TonyQ: Big Year 2023

[Zim Girl]

Great sighting, you have done very well in Norfolk.

[TonyQ]

@PeterHG @Galana@michael-ibk thank you

@Zim Girl thank you - it was a productive and enjoyable trip

 

96.UK.96         Mediterranean Gull     Larus melanocephalus           

Cley Marshes, Norfolk            16.04.23

Cley Marshes, Norfolk            16.04.23

I put in two not very good photos just so the identification is clear

[TonyQ]

97.UK.97         Sedge Warbler            Acrocephalus schoenobaenus          

 

Hiding in the Reeds, Cley Marshes, Norfolk            17.04.23

Singing to the world, Holme Observatory, Norfolk   20.04.23

[TonyQ]

98.UK.98         Meadow Pipit  Anthus pratensis

Manipulating the order of the photos a bit here       

Salthouse Marshes, Norfolk   21.04.23

Salthouse Marshes, Norfolk   21.04.23

[TonyQ]

99.UK.99         Ring Ouzel      Turdus torquatus

A new bird for us, and one we have wanted to see for a few years       

Morstone         16.04.23

I considered this for 100 as it was a lifer for us, but fairly distant and not a great photo - but we were thrilled to see it. (Second LIfer in one day!)

A few arrived in Norfolk when we were there - we saw another one in a different place a couple of days later but it was even further away.

[TonyQ]

100.UK.100     Spoonbill (Eurasian)   Platalea leucorodia    

 

Cley Marshes, Norfolk            16.04.23

 

Cley Marshes, Norfolk            16.04.23

We have seen Spoonbills before in the UK, but usually pretty distant. This is easily the best view we have had of a Eurasian Spoonbil, showing the breeding colouration and that striking red eye.

 

(They breed in Holkham Marshes nearby and are regular visitors to Cley. There were three of them present when we were there, and luckily for us one came and sat right in front of the hide)

Edited May 10, 2023 by TonyQ

[PeterHG]

Congratulations on a really fabulous #100!  The spoonbill is a beautiful bird in any season, but its breeding outfit is something special. Congrats also on your latest lifer. A bird I’ve only ever seen a few times on migration.

[michael-ibk]

Congrats on your century Tony, great bird - and photo - to achieve that milestone. If you fancy Ring Ouzels, come over in summer - quite common here higher up. 

[pedro maia]

Congrats Tony, the spoonbill photos are very good and worthy of the century.

[Galana]

Well done on the 100. I sensed you were saving up something special for us and you did.

I have the number of European Spoonbills seen in British Isles on the fingers of my left hand.

[Tdgraves]

congrats on the century and the lifers....

[BRACQUENE]

Congratulations Tony on reaching the 100 ! The Ring Ouzel is another bird that I love : it has been spotted recently in Dilbeek but alas the weather is keeping me inside 😉

[mvecht]

@TonyQGreat birds for both 99 and the century. The Spoonbill is a beauty.

[xelas]

Congratulations on your first century of this year!

[Soukous]

Super Spoonbill encounter Tony. Such rich colours.

[Zim Girl]

Congratulations on the century and what a stunning picture of the Spoonbill!

I have also only ever had distant views of them over here.

[TonyQ]

@PeterHG  @pedro maia @michael-ibk @Tdgraves @mvecht @BRACQUENE  @Soukous @xelasthank you

@Galana@Zim Girlthank you. This is only our fourth sighting of Spoonbills in the UK, and all of the others were distant

 

101.UK.101 Dunlin  Calidris alpina   

Salthouse Marshes, Norfolk   17.04.23

Salthouse Marshes is about a mile further east then Cley. Wesaw fewer birds there than on previous visits as there was a very cold wind off the North Sea!

[TonyQ]

102.UK.102 Ringed Plover  Charadrius hiaticula     

Sharing with the Dunlin, Salthouse Marshes, Norfolk   17.04.23

[TonyQ]

103.UK.103 Greenshank  Tringa nebularia  

Morstone Quay           17.04.23

Moreston Quay is inbetween Cley and Welles (where we were staying). We saw a Greenshank here a few years ago.

[TonyQ]

104.UK.104 Brent Goose  Branta bernicla    

Morstone Quay           17.04.23

There were a lot of Brent Geese around in Norfolk during the time we were there. They overwinter here and stay a bit longer than some of the other species that had already left.

[TonyQ]

105.UK.105 Whimbrel  Numenius phaeopus

Morstone Quay           17.04.23

[Peter Connan]

Well done Tony!

[TonyQ]

Thank you @Peter Connan

 

A few more

106.UK.106 Grey Partridge  Perdix perdix    

Holkham, Norfolk        17.04.23

In a field at the side of the carpark on Lady Anne's Drive

[TonyQ]

107.UK.107 Red Kite  Milvus milvus 

Taken from the same carpark as we stopped to put our boots on!, Holkham, Norfolk        17.04.23

Cley Marshes, Norfolk            16.04.23

THere seemed to be more Red Kites around than on any of our previous visits to Norfolk

[TonyQ]

108.UK.108 Grey Plover  Pluvialis squatarola          

Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk         18.04.23