3 to 4:30pm. Weather: cold, grey, windy.
From Cantley I headed back down the road to Buckenham where I hoped to walk to the hide & back for the roost in the remaining light. Unfortunately I'd overestimated the time left & as the light faded I walked just to the riverbank.
Barn Owl - I was alerted to an 'owl' almost as soon as I started walking the path, & was treated to a nice close-up view as it rapidly quartered the field & crossed the path before flying back & away behind the copse.
Snipe - put up by the barn owl, it flew quickly away.
Greylag Goose - several scattered about the marshes feeding, but also large skeins in the distance beyond the hide. There may have been some white-fronts in the skeins but I couldn't pick out any lightness about the bill in the poor light.
Canada Goose - a large flock feeding in the middle of the marshes.
Mute Swan - a few also feeding on the marshes.
Taiga Bean Goose - I almost immediately noticed another group of geese, that I was now fairly familiar with. I enjoyed more views of another approx. 20 as they fed on the marshes, marginally closer than the ones I'd seen on Cantely Marshes.
Wigeon - very large flocks, whistling & many feeding close to the path, unpeturbed by the people who were about.
Marsh Harrier - one female.
Linnet - 6 at first but then over 20 flying back & forth above the scrub adjacent to the path. When I returned from the riverbank I heard a cacophony of their gentle chirping from what appeared to be a significant roost.
Kestrel - whizzed through.
Mallard, Woodpigeon, Fieldfare, Pheasant (heard).
Jackdaw & Rook - by now it was dark & I could see distant flocks beginning to gather, as 'advertised'. I left the reserve, evidently the copse of trees on the reserve is not the roost, & headed up the hill from the train station as the flocks grew & grew into a swirling mass above the trees over Buckenham village. The amazing sight has been described far better than I can manage here but it was hugely impressive as flights of corvids swept in overhead from various parts of the countryside to join the roiling mass above the trees. The sound of their calling was such that individual calls soon became indistiguishable & the cumulative affect was of a sound like water bubbling over gravel. The awesome sight & sound continued above the treeline for 10 minutes or so before the flock eventually began to settle. Soon there were none left in the air but the calling carried on for minutes more before that also began to diminish. An incredible sight & one that several other people had ventured out to see, & one I'd like to see again someday.
After the north Norfolk coast this is my favourite area of the county, well worth the drive, a gem of a spot with special wildlife.
16 species.
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
Cantley Marshes, Norfolk, 29/12/2009
1:30 to 2:30pm. Weather: cold, grey, light breeze (NE).
Ever since first visiting the Yare Valley in Easter 2008 I had wanted to return especially after reading Crow Country which describes the amazing corvid winter roost. A speciality of the area also gave me reason to return & armed with Lee Evans's Ultimate Site Guide I found my way to the Cantley Sugar Factory & walked out past The Reedcutter pub along the river to look across the marshes, still in the shadow of the factory.
Black-Headed Gull, Lapwing, Starling, Mute Swan.
Fieldfare - a lone bird low down in the hedgerow.
Mallard & Wigeon - on the river.
Taiga Bean Goose - the bird I had come to see, they were fairly easy to pick out feeding peacefully on the marsh. There 12 to 20 & were identified from large size but obviously dark head & lower-parts, also a few individuals obligingly flapped their wings revealing a dark upper surface, diagnostic from greylag. I enjoyed watching them for several minutes, they oblivious to me before moving off for some lunch.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - flew from the marshes into a nearby copse.
Buzzard - flapped over.
Pied Wagtail (over)
Marsh Harrier - quartered near the bean geese.
Woodpigeon, Wren.
14 species, 1 new species.
Ever since first visiting the Yare Valley in Easter 2008 I had wanted to return especially after reading Crow Country which describes the amazing corvid winter roost. A speciality of the area also gave me reason to return & armed with Lee Evans's Ultimate Site Guide I found my way to the Cantley Sugar Factory & walked out past The Reedcutter pub along the river to look across the marshes, still in the shadow of the factory.
Black-Headed Gull, Lapwing, Starling, Mute Swan.
Fieldfare - a lone bird low down in the hedgerow.
Mallard & Wigeon - on the river.
Taiga Bean Goose - the bird I had come to see, they were fairly easy to pick out feeding peacefully on the marsh. There 12 to 20 & were identified from large size but obviously dark head & lower-parts, also a few individuals obligingly flapped their wings revealing a dark upper surface, diagnostic from greylag. I enjoyed watching them for several minutes, they oblivious to me before moving off for some lunch.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - flew from the marshes into a nearby copse.
Buzzard - flapped over.
Pied Wagtail (over)
Marsh Harrier - quartered near the bean geese.
