NWT Holme Dunes
No obvious signs of any movement today.
Off shore;
Wigeon - c500 on sea, displaced from grazing marshes by wildfowlers.
Common scoter - at least 1200 off shore.
Long-tailed duck - a male on sea.
Fulmar - two west.
Red-throated diver - eight west and one on sea.
Great Crested Grebe - six west and two on sea.
The three shorelarks made a reappearance along at Thornham Beach but were later disturbed by photographers.
On the grazing marshes the windy weather got the raptors hunting with up to five marsh harriers accompanied by a huge imm female peregrine, the lapwings and wildfowl (after the early am wildfowling) had a torrid day.
Thursday 28th January 2016
NWT Holme Dunes
Migrants included five very distant pink-footed geese east, two shelduck west and two wigeon also west.
Other birds during the fifteen minutes included;
Red-breasted merganser - west
Eider - two west
Fulmar - ten west
On the reserve two woodcock in the paddocks.
Migrants included five very distant pink-footed geese east, two shelduck west and two wigeon also west.
Other birds during the fifteen minutes included;
Red-breasted merganser - west
Eider - two west
Fulmar - ten west
On the reserve two woodcock in the paddocks.
Monday 25th January 2016
NWT Holme Dunes
Off shore 140 distant pink-footed geese and a shelduck also west were the only migrants today. Also on or over the sea;
Long-tailed duck - male west
Red-breasted merganser - six on the sea and one west.
Red-throated Diver - one on sea and two west.
Great Crested Grebe - one on sea and another west.
Cormorant - ten west.
Off shore 140 distant pink-footed geese and a shelduck also west were the only migrants today. Also on or over the sea;
Long-tailed duck - male west
Red-breasted merganser - six on the sea and one west.
Red-throated Diver - one on sea and two west.
Great Crested Grebe - one on sea and another west.
Cormorant - ten west.
Saturday 23rd January 2016
NWT Holme Dunes
A brief look at the sea produced a distant shelduck west.
Other 'local' species observed;
Goldeneye - two females on sea.
Red-breasted Merganser - 3 west, one on sea.
Fulmar - west
Red-throated Diver - four west.
Great Crested Grebe - one on sea.
Razorbill - east.
A brief look at the sea produced a distant shelduck west.
Other 'local' species observed;
Goldeneye - two females on sea.
Red-breasted Merganser - 3 west, one on sea.
Fulmar - west
Red-throated Diver - four west.
Great Crested Grebe - one on sea.
Razorbill - east.
17th January 2016
NWT Holme Dunes
A short sea watch produced 15 red-throated divers west and a distant male goldeneye (also west), both species both likely to be "local" birds.
Amongst the distant scoter did manage a male velvet, while Tony Prater reported the five long-tailed ducks with them later.
The shorelarks showed on and off for most of the day.
Two siskins in poplar next to The Firs was a new bird for the year.
A short sea watch produced 15 red-throated divers west and a distant male goldeneye (also west), both species both likely to be "local" birds.
Amongst the distant scoter did manage a male velvet, while Tony Prater reported the five long-tailed ducks with them later.
The shorelarks showed on and off for most of the day.
Two siskins in poplar next to The Firs was a new bird for the year.
Tuesday 12th January 2016
The Leas, Sheringham
Off site, but some vis-mig! A half hour lunchtime watch produced very little other than a common scoter west ans three pintail west.
Otherwise red-throated divers (four west, five east), great crested grebe on sea, three guillemot (including summer plumaged bird again), razorbill and gannet east.
Off site, but some vis-mig! A half hour lunchtime watch produced very little other than a common scoter west ans three pintail west.
Otherwise red-throated divers (four west, five east), great crested grebe on sea, three guillemot (including summer plumaged bird again), razorbill and gannet east.
Sunday 10th January 2016
NWT Holme Dunes
No obvious signs of movement other than a shag west close in shore, this co-inciding with Andy Brown finding three at Hunstanton Cliffs, including a colour-ringed bird. These were certainly new arrivals to the area as I'd visited the cliffs twice this week, looking for the purple sandpiper, and both times at dusk. This being the best time to look for roosting birds on the ledges, but on both occasions no birds were present.
