2010 RBA Rarity Review of the year 2010

Rare Bird Alert have kindly used two of my pictures in Part Two:
Olive Backed Pipit and Red Flanked Bluetail in their round up of the year:

Part One - January to June
http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/RealData/articles.asp

Part Two - July to December
http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/RealData/2010_Review_part2.asp

Four more seals found dead off north Norfolk coast - News - Eastern Daily Press

Four more seals found dead off north Norfolk coast - News - Eastern Daily Press

A New Penny!

Well enough is enough. On Monday 3rd January I started a serious diet. Yes I am a typical female, start a diet, stop, start and so on. But this time, its serious. Partly to do with the fact that I am very close to being ANOTHER year older and its scary stuff getting older! Where does the time go? It doesn't seem that long ago since I was twenty and now I am over double that!!! My goal: to be Nine Stone by the end of August. Will be weighing myself each Monday morning and will report on how many pounds I have lost each week - boring to everyone else maybe, but typing it on my blog will assist me to lose the weight (hopefully).

Just realised I had not had a look at Steve's pictures for a long time - one of my favourites is of the Song thrush amongst the snow covered apples, taken on 21st December 2010.

http://www.birdingworld.co.uk/Cley%202010.1.htm

"Cold weather kills birds across the region"

"Local nature reserves have reported dozens of birds being found dead."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/humberside/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_9341000/9341844.stm

Solar Eclipse!!!

Taken along the B1153 near East Walton, Norfolk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_January_4,_2011

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/8238281/Clouds-hamper-first-partial-solar-eclipse-of-2011.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12100295

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/gallery/2011/jan/04/partial-solar-eclipse?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

PICTURES & VIDEOS NOW ADDED!!

TO ALL POSTS BACK AS FAR AS
29th NOVEMBER 2010

Including video of the new Parrinder Hide at Titchwell (25/12/10),

PARTY PHOTOS

BIRD PHOTOS

SNOW SCENES etc etc!!!

Squirrels and Woodpigeons beaten!

I recently bought a Ground Feeding Bird Table and a cage to place over it. Its wonderful to see THAT squirrel being beaten - its incredibly frustrated that it can't get in there! I am also noticing how much longer its taking for all the seed etc to be cleared from the table. I choose the larger holed cage to allow blackbirds and thrushes to get to the table, which I witnessed a blackbird doing today. Wish I had bought one years ago!

I bought the table and cage from Titchwell RSPB or see below:

http://shopping.rspb.org.uk/p/BirdTables/Ground_feeding_table.htm

http://shopping.rspb.org.uk/p/BirdAccessories/Flat_topped_ground_feeding_sanctuary.htm

Local Birding - King's Lynn and beyond!

Drake Mandarin, The Walks, King's Lynn.

I didn't set the alarm last night, because I thought I would wake up early - I was wrong. I woke up at 9.30am and realised I had just had a dream, it felt so real it took me ages to get going. I didn't actually get out of the house until lunchtime.

Couldn't make my mind up where to go - American Wigeon and Ross's Goose at Cley, Red headed Smew at Wells, LA Pheasant at Houghton, Lesser White-fronted Goose at Cantley, look for Northern Harrier again, Iceland Gull around Thornham etc etc.

But a very kind text from Steve West about 2 Red headed Smew at Boal Quay, King's Lynn (the presumed Saddlebow ones) and a Drake Mandarin in The Walks, King's Lynn, helped me to decide where to go birding!


Boal Quay, King's Lynn — 1pm-1.44pm
I don't like birding in King's Lynn, because 'other' people think you are weird and it freaks me out people staring at you, like you're not normal - well I know that, but when amongst birders and people I know, nobody takes any notice of you. Whilst standing by the river edge where the boats are moored below, several people walked past me doing just that. Maybe its the combination of my hair with bins, scope and camera that people can't sum up!

Boal Quay, King's Lynn.

