18th December 2011

A return visit to a bird-packed Low Road this time produced a Rough-legged Buzzard showing well until enveloped by a passing blizzard.

17th December 2011

A lovely male Bullfinch put in a couple of brief appearances down Low Road.

12 November 2011

A whacking great falcon which I think was a Saker was being mobbed by crows and even a Marsh Harrier in the northern fields today.  There were also one pretend and one more real looking Hooded Crow up there.

9th November 2011

A Lesser Whitethroat this morning in the North Dunes. Unfortunately it was not seen well enough to determine which race/"species" it was.

6th November 2011

A rewarding seawatch between 07.00 - 11.00 produced the following all going north:

Brent Goose 110

Shelduck 420

Wigeon 570

Gadwall 3

Teal 310

Mallard 9

Pintail 18

Shoveler 1 South

Pochard 7

Eider 59

Long-tailed Duck 1

Common Scoter 26

Velvet Scoter 4

Goldeneye 7

Red-breasted Merganser 16

Red-throated Diver c20 mostly north

Gannet c50+

Great Crested Grebe 1 South

Oystercatcher 1 South

Avocet 2

Lapwing 8

Knot 35

Sanderling 2

Dunlin 275

Common Snipe 1

Bar-tailed Godwit 1

Curlew 3

Great Skua 1 South

Black-headed Gull c30

Little Gull 3-4 feeding well off shore

Common Gull c5

Herring Gull

Greater Black-backed Gull 3

Kittiwake c10

Common Tern 1

Guillemot c5

Little Auk 2

Snow Bunting 16 South

There was also a Blackcap in the garden and a walk along the beach to Caister produced another Little Auk and an Arctic Tern.

5th November 2011

A Swift sp flew south along the beach at 08.10. In the murky drizzle it was impossible to pick up any features to suggest which species though. Other than that just a few Gannets, Red-throated Divers and one Turnstone.

In the afternoon 25 Redwings landed briefly in the garden and there were about 50 in the South Dunes.

3rd November 2011

No bird news today but Muntjac Deer was a mammalian garden tick.

2nd November 2011

A Short-eared Owl in off the sea this morning and Ted saw the Rough-legged Buzzard which has been lurking erratically since last Saturday.

1st November 2011

Single Swallow, House Martin, Lapland Buntings and two Brent Geese all south.

30 October 2011

A wander along the dunes behind the village this morning produced an unusually late Swift which, as I observed it, came low over the houses and appeared magically to transform from a typically plumaged individual into a lovely sandy colour.  As I watched it it did this trick several times, until I was totally confused.  I didn't have my phone on me so I ran back to Pete's house and he came back with me, in his slippers, and I took my camera to try to get some shots.  We relocated it and had a good look.  Half the time it looked like a bog-standard Swift and half the time looked much more suggestive, but out of context, and having not seen any Swifts for over a month, I was beginning to doubt my own vision.  After about ten minutes we were still not sure what we were watching and so we phoned Tim, who arrived on top of the Hermanus and decided to put out the news as a possible Pallid Swift, in the hope that that we could con some proper birders into a visit so they could identify it for us.  The bigwigs duly arrived and, typically, some were in the Pallid camp and some in the Common.  As it stands at present we don't know, and people are making convincing arguments either way.  Here are my pictures (µ43 rules!) which have only been cropped, not altered in any other way.  You can click on them to see the larger versions.  What do YOU think?

PS Just been out for another look and found out that Dick Filby took a decent shot of the underparts which he is going home to study.  So we might have a conclusive identification soon...

Publish Post

Update - here are Dick Filby's photos.  Still not conclusive - but he's leaning more towards Common Swift.

29th October 2011.

39 Snow Buntings south beach,Great Skua,Little Gull Tim.

Friday 28 October 2011

A few hours in the north dunes this afternoon during a flying visit back home produced 2 Northern Wheatears, at least 800 Pink-footed Geese, a handful of Reed Buntings in the dunes scrub, a Coal Tit and, frustratingly, a fly-over 'tick' bunting that came in off the sea, called 3 times and headed west towards the wind turbines.25 Snow Buntings south beach,one male Black Redstart south dunes,200 Little Gulls Tim.

