Sunday, 6 May 2012
NEW UK Rarity Gallery!
Birdforum now has a new UK RARITY GALLERY which is much easier to add pictures to than their normal gallery - same as a normal posting on a thread, except all rare birds can be viewed in one section, if people add them of course!
The gallery is listed in the 'Rare' forums section, along with 'Rare Bird Information', the new 'Weekly Round Up' (by Mark Golley), 'UK Rarity Gallery' and 'Map of Rare and Scarce Birds in the British Isles today': http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=627
Here is the link: http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=705
Just create a new thread in the gallery to post your rare bird shots – simples!
See mine for an example:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=229441
The gallery is listed in the 'Rare' forums section, along with 'Rare Bird Information', the new 'Weekly Round Up' (by Mark Golley), 'UK Rarity Gallery' and 'Map of Rare and Scarce Birds in the British Isles today': http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=627
Here is the link: http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=705
Just create a new thread in the gallery to post your rare bird shots – simples!
See mine for an example:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=229441
Saturday, 5 May 2012
Beautiful day with a good mix of birds
A beautiful sunny day with biting north easterly wind and a few showers!
Snettisham Coastal Park
After seeing the Golden Oriole three times this week, I just presumed I would see it again, but a full search of the entire coastal park did not produce this bird today! I walked through the centre paths and then across and back via the inner sea wall. A good smattering of migrants including cuckoos, common whitethroats, blackcaps, chiffchaffs, reed buntings, willow and reed warblers, swifts, swallows and huge numbers of wheatears including one little group of nine sitting close together on a sandy patch in the sunshine! At least two pairs of stonechats and 2 common buzzards also seen. I walked back along the seawall with a couple of birders. Further along the bank another birder very kindly told us about a pair of Garganey further along by the river bank which we saw at 10.30am – they were sitting asleep and were quite camouflaged against the bank. Eddie Myers kindly phoned me this morning to say he had found (along with Kevin Shepherd and Keith Dye) a PALLID HARRIER at Cley flying west – Congratulations!!! This bird was seen throughout the day as it made its way along Blakeney Point (see pictures here and here), Morston, Warham and last seen at Holkham, BUT not by me!
Went to visit my parents and then went for lunch at Titchwell RSPB.
Holkham
Parked up on the Burnham Market Road and walked along the track just off the main road and then branched off right on the track to join 'Bone's Drift' and eventually caught up with Eddie, Andy J. and others to view the Purple Heron at 3.35pm. Of course it had been standing in full view in the field just before I turned up! I saw it walking along a ditch and took several pictures, only to discover the camera had taken them in black and white - I just couldn't understand what was going on, I had not changed any settings and as far as I am aware there are no short cut buttons on the camera to change colour to mono!!! I had to go into the menu of the camera and change it back to colour in 'Picture Style' – so I have some pictures of a purple heron in black and white, this is both extremely annoying and also hilarious at the same time! Everyone else left..... FA Cup final!!! I stood there for another hour waiting for that bird to reappear so I could take some 'colour' pictures - did it show again? did it h*ll no!!!!!!!!! I saw 2 marsh harriers, 2 common buzzards, several grey herons and good numbers of swifts. The Pallid Harrier was somewhere close by whilst I was here, but it didn't pass me! I trudged glumly back to the car.
Warham Greens - Garden Drove/West Track.
Parked the car on the concrete track and went off down the track to find a mega. First bird I saw had a red breast, no it wasn't an RB Fly! Saw a few chaffinches aswell and that was about it. But I had the most awesome views of the marshes and East Hills. The very high tide this evening had covered most of the marsh and the setting sun radiated glittering rays across the whole marsh – it really was magical. I then had a wonderful surprise of a Short-eared Owl flying east at 7pm and then back west again later. There were also good numbers of little egrets on the marsh and also a hare lolloped across the marsh in the water!
Snettisham Coastal Park
After seeing the Golden Oriole three times this week, I just presumed I would see it again, but a full search of the entire coastal park did not produce this bird today! I walked through the centre paths and then across and back via the inner sea wall. A good smattering of migrants including cuckoos, common whitethroats, blackcaps, chiffchaffs, reed buntings, willow and reed warblers, swifts, swallows and huge numbers of wheatears including one little group of nine sitting close together on a sandy patch in the sunshine! At least two pairs of stonechats and 2 common buzzards also seen. I walked back along the seawall with a couple of birders. Further along the bank another birder very kindly told us about a pair of Garganey further along by the river bank which we saw at 10.30am – they were sitting asleep and were quite camouflaged against the bank. Eddie Myers kindly phoned me this morning to say he had found (along with Kevin Shepherd and Keith Dye) a PALLID HARRIER at Cley flying west – Congratulations!!! This bird was seen throughout the day as it made its way along Blakeney Point (see pictures here and here), Morston, Warham and last seen at Holkham, BUT not by me!