Anyway back to birding! I was standing on the concrete area, dead opposite the Boal Quay carpark, by the water's edge and looking left towards 'Palm Paper' (the old sugar beet factory area). I quickly picked up the two Red-headed Smew, one was dozing and the other was quite active. An added bonus was a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers and also a single Goosander. There were tons of birds here including loads of black headed gulls, herring gulls, a few ringed plovers, at least 200+ lapwing, loads of pochard, tufted duck, mallard, cormorant and a single grey heron. I was going to count the ducks until three of those hand glider things came zooming low over the water and flushed every single bl**dy bird!!! Its at this point, I wished I had a gun!!! (only joking! or was I?) Just opposite to where I was standing is the old corn silos and adjacent to it is the 'Millfleet' where the river trickles over stones and anything from old shopping trolleys to tyres - this is a brilliant spot for grey wagtail and kingfisher, but not today! Only a few mallard where dabbling in the bottom.

Millfleet, King's Lynn.

Millfleet, King's Lynn.

St James's Park, The Walks — 2pm-2.30pm
Parked the car in County Court Road, off London Road (opp. the Police Station) and walked through a gate into the park and walked to the 'Red Mount' and to the river behind. Loads of dodgy looking people here - not a place to be walking about on your own, add a pair of bins and a camera to the situation and you need to keep your wits about you! Anyway, I followed the river round - found lots of mallard and then suddenly there it was, THE stunning Drake MANDARIN, pity the sun wasn't out to set the scene, but got some fabulous shots! Steve West said he couldn't see any rings on it - I only saw it swimming and because the water in that river is not exactly clear, I couldn't see its legs anyway! After one or two pictures (smiley face) I left as quickly as I could!

Drake Mandarin, St James' Park, The Walks.

King's Lynn Docks
Relocated to King's Lynn Docks (another even more dodgy area!) and had a quick look in the river for kingfisher, but no luck. Several cormorants, pochard, gulls, ducks, feral pigeons in and around the bridge area.

King's Lynn, Docks.

Houghton Hall
Arrived here to see the Lady A. Pheasant and dipped. Although nice views of deer!

Abbey Farm, Flitcham
Unusually I saw very little here, no raptors at all in the semi dusk, no little owl. Had my camera to the ready for any owls landing on the posts, but no luck. Only birds seen were egyptian geese, mallards, gadwall, teal, moorhens, coots, pheasant, blackbird and fieldfare.


Had a lovely conversation with my best friend Lorraine Brown, who lives in Colchester where I used to live for seven years. Its dreadful really, we had not spoken on the phone for at least a year and a half!!!! It was good to catch up Lorraine if you are reading this! X

Thousands of Blackbirds drop from the skies!!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1343413/Thousands-blackbirds-literally-drop-dead-sky-Arkansas-city.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12105157

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/02/dead-birds-fall-sky-arkansas

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8235842/US-authorities-investigate-mystery-death-of-1000-birds.html

Lazy Day!

I didn't wake up until 10am which if very unusual for me, but even then I still felt tired, so went back to sleep again and finally rose at 11.30am!!!!!!

I continued doing nothing much, trying to decide what to do. Too late in the day go too far birding. Spur of the moment idea - pick Lucy up and go and visit Vivien in Ely and spend the evening with her. Vivien has been going through hell at work with a pig of a manager who is so awful most people have left - she has complained about him, but nothing gets done! So I spent the afternoon cooking - making Bubble & Squeak, cooking vege sausage rolls etc. Went to Tescos, bought a vanilla cheesecake and some blueberries - picked Lucy up at 4.30pm and arrived Ely around 5.30pm. I feel so ashamed, I have not been to Vivien's for so long I can't remember! Our visit was a surprise and Vivien was really pleased to see us when we turned up at the door. Had a wonderful relaxed evening with my sisters, watched a DVD, cooked dinner and then had stewed blueberries with cheesecake to follow. Left at 10am and got dropped Lucy at home on the way back to mine.