27th October 2011.

Pallas's Warbler north dunes,Black Redstart south dunes,three Snow Buntings south beach Tim.

26th October 2011.

Four Lapland Buntings south dunes,two Black Redstarts in Hermanus Tim.

25th October 2011.

Firecrest in lighthouse garden,Black Redstart in Hermanus,six Snow Buntings in north dunes,large no's of common thrush's Tim.

16 October 2010

The Yellow-browed Warbler was still below the Hermanus (here is a nice pic of it from Tim's blog), and a Black Redstart was on the roofs of the monstrous houses now built at the start of the valley.  A nice adder was catching the last rays before heading towards the land of nod for the winter.

15th October 2011.

Yellow-Browed Warbler and Ring Ouzel in south dunes,two Bearded Tits,two Grey Wagtails,four Med Gulls, one 1st winter one 2nd winter two ads Tim.

13th October 2011.

2 Short Eared Owls in the north dunes,Ring ouzel south dunes,Bramblings Siskins Lesser Redpolls Mistle Thrushes south,Large no's of common thrushes,Woodcock Tim.

14 October 2011

At last some signs of an Autumn on the east coast. Tim had a good day with a Great Grey Shrike and two Yellow-browed Warblers in the Valley. After work I flushed this Short-eared Owl from the Totem Pole Bushes, which then landed for a quick photo,Two 2nd winter Med gulls in chalet park,three Wheatears in the south dunes Tim.

7th October 2011.

Woodlark north dunes,4 Wheatears Tim.

30th September 2011.

Male common Redstart south dunes,Tree Pipit,13 Crossbill's south,Yellow Wagtail,Siskins and Redpolls south,7 Med Gulls in chalet park 2ads,4 2nd-winter,1 1st winter Tim

29th September 2011.

3 Med Gulls in chalet park,2ads,2nd-winter,Whinchat north dunes,yellow wagtail,Siskins and one lesser redpoll south Tim.

18 September 2011.

Pied Flycatcher below restaurant,2 Redstarts,3Yellow Wagtails,GardenWarbler,Wheatear,Ad Med Gull in chalet park,Redpolls and Siskins flying over,Bonxie south Tim.

17 September 2011.

Common Redstart south dunes,3 wheatears,Yellow Wagtail Tim.

15 September 2011

The first Goldcrests of the autumn were see-seeing through the garden this morning.  In the evening a phone call from Keith set off a mass scramble, as a Fea's Petrel had been reported flying north from Lowestoft at 6pm.  Alas despite watching from 6.15 to 7.30 it was not seen here.

13th September 2011

A short stroll along the beach at dusk proved surprisingly productive with Hobby, Med Gull and juvenile Black Tern all seen in just ten minutes. Also still good numbers of Common Terns heading south. Peter

2 Whinchats, Redstart,Lesser Whitethroat Tim.

7th September 2011.

Hobby caught house martin over restaurant,5 Wheatears,Whinchat,Spotted Flycatcher,all in the south dunes Tim.

1st September 2011.

Red-Backed Shrike south dunes by chalet park on bank but very elusive Tim.

31st August 2011.

Red-Backed Shrike still south dunes on bank by chalet park+2 Yellow Wagtails Tim.

30th August 2011.

Red-Backed Shrike south dunes by chalet park on bank+Yellow Wagtail Tim.

24 August 2011

This Red-backed Shrike was in the valley today. Also a Greenshank flew past, and a Hobby was over the village.

Whinchat Garden Warbler Yellow Wagtail

3 Lesser Whitethroats also Tim.

21st August 2011

The Wryneck was seen again this morning (and yesterday) although fellow Collective members seem not to have had much luck so far.

19th August 2011

A lovely and very obliging Wryneck in the Valley this morning. The finders kindly allowed me to look through their scope allowing amazing close up views of the tongue disappearing into a crack in a branch then coming out with a spider on the end!

15th July 2011

An Arctic Tern flew north this evening.

19th June 2011.

Golden Oriole briefly at south end of chalet park in poplars Tim.

