Norfolk

Dennis atherton · Status: Offline

RE: Norfolk

Neil Calbrade · Status: Offline

I find Titchwell Reserve is generally the best spot for Little Stints (and other waders) and you can watch them either from the hides or on a day like today, the path, and often at very close range on the marsh.

For the sheer spectacle of tens of thousands of birds, mostly Knot, wheeling around, then Snettisham is the place to go on a good high tide. Then like people have said, birds get pushed up onto the pits to roost and you get good close up views.

Cley Reserve does get a lot of waders but I find there a bit difficult, the birds are often distant and certainly when viewing birds on North Scrape, the best view is from North Hide but at midday looks straight into the sun.

There's also a few lesser watched sites like Stiffkey Fen, Burnham Norton and Kelling Quags where waders pop in. Salthouse Beach Pools, just east of Cley are well worth a look too.

Both Little Stint and Curlew Sands don't seem to be as numerous these days, don't know if it's just me?? I remember coming down here (sorry, to point out I now live in Norfolk) as a lad and seeing flocks of 30+ of each but nowadays it just seems to be odd handfuls. Still, the rest of the birding down here is amazing anyway.

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

Dennis is spot on - no matter where you go, you need to be there when the tide is coming in

I'm no Norfolk expert, but my best views of waders there was at Hunstanton beach, just sitting on the prom - ice cream or fish'n'chips optional

Good luck,

Steve

Dennis atherton · Status: Offline

Joe Wynn wrote:

Thanks guys. Just to clarify, with places like cley, is it the beach or the reserve itself that are better?

A good question, From my expereinces at norfolk what usually happens is at places like cley and snettisham when the tide is high all the waders get pushed inland and that is why these places are great for waders as the waders come off the beaches and rest and feed in the inland pools, the waders can be very far out on the beaches but if you time it right with the tides especially for snetisham then the waders will come into the reserve and you can get great views a lot closer and also the birds that stilll feed on the beach are pushed closer in and you can view those too, if your planning norfolk for waders then look for a good high tide weekend if possible but if not it is still best to visit when the tide is highest for the day

Good luck

Dennis atherton · Status: Offline

Hi Joe

Norfolk is a great place for sure, this time of year snetisham is well worth a visit for waders, try to go on a weekend with a high tide and youll get more waders than you can shake a stick at, i also like Cley too

Just out of interest, i was at Inner marsh farm last weekend, there doing really well for waders, a lot closer than Norfolk, 2 little stints, also 24 curlew sandpipers, on monday a pectorial sandpiper, also good numbers of ruff, dunlin, black tailed godwits, golden plovers, curlew, snipe, redshank,pretty impressive if your after waders,

Norfolks great too of course

Joe Wynn · Status: Offline

Thanks guys. Just to clarify, with places like cley, is it the beach or the reserve itself that are better?

Henry Cook · Status: Offline

2 Little Stints still at Twitchwell today Joe!
It should be probable that you will see one in the north-west at some point but I don't want to put you off Norfolk, it's a wonderful place, jam-packed with birds.

Gary Gorner · Status: Offline

snetisham, titchwell and cley are probably the best reserves to visit on the north coast you will love them

Joe Wynn · Status: Offline

I was thinking (only thinking, mind!) of possibly going down to norfolk at some point this october, with the intention of seeing Little Stint and other uncommon sandpipers on the beaches. Can anybody tell me a) whether you'd get any at all at that time of year and b) if so, where's the best place to go, as i'd literally have a couple of days, so I couldn't go to all the big places.
Cheers,
Joe