Out of tune at Holkham forces local action.

OK, so this has moreorless been done to death on Birdforum, but it would seem there was something of a mishap regarding Hippo id at Holkham on Saturday. It would seem that an Icterine Warbler was indeed seen early doors, and this individual did not hang around. However, a report of a Melodious Warbler bought out the crowds, and understandably so. Hoping to see a county mega, I ditched the trip to the east coast (mistake) and joined the throngs. On arrival, most were standing around in hope, and word on the track was that the reported Melodious was optimistic at best. Not one to linger, I spent a good hour round the cross-tracks hoping for the YBW that was reported earlier that morning. I settled for a good haul of common migrants in the bushes including Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Bullfinch, lots of Goldcrest and c10 Siskin.
Good to see Connor, James and Gary at the 'ghost' twitch, and the north coast is a premier birding venue, but the crowds of people at the pine woods is enough to put me off for a while....and I was one of them! If you follow the news, there always that chance you will get stung. Not that I will learn anything from this.
Spent this afternoon exploring habitat round Surlingham. Surlingham Marsh at Coldham Hall is a nice spot, but all I managed in the wind was a Kestrel. The patch itself (Surlingham CHURCH Marsh, confusing isn't it?) was quiet, no doubt due to the Sunday gun club. A few Teal and Gadwall were on the lagoon, so clearly the rifle fire does not bother all of the wildfowl. A large Tit flock were near the hide, and out of sight I could hear what I believe was some kind of Reed Warbler sub song, an odd one that. Wellies absolutely essential here; track muddy most of the way round and signs that the site is beginning to flood. A drive round Claxton and Langley offered fantastic views over the marshes, but the wind seemed to be putting pay to raptor spotting.

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Grey Phalarope- a new patch bird

The 7th of April was another bitterly cold Spring day, hats and gloves in prime position on pegs and in bags ready to be deployed. A few brave Garganey have been reported north of the river, but it was a bird from the north itself that had me rushing for the thermals and the telescope late in the day. I was thankful for the local Whatsapp group who were quick to report that a Grey Phalarope had been seen on Rockland Broad. This tiny Wader would have come in on the northerlies over the last few days, although to grace one of the broads is a real surprise, since most stick pretty close to the coast before moving on. Indeed, my experience of the birds has usually been on a sea watch in the Autumn, waves crashing and foam flying, my eyes straining to pick them out as they fly low just above the surf. They are fantastic birds, and now one was here on the patch. I had a brief panic when I realised my scope was in my car at the garage (thankfully I do have a much older spare) but once th...

A weekend to live long in the memory

Saturday 12th, I picked up Connor around 6.30am and we headed to Waxham with migrant hunting in mind. It was clear that the NW blow and rain had dumped many common migrants. Every bush had a Robin, some more than one. There were also almost equal numbers of Song Thrush and Blackbird. As the sun rose, slowly more birds became active. Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Goldcrest and ticked and tacked from cover. Superb stuff! Overhead, Brambling and Redpoll were moving, and some did rest long enough for decent views. Heading out into the dunes towards the pipe dump, we encountered a female Redstart and a Woodcock on route. Still, birds were arriving including more Thrushes and even a few Skylark. Without much success around the pipe dump itself (a Robin with a sore throat gave us a headache for a while) we headed back to the car and onto Horsey. Although there were less birds around by mid morning, little clumps of cover were alive with activity. In the same patch of scrub and pines that last ...

Claxton-on-sea!

Although it was not quite the Christmas we wanted here in the valley, the rain has bought its own gift. A grim vision of the future, perhaps. But right now, the patch is peaking and is alive with birds, and for that I am thankful. On Christmas eve, it was a job to navigate away from the village due to standing water that had left abandoned cars and undelivered presents in its wake. The rain had been persistent and unforgiving, the ground, saturated. Over on the marsh, where there had once been a muddy puddle amongst the pasture, a city had sprung from the leak, with a plethora of new occupants noisily laying claim to a patch of sodden marsh. Wigeon and Black-headed Gulls in their thousands now wheeled and whistled over and amongst the newly formed pools, accompanied by smaller numbers of Teal and Shoveler. A flock of two hundred-strong Lapwing enjoyed feeding on the less damp spots where green grass was still exposed, and thrown in for good measure have been a couple of Ruff, the ...

Notes from the valley

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