Woodpigeon, Wren.
14 species, 1 new species.
NWT Roydon Common, Norfolk, 28/12/2009
3:20 to 4:30pm. Weather: cold, bright, fading sunshine to dusk.
I ventured out into the plummeting temperatures for something I should probably have done ages ago - observe the raptor roost. Always an enhanting place to visit, no less in the gathering gloom of a freezing winter's night.
Magpie, Crow.
Rook & Jackdaw - making up a sizeable & noisy roost.
Mallard - 4 circled around but did not settle.
Pheasant (heard), Curlew (heard).
Hen Harrier - out of nowhere a male appeared far off, quartering the heath. An amazing bird even at distance it was joined by another male & they both settled quite quickly on the ground where they looked ready to roost. Unfortunately for them a couple of Roe Deer moved right through their chosen spot which unsettled them briefly, though they quickly found another spot & I lost them in the gloom.
Red-Legged Partridge - after I sighted the first harrier, something spooked a couple of partridge which flew off loudly.
I ventured out into the plummeting temperatures for something I should probably have done ages ago - observe the raptor roost. Always an enhanting place to visit, no less in the gathering gloom of a freezing winter's night.
Magpie, Crow.
Rook & Jackdaw - making up a sizeable & noisy roost.
Mallard - 4 circled around but did not settle.
Pheasant (heard), Curlew (heard).
Hen Harrier - out of nowhere a male appeared far off, quartering the heath. An amazing bird even at distance it was joined by another male & they both settled quite quickly on the ground where they looked ready to roost. Unfortunately for them a couple of Roe Deer moved right through their chosen spot which unsettled them briefly, though they quickly found another spot & I lost them in the gloom.
Red-Legged Partridge - after I sighted the first harrier, something spooked a couple of partridge which flew off loudly.
RSPB Titchwell, Norfolk, 27/12/2009
12:45 to 3:30pm. Weather: cold, grey, some blue sky.
Outing with mum & the boys, in wintry conditions which meant we didn't linger on the beach. The boys were still able to pick up a couple of starfish, unbelievable numbers of which had been washed up on the shore, & these along with wrecked shellfish attracted large numbers of gulls. We stopped in the new Island Hide on the way back for lunch but it was fairly quiet, however a good tally was still had overall.
Carpark:
Woodpigeon, Robin, Starling
Picnic Area:
Chaffinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Goldfinch, Wren.
Muntjac - confidently & unhurriedly crossed the path in front of us.
Dunnock, Moorhen, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Long-Tailed Tit, Blackbird.
Freshwater Marshes:
Kestrel, Reed Bunting, Mallard, Coot, Little Egret.
Brent Goose, Wigeon, Redshank, Shoveler, Avocet, Teal.
Pintail - 3 males, 2 females.
Herring Gull - thousands were seen towards Thornham, in large flocks clouding the horizon.
Shelduck, Black-Headed Gull.
Tidal Marshes:
Black-Tailed Godwit, Cormorant.
Water Rail - proving quite a good spot for them, with one skulking about the low undergrowth on the beach side of the old dividing embankment.
Little Grebe - 7 counted, again tucked in against the embankment.
Crow, Lapwing, Great Black-Backed Gull.
Goldeneye - a lone male; later many were spotted on the sea.
Beach:
Pied Wagtail - 2 flushed as soon as I set foot on the sand.
Turnstone, Sanderling, Oystercatcher, Curlew - all on the tide line.
Common Scoter - good sized rafts fairly close in shore due to it being high tide.
Great-Crested Grebe - 3 also at sea.
Adjacent to Tidal Marsh:
Marsh Harrier - female or juvenile quartering the marsh.
Island Hide:
Common Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Gadwall - additional to the wildfowl seen on the way up.
Entrance/Exit:
Pink-Footed Goose - above fields next to Titchwell Village.
Magpie, Greylag Goose - a small flock flew in & settled on the fields next to the reserve entrance/exit.
52 species.
Outing with mum & the boys, in wintry conditions which meant we didn't linger on the beach. The boys were still able to pick up a couple of starfish, unbelievable numbers of which had been washed up on the shore, & these along with wrecked shellfish attracted large numbers of gulls. We stopped in the new Island Hide on the way back for lunch but it was fairly quiet, however a good tally was still had overall.
Carpark:
Woodpigeon, Robin, Starling
Picnic Area:
Chaffinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Goldfinch, Wren.
Muntjac - confidently & unhurriedly crossed the path in front of us.
Dunnock, Moorhen, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Long-Tailed Tit, Blackbird.
Freshwater Marshes:
Kestrel, Reed Bunting, Mallard, Coot, Little Egret.
