Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
Yellow-browed Warblers x 2 at Garden Drove, Warham Greens.
SUBALPINE WARBLER sp. probable along main track and west of drinking pool with Wood Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler at Wells Woods.
Spotted Redshanks x 2, Garganey at Breydon Water.
Whinchats x 3 at Kelling Water Meadows.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE Juv. still + Redstart south of 'The Dun Cow' pub at Salthouse.
Pied Flycatchers x 2, Tree Pipit south of railway bridge at Sheringham.
Pied Flycatcher, Whinchat, Spotted Redshank at Holme Bird Observatory.
Pied Flycatcher at Redwell Marsh NOA, Holme.
WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN Juv. still viewed from A149 at Rollesby Bridge, Ormesby Broad.
Pied Flycatcher at Walsey Hills NOA.
Yellow-browed Warbler (probable) by path at 3.15pm, but no sign since, Little Stints x 3, Spoonbills x 3 at Titchwell RSPB.
Spoonbills x 8 at Stiffkey Fen.
ORTOLAN BUNTING, Yellow-browed Warbler, Redstarts x 5, Whinchats x 4, Pied Flycatchers x 3, Grasshopper Warblers x 2, Black Terns x 2, Spotted Redshank at Blakeney Point.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE Juv., Pied Flycatchers x 2, Redstarts x 3 at Great Yarmouth Cemetery.
Common Cranes x 2, Redstarts x 2, Whinchats x 6 at Horsey.
Osprey at Frettenham.
Yellow-browed Warbler near Washington Hide, Great White Egret, Pied Flycatcher at Holkham.
Osprey flew over The Nunnery, Thetford.
WRYNECK at South Dunes, Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Whinchats x 2 at North Dunes, Winterton.
Osprey at Whitlingham Country Park.
Whinchats x 6, Redstart mid evening at Burnham Overy Dunes.
Caspian Gull at Cley NWT.
Lincolnshire Highlights
• WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN Juv. at Gibraltar Point NNR.
MEGA NEWS!
MEGA! FEA'S/ZINO'S PETREL flew north past sea-watching hide at Spurn, Yorkshire.
MEGA! FORSTER'S TERN at Rogerstown Estuary, County Dublin, Ireland
Wednesday, 9 September 2015
Tuesday, 8 September 2015
Red Hot Birding!
To come over the next few days! Congratulations to Mark Golley for finding today's Subalpine Warbler at Kelling Water Meadows and also the Red-backed Shrike at Salthouse. Birds are starting to trickle in on these North Easterly winds. If any of you are thinking about staying in Norfolk this weekend, this one could be good!
I would have gone out to look for migrants this evening, but a mishap at work resulted in pulling a muscle in my back which has been excruciatingly painful and have been laid up on the sofa with hot water bottles all evening! It had better improve before the Mega's kick off!!!
I would have gone out to look for migrants this evening, but a mishap at work resulted in pulling a muscle in my back which has been excruciatingly painful and have been laid up on the sofa with hot water bottles all evening! It had better improve before the Mega's kick off!!!
Here are the XCWeather Charts for Cley over the next few days
NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!
Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
Ring-necked Parakeet (for 2nd day) in back garden in Mill Road, Surlingham.
Caspian Gull, Yellow-legged Gulls x 2 at Cromer.
Yellow-browed Warbler (an early record!) in beech tree in garden at Langham.
Curlew Sandpiper, Scaup, Spotted Redshank at Breydon Water.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE south of 'The Dun Cow' pub at Salthouse (M.A.G.).
Spoonbill at Salthouse.
WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN Juv. still viewed from A149 at Rollesby Bridge, Ormesby Broad.
Whinchats x 2 at Weybourne.
Whinchat, Firecrest at Beeston Common, Sheringham.
Caspian Gull at Salthouse.
SUBALPINE WARBLER sp. at 11.30am (elusive & not seen again by 12.05pm) in brambles along track to Kelling Hard at Kelling Water Meadows (M.A.G).
Whinchats x 3 at Dead Man's Wood, Sheringham.
Great White Egret, Pied Flycatcher, Whinchats x 4 at Holkham.
Pied Flycatchers x 2 at Great Yarmouth Cemetery.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE south of pipe dump, Whinchats x 4 north of pipe dump at Waxham.
Spoonbills x 11, Whinchats x 5 at Burnham Norton.
Whinchats x 2 at Burnham Overy Dunes.
Whinchats x 2 at Horsey.
Caspian Gull at Cley NWT.
Great White Egret reported in reedbed at Titchwell RSPB.
Lincolnshire Highlights
• WILSON'S PHALAROPE at 10.47am (but no further sign by 12.20pm) South Scrape, also Red-necked Pharalope at Frampton Marsh RSPB
MEGA NEWS!
MEGA! FEA'S/ZINO'S PETREL flew north past Marine Drive, Scarborough, Yorkshire.
