Saturday, 4 January 2025

NEW YEAR BIRDING IN NORFOLK

 I usually spend a few days with my sister at some point in the Christmas holidays so this year I travelled up to Cambridgeshire on New Year's Day. After a wet and windy New Year's day we agreed to spend the next two days visiting various  bird reserves in Norfolk as the forecast was for bright although frosty weather. 

So on the first day, I drove the 40 minute journey to the WWT Centre at Welney. We arrived before 10 o'clock when the centre was still fairly quiet and went upstairs to the viewing point in the cafe where  a range of feeders attract both house and tree sparrows, the latter being a species that I had missed in 2024 as we never got round to visiting Welney which is probably one of the best places to see them in that area.  We had also been told about some short eared owls, and we could also see one of these flying across some rough grass land in the distance. The telescope provided was very handy!  We also  saw a few cattle egrets fly onto the bank alongside the road..  it  was proving  a good start to the year!

Across the bridge we entered a warm hide to view the water where the Whooper swans often congregate along with numerous ducks and geese. However, there were only half a dozen in the distance and we were told by a warden that embarrassingly sometimes their swan feeds had not attracted any swans at all!  We had, however, already  seen good numbers in the fields surrounding the centre and at one of the other hides a pair of whoopers were providing better and closer views. 

We visited the hides which stretch along the a path and overlook the Ouse Washes, and noted various waders and wildfowl as well as a marsh harrier - our count just topped  30 species today.  

Before returning to the carpark, we decided to follow a path from the  visitor centre a little way along where we had been told that sometimes short eared owls roost in the hedges. We hadn't gone far before seeing a gentleman pointing his camera at an area of rough vegetation and he kindly pointed out a shape half hidden amongst some twigs - a roosting short eared owl. I just about managed a few photos though there were a few ill-positioned sticks ( from the photographers point of view!)  which made the picture slightly unclear in places.  We didn't stay long so as to avoid disturbance of the owl but were pleased to have had some good views. This was also a species which I hadn't seen until right at the end of last year so it was nice to have ticked it off so early in 2025. 

Returning home we stopped at Ouse Fen rspb reserve and took a walk around the reed beds. We did not locate any bearded tits (reedlings) but saw a few stonechats, a roe deer and some mute swans. Near the entrance to the reserve,  a handful of keen birders were searching for a lesser scaup amongst distant ducks on another pit but we didn't stay to look as we did not have a scope and certainly would not have been able to find it using just binoculars. 


a mix of house and tree sparrows

tree sparrow
tree sparrow




cattle egrets

whooper swan

view across reed beds at Welney WWT

short eared owl



mute swan at Ouse Fen

stonechat

view across reed bed at Ouse Fen

The following day also dawned clear and frosty but with a longer distance to travel we left an hour earlier and arrived at our destination - rspb Titchwell marsh at around 9.45 am. Again, there were less people than we expected at this time of year, but it did get busier as the day progressed. 

After showing membership cards and being welcomed at the centre we decided to visit the hides along the fen trail to start with. We asked  a warden who was returning   what we might expect to see and he took us back to a spot further along the path to show us - yes - another owl! This time it was a tawny owl, so hidden amongst ivy leaves that  you could only make out its brown feathers through binoculars when standing at a certain spot on the path!  

We didn't see anything else of note in that area so returned to the main path  which leads from the visitor centre in a direct line to the beach. However, there was plenty to see from the path, starting with a flock of noisy brent geese which flew into one of the lakes. It is species I am unlikely to see again this year unless visiting the east or south east coast. Sadly no bearded tits in the reed beds during our visit but one of the gullies by the path gave wonderful close views of a curlew, in fact similar to my last visit last  March. The freshmarsh hide was looking direct into the sun  so to it was hard to discern many of the bird species apart from greylags and gulls, but when walking along the path beside the saltmarsh, there a were a variety of waders present. These included redshanks, a greenshank, ringed plovers and  grey plovers. We also saw our first kingfisher of the year.  On our return along the same path I was looking at the curlew again and suddenly out of one of the channels. a slim black and white bird with long red legs suddenly made an appearance - the black winged stilt ( escapee) which  has been around the centre for a while but hadn't yet been reported that day. Raising my camera, it took off as I pressed the shutter, so we could not admire it for long but pleased to have had such a close view for just  few seconds! 

The tide was already receding quickly as we made out way through the dunes down the beach.  We could see oyster catchers, and black tailed godwits as well as a few sanderling running along the edge of the water but sadly were a bit late for close photos. A single turnstone flew past and landed just past the entrance to the beach but then flew off again. Further along  we could see crowds of birds, mainly gulls and godwits and a few smaller birds amongst them which could have been dunlins but too far to identify confidently.  Out at sea there were apparently some velvet scoter but with the rough waves it was very hard to make out any black 'blobs' which could have been the scoters, although there were quite a few birder with telescopes trying to describe their position to each other. Whilst watching, a single little egret flew past, trailing its yellow feet behind.

There are numerous places in Norfolk worth  a visit but with daylight being short and a journey home ahead  we decided to finish our day and go home. hopefully to return another time. All in all we felt it had been a productive couple of days with some good birds seen in perfect winter weather.

brent geese preening

shelduck

brent geese

 

grey plover

curlew





black winged stilt taking off!
  

