackcap, Goldcrests, lots of blackbirds, song thrushes, redwings, fieldfares and the usual blue tits, great tits, chaffinches, hedgesparrows and robins.

Warham Greens – with E.T.M and John F.
Male Hen Harrier, 2 juv. Marsh Harriers, a Peregrine sitting on the beach, several Linnets, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Skylarks and a Barn Owl. A single Lapland bunting came over the path with loads of skylarks and finches.

Coastguards, Cley with E.T.M.
2 Bonxies east, several Little Gulls, a Razorbill, 3 Arctic Skuas and a Woodcock (picked up by ETM) in off the sea at 4pm!

Wells Woods and Cley

2011-11-05T07:33:00.003Z

FRIDAY 4th NOVEMBER

Had some jobs to do in the morning, but managed to get out for a short while in the afternoon.

Wells Woods - nothing spectacular of note apart from a couple of Goldcrests in the tit flock.

Cley Coastguards - 4 Arctic Skuas this evening along with loads of Gannets and Kittiwakes.

A career change?

2011-11-03T22:13:00.003Z

http://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/career_of_the_week_graphic_designer_1_1111708

After spending over 20 years as a typesetter/artworker I most definately have a wealth of experience, but lack photoshop skills. Yes I can do the basics, but you have to be a wizard in photoshop and all other software packages to get anywhere nowadays and also being under 30 helps aswell!!!

Anyone out there want to employ me? – (note 'en' rule used) or an — ('em' rule) I fancy a career change. I miss being creative and I need to earn some serious dosh!!!

If anyone wants anything re-designing, please email me!

Norfolk's Burning Issue!

2011-11-03T22:09:00.000Z

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/in-depth/norfolk-s-burning-issue

2011-11-03T21:16:00.002Z

Looking good for seawatching at the weekend!!!

http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/hdfForecast?query=sheringham
http://www.accuweather.com/ukie/forecast.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&postalcode=PE36%206LP&metric=1

I have a day off work tomorrow, so looking forward to some exciting birding - hopefully, anyway!

Happy 85th Birthday!!!!!

2011-11-02T00:18:00.003Z

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

To My Dearest Father!!!

May your day be full of surprises!

Love Penny x x x

Rare dragonfly found in Yarmouth library garden - Environment - Eastern Daily Press

2011-10-30T23:46:00.000Z

Rare dragonfly found in Yarmouth library garden - Environment - Eastern Daily Press

Friday Night clear out!!!!

2011-10-29T15:45:00.005+01:00

There was so little to see today. I didn't even bother writing any sightings into my notebook until the end of the day! The Pallas's Warblers had disappeared and the Daurian Shrike also had done a bunk overnight - so annoying when this bird had been there since last weekend.

Cley Coastguards
A few little gulls, a red throated diver, lapland bunting.

Walsey Hills NOA
Nothing at all of note.

Kelling Water Meadows
Cattle Egret at 10.35am.

Muckleborough Hill
Bullfinch, but little else.

LUNCH - whilst having lunch Pete S. phoned me to say he had had a juv. Sabine's Gull, a Black Guillemet, Grey Phalarope and a Great Northern Diver from Gramborough Hill in 45 minutes - 'the best seawatch I have had' - all I can say is Wow!!!

Coastguards, Cley
Little Gulls and Kittiwakes.

Walsey Hills, NOA
A Brambling was heard, a long tailed tit flock. John F. was the highlight in here!

Warham Roost
Short-eared Owl, 2 Ring tailed Hen Harriers and a Peregrine on the beach.

Very sad news to hear that Jimmy Savile has passed away http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15507374 I remember 'Jim'll Fix It' very well. I vaguely remember sending in a request as a little girl, but can't remember what it was now!

Exciting Weekend ahead!!!

2011-10-28T22:45:00.006+01:00

Its been difficult at work this week and I have felt tired and fed-up. I have not even turned the computer on since Sunday! Sadly the evening light does not allow time enough to go birding after work and from Monday it will be total darkness when leaving work - I will look forward to the spring!

Went to the optician's yesterday for an eye test and yes I need new lenses - more signs of aging!!! Mind you, I needed to replace the lenses anyway, after chucking the glasses out of the car a while back - remember?

BUT the good news is - its Saturday tomorrow and I WILL be out at dawn - hardcore birding until dusk - the bad news........ I am working all day on Sunday.

Pity the Pallid Swift seen at Beeston and Cley didn't hang around!

BIRDS IN NORFOLK TODAY INCLUDE:
Daurian Shrike at Horsey.
Pallas's Warblers at Holme NWT, Burnham Overy Staithe and Winterton (yesterday).
Probable Siberian Chiffchaff at Titchwell and Wells and also one seen at Blakeney Point.
Several Yellow-browed Warblers along the coast.
Sabine's Gull at Cley.
Black Tern at Waxham.
Balearic Shearwaters seen at Salthouse and Sheringham.
Little Auks seen off Cley, Kelling and Sheringham.
Large numbers of Little Gulls seen along the coast.
Red-necked Phalarope at Holkham.
Black Redstart at Salthouse.
Pomarine Skuas seen at Blakeney and Cley.
Cattle Egret at Blakeney.
Jack Snipe at Titchwell.
Rough-legged Buzzard at Holkham.

