Justin Lansdell
@yarevalleyjus.bsky.social
Norfolk Birder. Expect posts of bird news from Happisburgh Obs, the Yare Valley and further afield including foreign trips (plus a bit of mothing!)
Sunday at Happisburgh was fun if unspectacular. Seawatch 07.50-10.50: best 96 Little Gull and 303 Kittis S, 3 Arctic Skua, Bonxie, 3 Goldeneye, RB Merg, 29 Eider & Sandwich Tern
On land: yesterday's Pallas's, 1 Firecrest, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 37 Golden Plover & Peregrine
On land: yesterday's Pallas's, 1 Firecrest, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 37 Golden Plover & Peregrine
November 17, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Sunday at Happisburgh was fun if unspectacular. Seawatch 07.50-10.50: best 96 Little Gull and 303 Kittis S, 3 Arctic Skua, Bonxie, 3 Goldeneye, RB Merg, 29 Eider & Sandwich Tern
On land: yesterday's Pallas's, 1 Firecrest, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 37 Golden Plover & Peregrine
On land: yesterday's Pallas's, 1 Firecrest, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 37 Golden Plover & Peregrine
Lovely to be back amongst the local Gulls for another winter - 8 ringed Black-headed Gulls at Thorpe St Andrew today - 6 locally ringed & regular returning Finnish & Polish birds. This feisty yellow-ringed Polish bird is a personal friend back 9 winters since I first saw it here
November 11, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Lovely to be back amongst the local Gulls for another winter - 8 ringed Black-headed Gulls at Thorpe St Andrew today - 6 locally ringed & regular returning Finnish & Polish birds. This feisty yellow-ringed Polish bird is a personal friend back 9 winters since I first saw it here
Happisburgh Cliffs vis.mig. 07.00-09.00 quiet: 78 Meadow Pipit, 56 Chaffinches & 30 Linnet the bulk plus 3 Brambling, Grey Wag and a crazy 17 LT Tits (v.high) south and c200 Starling & 1 Raven north. Zero movement offshore but at least the dawn light was worth the 05.30 alarm 😍
November 8, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Happisburgh Cliffs vis.mig. 07.00-09.00 quiet: 78 Meadow Pipit, 56 Chaffinches & 30 Linnet the bulk plus 3 Brambling, Grey Wag and a crazy 17 LT Tits (v.high) south and c200 Starling & 1 Raven north. Zero movement offshore but at least the dawn light was worth the 05.30 alarm 😍
Just back from Birdquest tour of Namibia/Botswana led by Janos Olah. Superb with highlights Pel’s, 2 Slaty Egrets, Herero Chat, Souza’s Shrike, Arnot’s Chat, White-tailed Shrikes etc and good mammals too including Honey Badger, Aardwolf, Bat-eared Foxes, Cheetah, 10 Black Rhino & African Wildcat
November 1, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Just back from Birdquest tour of Namibia/Botswana led by Janos Olah. Superb with highlights Pel’s, 2 Slaty Egrets, Herero Chat, Souza’s Shrike, Arnot’s Chat, White-tailed Shrikes etc and good mammals too including Honey Badger, Aardwolf, Bat-eared Foxes, Cheetah, 10 Black Rhino & African Wildcat
Just back after Migfest 2025: brilliant vis mig, super tame Red-necked Phal, Bottle-nosed Dolphins, Osprey and more, engaging lectures and socialising 🍺, but above all a friendly, welcoming event superbly run. Thankyou so much to the team at @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social (next year we’ll win the quiz 😉)
September 14, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Just back after Migfest 2025: brilliant vis mig, super tame Red-necked Phal, Bottle-nosed Dolphins, Osprey and more, engaging lectures and socialising 🍺, but above all a friendly, welcoming event superbly run. Thankyou so much to the team at @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social (next year we’ll win the quiz 😉)
2 Cattle Egrets flew in to roost on east side of island at Whitlingham CP tonight (with 3 Little Egrets). A Whitlingham tick for me, only taken 30 years! Usual excuses for the photography - distant, light poor, digi-scoping ability worse etc
September 3, 2025 at 8:25 PM
2 Cattle Egrets flew in to roost on east side of island at Whitlingham CP tonight (with 3 Little Egrets). A Whitlingham tick for me, only taken 30 years! Usual excuses for the photography - distant, light poor, digi-scoping ability worse etc
