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Thursday 31 March 2022
NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!
Wednesday 30 March 2022
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Tuesday 29 March 2022
WHITE-TAILED LAPWING At RSPB Frampton Marsh!
I have already seen the fabulous White-tailed Lapwing at Blacktoft Sands RSPB Reserve on 2nd November 2021 on route back from Shetland, but my views were distant and in poor light. Frampton Marsh RSPB is the same distance from King's Lynn as it is from here to Cley, so this afternoon I decided to try and get better views of the White-tailed Lapwing. 34 miles later and I was in the car park watching Goldfinches in the trees. It was dull when I left King's Lynn, but the skies were much brighter here and the sun came out later on!
I really should visit this wonderful reserve more regularly – far less people around than any reserve in Norfolk and huge numbers of birds. Its so long since I have been here and I couldn't remember where East Hide was, but was soon given helpful directions from a member of staff at the centre. It was cold, but refreshing and good to be out, as I have not had a particularly good weekend.
So many birds on the pools, including Black-headed Gulls, Med Gulls, Avocets, Shelduck, Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler, Mallards, Pochard, Tufted Ducks, one Goldeneye, Moorhens, Coot, Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, Brent Geese, Spotted Redshank, Snipe x 2, Little Egrets, Starling flocks and Marsh Harriers x 2.
From East Hide I had stunning views of the White-tailed Lapwing in the sunshine – I managed a short phone-scoped video, before it was flushed by a gull and then ended up much closer, but nearly always behind cut reeds, which was a little frustrating for photography! I also had a Common Sandpiper, Pied Wagtails x 2 and a Reed Bunting. There were two birders in the hide when I arrived, they left, another two arrived and left and I ended up on my own until 5.50pm – can you imagine that at Titchwell or Cley?!
Back at the car park, two of the birders who I had met in East Hide, kindly told me about the pair of Garganey that could be seen distantly from here. Set up my scope by the visitor centre and found the sleeping pair of Garganey! A fabulous end to the afternoon.
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RBA Weekly Round-Up 22nd to 28th March!
Monday 28 March 2022
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Sunday 27 March 2022
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Saturday 26 March 2022
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Friday 25 March 2022
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Thursday 24 March 2022
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Wednesday 23 March 2022
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Lough Boora Parklands, County Offaly, Ireland
Tuesday 22 March 2022
Spring Birding, Dips and Little Buntings!
I have been doing lots of essential jobs over the last few days, but finally managed to get out for a day's birding! Early bird catches the worm and all that jazz, which is why I dipped the White Stork off Nursery Lane at South Wootton this morning – too late, gone! Joined two other birders, who had also dipped. It came on the pager later, seen flying over Hillington.
I spent a long time searching for my OWN Garganey, being as there are a good number around in Norfolk at the moment. After dipping the White Stork, I headed to Holme and went to Holme Marsh Reserve NWT (village hides). I couldn't remember the last time I visited – new cushions in the hides I noted, but two were on the floor and looked grubby – its quite simple to leave them on the seats surely?! It was beautiful here – Chiffchaffs singing, Long-tailed Tits, Robin, Chaffinches, Blackbirds x 2, Little Grebe, Coot, Red Kite, Canada Geese x 2, Egyptian Geese x 2, Common Buzzards x 2, Marsh Harrier, Cetti's Warbler, Lapwings, Grey Heron, Bees buzzing, a Brimstone, Comma and Red Admiral Butterfly seen. No Garganey!
At Redwell Marsh Hide NOA, another potentially good Garganey site, I had 2 Avocets, several Teal, Mallards, Shovelers, Gadwall, Wigeon, Oystercatchers x 5, Greylag Geese, Lapwings, Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk and again no Garganey. Carried on along the rollercoaster Firs Road at no more than 5mph and parked up on the NOA car park. Walked and checked the pools from all the NWT hides and again no Garganey found, only the usual Black-headed Gulls, Little Egrets x 2, Teal, Mallards etc. From the NOA car park hide there were a good number of Tufted Duck on the Broadwater. I didn't walk anywhere else on the reserves, as needed to get to Kelling to see the Little Buntings.
Stopped at North Point Pools, Wells and scanned for Garganey, none here either. Headed to Glandford and popped into CleySpy to see Andrew, to sort out my Swarovski VPA Variable Phone Adapter – this has never worked properly, as it is always working loose and is not quicker enough when you need it to be – long story short, I have now purchased a bright yellow (hate the colour) "PhoneSkope Lollipop Universal Smartphone Adapter", which seems far simpler – I will test it out fully over the next few weeks.
Headed to Kelling Heath and parked up along the road. Bumped into John F. who was just leaving. Walked along the path and joined others to see the Little Buntings. Luckily I had an initial glimpse of one feeding in the stubble field through Ashley B.'s scope, thank you! Lovely to see Jacquie and Dave B. here amongst others. I had to wait around for what seemed like an hour, before I saw them again. Eventually they were both perched up in the hedgerow! I don't think I have ever seen two together – wonderful! When they were feeding in the stubble, they were very difficult to see. I never thought in a million years I would get any photos in that first hour, but got lucky later, even though I wasn't close enough for frame filling shots. I watched the Little Buntings until 5.50pm. It was very cold now, made my way back to my car and headed to Cley.
Because it was so late, I failed miserably to see any Garganey at Cley! Parked up at the East Bank car park and walked as far as Don's Pool, where there had been a pair of Garganey not long before I arrived, but not here now! Parked up at the Visitor Centre, Cley NWT and walked to Bishop's Hide where the light had almost gone completely. Couldn't see any Garganey from here either. Photographed a pair of Swans in the dyke, which although not sharp, portrayed a romantic scene I thought!
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Monday 21 March 2022
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Kinvarra, County Galway, Ireland
Sunday 20 March 2022
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Lough Boora Parklands, County Offaly, Ireland
Saturday 19 March 2022
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Lough Boora Parklands, County Offaly, Ireland
Friday 18 March 2022
NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!
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