Late Winter Catch-up

After a flurry of trips out in January, February was a rather quieter affair. With just a couple of trips out and other jobs to do I've gotten rather lapse with the blog, but hopefully this will be the last summary type blog for a while.

Southrepps Common - 20th January

Directly next to my daughter's new nursery, Southrepps Common will probably become a regular spot as I take a 30 minute wander after drop off or pick up. This day however, Laura, Agnes and I had an extended walk of The Common and Lower Southrepps. The Common was rather quite bird wise with a work party tidying the reed beds and scrub. Warren Woods however held a few more birds including Goldcrest, Coal Tit and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Behind Warren Wood, Fieldfare, Redwing and Green Woodpecker were in the Paddocks and a decent size gull flock were on the ploughed fields.

Felbrigg NT - 24th January

Parking at the back of Felbrigg I couldn't walk a full lap of the lake due to ongoing improvements to the dam area, So I decided to walk via the Church. I still haven't managed to see any Little Owl by the Hall, only finding Jackdaw in every tree! 4 Mistle Thrush we near the Car Park and a mixed Fieldfare and Redwing flock flew over. Sadly at the foot of the Church tower a female Kestral has met her demise, can only imagine flying into the tower as despite the freezing temperatures the bird was still warm. The lake was frozen except a small area being patrolled by a coupe was swans. A Stonechat was below the dam and a unusual flock of c15 Meadow Pipit and 20+ Linnet were in the rough grazing. By the flooded meadow I found a delightful mixed flock of birds holding, Bullfinch, Brambling and Marsh Tit as well as the commoner finches, tits and thrushes.

Lynford / Santon Downham - 28th January

Working a night shift but waking at 6am I made the most of my day visiting the Brecks before starting work at 6pm. Starting off a Lynford Arboretum I first walked down towards the gravel pits, a few Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe and a Little Egret the only birds of note. But no sign of the previous weeks reported Gooseander. WAlking through the Arboretum a couple of Crossbill flew over, a flock of Siskin were near the bridge and a Nuthatch was on the feeders. A walk around the Paddocks offered very little with no sign of the 30+ reported Hawfinch, just a single Mistle Thrush, until a lone Hawfinch flew over.

Rather disappointed with Lynford, I decided to head to Sandton Downham to look for the long staying Great Grey Shrike, but despite a good number of birders on site the bird was not located. It has since taken up residence in Brandon Country Park nearby.

Lyng NWT - 28th January

With time before starting work I detoured on my way back to Norwich. But like Lynford the Goosander seen here recently also couldn't be located. However good numbers of small birds made up fore this including a very confiding Goldcrest, Bullfinch, Marsh Tit, Song Thrush and Greenfinch a once common bird not encountered often.

Cley NWT / Sheringham - 31st January

Cockley Cley / Lynford - 21st February

Every school holiday James Emerson and I try to catch up for a bit of old time birding. Following my rather disappointing trip to the Brecks of previous weeks I decided on a revisit. Our first stop was a well known Raptor hotspot near Cockley Cley. Despite the overcast conditions a few Buzzard were 'up' and after a short while a Goshawk quartered woodland giving prolonged views. Buoyed by this success we headed to a nearly site for Willow Tit, but despite 45 minutes or so of waiting by the feeders, the best we could manage was an interesting Marsh Tit and a Nuthatch. Walking further along the track a Muntjac Deer and Great Spotted Woodpecker were also seen.

With a few hours to kill before heading off to try and see the Kumlein's Gull at Lackford Lakes, we decided on a visit to Lynford. Lynford Water was once again quiet though a massive flock of Siskin seemed to surround us with sound. in the Paddocks we soon located a flock of c15 Hawfinch that gave good views feeding under a Hornbeam. A nice male Crossbill was seen drinking by the bridge before we headed off.

Lackford Lakes SWT - 21st February

Neither James or I had been to Lackford Lakes before, this was obvious but we eventually found ourselves in the car park. It was still early for gulls in the roost so we had a cup of tea and a chat with a volunteer in the visitor centre before exploring a bit of the reserve. WE spent some time viewing a scrape known as 'The Slough'. A large flock of c400 Lapwing were put up by a couple of Buzzard and a few Pochard were with the expected common waterfowl. Among these ducks James was drawn by a couple of slightly unusual looking Mallard. This were Roseybill x Mallard hybrids, something James was more interested in than myself, but still something different to see. Sitting by the Sailing Lake a few Black-headed Gull were already in the roost and were being joined by more birds all the time. After about an hour we had to give up with birds still arriving, the pleasant weather meant the bird arrivingng later than previous days. James did pick out a 1st-winter Caspian Gull, a Red Kite flew over and a Kingfisher whizzed by while we waited for the gulls to arrive.

Blickling NT - 26th February

Laura had an extra day off work and waking to a sunny morning we headed to Blickling for a morning walk. We walked the Park and Lake before enjoying a scone and tea, and athough the best birds were only a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Green Woodpecker it was a delightful couple of hours.