Brent Goose, Wigeon, Redshank, Shoveler, Avocet, Teal.
Pintail - 3 males, 2 females.
Herring Gull - thousands were seen towards Thornham, in large flocks clouding the horizon.
Shelduck, Black-Headed Gull.
Tidal Marshes:
Black-Tailed Godwit, Cormorant.
Water Rail - proving quite a good spot for them, with one skulking about the low undergrowth on the beach side of the old dividing embankment.
Little Grebe - 7 counted, again tucked in against the embankment.
Crow, Lapwing, Great Black-Backed Gull.
Goldeneye - a lone male; later many were spotted on the sea.
Beach:
Pied Wagtail - 2 flushed as soon as I set foot on the sand.
Turnstone, Sanderling, Oystercatcher, Curlew - all on the tide line.
Common Scoter - good sized rafts fairly close in shore due to it being high tide.
Great-Crested Grebe - 3 also at sea.
Adjacent to Tidal Marsh:
Marsh Harrier - female or juvenile quartering the marsh.
Island Hide:
Common Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Gadwall - additional to the wildfowl seen on the way up.
Entrance/Exit:
Pink-Footed Goose - above fields next to Titchwell Village.
Magpie, Greylag Goose - a small flock flew in & settled on the fields next to the reserve entrance/exit.
52 species.
Sunday, 20 December 2009
Dersingham Bog Bypass, Norfolk, 20/12/2009
4:30pm. Weather: cold, snowing.
Woodcock - 2 flying along the road.
Woodcock - 2 flying along the road.
Sunday, 13 December 2009
WWT London Wetland Centre, Barnes, London, 13/12/2009
1:30pm. Weather: dull, breezy, cold.
A free weekend allowed me to take Kim to the LWC for the first time. Closer than Rainham but not with the same variety of species, nonetheless a good day out.
Entrance Area:
Great Spotted Woodpecker - heard from the trees adjacent to the carpark.
Magpie, Crow, Starling, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Tufted Duck.
Goldfinch, Blackbird, Ring-Necked Parakeet.
Wildside:
Egyptian Goose - a pair over & away from the reserve.
Greenfinch, Wren (heard), Cormorant (over).
Hide:
Grey Heron, Teal, Little Grebe, Great-Crested Grebe.
Black-Headed Gull, Gadwall, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Shoveler, Common Gull.
Wildside:
Green Woodpecker, Robin, Blue Tit, Kestrel, Jackdaw, Mute Swan.
Towards Peacock Tower:
Bittern - along the path we passed a couple of obliging birders who pointed out its whereabouts & when we arrived at the viewing place another birder helped us point in the right direction. Although only a few reedstems from the water's edge the amazingly cryptic plumage still meant that it was perfectly well-concealed, just a suggestion of density with the naked eye & difficult to see even with a 'scope, though I could pick out the detailed plumage & was impressed with its almost russet & dark upper head & neck. It then skulked back & forth before the cold persuaded us to move on.
Water Rail - also heard from the reedbeds nearby.
Peacock Tower:
Wigeon - feeding on a grassy bank.
Woodpigeon, Lapwing, Herring Gull (1st winter).
36 species.
A free weekend allowed me to take Kim to the LWC for the first time. Closer than Rainham but not with the same variety of species, nonetheless a good day out.
Entrance Area:
Great Spotted Woodpecker - heard from the trees adjacent to the carpark.
Magpie, Crow, Starling, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Tufted Duck.
Goldfinch, Blackbird, Ring-Necked Parakeet.
Wildside:
Egyptian Goose - a pair over & away from the reserve.
Greenfinch, Wren (heard), Cormorant (over).
Hide:
Grey Heron, Teal, Little Grebe, Great-Crested Grebe.
Black-Headed Gull, Gadwall, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Shoveler, Common Gull.
Wildside:
Green Woodpecker, Robin, Blue Tit, Kestrel, Jackdaw, Mute Swan.
Towards Peacock Tower:
Bittern - along the path we passed a couple of obliging birders who pointed out its whereabouts & when we arrived at the viewing place another birder helped us point in the right direction. Although only a few reedstems from the water's edge the amazingly cryptic plumage still meant that it was perfectly well-concealed, just a suggestion of density with the naked eye & difficult to see even with a 'scope, though I could pick out the detailed plumage & was impressed with its almost russet & dark upper head & neck. It then skulked back & forth before the cold persuaded us to move on.
Water Rail - also heard from the reedbeds nearby.
Peacock Tower:
Wigeon - feeding on a grassy bank.
Woodpigeon, Lapwing, Herring Gull (1st winter).
36 species.
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