RobboJan's Naturetrek: Surprise Sighting

Home & Thetford Forest – Saturday 21^st February 2015

We had 3 Long Tailed Tits on the feeders at home today and a visit from 2 Stock Doves, which are fairly regular visitors to our garden.

Wood Pigeon & 2 Stock Doves

Stock Dove

We had to get some shopping in Thetford this afternoon so we decided to have a few detours on the way. We left home about 3.30pm it was overcast with occasional showers and brighter spells, the temperature was 7˚C.

Dramatic Clouds Over Watton This Afternoon

We made our way through Merton and Thompson seeing plenty of Corvids, Wood Pigeons and Llamas (there are a few places that keep them in Thompson).

Then we we went around what we call the triangle in Thetford Forest between Hockham and Wretham. We were a little surprised by how many people were around, well it was the last weekend of the half-term holidays and you can’t blame people for getting out and about but it meant our usual spotting sites were a bit overcrowded. We drove up to the range gates but there were red flags and sentries so we didn’t stop there either.

Making our way down the second side of the triangle we pulled into one of the ride entrances to have our coffee. It started to sleet at one point so we weren’t very hopeful of any sightings, Jan could hear some birdsong but it was high up in the canopy of the forest. As we were finishing off our coffee I just noticed a movement in the trees about 200 metres in front of us and gradually, at first, one Roe Deer Hind appeared and then two others, then a fourth but this one was a juvenile in its first winter. It was smaller than the other three and her ears looked too big for her head, she had a little more growing to do.

Our Coffee Stop

We watched them for about twenty minutes as they fed around a small clearing in the trees frustratingly partially hidden behind some trees. I did manage to get some footage of them but obviously the light was quite poor and by and large they were obscured by the vegetation but none the less it was a privilege to see them so close in the forest. Then just as stealthily as they appeared they melted back into the forest. It was just such a lovely but lucky sighting which makes all our nature watching just so worthwhile and such a privilege.

Driving around to East Wretham Church we had another beautiful sighting. Jan saw a bird in the roadside trees and as we approached it glided off in the unmistakable manner of a raptor, it was a female Kestrel and for the next 10-15 minutes it was probably no more than 30 metres from us but unfortunately the sun was low, bright and right behind her. As we tried to edge closer to her she would just glide to the next tree but then she swooped down onto something on the road picked it up and then sat on the fence while she examined her find. We pulled over but just before we could get any footage of her she was off again but this time out of our sight. Another privilege to be able to get so close to a beautiful Kestrel. We were only able to do it because the lane is so lightly used.

Moving onto the church we could see plenty of small birds flitting between the feeders in the few houses around the church and then back into the safety of the bigger trees and hedges, we could only identify a few Blue Tits. We didn’t linger too long in respect of the privacy of the houses there. A lesson that many so called “Twitchers” could do with learning not only in respect of other people but also for the wildlife that they are observing.

As we continued up the lane I heard the sound of a raptor in the trees over to our left but we couldn’t see what made the noise and Jan saw a Jay briefly.

We had one last stop before our shopping which was at East Wretham Heath which at first site looked devoid of life until you looked more closely, it was only then that you could pick out the hundreds of Rabbits busily keeping this important environment in pristine condition. Unfortunately we are losing much of our natural Heathland which is so important for so many species. Sadly we are also losing much of the richness of the biodiversity of our wildlife which is the very thing that makes this country so beautiful with its natural fauna and flora.

Clouds Over East Wretham Heath

East Wretham Heath

As we made our way to the supermarket we saw hundreds of Corvids and Starlings on the fields and in the trees having their last meal before roosting.

Once again a few hours being “Out There” proved so profitable and enjoyable and I know I’ve already said it a couple of times in this entry but such a privilege to engage with and observe the wildlife of our land. My only regret is that I am restricted to the car, I would like nothing more than to wander through the forest off of the beaten track but I am thankful for what I can do and I can only do that because Jan makes it possible for me.