2012 Highlights

There have been plenty of internet sites (like Birding Frontiers) posting their highlights of 2012. So I thought I would summarise my highs and lows of the year about to pass

I ended up seeing just two new birds in the UK. One pending acceptance (Les Canada Goose) and the other a long awaited 'tart tick' (Blyths Reed Warbler). Both of these were in the home county.

This is the lowest number of UK ticks ever for me. I could have added a few more like Sh B Dowitcher, Orphean Warbler and Parrot Crossbill if my twitching instincts had got the better of me!

I did also add a further 9 new 'world' birds on my one venture out of the country to St Lucia.

My personal highlights were the big October fall in North Norfolk. Although I only caught the tail end, the sight and sound of thousands of Thrushes dropping out of the sky, whilst being surrounded by Bramblings, Robins and other birds (including a lovely Red flanked Bluetail) will stay with me forever.

Quiet also on the finds front. However 22nd September on the Point with Ortolan Bunting at my feet and finding a Barred Warbler in the sueda was memorable.

Also seen in Norfolk were:

Coues Arctic Redpoll, GG Shrike, Bee-eater, Baird's and Pec Sand and a few Waxwing finds.

Bewick's Swan, Black Redstart and Reed Warbler were good additions to the garden list.

I also recorded record number of Micro moth species in the garden (185 plus) - Those highlights require their own page!

Now looking forward to 2013. With a new addition to our family in March to look forward to, birding will take a back seat (for a while). Although I'm sure I will be able to squeeze a few new birds in :)

Good luck to all and have a happy Christmas

More Goose thoughts

Ever since I posted the photos of the Richardson's / Cackling / Small Canada , whatever you would like to call it, on my blog, I have been wondering about its true origin.

I was surprised that nobody had initially reported this bird to any of the pagers, especially considering  the number of other 'Small Canada' Geese in the country.

I do have a vested interest in this bird being accepted as wild (I will not deny it) as I have dipped a few others in Norfolk in the past. I was hoping that by mentioning this bird, on my blog and on twitter, the news and debate on the origin may spread. ... and it has.

Mark Golley summed it up beautifully in the Rare Birds Alert weekly roundup this week. He shares some of the thoughts I was starting to have regarding its origin, especially considering the number of other birds that have been around recently. 

http://bit.ly/QHJ4f8

Why would it not choose to hang out with some of his bigger relatives! It probably has no idea how small he (or she) looks next to the 'bog standard' Canada Geese,

There were Brent Geese in the same flock and lots of Pink Feet nearby. After flying all that way with the Pink feet I too would be sick of their high pitched squabbles. Nice chilled out Canadas are the ones to hang out with any day

On the theme of wildfowl at least there was no doubt about the origin of the Bewick's Swan that flew over my garden this morning. I picked up the distant (unfamiliar) call and then saw the Swan heading high over and to the South. Presumably it was staying ahead of the snow and cold weather that appeared in the afternoon. A very welcome addition to my landlocked garden list!

Now what else will appear with the ice and snow??

Mild November Day

Morning walk around Kelling. Not really expecting to see much but there were a few birds on the move.
A flock of  c.150 Finches seemed to be wintering here. Mainly Greenfinches and Linnets.

A nice Short Eared Owl flew over being chased by a few of the resident Rooks and then headed back to the grassland area and landed.

This following Small Canada Goose was in amongst the other Canada Geese. It has apparently been in the area for at least a week (I would probably of overlooked it had it not been pointed out by one of the local birders)
It is a shame it has chosen Canada Geese rather than nearby Pink Feet to associate with. Small Canada Goose is still a bird I have not seen 'in the wild' having dipped a few in the past (in Norfolk) .
Even if it is of very dubious origin it was interesting to see how small Cackling (I presume this is the subspecies) are. It was almost the same size as a nearby Brent Goose

Apart from a Little Egret, 6 Bullfinch ... Nothing else of note was seen

Yesterday a flock of 6 Waxwing brightened up my walk into work as they flew over Cinema City / St Crispin in Norwich. The first birds I have seen this year, although many more to follow i'm sure

Surprise garden visitor - 4th November

After being away from home for a week I returned, looked out of the window and was greeted to a flash of black and white ... A small bird started catching flies around the windows and amazingly it was a male Black Redstart!

