Welney WWT & Sculthorpe Moore Nature Reserve

Sedge Warbler, Welney WWT.

Welney WWT

I had worked late into the night sorting photos again! This resulted in me not getting up earlier enough. Arrived Welney by mid morning. Too late in the day really to get good views of the bluethroat. Photographed a Sedge Warbler by the Lyle Hide. Bumped into "Big Jake" and his wife Ruth. The last time I saw them, was at the Lesser Kestrel Twitch. I eventually did see the White-Spotted Bluethroat around 12.45pm - it hovered above the bank to the left of the hide briefly singing and then dropped down. It then reappeared shortly after this from Lyle Hide but I only had flight views and sadly no pictures. A Welney volunteer found a Common Crane sitting on on the marsh distantly at 2.00pm. Other birds seen: reed buntings, chaffinches, wren, avocets, redshanks etc etc.

Sedge Warbler, Welney WWT.

Pied Wagtail, Lyle Hide, Welney WWT.

Sculthorpe Moore Community Nature Reserve

This reserve is really growing on me and the huge advantage of coming here is that there are NO DOGS ALLOWED!!! Male Blackcap sitting in tree when I pulled up at the carpark. 2 red legged partridges in ploughed field and greenfinches 'wheezing' and goldfinches twittering! Walked round the whole reserve including the Jarvis Hide which is in the woodland walk, the Whitley Hide which overlooks two bird tables and a reedbed and the Paul Johnson Hide which overlooks a scrape. Looked/listened for the Wood Warbler that was seen this morning around the 'Jarvis Hide' (not Fen Hide as reported) but no luck. Loads of Treecreepers and Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers singing. Several Blackcaps around and a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Had stunning views of a Water Vole swimming alongside me in the dyke, but he/she was in the sun, so not able to photograph. From the Whitley Hide there were some serious fights going on amongst the pheasants - male of course! Also feeding on the bird tables were reed buntings both male and female, chaffinches, blue tits and a large rat below! In the book someone had had an Osprey on the 11th April and also Goshawks seen!

Board Walk leading to Woodland Hide, Sculthorpe Moore. (iphone)

Cowslips, Sculthorpe Moore.

Reed Bunting, Whitley Hide, Sculthorpe Moore.

Marsh Marigold, Sculthorpe Moore. (iphone)

Sculthorpe Moore. (iphone)

From the Paul Johnson, scrape hide I watched two Swallows skimming the water for flies and two Marsh Harriers were circling round left of the hide. A Muntjack deer in the distance. Highland cattle set the scene. I then had what was possibly a glimpse of an Osprey flying distantly and then landed in a tree. Annoyingly I had left the scope in the car. So walked out of hide to walk back down the path to get closer, but didn't see it again. When I got back to the visitor centre someone told me that there is a private fishing lake at Hempton, so the bird seen on the 11th could still be around! I noticed on the sightings board that Grasshopper Warblers have been heard here, but I didn't hear any.

Path to 'Paul Johnson' Scrape Hide, Sculthorpe Moore. (iphone)

View from 'Paul Johnson' Scrape Hide, Sculthorpe Moore. (iphone)

Swallow, 'Paul Johnson' Scrape Hide, Sculthorpe Moore.

As I walked back to the carpark the sunset was awesome.

Sunset, Sculthorpe Moore.

RBA: RUFOUS TURTLE DOVE
"yesterday just west of Beccles in garden at Barsham for third day. (no sign today)"

Picture here: http://www.birdlineeastanglia.co.uk/ and then open "Suffolk Bird News"

PICTURES NOW ADDED TO:

10th April: HERE - including the Common Crane at Cley.
9th April: HERE - including mystery bird?
8th April: HERE - including Wheatears at Holme.

IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF!!!

IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF - TITCHWELL RSPB

Nipped out to Titchwell RSPB after tea and had wonderful views of the Iberian Chiffchaff up to 7.40pm when it went to roost. Thanks to Paul and Dave for pointing it out to me when I first arrived. I am definately familiar with the song now! Got a fantastic picture of its backside!!! Annoyingly though I could not get the perfect picture! Went to the Fen Hide after this and watched 5 Marsh Harriers by the dead trees. Could hear Sedge Warblers singing. A group of approximately 50 House Martins appeared out of the semi dusk at 8.10pm.

Dave from Birdforum kindly added song of this on the Norfolk thread or here

Free Visitors Guide 2011 - Lynn News

Free Visitors Guide to Norfolk and money off coupons in today's Lynn News Tuesday which is available in the shops until Friday this week or see digital edition here: http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/visitors_guide_2011_click_here_1_2589312

Festival Too line up, King's Lynn 2011

Festival Too started in 1985 with the aim of providing free entertainment to the people and visitors of West Norfolk. The event has definitely come a long way in the past 25 years - it is now one of Europe's biggest free festivals!

See this year's line up including Sophie Ellis Bextor here:

http://www.festivaltoo.co.uk/

Blakeney Point and Cley!

Sunrise, on route to Cley.

A spectacular day! I actually got up early this morning!

