What a Prat!

Not our new Prime Minister, or his Con-Dem sidekick, I’m talking about the main highlight of a recent trip to Norfolk, during election week. I feel slightly guilty for cheating in the twitching stakes, not getting the two ‘commoner’ Pratincole visitors to the UK first, but the temptation of this mega turning up in the next county was just far too good to resist.

The Oriental Pratincole was unlike any bird I’ve ever seen before, elegant in the air (reminiscent of a cross between a giant swift and a tern) and then dashing about on the ground. The bird was very active throughout my visit and showed off and on, very well at times between resting behind vegetation for short periods of time.

Oriental Pratincole, Frampton Marsh, Lincs - picture courtesy of Adam Archer
http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/archie69asbo/

I would heartily recommend a visit to Frampton Marshes RSPB, even now the Pratincole has departed. This bird and the recent Lesser Yellowlegs have put the reserve on the map and the wardens I spoke to are passionate about their work here, since recently acquiring land to extend the reserve. It really does feel like something special. Other stuff I saw there included Greenshank, several Ruffs (in various states of acquiring summer plumage), Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, Pintail, 3 Little Gulls (I’m sure there’s a song about that...), Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Yellow Wagtails, Tree Sparrows, a few Wheatear, Little Egret and Hares.

Other highlights from the trip were as follows...

Three other lifers came my way, in the form of a splendid White-spotted Bluethroat at Welney WWT, at last a pair of Montagu’s Harriers at an undisclosed location and finally the 1^st summer male Woodchat Shrike at Winterton Dunes. The visit to the NW Norfolk neck of the woods included a most enjoyable visit to Hickling producing 3 Wood Sandpipers, 3 Hobbies, 4 Marsh Harriers, Cuckoo and a Warbler-tastic bevy of Warblers; Willow, Sedge, Reed, Blackcap, Chiffy, Whitethroat with Cetti’s and Lesser Whitethroat heard. Also a Grass Snake.

The Woodchat Shrike showed well, despite this awful picture - passing non-birders were heard commenting on the rare 'Whinchat Shrike' that had been spotted!

Yellow Wagtail at Welney WWT

No Common Cranes at Hickling, but this was clawed back with a solitary bird which was hanging about at Holkham. Cranes seem to be branching out lately in the county, with a number of sightings around the coast during my stay.

I was quite surprised by the number of Brent Geese still about, but even more so by the remaining 12 or so Whooper Swans left at Welney WWT. That was something I hadn’t anticipated. Local birders felt that migration had been slowed by constant northerlies, meaning Brents were taking longer to disperse and stuff had been slower coming in.

Visits to a favourite place of mine, Cley Marshes produced fleeting views of Bearded Tits, 3 Temminck’s Stints, a White Wagtail, Sandwich Terns and a selection of passage and breeding waders such as Ruff, Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits. etc as well as the usual Marsh Harriers. A Stoat was a mammal lifer here but not such good news for breeding Lapwings and geese. A couple of Weasels also noted.

Titchwell is looking rather unwell at the moment but hopefully the disruption to visiting birds and birders will soon pay dividends. Still some nice stuff about, with a drake Garganey, Bittern in flight a few times, Grasshopper Warbler showing well, Pintail, Grey, LR and Ringed Plovers, and at sea Gannet, Little Tern, Eider and a Common Scoter flock. On the other side of the marsh a Red-necked Grebe showed well in a drainage channel (I read on Archies blog that the grebe has sadly now passed away...RIP).

Avocet at Titchwell

Yellowhammer near Titchwell

I found new love for Holme NWT. Highlights here included a Gropper, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, and Grey Partridge. Fulmar Gannet Little Tern past at sea.

It was nice to get reacquainted with Stone Curlews (albeit distant) at Weeting Heath, but there wasn’t much else about apart from a male Wheatear. Golden Orioles were dipped at Lakenheath Fen RSPB, highlights there were c40 Hobbies, Cetti’s Warbler and Cuckoo. Two Barn Owls were seen hunting daylight during the trip. All in all 119 species were seen during the trip, with a further 4 heard but not seen. Bonus Red Kites picked up near Northampton.