Birding Norfolk next weekend

[Yashca]

Next weekend I am spending the weekend in Norfolk to try and see a few new species, as well as some year ticks.

So far I'm thinking that at dawn on Saturday I will be at Wolferton Triangle, I found a map of the area on another website, so do you essentially just pull up on one of the sides of the triangle and hope for the best? Any particular side better than another? Is it worth putting any seed down? Any other advice would be much appreciated.

Another site I want to visit is the Holkham area. I have never been here before, so any advice by anyone familiar with the area on where is best to park, and where it is best to walk would be great. I know that there have been loads of Lapland Buntings here recently, as well as a few Shorelarks, a couple of Firecrests (apparently in some Holm Oak), and a Ross' Goose - but if I knew where I should be looking in advance I can save myself some time. I think Burnham Overy is near here as well, and that has had some good sightings recently. If anyone could give road names and so on so I can look them up, then that would great.

Also thinking of trying to see the Lesser White-Front (geese are my favourites) are there staff on site usually, and do they generally know where the goose is? If not, what area has it been favouring? Also hoping to see a Chinese Water Deer in this area.

IF there is time I will probably go to Titchwell, but I've been before and know the site - but does anyone know if they have had Snow Buntings on the beach this year?

Anywhere with a Water Pipit would be great as well - they keep evading me!

Thanks for any information, it will just make my trip that much smoother.

[RoyW]

At Wolferton you can either pull up by the side of the road, or just drive around the triangle as slowly as possible a few times. If you choose to stop, it can be bet to pull up at the end away from the main road so you can look down both roads. They come to the road at dawn to take in grit, so aren't really after food (and for them to find a food source you'd really have to start feeding long before your visit, not just put food down when you get there).

At Holkham it is best to park in Lady Ann's Drive (where you pay), or the turning opposite which leads to Holkham Hall (free). Holkham Hall may be a site for Firecrest, and possibly Lesser-spotted Woodpecker, but it will probably be pot luck finding either.

The Ross's Goose moves around with the Pink-feet, which feed in fields anywhere along the coast, or a few miles inland, so again it can be luck finding the right flock - nearer the weekend it might be possible to say whether it seems settled in a specific area (recently it's been near Holkham).

The Hickling raptor viewpoint is worth a visit one evening, for Harriers, Merlin and Cranes.

One of the Norfolk guys who has seen the Lesser Whitefront should be able to elp you with that one, and others, there is unlikely to be a warden on site though.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by Yashca

So far I'm thinking that at dawn on Saturday I will be at Wolferton Triangle, I found a map of the area on another website, so do you essentially just pull up on one of the sides of the triangle and hope for the best? Any particular side better than another?

Hope for the best is about right. The Golden Pheasants are mostly invisible! Pot luck is your best chance. Park somewhere you can see into the wood in the middle of the triangle and hope one walks through the wood or even crosses the road.

For Holkham, park in Lady Anne Drive opposite the Hall entrance and park at the far end. Walk straight on towards the sea on some rather old decking. The Shore Larks, Lapland Buntings, Snow Buntings (and usually Twite) will be somewhere on the saltmarsh area near the 'gap' though they can obviously shift a bit. For the Rough-legged Buzzard pull in at the western end of the wall to Holkham Hall where there is a pulll-in by a 5-bar gate. Scan the freshmarsh here, where there will be loads of geese to look through too. I saw it as it drifted across the marsh and perched up in some old willows about half way across to the pine woodland.

Also thinking of trying to see the Lesser White-Front (geese are my favourites) are there staff on site usually, and do they generally know where the goose is? If not, what area has it been favouring? No staff, but the goose has been favouring the area on the right just over the railway crossing but can be elusive due to the terrain. It may also shift to Cantley too.

Titchwell has had Snow Bunting this winter but they have been rather irregular to say the least and all the ones I've seen I have lucked in on just by being in the right area at the right time.

Cheers,

Adam

[Yashca]

Thanks for the advice. I keep worrying about the Golden Pheasant if I'm honest. I don't want to spend the best part of the morning sat around not seeing them when I've got limited time overall. Part of me would be tempted to be at Holkham at dawn to try and see a couple of my target birds there - but then again, I don't suppose there will be many more years of Golden Pheasants hanging around, will there?

Anyway, I now have a couple of possibly stupid questions. Looking on the map, Lady Ann's Road splits as you drive down it, one fork heading west, the other east. The west road seems to peter out, and the west one looks to end in a small car park near Beach Road. Which way at the fork should I be heading?

Second question. You mention the 'gap' and I have heard Holkham Gap mentioned before - what actually is it? How will I know I'm there?

Third question - how much is it to park and who (or where) do I pay?

Fourth question - I think I have found the gate you mention at the western end of Holkham Hall grounds on Google Street View - is it the one just east of where the A149 and B1155 meet?

Thanks again for your help.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by Yashca

Anyway, I now have a couple of possibly stupid questions. Looking on the map, Lady Ann's Road splits as you drive down it, one fork heading west, the other east. The west road seems to peter out, and the west one looks to end in a small car park near Beach Road. Which way at the fork should I be heading?

Lady Anne's Drive is a single track with a barrier at the end. You can drive no further. Walk straight on at the barrier for the beach.

Second question. You mention the 'gap' and I have heard Holkham Gap mentioned before - what actually is it? How will I know I'm there?

The Gap is the inlet through the sand dunes where the sea comes inland a little bit. You'll know it when you see it. Basically, as you walk through the trees to the beach, the gap through which you can see the sea is The Gap. Good for sea ducks here too.

Third question - how much is it to park and who (or where) do I pay?
Don't know how much, but it's pay and display. If you don't want to pay there is free parking to be had by the main road which adds a afew hundred yards walking to your visit.

Fourth question - I think I have found the gate you mention at the western end of Holkham Hall grounds on Google Street View - is it the one just east of where the A149 and B1155 meet?
yes.

Thanks again for your help.

Cheers,

Adam

[solus]

Shows how long it is since I've been to Holkham! Last time there was a chap in a wooden hut near the road end of Lady Anne's Drive collecting money in exchange for a ticket to park! It was worth paying and driving as far down as possible if we were going on to the beach but later on when the geese came in at dusk we tended to park about halfway down (if the man had gone home!) or nearer the road (before the hut) if he hadn't!

It is all too easy to hang around the Wolferton Triangle area too long (especially at this time of year when the days are so short anyway) and waste too much time on the "technicolour chickens" as someone on Scilly once described the (now long-gone) birds on Tresco! We often used to just drive around, very slowly, a couple of times and then move on to Titchwell where we could easily spend the rest of the day!

[Robert S J Smith]

the north side of the triangle has been the most productive side for GP recently.