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Blog
19 January 2024
Norfolk and Suffolk
As Iam 65 on the 20th,I booked some days off to go to East Anglia, left work on Thursday and drove to stay at Premier Inn in Worcester for the night before an early start to drive East.
Started at 5am and surprised to see so much traffic on the M5 and M6, after a couple of hours traveling east into the sun as it was rising, the sky was clear and plenty of plane trails high up but lower down so many birds on the move, while still concentrating on driving the car, I still could see flocks of Gulls, Corvids, Woodpigeons, Waders and the odd Grey Heron crossing the motorway, great start to the weekend, further on the A14 Red Kites, Buzzards, Corvids everywhere and hunting Kestrels made the journey an interesting one.
Iam staying a few nights in Lowestoft, but wanted to visit a couple of places on route, first being Welney Wetland Centre. Like the last time I visited it was flooded, not surprised after all the rain, but this time only the main hide was open. Great to see Tree Sparrows in the car park, not seen any of these for a while. The water in front of the main hide was thick ice with 50+ ducks, Mallard, Teal, Wigeon and Pochard.
Mute and a few Whooper Swans with Greylag Geese on the bank and there was a flock flying around. After an hour left to look around the surrounding fields where there was 100s of Swans on the fields, mostly Whooper a few Mute but couldn't find any Bewick. Red-legged Partridge, Corvids, Lapwings, Blackbirds, Flock of Starlings, Woodpigeons, Great-spotted Woodpecker on a fence post, Fieldfare, Buzzards and Kestrels.
Then off to Lynford Arboretum, probably at the wrong time which was mid day, on my next visit it will be in the morning or evening when birds coming into roost.
Did see and hear a lot of birds, Siskins, Great, Blue and Coal Tits, Robin, Green Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Crossbill and a Female Hawfinch which frustratingly couldn't get a picture because of others blocking me, got to see it with my bins beautiful bird.
So off to Lowestoft where iam staying again in a Premier Inn, Saturday saw me off to RSPB Minsmere for the day. Its about an hours drive from where I was staying and I arrived about 9am, the car park was already busy with a few coaches parked up, experience told me that the hides would be full but I also knew that Minsmere was a big place so I could "lose" myself. As I thought when I got to the Bittern Hide it was packed to the point I couldn't get in so off to the Island Mere Hide which was a lot different.
But before I got there it wasn't the birds that brought my attention but a couple of Muntjac Deer, smart looking animals but have always thought why they have been allowed to stay, like the Chinese Water Deer?
Anyway back to the birds, Mere hide had lots to see and the crowds hadn't made it that far yet, Water Rail x3, Water Pipit, Snipe and Bittern all close with some excellent views especially of the Bittern that just casually walked in front of the hide on the Ice.
Out of the hide to a path to an area known as the Rhodadren Tunnel where there was reported Mealy Redpols, there was a mixed flock of Redpolls, Siskin and Goldfinch but couldn't say if any where Mealy as they were at the top of the trees, so unsure if the pics I took where of them or not.
After having some food and drink in the café spent the afternoon around the East Scrape, plenty of Ducks here with Pintail, Mallard, Widgeon, Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Shelduck plus Gooseander, Mute Whooper and Bewick Swans with Marsh Harriers in the distance.
So an excellent day and met some great humans as well so happy on my journey back to Lowestoft.
Plenty of Geese in the fields and flying overhead, Brent, Pink Footed, Greylag and Canada Geese, all in good numbers. Raptors out in force, especially Red Kites but Sparrowhawk, Kestrels, Buzzards and Marsh Harriers hunting over the fields. Around the Harbours and fields, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Lapwing and Little Egret, Teal, Mallard, Widgeon and Goosanders.
Did see plenty of Muntjac Deer, some alive and sadly dead by the side of the road.
Monday was an early start and off to Holkham Beach to look for Shore Lark, this is a good place to see them as well as Snow Buntings. On route did see plenty of Red-footed Geese, Red Kites, Lapwings, Woodpigeons, Grey Pheasants and Hares.
