31/1/09 Lakenheath Fen, Pymoor, Coveney and Welney WWT

A very good day today in the company of Penny Clarke and Pete Snook, visiting several of the wintering specialities in the west of Norfolk and over the borders into both Cambridgeshire and Suffolk respectively. Our first stop was at Lakenheath Fen RSPB. Although we failed to locate the Penduline Tit we did have distant views of the Great Grey Shrike, as well as 10 Lesser Redpolls, 5 Bearded Tits, 80 Redwings, 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Marsh Harriers and 2 Kestrels. The gull roost here on the flash just into Norfolk was excellent, with 2 adult Caspian Gulls and 2+ Yellow-legged Gulls (2 3rd winters) picked out.

On arival I was quickly put onto an adult Caspian Gull and a 3rd winter Yellow-legged Gull by the group of birders already present (who had in total managed 3 different Caspian Gulls - 2 adults and a 2nd winter) but unfortunately the Caspian Gull flew off before I could photograph it. Luckily our group soon located the second adult Caspian Gull pictured below (with this bird having a brighter bill and being slightly smaller and less thickset with a slightly darker mantle shade) and we then realised that there were 2 3rd winter Yellow-legged Gulls at opposite ends of the flock.

Adult Caspian Gull at Lakenheath Fen RSPB - the 2nd adult to be located amongst the masses of gulls. Note the distinctive jizz, particularly the fairly slender, parallel-shaped bill (with small orange gonys-spot on the lower mandible), slender body and the head shape (smaller, with more sloped forehead), soft-grey mantle colour, white head with small, darkish eye, as well as the full white tip on P10 and the long white primary tip. An immaculate bird with a surprisingly bright bill (and with no dark subterminal markings), as would perhaps be more expected in breeding plumage (although a slight limy hint was evident in the field and looking at other pictures on the web this seems a variable feature.) Thanks very much to the other guys present for the help in picking out these features.

3rd winter Yellow-legged Gull, Lakenheath Fen RSPB (centre on top image and left on bottom image). One of two of this age. Note the dark mantle, chunky structure and particularly head shape, with dark 'bullet' eye, solid dark centres to tertials and clean white head.

Our next stop was at Pymoor, where 2 Great White Egrets were quickly located in the main drain just outside the village. Other birds here included 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Stonechats, 25 Fieldfare and 40 Whooper Swans.

One of the two Great White Egrets near Pymoor today.

We quickly moved on to Coveney. We arrived at 2:25pm and on pulling up birders were pointing up the hill and we all quickly locked on to a cracking 2nd winter male Rough-legged Buzzard hovering and showing very well, sometimes close and at times on the deck. A very well-marked individual and we met several relieved observers who had searched without success for quite some time until this afternoon.

Our final destination before trundling home was Weleny WWT. Although we failed to see the dark-breasted Barn Owl, we did see 72 Bewick's Swans, 250 Whooper Swans and 8 Corn Buntings amongst more standard fare.

18/1/09 Undisclosed site

A search of an undisclosed site in mid-Norfolk failed to produce the hoped for Long-eared Owl, although plenty of general activity, with a Woodcock, 2 Bullfinches, a Marsh Tit, 15 Fieldfare, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Little Egret, 15 Fieldfares, 12 Bramblings and a Common Buzzard.

17/1/09 Dersingham Bog and surrounding area

A good stake-out of the Wolferton triangle failed to produce any Golden Pheasants, although a Nuthatch amongst a mixed tit flock on the south side of the triangle was a surprise and a very noteable bird for the area. 2 Common Buzzards flew over, while nearby a singing male Woodlark was already back on territory - a good early record and hopefully the start of another good year for this species.

The New Year

A fairly leisurely end to the old year and start to the year in terms of birding due to mock GCSE exams! My computer also contracted a nasty virus as well, hence the lack of updates. Have seen a few bits though...

On the 29th December I took a walk around Dersingham Bog. I located a Firecrest in a large passerine flock in the Middle gate area. 12 Common Crossbills, 15+ Siskins and 3 Stonechats were also in the area.

On the 10th January I took another wander round Dersingham Bog and located the Great Grey Shrike on an exposed tree on the west side of the Foxhole plateau but after a couple of minutes it flew high south towards the boardwalk. An even bigger surprise was 2 Whooper Swans south over the Dragonfly Pond plateau calling, perhaps the first Dersingham Bog record! Other sightings included a single Crossbill, an impressive 100 Siskins, 10 Redwings, 1 Kestrel and 2 male Stonechats.