No shifts this weekend/BH, so birding again tomorrow!

New Year's Day Bird Race!!!

Grey Partridge, Sandringham.

A dull, drizzly start, but brightened up a bit later!

Team: Me! – 8am Start


My garden and King's Lynn area
Collared Dove, Robin, Black headed Gull, Blackbird, Herring Gull, Jay, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Starling, Carrion Crow, Rook, Common Gull, Pheasant, Mallard.

Sandringham Bird Table
Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Hedge Sparrow and tons of squirrels!

Squirrel feeding on MY bread at the Sandringham bird table.

Sandringham Saw Mill, Shernborne, Dersingham
Grey Partridge x 12 actually in the Saw Mill grounds! and another 7 further along in a field, Red Legged Partridge, House Sparrow at Manor Farm along with a Magpie. A pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Treecreeper on the same tree in someone's garden! Egyptian Geese, Curlews, Moorhen, Pink footed Geese.

Three of twelve Grey Partridges.

Hunstanton Cliffs and Sea
Fulmar, Rock Dove, Ferral Pigeon, Brent Geese, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Sanderling, Grey Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwits, Redshanks, Ringed Plover x 2, Great Black backed Gull and sitting on the sea a surprise of a single Long tailed Duck, 2 fem. Eiders and a single Great Crested Grebe.

Old Hunstanton Churchyard and field behind
Green Woodpecker, Long tailed Tit, Greylag Geese, Wren, Bullfinch.

NOA Redwell Marsh
Lapwing, Kestrel, Barn Owl, Pochard, Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal.

Barn Owl, NOA Redwell Marsh.

Holme Reserves
Fieldfares, Redwings, Marsh Harrier x 3, Coot, Tufted Ducks, Shelducks, Little Grebe, Song Thrush, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Canada Geese, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Golden Plover and a Red throated Diver flying east on the sea.

Choseley Barns
Mistle Thrush on telegraph wire, but annoyingly no sign of any Corn Buntings or Yellowhammers - in fact there was nothing on the concrete pad - no sign of any corn!

Titchwell RSPB
Water Rail, Whooper Swan, Mute Swan, Pintail, Hen Harrier, Dunlin, Little Egret, Ruff, Pied Wagtail, Cormorant, Red breasted Merganser, Heron, Snipe, Common Scoter, Golden Eye x 2

The evenings are noticeably lighter now - got back to the carpark at 5pm!!!!!

Tried desperately to flush a Woodcock or hear a Tawny Owl - but no luck!

I would like to thank 'Debbie' and her friends for pointing out the Merganser, Common Scoter and also for very kindly walking back down the path to tell me there were two Golden Eye in the semi dusk!

I had no idea how many birds I had seen until I got back to my parents and had a count up - I guessed around 70ish and to my surprise it was in fact a massive 87!!! Not too bad just for little ol' me!!!

After leaving my parents I drove along Chapel Bank road at Old Hunstanton to look for Woodcock and also spent some time at Wolverton hoping to hear a Tawny!

Total for Day: 87 Species


Birds I should/could have seen:
Siskin, Linnets, Avocets, Woodcock, Snowbuntings, Shorelarks, Redpolls, Knot, Med Gull (one at Titchwell before I got there), Reed Buntings, Cettis Warbler, Bearded Tits at Titchwell and also dipped out by approx 5 minutes on two Bitterns scrapping in the pool to the left of the main path! Marsh Tit (usually at Sandringham), 15 Barnacle Geese that were sitting on Holme Marsh earlier and also a Waxwing there also. Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting at Choseley. Smew at Wells, Stock Dove in my mother's garden daily (she forgot to tell me!), RLB at Holkham. THE Northern Harrier! Tawny Owl, SEO (two been seen at Brancaster), Skylark, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, Kingfisher, Goldcrest, Nuthatch (Sandringham or Old Hunstanton), Brambling (Holme or Titchwell), Tree Sparrow and Little Owl (Flitcham)

Also see New Year's Day Bird Race on:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=188797

New Year's Resolutions!!!