14 June 2011

Another trip out of the parish for five of us this evening, but this time just a quick trip over the border to Horsey to see the wonderfully showy and acrobatic 1st summer male Red-footed Falcon, which enthralled us with stunningly close fly-pasts and somersaulting raids on the poor local dragonflies. Another Marsh Warbler was nearby too, apparently, but we didn't get a chance to look for it, as the falcon was so spectacular.

12 June 2011

Four of us went on a collective trip to see the Golden Orioles at Lakenheath today, and were promptly rebuked for our profligate waste of fossil fuels when Tim called and said he had good news and bad news, and that the bad news was that we were at Lakenheath. We bravely slogged on through the day, racking up some decent birds (heard the Orioles, saw Stone Curlew) but eventually the drizzle, and the agonising thoughts of dipping out at Winterton forced us back to the parish and after about half an hour we managed to hear and see the Marsh Warbler Tim had found earlier. An excellent songster, it gave homages to Nightingale, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Linnet, lawn mower and Tommy Cooper in its versatile vocal performance, and at one point, after it had been hidden and silent for a while, a great tit called and it promptly mimicked it exactly, before launching off into another eclectic jumble of references. An excellent end to a comradely day.

30th May 2011.

South dunes,2 Cuckoo,1 Whinchat,1 Spotted Flycatcher,1 Reed Warbler, Tim.

13th May 2011

Friday 13th proved to be very lucky for myself as a charming and confiding Short-toed Lark was watched for five minutes in the hummocky dunes about 300m south of the Beach Cafe. Sadly, it must have soon slipped away as it was not seen again inspite of a couple of Collective members arriving within 10 minutes.

Unfortunately, although this news was phoned in as usual it did not seem to make it onto the various news services. Probably just as well though given its rapid disappearance.

Also a Hobby was seen over the village.

12th May 2011

Two Hobbys over the North Dunes in the morning. One definitely seemed to be chasing the other away so maybe it was trying to establish a territory. Also six Golden Plovers on farmland just inland from the dunes.

In the evening Colin found two Spotted Flycatchers in the Valley.

7th May 2011

They're Back ! Part 2

Yes, after an absence of several weeks it was good to see several Black-headed Gulls back in the Parish. In fact there were 28 altogether, all moving south but appearing to have initially arrived from more of a north-westerly inland direction so it is possible they may have been visiting from a nearby colony. However, as the majority were 1st Summers, I prefer to think they were genuine migrants but who can tell with this enigmatic species?

Hobby high barn farm this afternoon Tim.

6 May 2011

After an anxious week, the Swifts are here, four of them materialising this evening around the house and across the garden at the tip of a long scream, then settling higher in the sky to feed.

"They've made it again,
Which means the globe's still working..."

They are a week later than last year, when they arrived on 30th April. What brilliant birds!


Meanwhile, earlier today, another delightful annual Winterton ritual was played out as a Red-rumped Swallow passed briskly through heading south.

2 May 2011

A Whinchat was braving the gale next to Beach Road this morning.

From 2011-05-02

1 May 2011

Pete re-found the Hoopoe in the paddocks this morning, feeding contentedly in a far corner. Note that there is a new link on the right to Tim's Winterton migration counts, so for a fuller picture of what's about you should also check his blog.

From 2011-05-01

The Hoopoe. The broad, rounded 9th primary tip so obviously visible here clearly shows this bird is an adult.

30th April 2011

A charming female Whinchat provided some compensation for those of us who were still asleep when the elusive Hoopoe was making one of its brief appearance in the Valley.

29 April 2011

In common it seems with the entire rest of the country we had our own Bar-tailed Godwit today, feeding in the horse paddocks. As you can see it was dressed in its finest royalist celebration plumage, and was feeding in a field right next to an albino pheasant. Today's national Godwit Pageant has gone curiously unnoticed in the mainstream media, which seems to be far more concerned with some other pair of animals, one dressed up in flashy red and the other sporting full albino plumage.

From 2011-04-29

A Buzzard was also in the air, and Pete finally saw his first parish Yellow Wagtail of the year.

26th April 2011

A fairly routine April seawatch was finished off nicely when a Shorelark, expertly picked up by Andrew, dropped onto the beach.

25 April 2011

A White Wagtail was in the paddocks this morning.

