A BINS message stating that an immature RB Shrike had been seen on the North Denes during the afternoon had me driving over there and walking across the Denes by the Oval seeing James B on the way.
Assembled on the wall was Ricky F, OFB, regular correspondent Paul W, who also kindly pointed out the adult Yellow- legged Gull perched on the middle of a groyne, 2 groynes north of us.
There perched on the small wooden fence sat the excellent immature male Red- backed Shrike.
Paul and Jane also joined us and we shared good views of the Shrike, I then wandered back to the Oval path and got a few distant shots of the bird and noticed there was a Shrike pellet laying beside it on the horizontal beam of the wooden fence (measuring about 3cm long and 1.2cm wide) composed of the hard indigestible bodies of Crickets and so on. proof postive that this bird had newly arrived from warmer climes.
some dogs flushed the bird over and into the new caravan compund and it was seen perched up on several temporary fences before eventually returning to its favoured wooden fence, this time nearer the sea wall.
Also in the compound was at least 1 Whinchat and 1 Wheatear.
As I walked back I heard calls and saw 19 Oystercatchers in a tight flock flying high and steadily southwards over the sea.
4 comments:
Pleased to locate the shrike myself. Year tick ahem! Another birder could not find it.
Three wheatears on a few concrete blocks on the Denes.
Later joined James B at Corton but dipped yet another pied fly. He has a good patch with new sewage works area as well as the old one and railway line.
Did not fancy a trudge down Blakeney Point for a Cley Square tick, greenish warbler. That list still 282 with 300 possible! Lizardland, Minsmere, Titchwell life lists all 206. Norfolk year list also 206.
Suffolk 179 with 200 in sight!
Cheers Paul, thanks for pointing out the Yellow- Leg!
Peter
Have since added greenish warbler to my Cley Square list an area bogey bird Suffolk ticked at Gunton.
Added grey partridge to my Cley list now I have a sighting date. Total 284.
Similarly have now added whinchat to my Lizardland list as I have a date for a sighting. Thus Lizardland list moved from 205 to 206.
Went to Corton for tree pipit. Still need that species for Lizardland. Only found resident chiffchaff and whitethroat at old sewage works!
Year ticked tree pipit at Sutton Common but not on the day the bird of the year, roller, was found nearby!
Great!
P
Post a Comment