Well, autumns here. Time of Yellow-brows, rarities, checking the forecast hourly and…..the start of Pied Wagtail roost counts. To start an occasional series of photos of random concrete abominations here’s Tesco’s, Harford Bridges, Norwich where 24 Pied Wagtail roosted on Sunday. You’re welcome! 😉
September 3, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Well, autumns here. Time of Yellow-brows, rarities, checking the forecast hourly and…..the start of Pied Wagtail roost counts. To start an occasional series of photos of random concrete abominations here’s Tesco’s, Harford Bridges, Norwich where 24 Pied Wagtail roosted on Sunday. You’re welcome! 😉
Happisburgh Obs: migrant Sedge Warbler, 6 Whitethroat, 6 Stonechat & GS Woodpecker (dispersing bird). Most notable sighting 11 Mute Swans north offshore. Also Painted Lady, Small Copper and sev Willow Emerald Damselflies in cop. Scant reward for 17,000 steps and no hoped for hirundine passage
August 30, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Happisburgh Obs: migrant Sedge Warbler, 6 Whitethroat, 6 Stonechat & GS Woodpecker (dispersing bird). Most notable sighting 11 Mute Swans north offshore. Also Painted Lady, Small Copper and sev Willow Emerald Damselflies in cop. Scant reward for 17,000 steps and no hoped for hirundine passage
Happisburgh today in the sunshine: first Pied Fly of the autumn (Blacksmiths Lane), Whimbrel, juv Marsh Harrier and trickle of Swallows north, Yellow Wag south, Lesser Whitethroat, 200+ Med Gulls, Hummingbird Hawkmoth. Lovely to be back!
August 9, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Happisburgh today in the sunshine: first Pied Fly of the autumn (Blacksmiths Lane), Whimbrel, juv Marsh Harrier and trickle of Swallows north, Yellow Wag south, Lesser Whitethroat, 200+ Med Gulls, Hummingbird Hawkmoth. Lovely to be back!
For looks, the Caspian Tern was over-shadowed by this gorgeous adult Med Gull however!
July 7, 2025 at 6:28 PM
For looks, the Caspian Tern was over-shadowed by this gorgeous adult Med Gull however!
A gentle trundle up to Cley on Sunday afternoon was well timed for the Caspian Tern that’s seemingly commuting to the Wensum Valley to fish
July 7, 2025 at 6:23 PM
A gentle trundle up to Cley on Sunday afternoon was well timed for the Caspian Tern that’s seemingly commuting to the Wensum Valley to fish
Crazy scenes between Walcott and Happisburgh this week when the Sand Martin colony survey yielded c605 AONs. Last year we counted ‘just’ c265 AONs although birds move depending on the suitability of the dynamic cliffs
June 21, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Crazy scenes between Walcott and Happisburgh this week when the Sand Martin colony survey yielded c605 AONs. Last year we counted ‘just’ c265 AONs although birds move depending on the suitability of the dynamic cliffs
Still present 18.10 at least (& 2 Pale-bellied Brent) #spurnbirds
May 17, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Still present 18.10 at least (& 2 Pale-bellied Brent) #spurnbirds
Purple Sandpiper & 2 Spoonbills - Beacon Ponds, Kilnsea #spurnbirds
May 17, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Purple Sandpiper & 2 Spoonbills - Beacon Ponds, Kilnsea #spurnbirds
Temmincks Stint still at Kilnsea wetlands 08.15 #spurnbirds
May 17, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Temmincks Stint still at Kilnsea wetlands 08.15 #spurnbirds
A very pleasant evening with the most intensely spotted Spotted Sandpiper I’ve seen in the UK showing amazingly well at Grafham Water dam (it had been elusive in waterside willows for 3hrs before we arrived!)
May 2, 2025 at 10:14 PM
A very pleasant evening with the most intensely spotted Spotted Sandpiper I’ve seen in the UK showing amazingly well at Grafham Water dam (it had been elusive in waterside willows for 3hrs before we arrived!)
Early spring is a productive time for presumably north or east bound New World wildfowl in Norfolk but they often don’t stay long so a quick trip to Kelling Water meadows to see this drake American Wigeon this evening was too tempting….