Ring-necked Parakeet (for 2nd day) in back garden in Mill Road, Surlingham.
Caspian Gull, Yellow-legged Gulls x 2 at Cromer.
Yellow-browed Warbler (an early record!) in beech tree in garden at Langham.
Curlew Sandpiper, Scaup, Spotted Redshank at Breydon Water.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE south of 'The Dun Cow' pub at Salthouse (M.A.G.).
Spoonbill at Salthouse.
WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN Juv. still viewed from A149 at Rollesby Bridge, Ormesby Broad.
Whinchats x 2 at Weybourne.
Whinchat, Firecrest at Beeston Common, Sheringham.
Caspian Gull at Salthouse.
SUBALPINE WARBLER sp. at 11.30am (elusive & not seen again by 12.05pm) in brambles along track to Kelling Hard at Kelling Water Meadows (M.A.G).
Whinchats x 3 at Dead Man's Wood, Sheringham.
Great White Egret, Pied Flycatcher, Whinchats x 4 at Holkham.
Pied Flycatchers x 2 at Great Yarmouth Cemetery.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE south of pipe dump, Whinchats x 4 north of pipe dump at Waxham.
Spoonbills x 11, Whinchats x 5 at Burnham Norton.
Whinchats x 2 at Burnham Overy Dunes.
Whinchats x 2 at Horsey.
Caspian Gull at Cley NWT.
Great White Egret reported in reedbed at Titchwell RSPB.
Lincolnshire Highlights
• WILSON'S PHALAROPE at 10.47am (but no further sign by 12.20pm) South Scrape, also Red-necked Pharalope at Frampton Marsh RSPB
MEGA NEWS!
MEGA! FEA'S/ZINO'S PETREL flew north past Marine Drive, Scarborough, Yorkshire.
Monday, 7 September 2015
NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!
Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
Sooty Shearwaters x 2 at Great Yarmouth.
Sooty Shearwaters x 3 at Winterton.
Spoonbills x 6 at Brancaster.
WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN Juv. still viewed from A149 at Rollesby Bridge, Ormesby Broad.
Spoonbills x 5, Little Stint, Spotted Redshanks x 2 at Titchwell RSPB.
STORM PETREL flew west at 11.30am, Sooty Shearwaters x 14, Manx Shearwaters x 2, Artic Skuas x 7, Great Skuas x 9 at Sheringham.
BARRED WARBLER still, Spoonbills x 3 at Warham Greens.
Great White Egret at Holkham.
Spoonbills x 2 at Stiffkey Fen.
Caspian Gulls x 2 at Cley NWT.
Garganey x 3 at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB.
MEGA NEWS!
MEGA! RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD unconfirmed report, Mount's Bay off Mousehole on west side of St Clement's Isle this afternoon then flew into bay. Also reportedly photographed from fishing boat near Newlyn.
MEGA! FORSTER'S TERN at Rogerstown Estuary, County Dublin, Ireland.
Sooty Shearwaters x 2 at Great Yarmouth.
Sooty Shearwaters x 3 at Winterton.
Spoonbills x 6 at Brancaster.
WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN Juv. still viewed from A149 at Rollesby Bridge, Ormesby Broad.
Spoonbills x 5, Little Stint, Spotted Redshanks x 2 at Titchwell RSPB.
STORM PETREL flew west at 11.30am, Sooty Shearwaters x 14, Manx Shearwaters x 2, Artic Skuas x 7, Great Skuas x 9 at Sheringham.
BARRED WARBLER still, Spoonbills x 3 at Warham Greens.
Great White Egret at Holkham.
Spoonbills x 2 at Stiffkey Fen.
Caspian Gulls x 2 at Cley NWT.
Garganey x 3 at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB.
MEGA NEWS!
MEGA! RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD unconfirmed report, Mount's Bay off Mousehole on west side of St Clement's Isle this afternoon then flew into bay. Also reportedly photographed from fishing boat near Newlyn.
MEGA! FORSTER'S TERN at Rogerstown Estuary, County Dublin, Ireland.
Sunday, 6 September 2015
A Wildlife Haven!
I finished work at 2.30pm. As I pulled up into my street, my drive was blocked by someone hoovering their car – this was fine – an electric cable only reaches so far after all, but what was not fine, was the fact they had put all the items from their car into my bl**dy drive, baby seat, mats and all kinds!!! Obviously they were not expecting me back quite so soon! I didn't say anything, I didn't have the mental energy. After having to wait 10 minutes to get into my drive with no apologies whatsoever, they re-parked the car back in front of my drive. When I eventually left the house around half an hour later, they were just moving the car out. This street was never built for so many cars. A young lad at the end of the street is also getting a new car in a week's time. If every child that is growing up in this street gets a car and doesn't leave home, there will be real issues! Hopefully I will be moved out by then.