Went to visit my parents and then went for lunch at Titchwell RSPB.
Holkham
Parked up on the Burnham Market Road and walked along the track just off the main road and then branched off right on the track to join 'Bone's Drift' and eventually caught up with Eddie, Andy J. and others to view the Purple Heron at 3.35pm. Of course it had been standing in full view in the field just before I turned up! I saw it walking along a ditch and took several pictures, only to discover the camera had taken them in black and white - I just couldn't understand what was going on, I had not changed any settings and as far as I am aware there are no short cut buttons on the camera to change colour to mono!!! I had to go into the menu of the camera and change it back to colour in 'Picture Style' – so I have some pictures of a purple heron in black and white, this is both extremely annoying and also hilarious at the same time! Everyone else left..... FA Cup final!!! I stood there for another hour waiting for that bird to reappear so I could take some 'colour' pictures - did it show again? did it h*ll no!!!!!!!!! I saw 2 marsh harriers, 2 common buzzards, several grey herons and good numbers of swifts. The Pallid Harrier was somewhere close by whilst I was here, but it didn't pass me! I trudged glumly back to the car.
Warham Greens - Garden Drove/West Track.
Parked the car on the concrete track and went off down the track to find a mega. First bird I saw had a red breast, no it wasn't an RB Fly! Saw a few chaffinches aswell and that was about it. But I had the most awesome views of the marshes and East Hills. The very high tide this evening had covered most of the marsh and the setting sun radiated glittering rays across the whole marsh – it really was magical. I then had a wonderful surprise of a Short-eared Owl flying east at 7pm and then back west again later. There were also good numbers of little egrets on the marsh and also a hare lolloped across the marsh in the water!
Friday, 4 May 2012
Golden Oriole in The Lynn News!
I was surprised and pleased when I discovered that my Golden Oriole picture was on the front page of The Lynn News AND on Page 3! My little piece I had written and emailed to the reporter had been condensed down to a few words though. I don't know what software they used to sharpen my picture up, but it looked a million times better than on my camera and a whole lot better than my photoshop efforts!!!
http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle-and-leisure-news/rare-shot-of-golden-oriole-1-3807016
My father's "NATURE NOTES" were also in the 'Weekend Live' section of the Lynn News today – 4 weeks late! Can't find it on line yet to link it here. Father wrote this before he was taken ill.
http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle-and-leisure-news/nature-notes-1-3809981
http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle-and-leisure-news/rare-shot-of-golden-oriole-1-3807016
My father's "NATURE NOTES" were also in the 'Weekend Live' section of the Lynn News today – 4 weeks late! Can't find it on line yet to link it here. Father wrote this before he was taken ill.
http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle-and-leisure-news/nature-notes-1-3809981
Citrine Wagtail at Holme!!!
In the eastern corner of the village carpark opposite the toilet block in Holme village this morning! Congratulations to whoever the finder was - don't know who. It was found quite a long time before the reported 11.55am, though, I have heard through the grapevine!!! Also that it was flushed by a local bird photographer apparently. It was last seen flying off west along the golfcourse towards Hunstanton. See pictures here: http://www.surfbirds.com/gallery/display.php?gallery=gallery9
Purple Heron briefly from Joe Jordon Hide, Holkham.
Temminck's Stint still at Cley.
Little Stint at Titchwell RSPB
No news on the Golden Oriole at Snettisham Coastal Park.
This evening I went to look for the Citrine Wagtail. As I pulled up in the village carpark I could see why the wagtail had favoured this patch - this rough grass carpark was completely water logged and boggy - it looked like a water meadow rather than a carpark! I then went to NOA Redwell Marsh Reserve just in case it had relocated - very little there, only a few teal, shoveler, few avocets, black headed gulls and 3 house martins. I then walked along the permissive footpath that follows the river up to the standing caravan (collared fly site) and was horrified to find a path now blocked off - the one that runs alongside the 6ft wooden panel fence that lines the caravan property, is now fenced off with a wire fence one end and trees planted the other! Also a wooden post which has 'Norfolk County Council' and 'permissive footpath' on it had been removed from somewhere and dumped in the middle of the rough ground/field adjacent to the caravan property (Redwell hide side of the caravan). Also this rough ground/field area has been stripped of all bramble bushes and reeds and very, very sadly looks like it going to be built on. Throughout my life I have watched so many pieces of land being taken in Holme for building. Huge houses are built and the majority if not all of the property owners who buy these houses only occupy them for a small proportion of the year. Much of the same all along the Norfolk coast.
