More Norfolk

 

North Point Pools


October 21st



The undoubted highlight of the morning, although very distant, was a Goshawk picked up at the back of the Marshes being mobbed by Corvids.

Presumably hunting, but being given a very hard time by up to 5 Crows/Rooks, but decent views were seen through another birders scope when it landed. A Marsh Harrier also joined in on the mobbing with the Corvids which was a little unusual.

Photos are very poor due to the early hour, distance and poor light but good to see one, just don’t see enough of these very secretive Raptors.

Other highlights were 2 Cattle Egrets,1 with a Frog, 23 Golden Plover, a Woodcock at dawn waiting for the Pink feet, and a Bar Tailed Godwit on the flood with Lapwing.

Wells Harbour

October 21st

Whilst Chris was shopping later in the morning, I grabbed an hour or so again at the Harbour and channel leading out to the sea.

Red Throated Divers were again present, along with Pink Footed Geese still going over with Dark Bellied Brents all along the channel.

A new bird for the Harbour area, for me, will be a Guillemot flying past me in the channel close to the Lighthouse Station.

 

Peregrine Nest Box

Very busy lately with different stuff, new Barn/Little Owl and Kestrel boxes going in, more on that later.

Below shows some photos from last week, of Paul and myself installing a Peregrine Box at a site in London.

A new pairing which produced 1 juvenile this year, hopefully they will take to the nest box and have an easier time of it going forward.

Well next the Sea - Harbour

 

October 20th



Our annual visit to Wells Norfolk, having arrived the previous day, we stayed for the first time at Pinewoods near Wells Wood.

I have to say that after this visit, its likely we will not stay anywhere else, Pinewoods was superb and the location close to the Beach/Harbour was perfect for walks.

With news relayed to me by my amigos, of a Desert Wheatear in the vicinity of the Lifeboat Station, dawn saw me in position at the Harbour.

As you can imagine, plenty of Geese leaving roost, skeins of distant Pink Foots, smaller numbers of Dark Bellied Brents. I kept an eye on the Geese, some arriving down the coastline overhead, and I noted some small numbers of Greater Whitefronts as a few of us searched for the Desert Wheatear. I had a look and got some photos as you do of the White Front’s and moved on looking for the Wheatear.

Going through photos later, showed a Tundra Bean Goose present in with the White Fronts!

Eventually located the Wheatear distantly on some gabion cages, before moving onto the roof of the Lifeboat Station itself, got some dodgy photos as the bird stayed distant.

I left others watching it and moved on, Red Throated Divers were present along with a single Red Breasted Merganser landing in the channel.

Also noted Red Kite and Common Buzzard going out over the sand early and against the wind, towards East Hills. I would suspect that both species were flying out checking for any overnight Geese casualties roosting on the mudflats/salting’s.

Lots of other birds present, nice to see close Bar Tailed Godwits and with the easterly wind a few birds going over, Brambling and Siskin being the pick of the bunch.

48 species recorded, another highlight was a female Merlin heading towards East Hills low over the sand at speed, possibly looking to flush a wader.

A very good morning.