22nd April 2011

The raptor rapture of recent weeks continued when a fine Osprey flew in from Somerton then, sadly for village based spotters, turned north and headed off strongly towards Horsey. A Common Buzzard and ringtail Hen Harrier were also present at the same time.

21st April 2011

Colin and John both independently refound the Wryneck in the South Dunes while in the North Dunes a Cuckoo spent a few moments sitting on top of the Totem Pole.

20th April 2011

Apart from all his other exploits Colin also saw two Little Terns last night - surely one of the earliest records ever at Winterton.

Three were present over the North Beach this morning and there were also two Ring Ouzels in the North Dunes.

Of course the main highlight of the day is still to come. Keep watching to find out what treasures Sean uncovered at Black Lark Hollow three years after The Day of Days.

19th April 2011

Fresh from his Goshawk triumph, Colin came up with the goods this morning too, with a fine Wryneck on the bank in the valley. Also present was a Lesser Whitethroat, and a Tree Pipit flew over calling. Here is the Wryneck, hideously over-sharpened:

17th April 2011

Much quieter today - a pair of Buzzards being the highlight.

16th April 2011

The first of the Ouzels today. Tim had three early on and I had one early afternoon. Also at least 15 Wheatears in the North Dunes.

10th April 2011

Tim saw a Rough-legged Buzzard over the North Dunes this morning.

9th April 2011

A couple of Common Buzzards anda nice male Brambling were the highlights today.

8th April 2011

Another Winterton mega this morning in the form of an Egyptian Goose that flew south over the sea only to return 5 minutes later heading north. Fairly quiet otherwise with about a dozen Swallows and four Sand Martins north and about 30 Linnets feeding on the dunes with a similar number heading north. Colin saw two Redwings in the Valley.

7th April 2011

At least 3 Wheatears on the North Dunes this morning.

6th April 2011

I was alerted by Peter at about 8 o'clock this morning and was in time to see a Red Kite before it headed inland towards East Somerton.

5th April 2011

A quiet seawatch this morning produced only four Eiders and five Curlews south and a single Gannet north. A sense of confusion and self-doubt was finally cleared up this evening when a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler were eventually seen side by side in the garden. They had spent the previous 10 minutes mischievously swapping places!

4th April 2011

Today Colin saw a Buzzard over the North Dunes and Tim saw a Short-eared Owl and five Ruff, also on the North Dunes.

3rd April 2011 - the Mother's Day Eagle

Huge excitement this afternoon. We had noted that a White-tailed Eagle had been seen around Cromer but we held out little hope for down here. That all changed when Keith Dye called to say it had been seen at Stalham, which is pretty much along a straight line from Cromer to Winterton. We all shot up to the windmills just outside the parish and began scanning inland. Suddenly Pete shouted "What's that over the church?? It's the eagle!! I've got it!!" and sure enough there is was, flapping heavily past Winterton church, on the seaward side of us! We called various Spotters, including John, who walked out of his front door to see it flying over his head. It lumbered south to Hemsby then turned inland, seeming to go towards Ormesby, and then we lost it. Great record, especially considering that the last one in the parish was shot, I believe. Shame it didn't stay longer to annoy the "say no to sea eagles" folk who seem to be plentiful around here. Sean

Yes indeed , this is all very nice but the above account fails to mention the "Bird of the Day" - a slightly ragged Canada Goose heading north this morning. Also a nice smattering of Blackcaps and Willow Warblers now. Significantly, no Black-headed Gulls were seen in the Parish today. Pete

Bloody hell I was just looking at my Winterton list and fantasising about Canada Goose... and Coot. Bah! Commiserations to Colin on the Eagle but congrats on scoring the Low Road Bullfinch. Sean

Thanks for the commiserations but its worse than you think because I didn't see the Bullfinch. Colin (posted by Peter)

2nd April 2011

A Coal Tit in the garden this morning and a Blackcap in full song along Low Road.  Sean

Also this morning one each of Swallow and Sand Martin heading south along with approximately 200 Linnets, a Rock Pipit, three Sandwich Terns and a Common Tern. Also a flurry of Chiffchaffs down the Valley with up to six present and a Siskin in the garden. Of most interest though was a southerly movement of 15 Black-headed Gulls, no doubt heading back to their continental breeding grounds. Peter

29th March 2011

A single Swallow north along the dunes this morning, my first March sighting for many years.
Ted

Also this morning some signs of visible migration with approximately 50 each of Woodpigeon and Linnet and a few Meadow Pipits all heading south. On the sea 10 Red-throated Divers went north.
Peter

28th March 2011

One each of Redwing and Fieldfare and a Curlew heading south were the only signs of migration this morning.