I rarely see this species in North Norfolk let alone in the garden


I managed to get a record shot as it stopped in a bush just in front of the sitting room window. Not a digi phone/bins shot .. just hand held phone to show how close it was.

My 80th species in the (new) house/garden, and one I was not expecting at all

Just goes to show - you can find unusual birds anywhere .. even when at home in the sitting room!!

October 23rd - BIG FALL

I had read on many reports that something truly spectacular had taken place with the fall of birds yesterday afternoon in the fog and light East winds. On reaching Stiffkey this morning I could see what they meant. There were birds everywhere. Every bush, tree and hedge had Blackbirds and Robins shooting out in all directions.

In thick fog I walked slowly through the woods towards the area that the Bluetail had been found and along the way I stopped and searched through the Robins while Thrushes streaming through overhead. A few Redstarts were nice to see and Bramblings fed quietly in the trees

Redwings, Blackbirds and Fieldfares by the 1000's!

The Bluetail was very nice and showed well down to about 10 ft , I was keen to get away and look for my own birds

I walked the track from Stiffkey to the concrete 'circle' along the coast. On the way 3-4 Ring Ouzels were seen and heard (but many more must have been passing). 2-3 Chiffchaff looked fairly nominate and Redpolls called overhead while Bramblings moved through in decent flocks

On to Wells in the hope of flushing an OBP! .. It was evident that many of the birds from yesterday were still sheltering in the woods waiting for the fog to lift.

Again 100's of Robins, Thrushes and Goldcrests everywhere

Brambling numbers were even higher here (40+). Despite searching through all the tit and crest flocks I could not find anything rare .. Back at the car park and a quick scan over the seawall towards E Hills and a beautiful male Black Redstart was seen catching flies around the lifeboat station.

I will not forget the sight of Thrushes shooting out from every bush that I passed in a hurry!

October 8th

October is always an exciting time on the Point and today the sun was shining and there was a light NE breeze. The only problem was that it was too calm a day to displace any good migrants

The morning started with a quick seawatch from Cley coastguards. A family pod of Harbour Porpoise swam slowly past, the young calf sticking close to its parent's side. A few distant Little Gulls and my first Shags of the Autumn/Winter season. They are annual here in November but never common

Started the walk up and it was clear it was going to be a quiet day !

A group of 40 Jay flew over Blakeney Harbour heading SW - These are part of the recent big movement taking place in the UK and on continent that seems to be linked to an acorn crop failure. I have never seen any birds from the Point and they just about count as a 'patch tick'
A further surprise was hearing a familiar sound over the sueda near the Watchhouse.... I knew the call but could not think what it was! Then I saw two long tailed birds 'pinging' overhead - Beardies - Another bird I have never seen here despite being common nearby at Cley
I then heard further birds were noted in Wells Wood, so a small local passage was taking place.

Raptors are always a great feature of this time of year and today was no exception with a juv fem Hen Harrier patrolling the dunes and shingle in search of some tired migrants.

The rest of the morning was spent chatting to Joe (warden) about how unpredictable migrants are! And searching for the next big rarity (without much luck!)

... It has been quiet in the county but its only a matter of time before Norfolk hosts something special

October 3rd - Kelling

Due to the continuing West winds decided not to walk the Point and decided the more sheltered areas around Kelling might be worth a look

The highlight was a close (ish) Manxie past along with a scattering of seabirds - Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Guillemots, only two distant Sandwich Terns and a few RT Divers

Wheatear, Chiffchaffs and just singles of H Martin and Swallow

..... Kelling Water was devoid of birds other than a few Teal and a few BH Gulls ....

Typical that later in the day Pec Sand and Water Pipit were found there!!

Not having the best of luck so far this Autumn but the fun and games should start next week when we get a bit of E and N breeze .. just in time for the chance of some real Siberian migrants