Wildlife Painter and Photographer. Landscape and Portrait Commissions undertaken. Olympus and Lumix Micro Four Thirds system user since Jan 2011. MASTER YOUR OMSYSTEM CAMERA & TELEPHOTO LENS IN 3 COMPREHENSIVE SESSIONS: Email: tom.whiley@live.com MASTER YOUR POST PROCESSING TECHNIQUES FOR A VISUALLY COMPELLING IMAGE: Email tom.whiley@live.com

Thursday, 21 May 2020

20200520 Black Swan. Australasia comes to NNorfolk Coast



20200520 Black Swan
From Cley Village over the beach.
Concern over the dark tips forming band to remiges...

20200520 Black Swan
Newley arrived from a boating lake in Skeggy.
20200521 Black Swan
Decked at Kelling Water meadows. 

20200521 Black Swan
Much pale edging in upperparts and lack of white sub-terminal band on bill indicates 1st summer birds.

20200521 Black Swan 
Black trail edge to secondaries and black crescents on primaries show in preening shot.

Saturday, 9 May 2020

20200506 Government imposed birding walks

  • This normally encompasses 3 villages, 4 reserves and 2 country estates... return home with jelly legs.
  • On the plus side many large and scarce birds seen in flight, GWEgret, Spoonbill, SEOwl and falcons, over and landing in normally heavily disturbed areas.
  • Large Mammals also in evidence and again in unexpected areas usually over run with dog walkers.  
  • Many clicks of empty shoot managed farmland, all in need of re-wilding...
  • No real grilling of species... 
  • Had to bike ride to cross-train for this. Getting fit!?  
  • Takes up too much time.
  • Wildlife crime by landowners is frequently uncovered...
  • Conclusions: Upgraded gears grip shifts on bike...


20200403 Merlin
Male off Little Eye Salthouse Marshes.

20200403 Merlin
Classic side profile of this small and compact falcon.

20200506 Arctic Tern
2 birds in Blakeney Harbour along with feeding flock of 40 Commons over main channel.

20200506 Whimbrel
Good passage this spring.
This bird feeding on small crabs in Morston's saltmarsh.

20200507 WoodSandpiper
Bright and spangled upperparts for breeding.
 Also brighter olive green legs than in autumn. But see shot of Green below.

20200507 Wood Sandpiper
2 breeding plumaged birds on Swan Lake.
Photographic problem with heat haze.


20150409 Green Sandpiper
April bird in 2015 from Dawkes. Green has it due to the clean white eye-ring and overall contrast in breeding plumage.
Neat head and neck pattern.

20101012 Solitary Sandpiper
At the then new and great Seaton Marshes Reserve in 2010.
Although this is an autumn juvenile and not a spring adult ideally.
Shots shows heavily barred tail sides and faintly barred upper flank sides, clean on Green.

20101012 Solitary Sandpiper
Yellowish-green legs.

20101012 Solitary Sandpiper
Primary projection beyond tail, only just in Green.

20200520 Black Swan
Walking through Cley Village 2 rather odd Swans appeared going east over the beach...

20200520 Black Swan

20200520 The Watchers House
Now empty and peaceful, and surrounded by Thrift.

20200520 Large Gull sp.
300 plus on beach beside poorly fenced and un-wardened Little Tern colony.
Gulls very spooky as if aware of direct control....
Less than 20 LTs in area

Thursday, 30 April 2020

20200323 Northern Goshawk, Woodlark, Firecrest & other birds of the forest, NE Norfolk



20200323 N Goshawk
Female in slow flapping territorial flight.

20200323 N Goshawk
Female tale flagging during territorial flight.


20200410 N Goshawk
Possible pair interaction over clearing, both flagging.
Immature female calling and chasing male but she may be an imposter...

20200410 N Goshawk
Female showing near juvenile upperparts in 1st summer plumage.

20200410 N Goshawk
Size and bulk differences between the sexes.

20200410 N Goshawk
Females underparts as juvenile bird in first summer.

20200416 Firecrest
Fainter tertial tips and brighter green back than Goldcrest.

20200416 Firecrest
Thought to be a female, but is that a slight orange tone on forehead and forecrown?
A male was in song nearby...

20200416 Firecrest
No further signs until male found here on territory again on 8th May, see below.


20200508 Firecrest
Male in prolonged song again at 1623hrs and favouring a holly bush. 22 days since last encounter.


20200414 Woodlark
Male in song at edge of clearing. The best I've heard from Woodlark, included a high and lengthy song flight.
20200410 Woodlark
Males favoured song post near to nest site.
20200427 European Robin
Along with Goldcrest and Woodpigeon one of the most abundant species in the forrest. 
20200427 N Goshawk kill.
Recently plucked Woodpigeon by main track through forrest.

20200427 Eurasian Nuthatch


20200422 Treecreeper
With nesting material at entrance to crevice behind loose bark.
20200430
Treecreeper nest material behind loose flap of bark in a dead tree trunk. 
The current nest is being constructed above this old one and this very loose flap.
20200430 Woodlark
Pair gathering spiders to feed young in nest...


20200430 Woodlark
Bird with full bill checked around and above for predators before moving to nest site.



20200517 Nightjar
At least one pair in clearing so far.
Male churring away on low perch.










Sunday, 26 April 2020

20200423 Sand Martin colony NE Norfolk



20200423 Sand Martin
Paring activity on telegraph wires.
Copulation here and on the sandy ground.

20200426 Sand Martin 
56 nest holes being excavated so far.

20200426 Sand Martin

20200426 Sand Martin
Grass being delivered to this burrow.