Sunny tomorrow with north easterlies forecast.
High Tide, King's Lynn Docks: 6.20am and 7.3 metres (high!).
Purple Heron briefly from Joe Jordon Hide, Holkham.
Temminck's Stint still at Cley.
Little Stint at Titchwell RSPB
No news on the Golden Oriole at Snettisham Coastal Park.
This evening I went to look for the Citrine Wagtail. As I pulled up in the village carpark I could see why the wagtail had favoured this patch - this rough grass carpark was completely water logged and boggy - it looked like a water meadow rather than a carpark! I then went to NOA Redwell Marsh Reserve just in case it had relocated - very little there, only a few teal, shoveler, few avocets, black headed gulls and 3 house martins. I then walked along the permissive footpath that follows the river up to the standing caravan (collared fly site) and was horrified to find a path now blocked off - the one that runs alongside the 6ft wooden panel fence that lines the caravan property, is now fenced off with a wire fence one end and trees planted the other! Also a wooden post which has 'Norfolk County Council' and 'permissive footpath' on it had been removed from somewhere and dumped in the middle of the rough ground/field adjacent to the caravan property (Redwell hide side of the caravan). Also this rough ground/field area has been stripped of all bramble bushes and reeds and very, very sadly looks like it going to be built on. Throughout my life I have watched so many pieces of land being taken in Holme for building. Huge houses are built and the majority if not all of the property owners who buy these houses only occupy them for a small proportion of the year. Much of the same all along the Norfolk coast.
Sunny tomorrow with north easterlies forecast.
High Tide, King's Lynn Docks: 6.20am and 7.3 metres (high!).
Red-breasted Flycatcher!
Some stonking pictures of the Red-breasted Flycatcher on Blakeney Point on Wednesday 2nd May can be seen on Joe's blog here: http://joesbirding.blogspot.co.uk/
Thursday, 3 May 2012
Bird News in Norfolk
Some highlights via RBA
Golden Oriole still at Snettisham this evening
Temminck's Stint at Cley
Nightingale and Garganey at Salthouse
Wryneck at North Walsham
Also via Birdforum - one of the 'regulars' had a Wood Warbler at Blakeney Point today.
Golden Oriole still at Snettisham this evening
Temminck's Stint at Cley
Nightingale and Garganey at Salthouse
Wryneck at North Walsham
Also via Birdforum - one of the 'regulars' had a Wood Warbler at Blakeney Point today.
Peregrine Chicks Hatch Out in Norwich!!!
Two of the four chicks have hatched out on the Cathedral spire - see the live video stream here:
http://relay.icode.co.uk/~ws-norwichcath/content.htm
http://www.cathedral.org.uk/aboutus/peregrin-falcons-peregrines-cathedral-spire.aspx
http://relay.icode.co.uk/~ws-norwichcath/content.htm
http://www.cathedral.org.uk/aboutus/peregrin-falcons-peregrines-cathedral-spire.aspx
Golden Oriole still here!!!
Got home from work and started to doze on the sofa – there had been no news on the Golden Oriole today – but then it had been lashing down with rain all day and had anyone actually been hardcore enough to go out and look? Well somebody had to!!!! I got togged up in waterproofs, grabbed camera and bins and went off down the road to Snettisham Coastal Park.
