Still Birding from home

This last week with Laura at home some days I've managed to go for a walk either before or after my shift at work. The effects of 'lockdown', not being able to go far, continuous childcare, generally not being able to get much done and the cancelling of at least one holiday has started to catch up with me, so these couple of walks from home have given me some much needed alone time.

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