27 March 2011

A couple of Black Redstarts in the valley still this afternoon, though Colin and I only saw one of them. Quiet otherwise.

Hooded Crow 2mls north of Winterton Tim.

23rd March 2011

Short-eared Owl, Wheatear and Common Snipe made up an interesting trio on the North Dunes this morning.

22nd March 2011

Colin found a different Black Redstart down the Valley this morning where there were also a few Goldcrests knocking about and a singing Chiffchaff.

21st March 2011

Colin and I had our otherwise uneventful walk down the South Dunes brightened by a gorgeous male Black Redstart cavorting briefly on the rooftops of the exquisite new housing development at the north end of the Valley.

Later in the day Colin also saw a Woodcock down the Valley.

20th March 2011

Approximately 1000 Starlings south was the most noticeable event on the North Dunes this morning.

19th March 2011

A Black Redstart down the Valley and a Chiffchaff in the garden were the highlights today.

17th March 2011

A half hour seawatch this morning produced 90 Common Scoters south, a Goldeneye north and a few Red-throated Divers north.

16th March 2011

A bit more action this morning with a lovely second winter Glaucous Gull on the beach briefly before flying north and a Black Redstart down Low Road. In addition there was either a genuine or "close hybrid" Hooded Crow drifting south, a Rock Pipit, a Shoveler south over the sea and a handfull of Redwings near the village.

14th March 2011

A first winter Med Gull on the farmland to the south west of the village.

10th March 2011

Just a couple of Great Crested Grebes on the sea during an otherwise quiet seawatch.

5 March 2011

Big excitement this morning when Pete found a Rough-legged Buzzard along the Pallid track.  I scrambled out of bed and cycled down to get there in the nick of time.  A great bird, with very distinctive jizz in flight, like a cross between a harrier and an eagle, and pretty classic plumage - pale headed, dark carpels, dark lower belly and flanks, dark banded white tail etc.

When I arrived I managed to get this remarkably intimate portrait before it flew off to the east.  Pete, who was by this time much further along the track, saw it land further along in the ploughed field to the south of the track but it flew out of sight from me behind a ridge in the field and I, along with Ted and John, who had by now joined me, were unable to find it again, despite cycling down the road to Hemsby and then back along the track and looking at the field from every angle. It must have made a getaway flying low along another of the ridges in this annoyingly humpy field. As we walked back a Common Buzzard flew over, occasioning a brief interrogation on the identity of the orignal bird from those who hadn't seen it, and Neil joined us to hear the bad news.

We have phoned the news out so perhaps some better birders will now arrive and relocate it for us!

And here is a painting of the bird by Seurat, the celebrated pointillist:

3rd March 2011

Just a couple of Pintail north this morning and a smattering of Red-throated Divers and Gannets.

2nd March 2011

Just four Eiders north on a brief seawatch this morning.

1st March 2011

A half hour seawatch this morning produced c 40 Gannets and c 130 Red-throated Divers heading north. Also three Teal.

24th February 2011

More Bewicks (or Whoopers) Swans heard this morning in the mist - seemed to be heading east.

22nd February 2011

Seven Bewicks (or Whooper) Swans flying south over the village this morning.

19th February 2011

Still no birds to report but a stunning "Garden Tick" in the form of a young Grass Snake found hibernating whilst planting my new Blueberry bush.

However, just outside the parish several Bramblings were seen down Low Road.

13 February 2011

We are still here and will be coming out of hibernation for Spring migration.  We are all slightly annoyed not to have seen a Waxwing in the parish.

19 January 2011

New species sighted in Winterton?

12 January 2011

Contrary to rumour we haven't all migrated, hibernated or frozen to death, but things have been quiet, but no doubt by the end of the month someone's 2011 Winterton list will reach double figures!

Meanwhile back to roosting