Off shore two long-tailed ducks were with the common scoters, but distant. A great northern diver was also reported. On the beach the three shorelarks were seen early, but disappeared by the afternoon.
No obvious signs of movement other than a shag west close in shore, this co-inciding with Andy Brown finding three at Hunstanton Cliffs, including a colour-ringed bird. These were certainly new arrivals to the area as I'd visited the cliffs twice this week, looking for the purple sandpiper, and both times at dusk. This being the best time to look for roosting birds on the ledges, but on both occasions no birds were present.
Off shore two long-tailed ducks were with the common scoters, but distant. A great northern diver was also reported. On the beach the three shorelarks were seen early, but disappeared by the afternoon.
Saturday 9th January 2016
NWT Holme Dunes
A short seawatch (0830-0855hrs) produced little movement with six wigeon and a shelduck west the only migrants.
Also off shore close in were 12 red-breasted merganser west, along with a fulmar and a red-throated diver also west.
On the beach at Gore Point was a striking "northern" herring gull, not only the same grey as a common gull, but with striking deep pink legs. Elsewhere the shorelarks remained on Thornham Beach, and in the harbour 26 twite and a flock of 25 linnet close by.
A short seawatch (0830-0855hrs) produced little movement with six wigeon and a shelduck west the only migrants.
Also off shore close in were 12 red-breasted merganser west, along with a fulmar and a red-throated diver also west.
On the beach at Gore Point was a striking "northern" herring gull, not only the same grey as a common gull, but with striking deep pink legs. Elsewhere the shorelarks remained on Thornham Beach, and in the harbour 26 twite and a flock of 25 linnet close by.
Tuesday 5th January 2016
NWT Holme Dunes
A brief 20 minute look at the sea proved to be rather dull, with three distant brent geese being the only migrants. Winds were very light and from the south-east.
On the sea four red-breasted mergansers, a red-throated diver and three fulmar flew west.
The shorelarks were still present on Thornham Beach, and the twite in Thornham Harbour.
A brief 20 minute look at the sea proved to be rather dull, with three distant brent geese being the only migrants. Winds were very light and from the south-east.
On the sea four red-breasted mergansers, a red-throated diver and three fulmar flew west.
The shorelarks were still present on Thornham Beach, and the twite in Thornham Harbour.
Monday 4th January 2016
NWT Holme Dunes
A seawatch (0830-1030hrs) produced very little compared with yesterday but included; six shelduck west, five pintail west, three wigeon west, 92 teal west, drake goosander east and a redwing in off the sea.
Also offshore velvet scoter, two long-tailed duck, two red-breasted merganser west, six fulmar west and a great crested grebe west.
Over or on the beach 150 brent geese, 123 bar-tailed godwit west and 80 dunlin west.
Sunday 3rd January 2016
NWT Holme Dunes
A great day looking at the sea, two sessions (0900-1000hrs) and (1030-1140hrs) produced a site record for a winter movement of teal with 1078 passing west. Other species were also part of the westerly movement but in much smaller numbers; 122 pink-footed geese (in from north-west), five shelduck, 127 wigeon, three mallard, a gadwall, 14 shoveler, 213 lapwing, bonxie and nine little gull (six east, three west). Later two drake goosander flew south-west high over Ragged Marsh.
Also off shore 1700 common scoter, six long-tailed duck, six red-breasted merganser, five red-throated diver and on the beach two greenshank. The shorelarks continued to please the year listers.
In the pines a chiffchaff was still present.
Saturday 2nd January 2016
NWT Holme Dunes
A look at the sea (0915-0940 hrs) produced four shelduck west and three drake eider west (probably local movement).
Also offshore over 1000 common scoter, three red-breasted merganser east, red-throated diver east and three great crested grebe on the sea. Along the beach the three shorelarks remained.
In the pines a chiffchaff just north of the public footpath.
Friday 1st January 2016
NWT Holme Dunes
A nice cold night and the first frost for ages, the hoped for cold weather movements simply did not happen, apart from a skein of 60 pink-feet coming in from the north-west.
Lots of walkers, dogs and birdwatchers in that order, and most interest centered on the shorelarks. Off shore my highlight today was watching six male red-breasted mergansers displaying furiously to a lone female and just beyond the breakers. Crests flaring and heads being thrown backwards, it was short-lived as they soon flew off west.
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