I stopped at Walkers Snack Bar Barton Mills for breakfast (well you have to) and then headed to Lynford Arboretum. I go there at this time every year, you never expect to see a vast number of species at Lynford but forget the quanity you go for a glimpse of a sadly rare bird in the UK. My hopes had not been high as reports have been of low numbers but within five minutes of setting up my scope a Hawfinch appeared a top a tree, he flew off but as some other birders approached, who had no luck from the other side, I was able to put them on another bird who was perched up.
I wandered back to the car and encountered a flock of Siskin, two Marsh Tits and a Coal Tit. Alas no Redpoll with the Siskins and no Crossbills but a happy birder. It was 9:30 am and as there had been reports of Purple Sandpiper at Sherringham off I went.
And of course no birds. They had been reported at 9:50, I guess the number of people about scared them off. Rats.
Anyway some photos
Turnstones
Herring Gull
I popped off Salthouse to tick Snow Bunting and then went to one of my favourite reserves Sculthorpe Moor.
I really must go there on a hot sunny summer day (note to self consider a week in Norfolk next year in July) as it is great for Dragonflies. The reserve is small and friendly, it is always quiet and is away from the hustle and bussle of the twitchy types on the coast.
Alas I couldn't claim to have seen a Willow Tit (they are about and there were three territories last year and one was netted by ringers recenty, but there is about one Willow for each 20 Marsh Tit). Still I did see a big flock of Siskin, a Treecreeper, Coldcrest, 4 tit species, LOADS of Brambling (I have never seen so many) and a showy Water Rail.
Blackbird
Blackbird - lovely bird the adult male
Marsh Tit (not a great pic but a record shot)
Brambling
Blackbird
Water Rail
Brambling
5 comments:
Well you sure had a superb photographic day Pete, its hard to pick a 1st. The one that had me puzzled was the Herring Gull, 1st was the size, small build-small bill for Herring! then the moult. So for size, it must be a female. Moult, at 1st, it looked like adult winter, but the head moult is wrong, and so is the bill. 4th winter? again moult wrong. So without boring you anylonger, my only conclusion is she is moulting from winter to summer plumage, this is attained Jan-Jul, its an interesting Gull pete.
paul.
Ooh - snow buntings - memories of a warm February day ;)
See you managed a whole Water Rail as opposed to my "partial" :)
Obliging Bramblings too and good pics all round.
well definitely a Herring Gull!
The Rail? well they're easy really :D Yeah the Bramblings were very nice
Bramblings are gorgeous looking birds aren't they? Had one here a couple of weeks back when we had the first snow, hanging about with the Chaffs. Not seen him lately though.
Looks like you had quite a day. Great pictures.
Post a Comment