25/04/16 to 29/04/2016 Norfolk Trip with the Cumbrian Lads!

Monday 25 April to Friday 29 April
Norfolk
with Brian. Graham and Harvey from Workington, Cumbria.

I joined up with my Cumbrian friends on Monday, 2 days late and left on Friday, a day early.  Nevertheless the trip was most worthwhile with over 120 species seen including some real "crackers". 

The weather was really unkind to us, with some of the coldest April temperatures on record to add to the frequent heavy rain showers. 

Titchwell

It was rather quiet at Titchwell on both occasions we went there. The freshwater marsh had rather too much water on it so there was a lack of waders.  There were some highlights however including :

• At least 7 white wagtails on the dry marsh to the west of the main path from the visitors centre to the sea.

• On Patsy's reed bed we saw 4 drake red-crested pochards and 2 females.

• I did manage to see my first swifts and house martins of the year. 

• On the second visit we witnessed some excellent display manoeuvres of a water pipit in the dunes just to the east of the main footpath.

• A couple of little ringed plovers were also present.

Minsmere

The forecast for Tuesday was particularly bad so I persuaded the lads to let me drive them down to Minsmere.  They didn't need too much persuading as none of them had been there before and the reports suggested some rich pickings.

• Pick of the day had to be the stone curlew sighting by the North Marsh area.  We spent ages trying to spot the bird in the designated place without much luck.  Graham and Harvey had already left to head for the East Hide and I was about to join them when Brian called us back.  He had spotted the curlew moving around and we then enjoyed superb views for some time.

• At the east hide we saw a little tern that had, literally, just arrived, much to our delight.

• We didn't see any bitterns but we did hear them booming as we headed back to the visitor's centre from the sea.

• Thankfully we got a smashing view of a bearded tit as it ascended a tall reed.  We had a similar experience on our second visit to Titchwell.

• A couple of great white egrets were also flying around.

• We heard but did not see a nightingale.

• We heard and did see a cetti's warbler which insisted on being seen!

• There were several mediterranean gulls on the islands with the terns.

• On the way home we were held up by some roadworks near Lowestoft.  Fortunately, in the lagoons, not far from the sea, there were 3 little stints showing really well on the edges of the water.  What a bonus!

• We also called in at Stubbs Mill on the way back where we saw 2 common cranes in flight and another 2 on the ground

Cley, Salthouse and Kelling Heath.

We spent one day in the Cley area where a wryneck had been showing well during the previous days.  Unfortunately events worked out in such a way that we "dipped" on this species, mainly due to a wrong call from me.

• As we were making our way from the visitors centre, word came through of a temminck's stint that had just arrived and was showing well from the East Bank.  I advised the lads to go for this sighting first.  We enjoyed superb views for over 20 minutes but when we got to the wryneck area it had just moved on and we never got a second chance to see it.

• Our disappointment didn't last long as we were soon up at Kelling Quags, hot on the trail of ring ouzels.  We managed to spot 3 (2 males and a female) in the fields, with the cattle, to the east of us.

• Then on to Kelling Heath where the lads were absolutely over the moon to get superb views of a dartford warbler,  one of many "lifers" for them on this trip.

Kelling was a new area for me and one that I would certainly want to visit again.

• In the evening Brian and I  returned to Flitcham Abbey Farm where, thanks to Brian's keen observational skills, we saw the resident little owl.  The views were excellent in the evening light.  What was most pleasing was as well as being yet another "lifer" for Brian it was one that he was particularly keen to find.  

• On the way home we were met by a low-flying barn owl, our second in successive day's.

 Holme 

It was very quiet when we visited and we dipped on twite. 

 Holkham

As usual,  Holkham was well worth a visit.

• We were fortunate to find 50+ lingering pink-footed geese, as well as brent geese and barnacle geese. 

• Brian, Graham and Harvey were delighted to get a good sighting of a green woodpecker, a bird so difficult to find in west Cumbria.

• We also saw spoonbills but they proved rather elusive when we tried to get closer.

Considering the shocking weather, this was a remarkable trip with a huge species count and some memorable birding with friends.  Alas I had to leave early to attend a school reunion in Workington, Cumbria.   I did not get any "lifers" but I did manage to push my year list total up by 11 species.

 My friends went on to extend the species count to well over the 130 mark making it a most rewarding experience for them.  They all had significant numbers of "lifers", including lots of birds that they could not possibly get in Cumbria.

Additions to BUBO 2016 UK Year List:

swift   (185)

house martin   (186)

red-crested pochard   (187)
pink-footed goose   (188)
stone curlew   (189)
little tern   (190)
little stint   (191)
crane   (192)
temminck's stint   (193)
ruff   (194)
ring ouzel   (195)