..almost off camera
another black winged stilt at Slimbridge in 2023

curlew



                                                                            oyster catchers







 a mellee of gulls and godwits on the at the edge of the sea

a lone little egret

Monday, 23 December 2024

SLIMBRIDGE IN DECEMBER

 It's almost the end of the year and until today I hadn't seen a water rail to add to my yearly count. They tend to prefer the colder weather to emerge from the reeds and when I visited Slimbridge a few weeks back, I missed seeing one. Today, however, I thought that I might have a chance as the temperature registered only 3 degrees. So on my arrival just after the Centre opened I headed straight for the Willow Hide, from where water rails are regularly seen during the colder months. A few people were already in the hide, with a water rail in view which had just emerged further down a channel.  I found a good position to watch as it came towards the hide, probing the mud with its  red beak.  A pair of teal and a couple of moorhens were also beneath the feeders which were attracting sparrows, blue tits  and a dunnock. The water rail stayed around for a few minutes before hurriedly retreating. However, I didn't have to wait too long before it reappeared and stayed around for longer and gave some good opportunities for photos. 










Walking back to the Rushy Hide, there were no less than 4 species of swan present on the water,  Bewicks, Whooper, Mute, and a black Swan. They were located right at the back of the lake so hard to photograph, apart from the Bewicks, of which there had been 60 overnight.  Other species  of waterfowl included Canada geese, greylags, pintails, pochard, tufted ducks, mallard, shoveler and shelduck.  ( Some of the photos below were taken two weeks ago)

pintail m

shelduck

Bewicks swan

Bewicks swan


view of Rushy Pen


sleeping pintails

canada goose

wigeon f

wigeon m

redshanks

tufted duck

pintails


The weather was becoming more overcast so I decided to  visit the Discovery Hide overlooking South lake before returning home.  The lake seemed quite empty, a small flock of avocets, a few teal and shovelers  could be easily seen and,  standing motionless on a small rock at the end of the causeway was the juvenile spoonbill , asleep as usual.  I sat down for a rest on one of the comfy sofas in this insulated hide, and waited to see if it would stir, which it did after a while, showing its spoon shaped bill.  As I photographed it, the spoonbill suddenly took off and flew  to a small island further away. 

spoonbill




Monday, 28 October 2024

TRIP TO SUSSEX

 It's been a while since I've visited Sussex, so when a  friend suggested meeting up I decided to book an airbnb for a couple of nights near her before going on to stay with one of my daughters in Kent over half term. I also thought I'd try and include a couple of bird watching trips. 

So Thursday morning found me driving to Pulborough Brooks rspb reserve in West Sussex. It was a glorious sunny day and I pulled up in the car park soon after 10 a.m. Going out through the visitor centre I followed the path to the hides. Firstly I stopped at a special area where smaller birds are regularly fed...sunflower hearts had been put in various piles on  picnic tables and were being regularly visited by members of rhe tit family - great, blue and coal tits.  A bug hotel made from pallets was doubling up as a bird table with bird food put inside and visitors  to it included dunnocks and robins.

The hides looking over some pools  were busy with birders . Geese and ducks were numerous on the water whilst a cream crowned marsh harrier hunted over the reed beds. 

After enjoying soup from the café I made my way to another part of the reserve where a fungi trail had been created. Arrows pointed the way while information signs had been placed next to various types of fungi - I was amazed at all the different types!


My middle day (Friday) was originally planned to be  birding morning in Ashdown Forest. However a dismal day meant that there were very few birds about and my trip to Old Lodge nature reserve failed to produce ang birds at all! 















Saturday's birding trip sounded more promising despite a forecast of 30% rain. I had arranged to join a local rspb  group from East Grinstead on a visit to Rye harbour Nature reserve,  a large reserve on the coast. with a range of habitats. Fourteen of us met in the car park and I was made to feel welcome by the other group members. Although mainly cloudy there were a few patches of blue sky and no breeze and it felt mild. Hopefully the rain would hold off as it was a very open area ,the only shelter being the hides.

We headed down the wide track onto the reserve and didn't need to go far before we found our first birding area, a small stream. A Cettis warbler was calling intermittently and a kingfisher perched on one of the overhanging branches for a while before flying off again. A bit further on we stopped to look over to some pools  where we watched redshanks, little egret, spoonbills and  curlew amongst the various ducks. 

We continued walking slowly until someone spotted a fast flying merlin which flew down and perched on a distant log amongst the rough grass in the fenced off area to the right of the path. It sat motionless for some time before flying up on to a wooden post about 20 - 30 metres from the path. People were walking past regularly but it seemed unbothered. One of our group with a big camera and lens decided to walk ahead of the group to get a closer look so I joined him and we were able to get some very good views and some photos.  I've only seen a merlin a few times and certainly never that close. The rest of the group caught us up and we were all treated to excellent views through telescopes owned by several of the group.  Suddenly the bird left its perch and flew at speed after a goldfinch though we couldn't  see whether it was successful as it disappeared over a building.

We made our way across some wooden planks up on to a shingle bank above the sea. The tide was coming in and we could see groups of small waders at the waters edge. These included ringed plovers and a single sanderling as well as a few gulls and oyster catchers though not near enough for photographing. We returned on a different route and entered a  hide where several people ate their lunch though I hadn't brought mine with me. We saw several little grebes feeding right in front of the hide as well as a little egret. Various ducks and geese were on the islands as well as a few more waders including black tailed godwits and dunlin. 

On the way back to the start we found a pair of stonechats perching on fence posts and had  a pleasant surprise when a dartford warbler appeared, flitting about in the scrub behind the fence.

All in all an enjoyable and productive day with a couple more species new for the year. 












NEW YEAR BIRDING IN NORFOLK

  I usually spend a few days with my sister at some point in the Christmas holidays so this year I travelled up to Cambridgeshire on New Yea...