Recent sightings – 14/11/2021
Variety is the spice of life and there has been plenty of that at Titchwell this week.
Meadow trail / fen trail / visitor centre
The red-breasted flycatcher remained on the meadow trail until Sunday 7 November and two yellow-browed warblers were reported in the area on the 6 November. Flocks of siskins, lesser redpolls and bramblings have been flying over and dropping into the top of the alder trees. Whilst the soft call of the bullfinch can be heard near to fen hide. Early morning visitors have disturbed woodcocks that have been sat on the trails overnight and a tawny owl has also been reported.
Brambling - Ben Andrews
Overhead two hawfinches flew west on Tuesday 9 November and the small groups of redwing and fieldfare have also been passing through.
Reedbed
The evening harrier roost has approximately 16 marsh harriers coming into roost and there are two ringtail hen harriers roosting nearby.
On Saturday 13 November approximately 10,000 starlings were counted as they continued to roost within the reedbed.
The cleared channel within the reedbed, viewable from the west bank path has been great this week for egrets and herons. Two bitterns were photographed together on Wednesday 10 November and the great white egrets and grey herons have been enjoying this edge as they catch frogs to feed. They are often seen in the morning or early evening.
Also, within the reedbed there have been little grebes, tufted ducks, a goldeneye and a couple of snipes.
Two bitterns - Paul Hooper
Freshmarsh
Although we have had the fencing contractors working on the eastern half of the Freshmarsh this week there has still been plenty to see.
Highlights have included up to 2 jack snipe with common snipe in front of the island hide. Ten avocets remain along with 25 ruff and 45 black-tailed godwits. In the north-west compartment of the Freshmarsh where the water is very shallow there about 100 dunlin are busy feeding. In this same compartment 3 snow buntings and a Lapland bunting were feeding on the vegetated area along with a flock of skylarks on Saturday 6 November. Water pipits and rock pipits are being sighted regularly too.
On a foggy Friday morning a male hen harrier emerged from the Freshmarsh flying towards Thornham saltmarsh.
Jack snipe - Les Bunyan
Volunteer / Tidal Marsh
On volunteer marsh 100 wigeon were feeding amongst the vegetation along with 100 teal. On tidal marsh there has been a spotted redshank, greenshank and 5 pintail. A pair of stonechats are flicking amongst the sueda bushes and a kingfisher has been seen on and off.
Sea / beach
As we head into winter interest on the sea is beginning to pick up. On Saturday 6 November 3 velvet scoters flew east. On Tuesday 9 November a red-necked grebe was offshore and on Wednesday 10 November there was a black-necked grebe, red-necked grebe, great northern diver and 22 red-breasted mergansers. A shag and black-throated diver were seen on the sea on the 11 November and again on Saturday 13 November. Throughout the week on the sea there has been guillemots, razorbills, fulmars, kittiwakes, gannets, common scoters, red-throated divers and eiders.
On the beach amongst the wader flocks of bar-tailed godwits, knot, dunlin, oystercatchers and dunlin feeding on the shoreline 2 purple sandpipers were seen on Saturday 6 November and a grey phalarope was reported on Sunday 7 November. Several snow buntings and the odd Lapland bunting have also been feeding on the beach. Whilst a merlin hunts across Thornham saltmarsh and the beach.
Red-throated diver - Phill Gwilliam
Report your sightings
If you are visiting why not enter your sightings on to BirdTrack. Your records support species conservation at local, regional, national, and international scales. For more information follow the link https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/birdtrack
We look forward to seeing you soon
Lizzie Bruce
NW Norfolk Reserves Warden