I duly arrived there at 9.15 a.m. and found that the visitor centre only opens from April, but I managed to pick up the last available map of the reserve. I headed firstly to the lower hide, but apart from robins and a few great tits and blue tits, all was quiet and the pond was frozen. I then decided to walk the short trail, lesser spotted woodpeckers have been seen there but none were about today, so I then made my way to the Campbell hide, which is a raised hide overlooking a pond where sometimes deer or wild boar come to drink.
A couple from Luton were in the hide; we saw mistle thrushes, great tits and blue tits, robins and a short glimpse of a hawfinch. I opened the window on the opposite side and in the distance spotted some movements behind the trees.. some young wild boar! We watched up to four of them and then saw a large dark adult pass them which they followed, and then we realised there were not four but a dozen young following them!
view from the first hide with a frozen pond
the raised Campbell hide
Another frozen pond in front of the hide
a glimpse of a wildboar piglet
My next stop was New Fancy view , a panoramic viewpoint which looks across the tops of a mainly coniferous forest where it is often possible to see goshawks displaying at this time of year as well as species such as crossbills, and ravens. However all was quiet and I went away disappointed this time, possibly the cold wind was a factor.
It was lunch time by the time I arrived at Speech House Woodland carpark, and at the entrance some photographers immediately caught my attention; they were photographing four wild boar which were foraging in the ground between the carpark and main road. They appeared very used to people and took no notice of them, even taking food from their hands! I hastily got out my camera and took some shots although they seemed reluctant to move anywhere else. Among the piglets were numbers of thrushes, including redwings and blackbirds which were obviously attracted by the turning over of the ground by the wild boar
song thrush
redwing
After eating my picnic lunch, I asked the way to Crabtree Hill where I hoped to catch sight of a great grey shrike which inhabits the area during the winter months. I was told to follow the path, and I'd find the way as there were sure to be lots of other birders.
Well, I saw hardly anyone, and ended up at an area close to Woorgreens Lake which I visited a year or two ago. I knew I was not too far away but was unsure which path to take, but thankfully a warden was on hand to tell me to back track a little and then follow some steps down through some open heath land and to a track where I would need to bear left.
I did this and arrived at a track; having taken a left turning I then spotted a path on the right which looked as if it might lead me to the place I was looking for. I took this path but still no photographers in sight! I continued walking and began to wonder if I was in the wrong place... then I saw it... a white shape at the top of a small fir tree about 50 metres ahead.
Looking through my binoculars I could see that it was the great grey shrike I was looking for!
I managed a few photos before it flew off as a man and his dog were on a path the other side of the shrubby area. I was able to get nearer again before it flew off and landed at a distance. Meanwhile I had been joined by another birder. Yet another photographer appeared from the other end of the plantation and the bird then flew in a direction back toward the way I had come. I didn't spot where it had landed but kept walking and then looking back realised that the two photographers behind me had stopped and were looking at the top of the tree I had just passed under.. . there it was sitting at the top, silhouetted against the blue sky and I was in a prime position with the sun behind me. A few photographs later and I was happy to return to the car park, where the wild boar were still around, but having moved to the other side of the carpark.
great grey shrike
My final stop was at Cannop Ponds, a beauty spot next to a couple of large ponds which are known for their mandarin ducks. It had warmed up quite a bit and it was in fact turning into a very pleasant afternoon. I took a few photos and walked a little way around the ponds, before deciding to make my way home again.
views across Cannop ponds
female mandarin duck
male mandarin duck
mandarin duck pair
A quick stop at Plock Court to see if the penduline tit was there, but from the car park I could see that no one was taking any photos or looking through binoculars but rather were looking hopefully around or returning to their cars, and I realised that it was obviously not there.
All in all an enjoyable day out.
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