2nd May - Pigneys Wood (walk)
Pigneys Wood is probably my closest accessible area of marsh albeit not that large, and with a pleasant walk along the old railway line makes for a nice walk. The old Canal is this area has been further opened up and is now part of a larger circular walk from the town and unsurprisingly it was rather busy, most people stayed their distance but the amount of dogs of leads was frustrating. I picked up the expected resident birds on the edge of town and alone the old line. A pair of Marsh Tit the highlight, detracted collecting food allowed me to approach quite close. On the reserve it was by the reed bed that i heard then saw my first Reed Warbler of the year. It was joining in a chorus with Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler and Cetti's Warbler. Walking home past the water sports activity lake I saw Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Blackcap a birds I've surprisingly not seen much of yet.
3rd May - Spa Common - Ebridge (cycle/walk)
This is another area of the Old North Walsham and Dilham Canal with increased access. I decided to cycle to Spa Common and walk from there rather than recover previous days ground. I stopped off at North Walsham Sewage Works, it was all rather quiet with only a few Gulls, the probable reason being two Buzzard perched by the edge of one of the beds. Down by the Canal I first checked near the bridge for Grey Wagtail, I fear that the increased people walking here my have disturbed their nesting site of recent years. Walking towards Ebridge I heard my second Cuckoo of the year and so located it perched high above the marsh. Despite the overcast conditions a small group of c20 Swallow and House Martin swirled above Ebridge Mill Pool. Segde Warbler, Reed Warbler and a Cetti's Warbler sang from the reeds, and joining the Willow Warbler song from the scrub was the distinctive reel of a Grasshopper Warbler, although I couldn't see it a new 'lockdown' bird. This swiftly followed by a Swift and Grey Wagtail as new 'lockdown' ticks. From the Mill I cycled home seeing nothing else of note.
4th May - Swafield - Bradfield (walk)
Looking for a different route around the local 'Quiet Lanes, I first walked to Swafield, then followed the back roads to Bradfield and back to North Walsham. The road from Swafield to Bradfield is lined with paddocked so I hoped mayb for a Yellow Wagtail, in the event this section of the walk was very quiet with only a Goldcrest of any note. Near Bradfield Beck is a lovely area of damp woodland full of Bluebells and Wild Garlic, the smell was amazing and combine with the song of the the birds i could have forgotten we where amidst a pandemic. Among this woodland chatter was the call of another new 'lockdown' bird, a Nuthatch briefly seen in the canopy. Near the edge of Bradfield village I investigated a roadside Badger sett and noted 3 male Blackcap in a short length of hedge. A pair of Greenfinch are a rare sight so nice to see. Looking at some unusual flowers in the margin of a field of beans, i noticed a distant dark raptor, assuming it was one of the numerous local Buzzard i paid it little attention photoing the flowers. It was almost above me when I again looked at the bird, it was a Black Kite, most probably the bird that has been seen around Norfolk in recent weeks, but still totally unexpected. The walk home saw me use a regular walked section of the 'Quite Lanes' seeing more Blackcap, a Garden Warbler and hearing a Cuckoo for the second day in a row. The plants turned out to be Crimson Clover and Blue Tansy, often planted as part of cover or pollinator crops.
5th May - Happisburgh (cycle)
After an emergency trip to the opticians, Agnes and I went on an intended short bike ride, the plan visit East Ruston Heath to look for Snakes and Lizards. Heading out of town i decided we could call at another area of heath en route at Crostwright. The was a rather cool NE wind blowing which made cycling rather hard work, in the cooler conditions we didn't see any basking Adders and i only saw two lizard cutting of fin a hurry. Taking a wrong turn we were not far from my brother's house near Happisburgh, so we had a quick (distanced) catch up in the garden along with refreshing drink before cycling home. Two Grey Partridge in the fields near East Ruston were a rare sight, unlike the small covey of Red-legged Partridge further along the road. Finally at East Ruston Heath I contented myself looking at he large pool and reedbed rather than the heathland as I had already been out much longer than intended. A massive mixed group of Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin and Swift wheeled away overhead and a lone Tufted Duck was the only wild fowl seen. Near Meeting Hill I heard my forth Cuckoo of the week.
094 - Lockdown Total
174 - Norfolk Year Total
174 - Britain Year Total