I arrived at 6.30pm. As I pulled into the empty carpark I felt quite excited - I was the only one here and as an added bonus, the rain had just stopped - lucky me! Lots of wheatears on the large open area of grass, a big flock of linnets on the shingle bank, several cettis's warblers singing, along with willow, reed and sedge warblers. Cuckoos were calling and a common whitethroat was sitting in the same bush that Jim Swalwell had first found the Golden Oriole on Sunday. I walked through the very water logged paths, through the gorse bushes and eventually to the area where I last saw the Golden Oriole. Ahead of me I could see Jim Scott who is Site Manager for Snettisham RSPB Reserve. At 7.15pm a bird suddenly came into my line of focus, bounding past me, back in the direction I had come from - it was the Golden Oriole!!! Jim Scott now joined me and told me that he had just been watching the Golden Oriole only 10 ft away on the ground before it took off - I was absolutely gutted, if only I had not had that snooze earlier, that could have been me!!! I could see where the Golden Oriole had dropped in, but much searching was sadly in vain. I trudged back along the water logged paths to the carpark. A barn owl and a marsh harrier were also seen on the way back. I am mystified as to why this Golden Oriole has stayed so long - unless of course there is a female around, that we don't know about!
I arrived at 6.30pm. As I pulled into the empty carpark I felt quite excited - I was the only one here and as an added bonus, the rain had just stopped - lucky me! Lots of wheatears on the large open area of grass, a big flock of linnets on the shingle bank, several cettis's warblers singing, along with willow, reed and sedge warblers. Cuckoos were calling and a common whitethroat was sitting in the same bush that Jim Swalwell had first found the Golden Oriole on Sunday. I walked through the very water logged paths, through the gorse bushes and eventually to the area where I last saw the Golden Oriole. Ahead of me I could see Jim Scott who is Site Manager for Snettisham RSPB Reserve. At 7.15pm a bird suddenly came into my line of focus, bounding past me, back in the direction I had come from - it was the Golden Oriole!!! Jim Scott now joined me and told me that he had just been watching the Golden Oriole only 10 ft away on the ground before it took off - I was absolutely gutted, if only I had not had that snooze earlier, that could have been me!!! I could see where the Golden Oriole had dropped in, but much searching was sadly in vain. I trudged back along the water logged paths to the carpark. A barn owl and a marsh harrier were also seen on the way back. I am mystified as to why this Golden Oriole has stayed so long - unless of course there is a female around, that we don't know about!
Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Bird News today
Main highlights via RBA include:
Red-breasted Flycatcher in the The Plantation at Blakeney Point
Golden Oriole remains at Snettisham Coastal Park, also 2 Red Kites.
Temminck's Stint at Cley NWT
Montagu's Harrier at Winterton
Osprey, Breydon Water
Black Terns x 5 at Welney
Red-breasted Flycatcher in the The Plantation at Blakeney Point
Golden Oriole remains at Snettisham Coastal Park, also 2 Red Kites.
Temminck's Stint at Cley NWT
Montagu's Harrier at Winterton
Osprey, Breydon Water
Black Terns x 5 at Welney
Golden Oriole makes the headlines!
I wasn't impressed with my Golden Oriole pictures at all really - I mean don't get me wrong, I was pleased I'd got a few shots, but none were sharp by a long way. So it was pleasing when RBA asked to use my pictures for Mark Golley's weekly round up on their site and I also had a couple more surprises. An email arrived from Radio Norfolk asking me to phone them as they were going to be 'talking golden orioles at Snettisham on BBC Radio Norfolk this morning' and could they have a 'quick word on the phone' with me about them? - well by the time I saw this email via iphone it was 1pm in my lunch - of course my phone has to be switched off completely at work and so did not see the message until the broadcast had been and gone! Hey ho! Now the Lynn News have contacted me to use my pictures for their paper! Surely other people must have taken better shots than myself - its been there since Sunday evening!!! I also can't believe its still here today!
Rare Bird Alert Weekly round-up: 25 April - 01 May 2012
http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/weeklyreview2012no9.aspx?s_id=177208983
Rare Bird Alert Weekly round-up: 25 April - 01 May 2012
http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/weeklyreview2012no9.aspx?s_id=177208983
25 Days left!!!!!
http://the-end.com/2008GodsFinalWitness/?gclid=COOSudGo4K8CFe8htAodxTFMBg
25 Day's Birding left - wouldn't that be catastrophic!!!
25 Day's Birding left - wouldn't that be catastrophic!!!
Tracking Cuckoos to Africa.... and back again - unbelievable technology!
http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking
I think I highlighted this on my blog last year. This is just amazing stuff - it really is. Open up the above link and read about the tagged cuckoos and where they are now! For example 'Lyster' has just arrived back on 1st May in Norfolk where he was first caught and tagged last year and has travelled 10399.7 miles since he was tagged in Norfolk in 2011!!! http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking/lyster
I think I highlighted this on my blog last year. This is just amazing stuff - it really is. Open up the above link and read about the tagged cuckoos and where they are now! For example 'Lyster' has just arrived back on 1st May in Norfolk where he was first caught and tagged last year and has travelled 10399.7 miles since he was tagged in Norfolk in 2011!!! http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking/lyster
Golden Oriole still enjoying the Coastal Park!
