Tuesday 31 January 2017

20170130 Smooth Newt & Woodcock RSPB Titchwell

Smooth Newt
Male crossing the West Bank path.
Hibernates on land till end of January when they return to their breeding ponds for the summer.
They prefer fish free ponds and ditches, therefore nearer the VC than the Freshwater Marsh...

Smooth Newt
Note webbed feet and dark stripe through the eye.
Woodcock
In dyke by West Bank.
Woodcock
After dark by North Foreland Wood Cley.
ISO25600

Saturday 28 January 2017

20170128 Hybrid Gull Blakeney Quay

LBB/Herring Gull hybrid?
Pale and dull flesh coloured legs.
Upperparts darker grey than Yellow-legged Gull but not as dark as nearby LBB...
Primary projection as long as LBB.
'Hybrid Lesser Black-backed Gull x Herring Gull, Blakeney, 12th January 2019. This rather smart adult gull (of this presumed parentage) has been noted at and around Blakeney duck pond since at least January 2016.' ref SJM.

LBB/Herring Gull hybrid?
Feet a tone stronger pink than legs. No hint of yellow.
4th winter bird.

Thursday 19 January 2017

20170119 Glaucous Gulls Sheringham & Cley


Glaucous Gull
Adult/4th winter bird with extensive pink in the bill and a small dark sub-terminal band.

Glaucous Gull
Well marked dark 1st winter/Juvenile bird.
Glaucous Gull
Juvenile Bird frequenting Blakeney Harbour and Cricket Marsh Cley during February and March.

Monday 16 January 2017

20170114 Tidal Surge

Salthouse duck pond reclaims the A149.
Swan family really happy.

Debris over coast footpath Stiffkey Saltmarsh.

Checking footbridges for the NT Stiffkey Saltmarsh.

Monday 9 January 2017

20170109 Mealy Redpoll RSPB Titchwell

20170109 Mealy Redpoll
Up to 3 birds feeding on Alder near VC this winter.

20170109 Mealy Redpoll
Nominate Scandinavian race.
Noticeably larger than Lesser and lack warm yellow ochre tones.  

20010217 Redpoll sp
2001 February 17th, Topsham Devon.
A small bird alonside Golfinch, not hefty as Mealy would appear.