NORFOLKNORFOLKNORFOLKNORFOLK

THE COMPLETE THE COMPLETE THE COMPLETE THE COMPLETE

TOURTOURTOURTOUR 17TH 17TH 17TH 17TH –––– 23RD MAY 2009 23RD MAY 2009 23RD MAY 2009 23RD MAY 2009

TRIP REPORTTRIP REPORTTRIP REPORTTRIP REPORT

Monday 18th May Cley, Salthouse and Swanton Novers A very good start to the tour at Cley this morning where we walked down to the North Hide from the beach car park, soon noting our first Sandwich Terns and a lingering group of Brent Geese in the Eye Field. With a real stroke of luck, we then located the adult COLLARED PRATINCOLE sheltering on a baked patch of mud in the Eye Field, and over the next half an hour obtained excellent views along with a handful of local birders that made it in time before the bird flew off to its favourite haunt on Blakeney Freshmarsh. North Scrape initially appeared quiet, but perseverance here yielded a good selection of waders including a pair of Little Ringed Plovers close to the hide. A Sanderling dropped in for a few seconds with Ruddy Turnstones before being mobbed away by Pied Avocets, and a Common Greenshank was at the back of the pool. Best bird here was a superb adult CURLEW SANDPIPER which dropped in with three Ringed Plovers, always a good spring bird here. Marsh Harrier, Common Tern, Black-tailed Godwit and a huge movement of Common Swifts were other highlights. Moving around to the central hides we spent time viewing Pats Pool and Simmond’s Scrape, with a distant stint seen from North Hide now clearly identifiable as a LITTLE STINT before it flew off north. Three Common Sandpipers were also present, and a TEMMINCK’S STINT was on Pats Pool though a little against the light. Moving round to the Bishop’s Hide, we then had excellent views of this bird completing a successful morning. After lunch, visits to the Iron Road and East Bank were less productive, though we did note Common Whitethroat, Little Egret, Dunlin, Little and Sandwich Terns and a pair of Bearded Tits chasing each other over the reeds. At Walsey Hills, a Cetti’s Warbler was singing along with Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap, and a Garden Warbler was glimpsed by some. A Turtle Dove flying along the south end of Cley reserve as we drove along was a bonus. We rounded off the day with our first attempt of the week for Honey Buzzard, and although unsuccessful with this species we noted a good range including four Common Buzzards, two Common Kestrel, female Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Hobby, Yellowhammer, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Jay and Stock Dove. Tuesday 19th May Holme, Titchwell, Choseley and Blakeney Despite starting off a little quietly, today turned out to be superb. Some group members saw Grey Partridge, Tree Sparrow, Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, Lesser Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher and Bullfinch around East Barsham before breakfast, and our first stop at Holme Dunes yielded a few good birds. Three Northern Fulmar passed offshore, and two summer plumaged Grey Plover were on the beach. Turtle Dove, three Yellow Wagtails, Common Buzzard, Little Tern, Willow Warbler, Common and Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler were other species noted here. Moving on to Choseley, we soon located a singing Corn Bunting on the wires near the barns, and so it was back down to Titchwell for the rest of the morning. A Lesser Whitethroat was singing by the car park and we noted Reed and Sedge Warblers and Common Chiffchaff around the Meadow Trail. On the freshmarsh, a female Red Crested Pochard was attending young and we also had very good views of a TEMMINCK’S STINT from Parrinder Hide. Female Ruddy Duck, second-summer Little Gull, 100+ Brent Geese, Common Sandpiper, 50+ Black-tailed Godwits, Grey Plover and Common Pochard were also noted. At the beach, 100 Sanderling, three Great Crested Grebes and three Common Eider were seen. After lunch, we received news of a Woodchat Shrike at Blakeney so set off for the Friary Hills where we arrived to find a bit of a twitch going on. We were straight onto the first-summer female WOODCHAT SHRIKE which showed very well at the west end, and then from the hill itself we got more decent views of the COLLARED PRATINCOLE, this time in flight. As if this wasn’t enough, we then picked out three EURASIAN SPOONBILLS flying high west over Blakeney Point, and they circled for about fifteen minutes allowing everyone in the group to scope them. Wednesday 20th May Breckland Spotted Flycatcher, Barn and Tawny Owls were seen by some folk again before breakfast this morning. A pretty good day in the Brecks today which despite not generating a huge number and variety of birds, included all of our target species. On our way to Lakenheath, we had decent scope views of a STONE CURLEW in a roadside field, giving us a good start to the day! At Lakenheath, the forecast for light winds which had encouraged us to head this way was proved wrong as a moderate SSW was swaying the poplars and clearly going to make life difficult. Nevertheless, two male GOLDEN ORIOLE were calling and with perseverance, we first had two males in flight between the woods and then a perched male singing at quite close

