More 'Lockdown' Birds

24rd April - Quiet Lanes (walk)

After being well behaved on previous walked I decided to extend Jaspers normal short daily walk and do the Quiet Lanes loop again. There seemed to be lots more people walking dogs or walking alone, many frustratingly not bothering to social distance. Dispite this distraction we managed 40 species, most unexpected was a Little Gull seen off Bradfield Road with other resting gulls. My second Ring Ouzel of the week was this time closer to home in the horse paddocks near the railway bridge and a Garden Warbler was heard but not seen near Bradfield Chapel. Another 'lockdown' tick was a Kingfisher seen through the tree on Antingham Pond.

25th April - Quite Lanes (walk)

After I returned from work Laura, Agnes and myself decided we would all take Jasper for his walk, Agnes want to continue to the Llama Paddock and we eventually completed the Quiet Lanes loop, although I didn't bother to view Antingham Pond. Being mid-afternoon we didn't see as many species as my earlier walks and again it was busy with other walkers. No new 'lockdown' ticks but we did see my first Sparrowhawk, Coal Tit and Whitethroat on the 'Loop walk'. 9 Buzzard were also circling together over Bradfield Road near Mill House.

26th April - Mundesley (cycle)

Laura wanted to get out on her new bike so we decided on a family bike ride to Mundesley as our daily lockdown exercise. We took a winding route through the back roads to Trunch and across Mundesley Golf Course before pausing on the cliff top for refreshment. There were lots of Whitethoat in the roadside hedges but few birds of note, however we did see out first orchids with several spikes of Early Purple Orchid and Common Spotted Orchid seen along Brick Kiln Road Trunch. (James I'm sure your'll correct my ID if its wrong!)

During our brief cliff top stop 2 Sand Martin were new for the year as were 3 Sandwich Tern offshore. A Fulmar was a new 'lockdown' tick and a few Swallow headed West. Cycling home a 'very pale' looking Buzzard peeked my interest enough to stop for a better look but turned out just to be a pale Buzzard. Arriving home I grabbed a beer and spent a good hour in the garden reading a book by my favored local naturalist, Arthur Patterson.

087 - Lockdown Total

170 - Norfolk Year Total
170 - Britain Year Total

Lockdown Birding

As Spring migration was about to start in earnest, the Government asked us to stay home and the schools closed. My wife and I however have had to remain at work, leading to a work/childcare juggling act. Therefore most days when not working I have a 4 year old in tow, a permitted (exercise) walk of any length really has not been an option. We have however managed many nice bike rides locally, with Agnes enjoying coming along in her trailer. Although not ideal for looking at birds we have still seen quite a bit and must be grateful we have the countryside on our doorstep. We can spend time looking at nature in the garden, we made a bug hotel last week. In recent days my rota has allowed me free time for a 4.5 mile walk of the country lanes near home, a route I walked reguar after moving back to the area.

Late March / Early April - Various (cycle)

We started 'lockdown' with a few short rides around the 'Quite Lanes' near home and soon saw many of the common resident birds of the area. We did brave a few longer rides out, one towards Tuttington and Skeyton was rewarded with a flyover Little Egret and Marsh Harrier. Another ride near Felmingham added a 'year tick' Swallow, Marsh Tit, Mistle Thrush and Green Woodpecker, and a third out towards Witton, Edingthorpe and Honing added my first Willow Warbler of the year as well as a few 'lockdown ticks' not seen closer to home.

19th April - Quiet Lanes (walk)

The designated 'Quite Lanes' towards Bradfield and Antingham had seen most of my cycle rides with Agnes but this was my first walk of the area, the more leisurely pace albeit with the dog in tow enabled me to heard and see more resident species in the area. A couple of pair of Stock Dove, Linnet and Bullfinch were new addition off Lyngate Road. A Goldcrest and first Blackcap of the year were between Lyngate Road and Pond Road. From Pond Road i could view part of Antingham Pond, my first open water in weeks and accordingly I added a number of waterfowl species to the 'lockdown' list. The regular Little Grebe are again nesting off Bradfield Road and Cetti's Warbler was singing by the bridge.

21st April - Southrepps/Felmingham (cycle)

We headed off towards Lower Southrepps, seeing my first Whitethroat of the year near Bradfield before just off Mill Lane a Wheatear was in a potato field before crossing the road into the sheep field. Near the school a Hobby few over a third year tick in 15 minutes and checking the NWT notice board by The Common alerted me to the presence of a Ring Ouzel and Lesser Whitethroat nearby. A quick cycle up to The Pit but no sign of the Ring Ouzel so we continued our ride past Gunton Station to listen for the Lesser Whitethroat. In the paddocks just off Chapel Road I heard the distinctive call of a Ring Ouzel which we soon saw. At the Station the Whitethroat was perch in the car park and barely necessitated me to stop peddling. Buoyed by 5 new year ticks I decided to cycle cross county towards Antingham, Suffield and then Felmingham before home. Two House Martin near Antingham and a Red Kite near Suffield seemed to vindicate this decision but the head on easterly breeze all the way home from Felmingham left me tired and questioning the decision. However an unexpected Great Black-backed Gull loafing in the fields near Rossi's perked me up and was added to my new 'lockdown list'.