Went to the supermarket for a mini shop for parents and also bought a neck pillow for Father, cruised to Holme to deliver goods and sat and chatted for a while. Opposite my parent's house is a huge pond, surrounding by willow, sallow, elder bushes, bramble, reeds, berried bushes etc – it is a haven for wildlife. I was about to leave, but decided to stand here a while to see what appeared. I was here for so long in the end, that I made a cup of coffee from the boot of my car! The pond was almost dry which is unusual, but whilst I was there I saw a Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Hedgesparrow, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Great Tit, several Blue Tits, Long-tailed Tits, Chaffinches, a Wren and a cute baby bunny. But, best of all was a Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding high up on my Mother's large buddleia – I sprinted indoors to tell Mother, sprinted straight back out again to photograph it, but to my dismay, it had vanished!!! I was most disappointed, as I am extremely unlucky with seeing these and don't have a single photograph of one! Oh well.
Time was disappearing and I wanted to get some birding in somewhere else. I decided to head for Brancaster Staithe – parked my car up on the grassy bank by the quay and headed west along the coastal footpath. This was a very silly error as I was walking straight towards the sun – how blonde was that! I didn't see a single bird. I walked as far as the large willows on your left (where there was once an Arctic Warbler) and returned with the sun behind me – still no birds seen. I should have stayed by the neighbour's pond!
Drove home via Choseley Barns – fabulous views of a Barn Owl flying along the hedgeline, but nothing else seen at all, not a partridge, pheasant or hare – I was quite worried by this as I always see these in abundance at Choseley. There wasn't a single bird on the concrete area by the barns either. A beautiful sunset ended the evening, as I made my way home.
Went to the supermarket for a mini shop for parents and also bought a neck pillow for Father, cruised to Holme to deliver goods and sat and chatted for a while. Opposite my parent's house is a huge pond, surrounding by willow, sallow, elder bushes, bramble, reeds, berried bushes etc – it is a haven for wildlife. I was about to leave, but decided to stand here a while to see what appeared. I was here for so long in the end, that I made a cup of coffee from the boot of my car! The pond was almost dry which is unusual, but whilst I was there I saw a Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Hedgesparrow, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Great Tit, several Blue Tits, Long-tailed Tits, Chaffinches, a Wren and a cute baby bunny. But, best of all was a Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding high up on my Mother's large buddleia – I sprinted indoors to tell Mother, sprinted straight back out again to photograph it, but to my dismay, it had vanished!!! I was most disappointed, as I am extremely unlucky with seeing these and don't have a single photograph of one! Oh well.
Time was disappearing and I wanted to get some birding in somewhere else. I decided to head for Brancaster Staithe – parked my car up on the grassy bank by the quay and headed west along the coastal footpath. This was a very silly error as I was walking straight towards the sun – how blonde was that! I didn't see a single bird. I walked as far as the large willows on your left (where there was once an Arctic Warbler) and returned with the sun behind me – still no birds seen. I should have stayed by the neighbour's pond!
Drove home via Choseley Barns – fabulous views of a Barn Owl flying along the hedgeline, but nothing else seen at all, not a partridge, pheasant or hare – I was quite worried by this as I always see these in abundance at Choseley. There wasn't a single bird on the concrete area by the barns either. A beautiful sunset ended the evening, as I made my way home.
NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!
Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN Juv. still at Ormesby Broad.
Sooty Shearwater, Arctic Skuas x 4, Great Skuas x 4 at Cley.
Caspian Gull at Cley NWT.
Sooty Shearwaters x 10, Arctic Skuas x 4 at Winterton.
Snow Bunting at North Beach, Great Yarmouth.
Sooty Shearwater, Black Tern, Scaup, Great Skuas x 10, Arctic Skuas x 7 at Weybourne.
BARRED WARBLER at Warham Greens.
Spoonbills x 5 (2 Juv.) viewed from Whirligig at Warham Greens.
Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwaters x 5 at Happisburgh.
Osprey over Broome Pits.
Common Cranes x 3 flew NNE over Ingoldisthorpe.
Sooty Shearwaters x 9, Manx Shearwaters x 2, Shag, Great Skuas x 10, Arctic Skuas x 5 at Sheringham.
Spoonbills x 3 at Stiffkey Fen.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE at East Quay, Wells.
TURTLE DOVE, Short-eared Owl at Holme Dunes.
RED-FOOTED FALCON 1s Male (unconfirmed report) flew east over Saltmarsh at 3.40pm, Titchwell RSPB.
MEGA NEWS!
MEGA! FORSTER'S TERN at Rogerstown Estuary, County Dublin, Ireland.
WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN Juv. still at Ormesby Broad.
Sooty Shearwater, Arctic Skuas x 4, Great Skuas x 4 at Cley.
Caspian Gull at Cley NWT.
Sooty Shearwaters x 10, Arctic Skuas x 4 at Winterton.
