Monday, 13 April 2009

Mayday Farm, Thetford Forest, Norfolk, 13/04/2009

Weather: overcast, fairly bright, misty. From 7:10am.

After a drive up to Norfolk, after returning from Wales, I decided on an early start for a location which is recommended for goshawk though I feared I was a touch too late in the year to be in with a chance of seeing them display.

However a good selection of general & woodland birds: Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Blackcap, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren.

As I approached the first forest clearing I heard a distinctive song overhead & looked up to see a Woodlark which landed on a tree stump & continued to sing for some time. The view wasn't the best through a somewhat misty morning but a good life tick nonetheless.

I continued along to a small pond at a path crossroads & waited for a while to see what would show up: Woodpigeon, Pheasant, Siskin on a pine-top, Crow; Roe Deer (1) & Fallow Deer (3), crossed the paths at different ends.

As I waited a cacophany of dog howling & barking reached such a level that I figured there must be some nearby kennels, & that any wildlife in the vicinity would be scared off completely or lying low for some time, so I decided to cut my losses & head off as well. As I walked back the kennels revealed themselves to be a dog-walking servie - a lady struggled with about 6 dogs on leads & it was these that were trying to raise the dead with their howling!

As I left though, in a stand of pines: Chaffinch, Goldcrest, & Treecreeper; & Robin & Blackbird as I drove away.

19 species, 1 new.

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