Yellow-browed Warblers - birds of the day

2011-10-23T21:58:00.007+01:00

Beautiful sunny day!

Holme NWT Marsh Reserve – 9.50-10.50am
Watched the heron again in front of the first hide. We had spectacular views of a water rail. A sparrowhawk swooped low in front of the hide and landed in the big willow tree for a brief moment. Other birds seen here were: kestrel, fieldfare, chiffchaff and usual mallards and tufted ducks.

Titchwell RSPB
Yellow-browed Warbler along the Fen Trail - good views, but was flittng about in the tops of the trees and absolutely refused to be photographed - all I managed was a tail shot, which I promptly deleted! Heard a bullfinch here and a couple of cetti's warblers. Lots of red admirals around the ivy covered tree along the Fen Trail just before the hide - same as yesterday. Nothing from the hide. We got back to the carpark and had to walk all the way back again to the fresh marsh and we were told there was a Dotterel sitting amongst the golden plover. We scanned for ages with no joy and then we heard it had flown off earlier!

After lunch we left and went and had a look in Burnham Deepdale Churchyard for Pallas's Warblers and also along the track leading to the copse behind the church, but no birds of note apart from a goldcrest.

Warham - West Track or Garden Drove
Nothing along the track at all, but I did find the Yellow-browed Warbler (found by someone else earlier today) at the very bottom in the trees just beyond the gate. It almost looked Pallas's like for a moment, in the now dimming light! It behaved in the same manner as the one at Titchwell earlier and did not wish to be photographed - couldn't even get a tail shot of this one! When returned along the track, Eddie walked up the field side and I walked along the track - about half way along I could see someone flapping their arms up and down, attempting to represent a bird - on closer inspection, it was of course none other than John F.!!! All three of us then went to the next track to watch roosting hen harriers. Lots of little egrets flying east. I saw at least 2 ring tail hen harriers, 1 male hen harrier and 1 Short eared Owl. Eddie saw more than me as I went off to the 'Pit' with John in attempt to find something good, but it only turned up a blackbird, robin and a few chaffinches.

PICTURES TO BE ADDED

Heron is star of the day!!!

2011-10-22T21:49:00.008+01:00

Beautiful Sunny Day!

Yellow-browed Warbler in a private garden at Holme.

Holme Marsh Reserve NWT
I spent a long time watching and photographing a heron fishing from the first hide at Holme NWT Marsh Reserve. It caught a Rudd - and also caught and gobbled a pair of dragonflies in tandem!!!! This was so quick, that if you had blinked, you would have missed it! A water rail ran across the cut reeds and two marsh harriers were seen over the marsh. Other birds of note were: little grebes, teal, mallards, wren, blackbirds, a party of long tailed tits, goldcrest and flocks of pink footed geese over the marsh and a sparrowhawk over our heads by the third hide.

On route to Titchwell we noticed Dave Holman going the opposite direction - my detective brain soon tuned in to something going on - looked at Eddie's borrowed pager (which doesn't bleep) and noticed a Glossy Ibis had been seen going west past Titchwell at 2.20pm - it was now around 2.40pm - my guess was that Dave was trying to catch up with the Ibis further west. We spun round and drove to Thornham Harbour, which is exactly what a few other birders had opted to do, in hope that the Glossy Ibis would cruise past. After about 5 minutes I phoned Sophie Barker, Warden at HBO to get any inside info - she had just heard the someone at Holme NWT reserve had seen the Glossy Ibis flying through west - so no point in standing at Thornaham any longer to look for it! So we headed back to Titchwell.

Titchwell RSPB
Along the Fen Trail, several red admirals were sunning themselves on the ivy covered tree just before the hide. Little else was seen around the trail though. Along the main path: Cettis Warbler singing, bearded tits 'pinging', flock of goldfinches came down to drink in the freshwater lagoon, a Redpoll flew over south west, a few linnets, several teal, wigeon and a little egret. On the sea were gannets and great crested grebes and along the shore were sanderlings, turnstones, grey plovers and loads of gulls. From Parrinder Hide: a Jack Snipe, one Spoonbill and more gulls etc. Male Hen Harrier towards dusk.

Ended the day with an indian takeaway!

Another Crap Day!

2011-10-21T23:43:00.003+01:00

Walked to garage after work to collect car, which took an hour. They were still working on the car at 5.45pm and told me that the car was not safe to drive very far and that I either needed to leave it with them or bring it back tomorrow!!!!! Did the Tescos run on the way back home as the cupboards are bare!

Got home to find that I had a Speeding Fine!!!!! BOTHER, BOTHER, BOTHER!!!

Now don't feel very well. Anything else?