Snow Bunting at North Beach, Great Yarmouth.
Sooty Shearwater, Black Tern, Scaup, Great Skuas x 10, Arctic Skuas x 7 at Weybourne.
BARRED WARBLER at Warham Greens.
Spoonbills x 5 (2 Juv.) viewed from Whirligig at Warham Greens.
Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwaters x 5 at Happisburgh.
Osprey over Broome Pits.
Common Cranes x 3 flew NNE over Ingoldisthorpe.
Sooty Shearwaters x 9, Manx Shearwaters x 2, Shag, Great Skuas x 10, Arctic Skuas x 5 at Sheringham.
Spoonbills x 3 at Stiffkey Fen.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE at East Quay, Wells.
TURTLE DOVE, Short-eared Owl at Holme Dunes.
RED-FOOTED FALCON 1s Male (unconfirmed report) flew east over Saltmarsh at 3.40pm, Titchwell RSPB.
MEGA NEWS!
MEGA! FORSTER'S TERN at Rogerstown Estuary, County Dublin, Ireland.
Saturday, 5 September 2015
The North Wind Doth Blow!
I didn't feel brilliant this morning at all and didn't have the energy to get up early. Had to pop into the Skoda Garage with a couple of queries and after this, cruised along the A148 to Cley in my new car. Arrived at Coastguards as M.A.G. was just leaving – the seawatching had now tailed off, although I hadn't missed anything major. I sat and had brunch in my car and then very lazily scanned the sea with binoculars! I didn't see a single bird on the sea, so didn't even bother getting the scope out of the car. There were only a handful of birders seawatching here.
Walsey Hills NOA produced a single Chiffchaff and a family of Blue Tits on the feeders in the central path and that was it. Had a brief chat with Warden, David and then drove to Salthouse. The path to Gramborough Hill was heavily flooded and I had to walk around on the shingle to get there. I was hoping for a Barred Warbler. One Kestrel on a post, no birds whatsoever in the bushes. One big Parasol Mushroom found and a second one broken. The winds raged north westerly all day and it was freezing for September. It rained on and off lightly for a short while, but mostly stayed dry.
Returned to Cley for seawatching with Richard M., Mark G., Eddie M., Simon R., James Mc. and others. Whilst I was here I saw 2 Brent Geese close in flying west, Red-throated Diver, Wigeon, Cormorants, Gannet and distant Arctic Skuas (one was fairly close) and a couple of Sooty Shearwaters. We all packed up around 7pm and everyone left. I was the last birder in the carpark and I was just warming up in my car with a cup of coffee, when both Mark and Eddie rang me to say a Great Shearwater had been seen flying west at Sheringham by Kevin S.!!! Discarded the rest of my coffee and bombed out of the car to get scope set up again. Minutes after this, Richard and Mark arrived back again and the three of scanned the sea intently. Richard and Mark spotted a distant, as in very distant Shearwater which I managed to get on as well, but that's all it was, a distant shearwater. A Fulmar flew past west. Richard and Mark then left and I stayed a bit longer to see a second Fulmar also going west. Drove home feeling cold and tired. My house was so icy cold when I got home – I gave in and put the heating on!
Walsey Hills NOA produced a single Chiffchaff and a family of Blue Tits on the feeders in the central path and that was it. Had a brief chat with Warden, David and then drove to Salthouse. The path to Gramborough Hill was heavily flooded and I had to walk around on the shingle to get there. I was hoping for a Barred Warbler. One Kestrel on a post, no birds whatsoever in the bushes. One big Parasol Mushroom found and a second one broken. The winds raged north westerly all day and it was freezing for September. It rained on and off lightly for a short while, but mostly stayed dry.
Returned to Cley for seawatching with Richard M., Mark G., Eddie M., Simon R., James Mc. and others. Whilst I was here I saw 2 Brent Geese close in flying west, Red-throated Diver, Wigeon, Cormorants, Gannet and distant Arctic Skuas (one was fairly close) and a couple of Sooty Shearwaters. We all packed up around 7pm and everyone left. I was the last birder in the carpark and I was just warming up in my car with a cup of coffee, when both Mark and Eddie rang me to say a Great Shearwater had been seen flying west at Sheringham by Kevin S.!!! Discarded the rest of my coffee and bombed out of the car to get scope set up again. Minutes after this, Richard and Mark arrived back again and the three of scanned the sea intently. Richard and Mark spotted a distant, as in very distant Shearwater which I managed to get on as well, but that's all it was, a distant shearwater. A Fulmar flew past west. Richard and Mark then left and I stayed a bit longer to see a second Fulmar also going west. Drove home feeling cold and tired. My house was so icy cold when I got home – I gave in and put the heating on!
NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!
Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
STORM PETREL, Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Long-tailed Skuas x 3 at Cley.
Long-tailed Skua, Pomarine Skua at Weybourne.
Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater at Winterton.
Cory's Shearwater, Long-tailed Skuas x 5, Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater at Blakeney Point.
GREAT SHEARWATER flew west at 6.56pm (K.S.), Balearic Shearwaters x 3, Sooty Shearwaters x 20, Long-tailed Skua, Black Tern, Great Skuas x 24, Arctic Skuas x 13 at Sheringham.
Cory's Shearwater (possible), Long-tailed Skua, Pomarine Skua, Sooty Shearwaters x 2, Arctic Skuas x 22, Great Skuas x 22 at Holme.
WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN Juv. at Rollesby Broad and Filby Broad.
Sooty Shearwaters, Black-necked Grebe at Walcott.
Garganey at Rush Hill Scrape, Hickling Broad NWT.
MEGA NEWS!
MEGA! RUPPELL'S WARBLER, then re-identified as a probable Subalpine Warbler sp. in tea room garden at Eoropie, 1 mile south of the Butt of Lewis, Outer Hebrides. Discussion and links to photos HERE
STORM PETREL, Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Long-tailed Skuas x 3 at Cley.
Long-tailed Skua, Pomarine Skua at Weybourne.
Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater at Winterton.
Cory's Shearwater, Long-tailed Skuas x 5, Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater at Blakeney Point.
GREAT SHEARWATER flew west at 6.56pm (K.S.), Balearic Shearwaters x 3, Sooty Shearwaters x 20, Long-tailed Skua, Black Tern, Great Skuas x 24, Arctic Skuas x 13 at Sheringham.
Cory's Shearwater (possible), Long-tailed Skua, Pomarine Skua, Sooty Shearwaters x 2, Arctic Skuas x 22, Great Skuas x 22 at Holme.
WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN Juv. at Rollesby Broad and Filby Broad.
Sooty Shearwaters, Black-necked Grebe at Walcott.
Garganey at Rush Hill Scrape, Hickling Broad NWT.
MEGA NEWS!
MEGA! RUPPELL'S WARBLER, then re-identified as a probable Subalpine Warbler sp. in tea room garden at Eoropie, 1 mile south of the Butt of Lewis, Outer Hebrides. Discussion and links to photos HERE
Friday, 4 September 2015
Winter!
That's what it feels like today, my house is freezing tonight. I refuse to put the heating on in September, crazy!
Looking forward to my day off tomorrow, working all day on Sunday. Seawatching looks like its on the cards, more than searching for migrants in these chilly North West Winds.
Looking forward to my day off tomorrow, working all day on Sunday. Seawatching looks like its on the cards, more than searching for migrants in these chilly North West Winds.
NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!
Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
Long-tailed Skuas x 2, Sooty Shearwater, Curlew Sandpipers x 2 at Weybourne.
Long-tailed Skua at Cromer.
Long-tailed Skuas x 12, Arctic Skuas x 65, Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwaters x 2, Black Tern, Red-necked Grebe, Purple Sandpiper at Sheringham.
Balearic Shearwater probable, Arctic Skuas x 10, Great Skuas x 24 at Holme.
Spoonbills x 19, Spotted Redshanks x 6 at Titchwell RSPB.
Little Gull, Arctic Tern, Arctic Skuas x 20, Great Skuas x 2 at Gorleston-on-Sea.
MEGA NEWS!
None!
Long-tailed Skuas x 2, Sooty Shearwater, Curlew Sandpipers x 2 at Weybourne.
Long-tailed Skua at Cromer.
Long-tailed Skuas x 12, Arctic Skuas x 65, Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwaters x 2, Black Tern, Red-necked Grebe, Purple Sandpiper at Sheringham.
Balearic Shearwater probable, Arctic Skuas x 10, Great Skuas x 24 at Holme.
Spoonbills x 19, Spotted Redshanks x 6 at Titchwell RSPB.
Little Gull, Arctic Tern, Arctic Skuas x 20, Great Skuas x 2 at Gorleston-on-Sea.
MEGA NEWS!
None!
Thursday, 3 September 2015
Cruising to Holme With Lucy!
Got home from work and rustled up a quick pasta tea – a 'Penny special' where I throw loads of things in and hope it tastes ok, which it did. Picked my sister Lucy up to show her the new car and cruised to Holme to visit parents. Lucy loved the car and she said the seats were more comfortable than my old car. Lucy was/is a violinist (Royal College of Music).... long story – she was very impressed with the digital radio and the fact that you could see which composer and piece was playing on Classic FM.
The car drives with ease at 60mph and beyond I quickly discovered with foot down on accelerator! Arrived at parents and Mother's immediate response to the new car was 'it looks smaller' and 'it doesn't look as strong as the other one'. I do know what she means by this, but it's a Skoda and its scores full marks for all safety tests in all surveys, so I'm happy. She did like the colour though! I solved the music situation last night and discovered you have to copy the CD into itunes and then simply drag all tunes from itunes across into a named folder on the USB stick.
