Norfolk Birding (again)

A long weekend at my parents always gives me the opportunity to look for birds that I don't really get on my doorstep. This visit was no different, with some really good views of two Glossy Ibis and loads of Bearded Tits. Add to that the waders and sea birds such as Curlew, Lapwings, Dunlin, Ringed Plovers, Gannets and Terns. The weather was very good on the first day, and then very cloudy on the second, but I made the most of both days and managed to capture a good collection of species. I even got some decent video too.

You can watch my latest adventure here:

Bearded Tit

Curlew

Glossy Ibis

Linnet

Little Egret

Sedge Warbler

Wren

Norfolk Birding

The weather was not so great on day two and three, but at least it didn't rain. I wandered to the sea and was delighted to see good numbers of Little Terns going past. These were joined by Common and Sandwich Terns. I had a distant Whimbrel on Arnold's Marsh, and the odd Bearded Tit in the reeds, but it certainly seemed a little quieter.

That said, it certainly got a lot better, when news of a Hoopoe came through, and just around the corner from my parents too. I was lucky enough to get a couple of shots of it on a roof, before it made off out of view. What a special bird.

You can view my latest adventures here:

Hoopoe

Little Tern

Sedge Warbler

Wheatear

Whimbrel

Bearded Tit

Bar-tailed Godwit

Wall Brown

Cley Marshes - East Bank

A walk along the East Bank at Cley is always a must for me when I'm in Norfolk. With my parents living so close to it I will usually do it several times during a stay. There is always something decent to see and through the different seasons you get a really good variety. The wintering geese have left for the time being, barring the Greylags and a few Canadas and Egyptian, but the summer migrants have arrived.

I was lucky to watch a Hobby fly over as it was catching insects. The warblers are in too, in the form or Sedge and Reed. The sound coming out of the reed bed is something to behold as the competition for space and territory takes a grip. I picked up the ping of a group of Bearded Tits. I always hope to see some when I'm here, but that is never an easy feat. Being in the right place at the right time, or good fortune is usually involved. This time they were working their way through the reeds close to the edge. The odd one would break cover and dive over the top of the reeds. A very good addition to the year list.

With Curlews, Lapwings, Redshank, a lone Spoonbill, Skylarks and the overflying Terns at the beach end it really was a great couple of hours spent here. Come the autumn time the waders will be back and the wintering wildfowl on the pools, which will make for a very different walk but still with a good amount of variety. It's a great place to watch birds and time go by.

Hobby

Little Egret

Marsh Harrier

   The Sedge Warbler is a real favourite of mine. I love the distinctive eye-stripe and it's song.

    The Bearded Tit never make it easy to see them, but maybe that's why it's such a thrill when you do.

East Bank - Cley

I've been away for quite a while, but now I hope that I can once again post on a regular basis. I couldn't think of a better way to come back with a bird as smart and difficult to see as our Bearded Tit. I got extremely lucky a couple of weeks ago when I was looking for a Long-tailed Duck along the East bank at Cley Marshes in Norfolk. Suddenly from the reeds to my left I heard the call of a group of Bearded Tits. So I stopped and waited, and thankfully they all came out to play. I've never been this lucky with these birds. It's usually a fleeting glimpse as they skim over a reed bed and disappear out of sight. Not on this occasion though.

 

And this is the Long-tailed Duck. Unfortunately it stayed distant and was diving continuously, so made it very difficult to get any decent shots. This will do as a record shot though.

Bearded Tit

I was watching a Sedge Warbler recently along the boardwalk at Cley, when I heard the unmistakable call of a Bearded Tit. It didn't take long for me to locate it and I quickly got my camera onto it. It's never easy to focus on a small camouflaged bird in the reeds, but this is what I managed. I was just glad to see it really. More often than not I will only hear them in the reeds, so to see a nice male like this was a real bonus.

Pesky reeds! 

Bearded Tit - Pensthorpe Norfolk

This is my 200th post and I've been waiting for an opportunity to post this particular set of pictures. I can't think of a better time to do so. The Bearded Tit I have seen on just a few fleeting occasions. It is usually all too brief as it dashes across the reed tops and then down out of sight once again.

At Pensthorpe they have an active conservation programme. This allows you to get a closer to these beautiful little birds and even allows you to watch their behaviour for a good length of time. Needless to say I got the camera going, for some of my best pictures.

The striking colours of the male.

The female.