TUESDAY
Golden Oriole still at Snettisham Coastal Park!
Golden Oriole still at Snettisham Coastal Park!
Monday, 30 April 2012
MEGA ALERT!!!! ATLAS PIED FLYCATCHER?
EAST YORKSHIRE
http://uk400clubrarebirdalert.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/uk-mega-apparent-atlas-pied-flycatcher.html?m=0
http://uk400clubrarebirdalert.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/atlas-pied-flycatcher-trapped-and.html?m=0
http://www.surfbirds.com/gallery/display.php?gallery=gallery9
UPDATE VIA RBA: ".......the result of a DNA test on feathers from the suspected Atlas Flycatcher present at Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire on 28th April-10th May 2012 showed it to be a Pied Flycatcher"
http://uk400clubrarebirdalert.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/uk-mega-apparent-atlas-pied-flycatcher.html?m=0
http://uk400clubrarebirdalert.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/atlas-pied-flycatcher-trapped-and.html?m=0
http://www.surfbirds.com/gallery/display.php?gallery=gallery9
UPDATE VIA RBA: ".......the result of a DNA test on feathers from the suspected Atlas Flycatcher present at Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire on 28th April-10th May 2012 showed it to be a Pied Flycatcher"
Golden Oriole settled in nicely!
Stonechat, Snettisham Coastal Park.I must admit I was pretty shocked but very pleased to hear the Golden Oriole was still at Snettisham Coastal Park this morning!
Of course it was glorious sunshine all day whilst I was at work and I was dreading missing something good! All those rain drenched migrants from yesterday popping out in the sunshine to feed - it was in my head constantly! I had also pre-packed the car with all birding gear - I just knew I would be going birding straight from work!
Arrived at Snettisham at about 5.30pm - quickly bolted down a cheese salad and then began my stroll through the Coastal Park. A beautiful sunny evening. Lovely views of a pair of bullfinches, chiffchaffs, loads of wheatears, martins skimming the skies, a Grasshopper Warbler reeling. A couple of Cuckoos and a wonderful Stonechat swaying on a bramble. Bumped into Sue Bryan who had seen a Pied Flycatcher (or was it!!!!!!) earlier and we walked together to search for the Golden Oriole - no one had seen it for about an hour. It was approximately a mile from the carpark - another birder re-found it again sitting distantly in an elder tree in the scrub in the valley adjacent to Ken Hill Wood - we viewed it from the concrete seawall. Its very difficult to name landmarks here - there isn't any really! I felt really lucky to be watching this bird for a second day, but sadly my quest to get frame filling pictures was not to be - I only saw the bird distantly. I was cross that I had messed up yesterday's pictures. My best shots (several of, which I won't be showing) are all faded and wishy washy - why you ask? because blondie here, had the camera on the wrong bl**dy setting - after I took the 'best' shots, I noticed I had turned the dial to 'M' when it should have been on 'AV'!!!!!!! Gutted!!!!!! No good crying about it now Penelope!!! Anyway Geoff and Pat who had been here a bit earlier looking for it and had returned to the carpark, came back again and luckily saw the bird before it disappeared out of view again. Also saw BF's Pete H. - nice to see you. I also bumped into an old Lynn News colleague called Pete who was with a friend - the friend said a friend (non-birder) of his (with me still?) had seen a White-spotted Bluethroat along the Castle Rising Road in early April!!!!!
I walked back alone via the inner sea bank - no more views of the Golden Oriole - it was cold now and the sun had disappeared. Went to my parents to deliver some shopping, cruised home. The car is seriously muddy now and its looks like its been banger racing - will I find time to wash it? not at the moment!!!!!!
OTHER BIRD NEWS TODAY
Citrine Wagtail at West Runton today and a Siberian Stonechat at Cromer were the other main highlights of the day along with lots of Whinchats, several Pied Flys, ring ouzels, yellow wags, tree pipits, redstarts, hobby, hooded crow, 2 White Storks remain at Acle.
From the NOA website: .........at least 40 Willow warblers, 25 Wheatears, 25 Yellow Wagtails and 5 Whinchats recorded, with 3 Redstarts, a Nightingale, a Turtle Dove and a male Pied Flycatcher also present.........