Father of course can't get out of the house and can't see anyway, so I described the colour of the car to him, as the lime green of a puss moth caterpillar, to which he smiled in response. He seems far more settled on his new tablets and looks quite good considering, but later on he started to get emotional and a bit confused again, but I think that was just because he wasn't used to have three females in the house in the evening – too much for any man to put up with!!! Every time he got repetitive and emotional over one subject, I changed the subject to something completely different and went back in time......I recalled the Christmas that he made three fabulous hats for his three daughters – each hat being totally different and made out of cardboard, tassel's, ribbons and glittery bits – there is a photo of us sitting on a low wall in the garden, with our hats on Christmas Day – I think I was about 8 years old, which means Lucy would have been 5 years old and Vivien 3 years old. I can remember those hats and the photo being taken, like it was yesterday – the sun was out, I do remember that.
I also reminisced about the Christmas Present Santa Sacks, which hung on the top of the stair banister, ready for Father Christmas to fill with presents when he arrived. I remember as a child creeping out of bed several times in the night, trying to catch those sacks being filled by Father Christmas! As children we had no idea that Father had three more identical sacks downstairs in the living room, that were filled and then swapped over at the last minute the following morning!!! This little story made Father chuckle. Overall I think he enjoyed Lucy's and my little visit this evening, but then said 'didn't you ought to be getting home?' We could see he was tired now, so said our goodbyes and cruised back home to King's Lynn.
Forgot to say yesterday, I lost another 1.5lbs at SW, 9lb's lost in total so far. A fairly good start I suppose, a long way to go yet though. Oh, and a lovely lady at work today – Angela Scott, stopped to chat briefly and said how much she enjoyed reading my blog 'its brilliant Penny' she said, 'I'm hooked'!!! She loved seeing all the characters at The Rutland Bird Fair and other pictures etc - made me smile, thanks Angela x.
I'm getting quite excited about my week off in September, which starts on Saturday 12th, as the winds turn easterly that week!!! All North Westerly winds I see for this weekend and the following week, so could be good for some interesting sea passage.
The car drives with ease at 60mph and beyond I quickly discovered with foot down on accelerator! Arrived at parents and Mother's immediate response to the new car was 'it looks smaller' and 'it doesn't look as strong as the other one'. I do know what she means by this, but it's a Skoda and its scores full marks for all safety tests in all surveys, so I'm happy. She did like the colour though! I solved the music situation last night and discovered you have to copy the CD into itunes and then simply drag all tunes from itunes across into a named folder on the USB stick.
Father of course can't get out of the house and can't see anyway, so I described the colour of the car to him, as the lime green of a puss moth caterpillar, to which he smiled in response. He seems far more settled on his new tablets and looks quite good considering, but later on he started to get emotional and a bit confused again, but I think that was just because he wasn't used to have three females in the house in the evening – too much for any man to put up with!!! Every time he got repetitive and emotional over one subject, I changed the subject to something completely different and went back in time......I recalled the Christmas that he made three fabulous hats for his three daughters – each hat being totally different and made out of cardboard, tassel's, ribbons and glittery bits – there is a photo of us sitting on a low wall in the garden, with our hats on Christmas Day – I think I was about 8 years old, which means Lucy would have been 5 years old and Vivien 3 years old. I can remember those hats and the photo being taken, like it was yesterday – the sun was out, I do remember that.
I also reminisced about the Christmas Present Santa Sacks, which hung on the top of the stair banister, ready for Father Christmas to fill with presents when he arrived. I remember as a child creeping out of bed several times in the night, trying to catch those sacks being filled by Father Christmas! As children we had no idea that Father had three more identical sacks downstairs in the living room, that were filled and then swapped over at the last minute the following morning!!! This little story made Father chuckle. Overall I think he enjoyed Lucy's and my little visit this evening, but then said 'didn't you ought to be getting home?' We could see he was tired now, so said our goodbyes and cruised back home to King's Lynn.
Forgot to say yesterday, I lost another 1.5lbs at SW, 9lb's lost in total so far. A fairly good start I suppose, a long way to go yet though. Oh, and a lovely lady at work today – Angela Scott, stopped to chat briefly and said how much she enjoyed reading my blog 'its brilliant Penny' she said, 'I'm hooked'!!! She loved seeing all the characters at The Rutland Bird Fair and other pictures etc - made me smile, thanks Angela x.
I'm getting quite excited about my week off in September, which starts on Saturday 12th, as the winds turn easterly that week!!! All North Westerly winds I see for this weekend and the following week, so could be good for some interesting sea passage.
NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!
Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
WRYNECK on Tuesday at East Hill, Wells.
Pomarine Skuas x 3, Black-throated Diver, Long-tailed Skua, Balearic Shearwater (probable) at Cley.