22nd April - Quiet Lanes (walk)

On my second walk of 'The Lanes' I again saw many of the species seen the previous weekend but along Pond Road Treecreeper and Reed Bunting were added and a lone Tufted Duck was seen on Antingham Pond. By the Llama Paddock on Bradfield Road I heard my first Cuckoo of the year, distant but in the direction of North Walsham I hoped he might have been viewed from the bridge but without luck.  On Thursday (23rd) I ventured out of North Walsham for the first time in the car, albit only to go food shopping at Stalham (as I needed things Sainsburys and Waitrose just don't sell), but driving via East Ruston and Walcott added Sedge Warbler and Turnstone to the 'lockdown' total without stopping the car. I might get as far as Bacton on the bike next week for a few more seabirds.

078 - Lockdown Total

166 - Norfolk Year Total
166 - Britain Year Total

Late Winter Early Spring Update

I should have updated the blog awhile ago but with the covid-19 restrictions I have very little of my own time. When not at work I've had to be daddy daycare and come the evenings haven't felt like turning on the computer to be bombarded with news and pandemic information. This overdue update will be split into two halves pre and post lockdown.

3rd February - Salthouse/Cley

With few birds close to home after the school run I head to Salthouse to try and see one of the few Waxwing that have turned up in Norfolk this winter. Parking near the church i knew the Waxwing had to be closeby in one of the gardens, so headed to the high ground of the church yard for a good vantage point. I soon saw the Waxwing in flight but it dived into a garden. I took the chance to look around the church and grave yard, but failed to find ant trace of relatives on my growing family tree. The Waxwing failed to reappear so I called into Cley Coastguards hoping for the Snow Bunting flock to make an appearance. A quick sea watch turned up the first Razorbill of the year and the long staying juv Caspian Gull put in an appearance along with a lone Snow Bunting. A quick jaunt down the East Bank added Bearded Tit to the year list.

19th February - Holkham

James and myself met up for one of our regular school holiday birding trips. We headed off for Holkham with a couple of stops en route, first was Bayfield Lake. A regular spot for raptors 7/8 Buzzards and at least 2 Red Kite circled over the woods, a couple of White fronted Geese the highlight by the lake. Second stop was Wiveton Church for a moth that although relatively common was new for both James and I. We would never have located the Lichen Button moth on the lichen covered flint work on the porch without the help of a kind gent who had located the moth a short while before we arrived. A quick nose in the church and we continued west. A brief stop at Wells allowed James to catch up with the long staying Rough-legged Buzzard if a little distant.

We decided to brave Holkham beach and the half term crowds but parked near the Park gates. Scanning the bay we soon located a large Scoter flock which held at least 4 Velvet Scoter, and 6+ Red-breasted Merganser flew back and forth. In the roped off area behind the sea most dune swe soon found one of our targets the Snow Bunting flock which also held 5 Shorelark which soon broke off and then showed well at close quarters. With the crowds growing we contented ourselves with a drive around the roads inland of the estate hoping for a Raven but without luck. We did however have time to look for the 'escaped' Lesser White-fronted Goose seen near Matlaske. No sign of the bird but Barningham Winter Church was delightful, a predominately ruined estate church that's central naive now forms a small chapel.

4th March - Happisburgh/Bacton

After a quiet Autumn birding and my fathers death I started spending a few hours most weeks walking the local beaches looking for fossils, walking the tide line and enjoying the isolation of the winter beaches, with a few birds for good measure. This trip offered little of the later with only the expected local residents, but a bag full of driftwood will be a future project and a large piece of fossil bone from Bacton was my largest fossil to date.

5th March - Blickling

Feeling brave I decided to take our dog out for a walk and try to bird watch at the same time something I had not attempted previously as he is still quite excitable. I dropped Agnes at nursey and by 9.30am we parked up in the Fisherman's Car Park. A clockwise loop of the lake offered little in wild fowl however two female Goosander were unexpected, but the Ruddy Shelduck had been previously reported. From the views I had I would like to think it is a 'true' bird but others believe it to be a hybrid Ruddy Shelduck x Egyptian Goose. Lots of common birds and a well behaved dog made for a pleasant morning.

154 - Norfolk Year Total
154 - Britain Year Total