Got to the beach and went to the roped off area where I have seen the Shore Larks regularly over the years, it was wind swept and not a bird in sight. Plenty of birds by the car parks with Widgeon, Teal, Shoveler, Mallard, Shelduck, Pink-footed and Greylag Geese, Redshank, Red Kite, Lapwing, Curlew, Blackbird, Wren and Robin. An hour and half after I left I noted on Birdguides that Shore Larks had been seen in the area but on further investigation they where further west to were I was.
I then spent a few hours around the fields further inland, hundreds of Geese, Pink-footed, Brent and Greylag Geese making an impressive sight! It was still quite windy so most birds on the ground, good numbers of Lapwing, Jackdaw and Gulls. In hedges while I was parked up lucky to see a small flock of Bullfinch, 7 in total, never seen that many in one place. Buzzard, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin and Great Tit. Also saw a couple of Cattle Egret at Thornham. Also popped into a few harbours saw all the usual things as well as several Gooseanders.
Off to Snettisham to see a Juv Black-throated Diver, parked up and as I was putting money in the car park machine two booms from a air cannon went off almost next to me and scared the shit out of me!!
Those of you have visited here before will know that before you get to the reserve there is several lakes fenced off that belong to the Angling Association, after talking to a laughing fisherman they have been having problems with Cormorants taking all the fish, well it put them up as well as the Diver, so while waving at it as it flew off I turned to the car and left, just past the entrance there was 4 Egyptian Geese in the field.
Off then to Titchwell to catch the Marsh Harriers going to roost. Was starting to get dark at 3pm when I arrived, all the usual stuff although not in great numbers, the best place was the East Hide where I was watching the Harriers, 7 in total. But also a couple of Snipe in front of the hide.
Again plenty of Muntjac Deer both alive and dead by the side of the road. Single Squirrel and several Hares sat in the fields.
The journey home wasnt as nice as the journey up, 6hrs of grey skies and rain!
( more text and pictures to follow )
12 January 2024
Dartmoor
Spent today on Dartmoor, not raining for a change but grey and dull not making it the best for taking pictures.
Started off at Yarner and after a nice chat to one of the Rangers I went to the bottom hide to see what was about, a steady flow of birds but not great in number, sadly because the trees and bushes to the right of the hide for some reason have been taken out many birds especially the Marsh Tits where going straight to the feeders whereas before they used to stop on the bushes giving you opportunities to take a picture in a more natural setting instead of being on a feeder.
Did see Great, Blue, Marsh, Coal and Long-tailed Tits, Nuthatch, Robin and Chaffinch around the feeders but not a lot else.
Up onto a grey moor and plenty of Corvids about with Raven, Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw and Magpie seen all over the moor with plenty of Jay seen especially around Challacombe Farm.
Woodpigeon, single Collard Dove and a flock numbering 13 of Stock Dove in their usual haunt. Saw a couple of Great spotted Woodpeckers, both flying, Robin, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, flocks of Chaffinch, Starling and Fieldfare, sadly didn't see one Redwing.
Several Buzzard seen of different shades, mostly pale but the best sighting of all was a Female/juv Merlin, as I came around a bend in the road it was sat on top of a small tree and when I stopped the car it flew off into the valley, beautiful bird and great to see.
Surprising to see lots of humans out walking but thankfully the roads were relatively free from idiots!
05 January 2024
River Exe
On this lovely sunny day, spent some time around the River Exe which was on a rising tide and ended up at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham, on the journey there and back stopped off at Cockwood Steps and Harbour, Starcross Golf course, around Starcross and Powderham, down the road at Exminster Marsh and Goose Moor.
Obviously around the water and on the fields plenty of Waders with Curlew, Godwits, Dunlin, Oystercatchers, Redshank, Greenshank, Grey and Golden Plovers, Lapwing, Snipe and Avocet.
Mute Swans, Brent, Greylag and Canada Geese in good numbers as well as Mallard, Pintail, Teal, Widgeon, Shoveler and Shelduck. Grey Heron, Little Egret, Cormorant, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot and Kingfisher. All the normal Gulls.
In the bushes and fields, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Jackdaw.
Kestrel, Buzzard and a Marsh Harrier put in a lengthy appearance at BGM but sadly at a distance, great to see though!
Also nice to see was a Fox at BGM sunning himself without a care in the world at the back by the hedge.
Met plenty of nice humans and a very enjoyable day!
© Simon Thurgood 2024
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