North Norfolk & Roydon Common 12 June 1999
by Gordon Hamlett
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PBC Trip Report North Norfolk & Roydon Common 12 June 1999 by Gordon Hamlett |
The weather forecast said there might be a few light showers. They were half right. The first one lasted from 6.15 am until 1.30 pm! We stood for two hours in the rain for a two second view of Golden Oriole. We then got caught in flash floods and couldn't get into Weeting for Stone Curlews as the reserve was full of other birders looking to the hides for shelter. So we called in on friends to dry out. They weren't in. Drove up to Cley where the six Spoonbills had disappeared overnight much to the consternation of the reserve staff.
There were more people waiting round the Three Swallows for the Laughing Gull to appear than there were on the reserve. It arrived on cue and showed well to the assembled masses lobbing bread at it. An interesting bit of trivia to amaze your friends with is that the Latin name for Laughing Gull is Larus atricilla which means 'black-headed gull' whereas the Latin name for Black-headed Gull is L. ridibundus which means 'laughing gull'.
We went and staked out some calling Quail to show group that evening. One bird called once and promptly shut up. We did find some Tree Sparrows though.
On to Titchwell. I was feeling awful by this stage and hoping the rain would keep everyone away. No such luck and a selection of the usual suspects appeared. The reed beds were crawling with juvenile Reed and Sedge Warblers allowing easy comparison. All the ducks were moulting into eclipse plumage presenting some interesting identification challenges including a drake Garganey losing most of its eye-stripe. The beach produced several Little, Common and Sandwich Terns with Little Tern being the group's favourite bird by far. A few Common Scoters lingered offshore and the first of three Little Gulls flew by.
Back to check the Quail at Choseley Farm. Nothing. Navigated back through the minor roads a mile or so inland. Totally different and well worth exploring. Loads of hedgerows (hooray) plus excellent views of the coastal marshes. A Barn Owl hunted over Ringstead Common. Someone at Titchwell had given us a site for Nightjars at Sandringham which he thought might be better than Roydon Common as it was more sheltered. We tried to find the spot but couldn't so reverted to plan A.
It was a totally still and fine night but there were not many large insects (plenty of midges though) so we didn't know what to expect. It was purrrrfect with Nightjars churrrring everywhere. It was still light when a cracking male flew within 20 feet of us allowing everyone stunning views of all the main identification features. These were the best views ever for all concerned and a lifer for a couple of the group. Altogether, we saw at least four birds with several other calling. A Woodcock also flew over. Views like that guaranteed that the drive home, and all the earlier cold and damp would soon be totally forgotten. Even the fact that the chippy was closed didn't seem to matter.