Caspian Gull, Yellow-legged Gulls x 6 at Cley NWT.
Long-tailed Skua, Balearic Shearwater, Scaup x 6 at Sheringham.
Curlew Sandpipers x 2, Spotted Redshank at Breydon Water.
Balearic Shearwater at Weybourne.
Spoonbills x 2 at Salthouse.
BARRED WARBLER still, east of pit, Warham Greens.
Short-eared Owls x 2 at Lynn Point, King's Lynn.
Redstart in Great Yarmouth Cemetery.
Great White Egret at Holkham.
Balearic Shearwater at Walcott.
MEGA NEWS!
None.
WRYNECK on Tuesday at East Hill, Wells.
Pomarine Skuas x 3, Black-throated Diver, Long-tailed Skua, Balearic Shearwater (probable) at Cley.
Caspian Gull, Yellow-legged Gulls x 6 at Cley NWT.
Long-tailed Skua, Balearic Shearwater, Scaup x 6 at Sheringham.
Curlew Sandpipers x 2, Spotted Redshank at Breydon Water.
Balearic Shearwater at Weybourne.
Spoonbills x 2 at Salthouse.
BARRED WARBLER still, east of pit, Warham Greens.
Short-eared Owls x 2 at Lynn Point, King's Lynn.
Redstart in Great Yarmouth Cemetery.
Great White Egret at Holkham.
Balearic Shearwater at Walcott.
MEGA NEWS!
None.
Wednesday, 2 September 2015
NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!
Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
Long-tailed Skuas x 2, Pomarine Skua, Great Skuas x 3 at Sheringham.
BARRED WARBLER (no further sign after 9am) at Caister-on-Sea.
TURTLE DOVE, Whinchats x 2, Spoonbills x 16, Spotted Redshanks x 3 at Titchwell RSPB.
Balearic Shearwater at Weybourne.
BARRED WARBLER at Wells Woods.
BARRED WARBLER at east of pit, Warham Greens.
CORNCRAKE flew from garden in Wiveton (ETM).
Great White Egret, Garganey x 3 at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB.
Honey Buzzard, Spotted Redshank at Breydon Water.
Caspian Gull, Spoonbill, Yellow-legged Gulls x 5 at Cley NWT.
Spoonbill, Little Stints x 3, Spotted Redshanks x 10 at Snettisham RSPB.
Lincolnshire Highlights
• RED-FOOTED FALCON 1s Male still at Willow Tree Fen LWT, WSW of Spalding.
MEGA NEWS!
None.
Long-tailed Skuas x 2, Pomarine Skua, Great Skuas x 3 at Sheringham.
BARRED WARBLER (no further sign after 9am) at Caister-on-Sea.
TURTLE DOVE, Whinchats x 2, Spoonbills x 16, Spotted Redshanks x 3 at Titchwell RSPB.
Balearic Shearwater at Weybourne.
BARRED WARBLER at Wells Woods.
BARRED WARBLER at east of pit, Warham Greens.
CORNCRAKE flew from garden in Wiveton (ETM).
Great White Egret, Garganey x 3 at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB.
Honey Buzzard, Spotted Redshank at Breydon Water.
Caspian Gull, Spoonbill, Yellow-legged Gulls x 5 at Cley NWT.
Spoonbill, Little Stints x 3, Spotted Redshanks x 10 at Snettisham RSPB.
Lincolnshire Highlights
• RED-FOOTED FALCON 1s Male still at Willow Tree Fen LWT, WSW of Spalding.
MEGA NEWS!
None.
September Birding!
This amusing verse was sent to me from a well known Norfolk birder and poet!
“So, welcome to glorious September!
Let’s hope we’ve no cause to dismember
A birder or two,
For suppression anew;
But, see so many rares to remember.”
Protect Wildlife & Stop Littering, Ban Balloon Releases & Sky Lanterns!
If you care about our wildlife dying needlessly because of consuming or being entangled by balloons and sky lanterns, please sign the petition to ban balloon and sky lantern releasing. It looks very pretty being released, but it has to come down somewhere and that's when it starts to destroy lives.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/105551
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/105551
Tuesday, 1 September 2015
MY NEW CAR!!!
My New Skoda Fabia Hatchback
1.2 Tsi 90 SE L
With Panoramic Sunroof – Rallye Green Metallic
Said goodbye to my old car which badly needs a wash!