Sunday, 29 April 2012
Golden Oriole at Snettisham Coastal Park!!!!!!!
These pictures taken around 7.30pm
GOLDEN ORIOLESNETTISHAM COASTAL PARK
Found by Jim Swalwell – Congratulations!
Well – what an evening!!!!
I didn't get up until nearly lunchtime as had another, almost sleepless night. Spent all afternoon lounging on the sofa and only had white, boiled rice to eat. Virtually no stomach pains and I felt a bit better, although still exhausted.
Late afternoon I had a text from Jim to say he had a GOLDEN ORIOLE at Snettisham Coastal Park!!!!! This was the kind of message I had been dreading all day. I know its not a mega or a first for Norfolk BUT.....a male Golden Oriole just down the road!!! I stayed on the sofa, thinking about this – I needed some fresh air, not been out of the house since I left work on Wednesday, I was feeling better than I did...... rang Jim up - it was still there.
Whizzed over to Snettisham Coastal Park and joined Jim on the central path, not that far from the pine trees next to the carpark. It was not in view when I arrived – typical! Looked at Jim's pictures on his camera! I could see Ray Roche walking along the far seawall and gave him a call, as I didn't think he had a pager and alerted him to the fact that there was a Golden Oriole here somewhere – he came and joined us as did Robert S. too and a couple of others. I re-found the adult Golden Oriole again at 6.54pm when scanning with bins at some seriously loud people shouting at their dogs! This was a stonking bird – vivid, canary yellow contrasted again black wings – Wow!!! Congratulations and thanks to Jim for finding this spectacular bird!!! It seemed quite happy feeding, but was very difficult to photograph – it stayed on show on and off until almost dusk – Jim was the last person to take a picture – see his blog and pictures here.
Also saw my first Swift , Garden Warbler singing and a Grasshopper Warbler sitting in a hawthorn bush in the middle of the reedbed reeling. 2 Whimbrel flew over and a Sedge Warbler and a Blackcap both showed well. A Fieldfare also flew over my head 'chacking'. There were several Wheatears around and also a Willow Warbler singing and Chiffchaffs. Loads of swallows and house martins skimming across the skies. Also two bullfinches. Jim said he saw a nightingale and a redstart earlier too!
My mother had two male Bramblings in her garden this morning.
Tomorrow – could be a very, very interesting day!!!
I didn't get up until nearly lunchtime as had another, almost sleepless night. Spent all afternoon lounging on the sofa and only had white, boiled rice to eat. Virtually no stomach pains and I felt a bit better, although still exhausted.
Late afternoon I had a text from Jim to say he had a GOLDEN ORIOLE at Snettisham Coastal Park!!!!! This was the kind of message I had been dreading all day. I know its not a mega or a first for Norfolk BUT.....a male Golden Oriole just down the road!!! I stayed on the sofa, thinking about this – I needed some fresh air, not been out of the house since I left work on Wednesday, I was feeling better than I did...... rang Jim up - it was still there.
Whizzed over to Snettisham Coastal Park and joined Jim on the central path, not that far from the pine trees next to the carpark. It was not in view when I arrived – typical! Looked at Jim's pictures on his camera! I could see Ray Roche walking along the far seawall and gave him a call, as I didn't think he had a pager and alerted him to the fact that there was a Golden Oriole here somewhere – he came and joined us as did Robert S. too and a couple of others. I re-found the adult Golden Oriole again at 6.54pm when scanning with bins at some seriously loud people shouting at their dogs! This was a stonking bird – vivid, canary yellow contrasted again black wings – Wow!!! Congratulations and thanks to Jim for finding this spectacular bird!!! It seemed quite happy feeding, but was very difficult to photograph – it stayed on show on and off until almost dusk – Jim was the last person to take a picture – see his blog and pictures here.
Also saw my first Swift , Garden Warbler singing and a Grasshopper Warbler sitting in a hawthorn bush in the middle of the reedbed reeling. 2 Whimbrel flew over and a Sedge Warbler and a Blackcap both showed well. A Fieldfare also flew over my head 'chacking'. There were several Wheatears around and also a Willow Warbler singing and Chiffchaffs. Loads of swallows and house martins skimming across the skies. Also two bullfinches. Jim said he saw a nightingale and a redstart earlier too!
My mother had two male Bramblings in her garden this morning.
Tomorrow – could be a very, very interesting day!!!
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