On route to Cley I took pictures of the sunrise - have not done that for a long time! Arrived Coastguards at 6.50am to a beautiful sunny, but chilly morning. Still east in the wind!

A lovely surprise of two Green Sandpipers on the Eye Pool at 7am - they called and flew off shortly after I saw them.

My first walk of the year to Blakeney Point. I walked along the incoming tide line for two thirds of the walk to 'Halfway House'. A few oystercatchers were scattered along the shore. Apart from the crashing waves on the shingle, it was blissfully quiet. It was nice to be the first person walking out this morning. I don't normally go down the point this early as I know it produces more later in the day, but I have a terrible habit of walking back in the dark, so decided to go early for a change! I walked over the shingle to walk the last section by the sueda bushes before reaching the house. 2 Sandwich Terns flew west, but no sign of any wheatears or anything much come to that. Sat at 'Halfway House' for nearly an hour and only saw Reed Buntings and Linnets, nothing else at all. I could see distantly by the next dune ridge that there were a large number of Shelduck. I made the very sensible decision of walking back. I decided there was no point in continuing the walk with the lack of birds around. Found a starfish on the way back. Attempted to walk back along the shore, but the tide was coming in and trying to walk on a slope of shingle to avoid getting soaked by the waves gets a bit tiresome after a while, especially when I lost balance when trying to miss a wave!!! So finished the walk on the shingle and sueda. Photographed a Reed Bunting on the way back. Got back to Coastguards at 10am. As I put my stuff away in the car, Richard Porter was then setting out for the point - I wished him good luck but said I hoped for my sake that he didn't find anything good as I didn't want to walk out a second time!

Linnet, Halfway House, Blakeney Point.


Starfish, taken with iphone and then lost my balance!

Reed Bunting, on the way back from Halfway House.

Went to the Cley Visitor Centre and went to add my 2 Green Sandpipers in the sightings book. Sat and had a cup of tea and chat with Eddie M. and Andy J. who had seen a single green sand over 'Billy's Wash'. Andy pointed out 2 Med. gulls that had landed on the pools directly out in front of us. Left here and went to Walsey Hills NOA - it was now 11.20am. Birds seen and heard here were: Cettis' Warbler, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaffs and usual birds around the feeders including hedge sparrows, blue tits, robin, chaffinches etc. The bee flies were on the Alexander along with a Tawney Mining Bee at the end of the bottom path. 2 Grey Herons flew over Snipes' Marsh. Still no adders to be seen and did not see any lizards today either. Walked round the far side of Walsey and sat on the bank overlooking Arnold's Marsh. Photographed a Chaffinch sitting on gorse and there were a couple of Chiffchaffs close to where I was sitting. The view from here is breathtaking and there were tons of birds on the marsh including marsh harriers and little egrets. Also lots of Carrion Crows I noted.

Chaffinch, Walsey Hills NOA.

Grey Heron, flying over Snipe's Marsh, Cley.

I relocated to the pull-in by the Iron Road, opposite Sarbury Hill for my lunch. This was a very good move! After lunch I had a nap in the car for what seemed like ages! Had a coffee to wake up and then walked up to Sarbury Hill. Only a Chiffchaff here, nothing else of note. Walked to the top of the hill to get a phone signal and looked at the RBA website - nothing too much had been added, so no panic! Went back to the car and Pete S. came and joined me. We sat chatting and suddenly Pete said 'quick Pen, camera......' coming towards us along the Iron Road and within seconds was directly up above us, was an awesome Common Crane!!!!! 3.21pm. Pete phoned RBA as I had not got any signal. It was the closest I have ever seen one. I just had to point and shoot - the camera was on the all the wrong settings, but was quite pleased with the results! Definately bird of the day! The Crane headed towards Walsey Hills and ended up on the marsh opposite Coastguards. Shortly after this we saw Tim and Irene Loseby who had kindly stopped to tell us about it.

COMMON CRANE
"Iron Road", Cley NWT.

Went back to Coastguards with Pete and saw the Common Crane take off and it headed west and the last we saw of it was over Friary Hills. Walked to North Scrape. Saw a Wheatear on route, a flock of Linnets, two more Sandwich Terns going west and skylarks. A good number of birds on the scrape including Black tailed godwits, ringed plovers, avocets, redshanks, greylags, cormerant etc. Neither of us had bought a scope, so probably other stuff we couldn't see!

Redshank, near Coastguards Carpark, Cley NWT.

Back to Walsey Hills again. The light here early evening was beautiful. I got some lovely pictures of a bumble bee on the whitethorn, a willow warbler and also chaffinches and greenfinches on the wires.

My attempt at a Bumblebee in flight!

Bumblebee on whitethorn flowers, Walsey Hills NOA.
The above three pictures were taken with the 300mm lens on Macro setting.


Top path, Walsey Hills NOA. (iphone)

Bottom path, Walsey Hills NOA. (iphone)

Chaffinch on the telegraph wire - Walsey Hills NOA.

Willow Warbler, Walsey Hills NOA.