range which some group members were able to scope before it disappeared. Twenty Eurasian Hobby entertained us while we waited and a drake GARGANEY flew past. Booming Great Bittern, Common Tern, Marsh Harrier, Great Crested Grebe, Great-spotted Woodpecker, European Reed Warbler and Common Whitethroat were also noted during the morning. Moving on to Santon Downham for our lunch stop, a pair of Marsh Tits were around and exploring a nearby forest track yielded good views of TREE PIPIT with about four birds present. At nearby Lynford a singing male FIRECREST by the hotel gave superb views, and although quiet around the lake we noted Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Grey Wagtail and a Grass Snake! Our post dinner excursion to Sandringham Warren was very successful, noting Tawny Owl en route and greeted by roding EURASIAN WOODCOCK on arrival. In fact we had at least ten views of these birds during the evening including several right overhead. EUROPEAN NIGHTJAR showed very well this evening, with four birds seen including two wing clapping right past our group. Thursday 21st May Swanton Novers, Kelling Heath, Holkham and Burnham Overy A very quiet today with the fresh westerly wind not only making birding difficult but presenting little opportunity for new arrivals. Another blank session looking for Honey Buzzard at Swanton Novers yielded Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Yellowhammer, and after long wait we decided to move on to Kelling Heath. This also failed to produce any of our target birds though Stonechat was new for the trip and plenty of Common Linnet and Yellowhammer were noted as well as a few Willow Warblers. Moving down to Holkham a circular walk of the freshmarsh and pines produced a few odds and ends such as Black-tailed Godwit, Little Egret, Common Chiffchaff, Sedge and Reed Warbler, Marsh Harrier. Pink-footed and Egyptian Goose, Goldcrest and a nice singing Turtle Dove. Finally we ended the day with a look around Burnham Overy for Montagu’s Harrier but were not successful, though we did note Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier and Grey Partridge. Friday 22nd May Burnham Market, Burnham Norton, Stiffkey and Swanton Novers A total contrast today, as we noted eight species of raptor among a host of other birds. Starting near Burnham Market, we were onto a male MONTAGU’S HARRIER within minutes and a female also appeared as the two birds proceeded to mob a Marsh Harrier. A second female then appeared and gave some nice closer views, and despite looking from two further points to try and see the male again there was no further sign of the birds. Happy with this result, we moved down to Burnham Norton and enjoyed a very pleasant walk across the marshes to the sea wall. A RED KITE drifted into view over Burnham Overy mill, and we scoped the bird as it drifted westwards. Sedge and Reed Warbler, Pied Avocet, Common Cuckoo, 50 Black-tailed Godwits, Eurasian Curlew, Grey Plover and our first Northern Wheatear of the week were also noted, as well as a second RED KITE following the same general line as the first. Painted Lady and Four-spotted Chaser were non-avian highlights. Along the coast at Stiffkey, the highlight was probably the stunning adult MEDITERRANEAN GULL on the fen, though a good selection of other species included Yellowhammer, Willow Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Brent Goose, Pink-footed Goose and a hunting Barn Owl. After lunch, we moved inland for our third visit to Swanton Novers. Despite a slow start, Eurasian Hobby, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and several Common Buzzards appeared, and two RED KITES kept the interest alive especially as one drifted right over the watchpoint. At last our patience was rewarded as the male HONEY BUZZARD drifted into view distantly, and began circling and approaching the watchpoint. An amazing twenty minutes of viewing followed which culminated in the bird indulging in wing-clapping display right over our heads before drifting off very low across the road towards Fulmodestone. What an amazing view of such a secretive bird! The day was rounded off with Tree Sparrow, Yellow Wagtail and two Grey Partridge at West Barsham. Saturday 23rd May Flitcham, Roydon, Snettisham and Dersingham Our last morning saw us head along to Abbey Farm at Flitcham where the breeding Common Kingfishers gave a nice showing despite the Little Owl failing to put in an appearance. At nearby Roydon Common, we had superb views of four WOOD LARK with two adults feeding two youngsters by the parking area. A singing Garden Warbler here was only glimpsed in flight. Snettisham coastal park provided a very pleasant walk in the warm conditions, though warblers were thin on the ground and only Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Common

Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler were seen in small numbers. Singing Turtle Dove, Eurasian Hobby, Eurasian Wigeon, Pink-footed and Egyptian Geese and Common Buzzard were also seen, and amazingly our fifth RED KITE in two days drifted right past! After dealing with a puncture, we ended the tour with lunch at Dersingham cliff where a singing TREE PIPIT was a nice end to what has been a superb weeks birding. Systematic List Little Grebe Great Crested Grebe Northern Fulmar Great Cormorant Great Bittern[H] Little Egret Grey Heron Eurasian Spoonbill Mute Swan Pink-footed Goose Greylag Goose Canada Goose Brent Goose Common Shelduck Egyptian Goose Mallard Gadwall Northern Shoveler Eurasian Wigeon Common Teal Garganey Common Pochard Red Crested Pochard Tufted Duck Ruddy Duck Common Eider Red Kite Montagu’s Harrier Marsh Harrier Common Buzzard Honey Buzzard Eurasian Sparrowhawk Common Kestrel Eurasian Hobby Red-legged Partridge Grey Partridge Common Pheasant Common Moorhen Common Coot Eurasian Oystercatcher Pied Avocet Stone-Curlew Collared Pratincole Little Ringed Plover Ringed Plover Grey Plover Northern Lapwing Sanderling Ruddy Turnstone Dunlin Curlew Sandpiper Temminck’s Stint Little Stint Common Sandpiper

Common Redshank Common Greenshank Black-tailed Godwit Bar-tailed Godwit Eurasian Curlew Eurasian Woodcock Black-headed Gull Little Gull Mediterranean Gull Common Gull Herring Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Great Black-backed Gull Little Tern Common Tern Sandwich Tern Stock Dove Woodpigeon Collared Dove Turtle Dove Common Cuckoo Tawny Owl Barn Owl European Nightjar Common Swift Common Kingfisher Great Spotted Woodpecker Green Woodpecker [H] Sky Lark Wood Lark Sand Martin House Martin Barn Swallow Meadow Pipit Tree Pipit Pied Wagtail Grey Wagtail Yellow Wagtail Winter Wren Dunnock European Robin Northern Wheatear Stonechat Song Thrush Mistle Thrush Common Blackbird Garden Warbler Blackcap Lesser Whitethroat Common Whitethroat Sedge Warbler Cetti’s Warbler [H] Reed Warbler Willow Warbler Common Chiffchaff Goldcrest Firecrest Spotted Flycatcher Great Tit Blue Tit Coal Tit

Long-tailed Tit Marsh Tit Bearded Tit Woodchat Shrike Black-billed Magpie Eurasian Jay Western Jackdaw Carrion Crow Rook Common Starling Eurasian Golden Oriole House Sparrow Tree Sparrow Chaffinch Common Linnet European Goldfinch European Greenfinch Eurasian Siskin Northern Bullfinch Reed Bunting Yellowhammer Corn Bunting