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Autumn (Mid July to October)
The major attractions during this period which make a visit to the county in the autumn very worthwile are the return passage of waders and passerines, seawatching which can be very rewarding especially in September gales, and the annual occurrence of scare and rare species for which Norfolk has become renowned for.
By the start of the period the return wader passage has gathered pace from the trickle of birds during late June/early July and a good variety of species remain a feature throughout the autumn. Adding to the all-ready present Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits, Little Ringed Plovers and Redshank, the coastal pools and marshes host Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Green Sandpiper, Temmincks Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff and Curlew Sandpiper which all pass through in small numbers, along with larger numbers of Dunlin. On the mudflats, the numbers of Knot, Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Curlew, Turnstone, Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher all build up for the winter.
Autumn is the time for the rarer species of wader to occur, Pectoral Sandpiper is an annual visitor with at least a couple of records each year, and the odd Red-necked Phalarope and Dotterel also appear. Additionally the autumn passage never goes by without something even rarer being found somewhere in the county, with recent rarities including Lesser Yellowlegs, White-rumped Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher and Buff-breasted Sandpiper.
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Common Sandpiper Green Sandpiper Ruff |
Marsh Harriers, Bearded Tits, Cetti's Warblers and Water Rails continue to feature in the reedbeds, Little Egrets are common place on the marshes, and gatherings of non-breeding gulls often include both Yellow-legged and Caspian Gulls. Little Gulls occur on passage and Mediterranean Gulls return for the winter often accompanied by juvenile birds. Little Terns are seen throughout August, Sandwich and Common Terns can be seen well into September and Black and Arctic Terns are seen on passage.
Numbers of dabbling ducks increase as the period progresses and Pink-footed and Brent Geese return from mid-September. In Broadland Cranes are starting to gather at their wintering site and from September up to 30 birds may well be present and can be seen flying to roost in the evenings.
Seabird passage is at its best in autumn, especially when winds turn to a northerly direction, when Gannets, Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Guillemots and Razorbills are the most commonest birds recorded, along with Arctic Skuas which are often seen performing their spectacular aerobatic pursuit of terns and gulls for their food.
In moderate northerlies, Manx Shearwaters, Arctic and Great Skuas occur offshore with regularity, with the chance of a Sooty Shearwater too. In the strongest of gales there is the strong possibility of seeing a Leach's or Storm Petrel, Balearic Shearwater, Sabines Gull or a Long-tailed Skua, or maybe all of them! Little Auks and Pomarine Skuas are also regularly seen, the former often in their 100's, usually in late October or November. Waders, Ducks, Grebes and Divers are also a feature of a good seawatch, and such days can be very thrilling especially as you never know what bird is just about to fly-by!
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Wheatear Whinchat Spotted Flycatcher |
However it is the passerine migration that makes this period the most exciting with good numbers of common migrants passing through, plus the scarce and rare birds that Norfolk has become renowned for. In the right weather conditions large 'falls' of birds can occur, and a visit to the coast at such a time will be a truly memorable experience with birds literally everywhere.
Migration of the commoner species generally starts from mid-August with the regular birds to be seen comprising Wheatears, Whinchats, Redstarts and Pied and Spotted Flycatchers along with the commoner migrant warblers such as Garden Warblers, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats, Reed Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers.
Visible migration is also a feature of mid to late autumn with birds such as Skylarks, Thrushes, Finches, Lapwings and Starlings etc seen coming in off the sea in good numbers, along with the odd Short-eared Owl and Woodcock. Lapland Buntings can be encountered along the coast and the occasional Richards Pipit is found in a coastal field.
Scarce migrant birds are also a feature of a Norfolk autumn with Red-backed Shrike, Barred Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher and Wryneck occurring each autumn from late August onwards. Yellow-browed Warblers are also regular each year from late September, sometimes in fairly large influxes, a few Pallas's Warblers occur usually between mid-October and mid-November, and other rare Warblers such as Greenish, Humes Yellow-browed, Raddes and Dusky occur most years in ones or two's along with a number of other scarce and rare birds that a Norfolk autumn is famous for.
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Red-backed Shrike Red-breasted Flycatcher |
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