• To be 9 stone by the end of August.

• To be fitter and go clubbing again before I get too old!

• To find a First for Norfolk by end of 2011.

• To win the lottery OR find a very rich, tall dark, handsome stranger!

• Not to give British Gas so much of my money

• Not to spend any more money on my car

• To attempt to drive more efficiently (Ha ha)

• Do not year list as its puts mileage on the ol' car, costs a bomb in petrol, not good for the environment, raises stress levels and nothing else in life gets done!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Wishing Everyone

A Very Happy New Year!


Good Health, Happiness, Excitement

and Hot Birding for 2011


Best Wishes Penny

NEW YEAR'S EVE !!!!!! Wahooooooooooh!!!!!!

Been at work ALL day!!!

Listening to Rihanna! 'LOUD'

Been blogging now for One Year exactly!!!

Don't know what I am doing this evening yet!

9.40pm - Ok - I know what I am doing now - NOTHING!!!!

Think I will go through and add all my pictures and videos to all my recent posts!!!

Now listening to the Black Eyed Peas - THE BEGINNING'

10pm - Fireworks going off already!!!

11.59pm - TONS of Fireworks going off!!!!

More Sad News!!!

Just heard from my parents this evening that Jack Reynolds who was Warden and ringer at Titchwell for the NOA (pre the RSPB taking over ) for many years has sadly passed away on Christmas Day aged 92. I can remember well, going to the 'ringing hut' at Titchwell which was based at the end of the concrete pad - the same concrete area is just past the main entrance to Titchwell RSPB on left side going towards Brancaster. The last time I saw Jack and his wife Amy was a few years ago walking along the main Titchwell RSPB path and he hadn't really changed much over the years! Jack's wife Amy was my cookery teacher at the Smithdon High School, Hunstanton and still lives in Hunstanton.


Rest in Peace Jack.

Lee Evans is emigrating!!!!!!!

Oh my goodness, I was just looking at the year lists on 'Surfbirds' and noticed Lee has said on his 2010 British List that he is moving to Spain!!!!!!!

Quote:

....."Moving to Nerja in southern Spain in 2011"........

http://www.surfbirds.com/cgi-bin/surfbirds/display.cgi?list=list388&lowVal=0&highVal=49

Thats quite sad - will miss seeing him at twitches!!!!!!!

Mind you - I don't blame him - the weather in this country is pretty rubbish!

Robin Abel is the 2010 Surfbirds Top County Lister!!!

Robin Abel has the biggest County List for Norfolk on Surfbirds for 2010 reaching a target of 278!

Unless something bizzare turns up tomorrow like a Snowy Owl or something, I don't think the list will change by end of tomorrow!

So Congratulations to Robin!!!

Its really hard work doing a serious year list - I would love to do it again, but petrol is too expensive now and I have not got the time. Now if I won the lottery I would absolutely LOVE to do a British List - I would fly round everywhere - what fun it would be to charter planes and boats etc to see any bird you desired at a the drop of a hat!!! Ok I wouldn't want to be a hard core twitcher permanently, but to do that for a year would be massive fun!


http://www.surfbirds.com/cgi-bin/surfbirds/display.cgi?list=list391&lowVal=0&highVal=49

Northern Harrier seen again, but not by me!

I note the Northern Harrier was seen AGAIN today in the afternoon at Brancaster Staithe again, over the club house! I give up with that bird! Maybe, just maybe it will surprise me on January 1st!!!

Also 40+ Waxwings at west end of bypass at Swaffham this morning - I would have passed these today on route to visiting a patient!!!

Heard some very sad, misfortunate news today at work.

Why oh why do the most awful things happen to the nicest, sweetest people - can't say more for confidentiality reasons.