Drove home via the coast road, stopped in a field entrance at the bottom of the rape field adjacent to 'The House on the Hill' at Blakeney and spent ages taking landscape/arty farty pictures, the light here was magical as the sun was going down.

"The House on the Hill", Blakeney.

Sun setting, "The House on the Hill", Blakeney.

Oilseed rape, "House on the Hill" Blakeney.

Continued along coast road watching the sun setting and turned onto the Brancaster/Docking road back to King's Lynn.

Wildlife haven near Holt blossoms again - News - Eastern Daily Press

Wildlife haven near Holt blossoms again - News - Eastern Daily Press

Stiffkey Campsite Wood, Fen and Cley NWT

ID PLEASE?

The bird on the wire looks like a kestrel and probably is, but its very long tailed! This was taken very distantly with 300mm lens.
It then flew off and appeared from behind some trees, but not totally sure if the bird in flight below this picture is the same bird or not? I have more pictures if needed.

I woke up at 4am - went back to sleep and ended up getting up late - again!

I wanted to do something different today and decided to go to Stiffkey. Beautiful sunny day, ESE winds.

Parked at Stiffkey Campsite carpark and had just poured myself a coffee when James McCallum kindly walked over and pointed out a Short eared Owl to me that was flying west distantly on the horizon - 1pm. I walked east through the campsite wood and followed the gorse lined path (signposted 'Stiffkey Greens') all the way to Stiffkey Fen. There were lots of silly people in teashirts and shorts - they must have been freezing and putting on a front as the east wind was pretty nippy! In the wood I saw nothing but woodpigeons and chaffinches. Apart from brent geese in good numbers, black headed gulls, shelduck and the odd skylark I saw nothing all the way up to the Fen! The highlight of the walk was a green shieldbug on the yellow gorse. On reaching Stiffkey Fen things livened up considerably. I sat on the bank and attempted to scope with my ED50 as I had not bought the tripod! There were loads of black-tailed godwits, avocets, black headed gulls, redshanks, teal, shelduck, shoveler, greylags. There were no hirundines at all, no wheatears, no stonechats and no little gulls which is what I had hoped to possibly see. I hate walking back the same way, so decided to walk along the bottom path past the fen and the pond on the right, to the bridge on the main road and walk back along the road. Along this path I could hear a Chiffchaff and a Cettis' Warbler singing and also saw my first Orange Tip butterfly this year. A kestrel distantly on a wire got me excited for a moment - it could have been a Red-footed Falcon! (see pictures above) When I reached the bridge and crossed the road to follow the footpath adjacent to the road I also had my first Speckled Wood of the year and heard a Blackcap singing. When I realised how much traffic was on the main road and motorbikes flying past I changed my mind and nipped (smiley face) down a path I probably shouldn't have done and re-joined the 'Stiffkey Greens' path back to the Campsite carpark. No other birds were seen on route back. Collapsed in the car - had the rest of my sandwiches and a cup of coffee. There were several greenfinches and goldfinches sitting in the trees next to the campsite and also watched a wren eating a caterpillar. I then decided to have one of my afternoon siesta's! Half an hour later I left here, feeling fed-up with the lack of birds. Decisions, decisions, shall I go to Cley...... its only up the road, or shall I go home? Cley it is then! On route stopped at the 'House on the Hill', but only saw greenfinches sitting on the telegraph wires.

Sycamore tree, Stiffkey Campsite Wood.

The above two pictures taken with iphone.

Stiffkey Campsite Wood.


Path through Stiffkey Greens.

Speckled Wood, Stiffkey Fen.

Orange Tip Butterfly, Stiffkey Fen.

Arty farty pictures next to the bridge at Stiffkey Fen.

Cley-next-Sea NWT Reserve - Daukes Hide

Parked at the bottom of Old Woman's Lane. Just before I got out of the car a male Marsh Harrier flew over my car carrying a very big fish!!!!! I have never seen this before! Pity it wasn't an Osprey! It headed towards the hides. Annoyingly I didn't get the camera out of the car quick enough - it would have been a fabulous picture! What the fish was or where the marsh harrier had got it from I don't know!

I really wish I had gone to Cley earlier as I more excitement this evening than I had the rest of the day! On route to Daukes' Hide at 7pm I watched loads of hirundines: Swallows, Sand Martins and my first House Martins all skimming over the pools on the marsh - what a wonderful sight! It was freezing cold though and when I got in the hide another birder was sat at the far left end of the hide as he said it was too cold to sit in the middle - how right he was, you needed a wool hat and gloves sitting there - the east wind cut right through you! Shortly after the other birder left I moved over to his seat! Usual birds on the scrapes including shelduck, teal, shoveler, avocets, black-tailed godwits, redshanks, lapwings, coots, gulls, marsh harriers etc etc. As I walked back along the boarded path I heard my first Sedge Warbler of the year.

Shelduck, Dawkes' Hide, Cley NWT.

Avocet, Dawkes' Hide, Cley NWT.

Drove back via Holt and found a Barn Owl sitting on a big oak tree! Nice end to the day.

On reaching home I discovered a nice little message on RBA - 2 Little Gulls on Stiffkey Fen this evening - how annoying is that!