April 17, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Early spring is a productive time for presumably north or east bound New World wildfowl in Norfolk but they often don’t stay long so a quick trip to Kelling Water meadows to see this drake American Wigeon this evening was too tempting….
A video of the aforementioned Hoopoe at Winterton (sorry for the shake, it was very windy!)
April 17, 2025 at 12:40 PM
A video of the aforementioned Hoopoe at Winterton (sorry for the shake, it was very windy!)
Finally Norfolk has got involved in the Hoopoe influx and this bird at Winterton Dunes is flighty but very obliging with care 😍
April 17, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Finally Norfolk has got involved in the Hoopoe influx and this bird at Winterton Dunes is flighty but very obliging with care 😍
Happisburgh: patch gold with an Avocet on the beach briefly then south! Also fem Black Redstart, 9 Wheatear, 1 White Wagtail, 7 Redwing, 4 Whimbrel & 1 Barwit south, c200 Sand Martin, 2 Red Kite north. 2 ad/s Med Gulls & c35 Common Gulls north. Just 17,000 steps!
April 12, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Happisburgh: patch gold with an Avocet on the beach briefly then south! Also fem Black Redstart, 9 Wheatear, 1 White Wagtail, 7 Redwing, 4 Whimbrel & 1 Barwit south, c200 Sand Martin, 2 Red Kite north. 2 ad/s Med Gulls & c35 Common Gulls north. Just 17,000 steps!
Whitlingham tonight: Reed Warbler, c25 Sand Martin, 9 Redwing, 2 Marsh Tit, 12 Cormorant AONs, 3+ Grey Heron AONs, 1 Pochard, 146 Tufted Duck (split Whit/Thorpe)
April 10, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Whitlingham tonight: Reed Warbler, c25 Sand Martin, 9 Redwing, 2 Marsh Tit, 12 Cormorant AONs, 3+ Grey Heron AONs, 1 Pochard, 146 Tufted Duck (split Whit/Thorpe)
As spring starts to get going (& not a moment too soon!) moth catches are getting more varied - two of my favourites at this time are Brindled Beauty and Oak Beauty 😍
April 1, 2025 at 10:43 AM
As spring starts to get going (& not a moment too soon!) moth catches are getting more varied - two of my favourites at this time are Brindled Beauty and Oak Beauty 😍
Whitlingham CP, Norwich late on: GW Egret & 7 Little Egrets roosted on the island, 179 Tufties (incl the pink billed male), 1 Pochard, 3 Shoveler, 5 Little Grebe. 97 Redwings to roost, Woodcock at dusk
March 23, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Whitlingham CP, Norwich late on: GW Egret & 7 Little Egrets roosted on the island, 179 Tufties (incl the pink billed male), 1 Pochard, 3 Shoveler, 5 Little Grebe. 97 Redwings to roost, Woodcock at dusk
A quality early spring day at Happisburgh Obs. Vis mig 05.55-08.25 gave 1060 Starling, 409 Chaffinch, 128 Siskin & 1 Sand Martin all south. Later a 2cy Glaucous Gull and a 2cy Caspian Gull drifted north & 4 Wheatear, 225 Golden Plover & White Wagtail. Well worth the 3.50am alarm & 17000 steps!
March 22, 2025 at 10:40 PM
A quality early spring day at Happisburgh Obs. Vis mig 05.55-08.25 gave 1060 Starling, 409 Chaffinch, 128 Siskin & 1 Sand Martin all south. Later a 2cy Glaucous Gull and a 2cy Caspian Gull drifted north & 4 Wheatear, 225 Golden Plover & White Wagtail. Well worth the 3.50am alarm & 17000 steps!
With the pause button apparently about to be pressed on spring in Norfolk, c310 Pied Wagtails still roosting at Sainsburys, Longwater Lane, Costessey tonight (1 less than attempted to, after a successful kill from the regular male Sparrowhawk!)
March 10, 2025 at 11:55 PM
With the pause button apparently about to be pressed on spring in Norfolk, c310 Pied Wagtails still roosting at Sainsburys, Longwater Lane, Costessey tonight (1 less than attempted to, after a successful kill from the regular male Sparrowhawk!)