Skoda Fabia Hatchback SE 1.6 TDi CR 75PS
Petrol Blue
I picked up my new car this evening after work. Sam at Walkers Skoda in King's Lynn had had a very busy day with handing over new cars and was running late because of other people being late, when I arrived at 5pm, so had to wait until 5.30pm to be seen. There are so many things to learn in this car! My first impression is WOW! I love the colour and well everything really. The freakiest thing is keyless entry/start – basically, after clicking the key fob as you would do normally, you then place the keys down in the car somewhere and put your foot on the clutch, press a button (where the key would normally have gone) and the engine starts!!! It's going to take a long time to get used to that! As Sam drove the car out of the showroom, the heavens opened – my shiny new car had a drenching! I then drove the car to a garage and Sam put £30 petrol in the tank for me – thanks! Took Sam back to the garage at 7pm – huge thanks to him for staying so late. I then made my way VERY carefully home. Fortunately a shorter car was parked by the hedge opposite my house (won't bore you with the details), which allowed me to get in my drive fairly easily with my new slightly longer and wider car. Another cool feature is that this car has rear parking sensors, so if you're about to collide with something, it beeps quite loudly, very handy indeed.
My phone connected quite easily to the Mirrorlink system. But my CD's I copied straight onto a Sansdisk memory USB stick did not play – I didn't think I would get away with that. Sam explained I would probably have to copy them into itunes first and then save as MP4 file to copy onto USB stick – this is going to take some time to do!
This car is much quicker than my old one and I can see me getting used to this pretty quickly! The engine is tons quieter (diesel's tend to be noisy anyway) and when idle, it's completely silent which makes you think you've stalled the car! There is an automatic breaking system if you were too close to the vehicle in front for any reason – not that anyone should need this!
I love the interior, much cooler than the last car, but one tiny, tiny groan.... the driver's sun visor does not have a plastic strip across the corner (as my old car did) to slip all my wildlife membership cards underneath – it wouldn't have cost Skoda much to add that – that's my only moan so far. Will test the car out fully another day. I spent two hours putting all my gear back in the car and re-arranging things. Its pretty amazing how much stuff you keep in a car! Can't wait to go twitching in this car, maybe tomorrow!
NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!
Norfolk Bird News via 'Rare Bird Alert'
RAVEN flew along cliff top at 6.58am then flew south at Weybourne.
Garganey yesterday at Church Marsh, Surlingham.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE at Burnham Overy Dunes.
Mediterranean Gulls x 450 at Cobholm Rugby Field, Great Yarmouth.
Balearic Shearwaters x 2 at Sheringham.
Little Stint, Spotted Redshanks x 3 at Breydon Water.
Whinchats x 12 at Horsey.
Great White Egret at Holkham.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE Juv, WRYNECK at North Dunes, Winterton.
Long-tailed Skua, Arctic Skuas x 17 at Holme.
Pied Flycatcher at Great Yarmouth Cemetery.
Pied Flycatcher at The Whirlygig, Warham Greens.
Sooty Shearwater, Arctic Skuas x 10, Caspian Gull (NWT) at Cley.
Wood Sandpiper, Jack Snipe at Welney WWT.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE Juv at The Hood, Blakeney Point.
Redstart in garden at Thetford.
Osprey, Pied Flycatcher at Felbrigg Hall NT.
Spoonbills x 18, Short-eared Owl at Stiffkey Fen.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE at Titchwell RSPB.
Great White Egret at Wymondham.
Pied Flycatcher at Walsey Hills NOA.
CORNCRAKE found dead at Burnham Thorpe.
Lincolnshire Highlights
• RED-FOOTED FALCON 1s Male still at Willow Tree Fen LWT, WSW of Spalding.
• BLACK STORK flew north over Cleethorpes Allotments.
MEGA NEWS!
None.
RAVEN flew along cliff top at 6.58am then flew south at Weybourne.
Garganey yesterday at Church Marsh, Surlingham.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE at Burnham Overy Dunes.
Mediterranean Gulls x 450 at Cobholm Rugby Field, Great Yarmouth.
Balearic Shearwaters x 2 at Sheringham.
Little Stint, Spotted Redshanks x 3 at Breydon Water.
Whinchats x 12 at Horsey.
Great White Egret at Holkham.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE Juv, WRYNECK at North Dunes, Winterton.
Long-tailed Skua, Arctic Skuas x 17 at Holme.
Pied Flycatcher at Great Yarmouth Cemetery.
Pied Flycatcher at The Whirlygig, Warham Greens.
Sooty Shearwater, Arctic Skuas x 10, Caspian Gull (NWT) at Cley.
Wood Sandpiper, Jack Snipe at Welney WWT.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE Juv at The Hood, Blakeney Point.
Redstart in garden at Thetford.
Osprey, Pied Flycatcher at Felbrigg Hall NT.
Spoonbills x 18, Short-eared Owl at Stiffkey Fen.
RED-BACKED SHRIKE at Titchwell RSPB.
Great White Egret at Wymondham.
Pied Flycatcher at Walsey Hills NOA.
CORNCRAKE found dead at Burnham Thorpe.
Lincolnshire Highlights
• RED-FOOTED FALCON 1s Male still at Willow Tree Fen LWT, WSW of Spalding.
• BLACK STORK flew north over Cleethorpes Allotments.
MEGA NEWS!
None.
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