Around Watton & Lynford Arboretum – Friday 6th February 2015
Was I glad to get out today. Having had to wait in all week waiting to have a new shower fitted, I was beginning to climb up the walls. There was a time when getting out a couple of times a month was a real luxury but now I am retired and by and large housebound getting out as often as possible has become far more important to me. When I was able, I used to love walking but now I have restricted mobility it has been brought home to me that you really have to make the most of every opportunity.
What made it a really good day today was that, not only was I getting out of my prison cell for the day we were being joined by our Son, Drew and Willow his dog. We decided to stay local, we were hoping to go to Santon Downham to have another crack at the Great Gey Shrike but has it had not been reported there for a few days we decided that would be a non-starter.
Drew took some pictures in the garden. It was good to have such an accomplished and well qualified photographer with us. Jan and I are very much amateurs and sometimes (most times) our efforts are patchy to say the least but we enjoy what we do and sharing them with you.
Blue Tit, House Sparrow & Robin - Drew's Pictures In Our Garden
We left home about 11.45am and it was quite a bright day with the temperature fluctuating between 5-6˚C. As usual we saw many Corvids both on the ground and in the sky as we made our way to The Arms at Bodney Drew’s keen eyesight soon picked out 2 Buzzards circling on the thermals above a copse and we stopped to watch a flock of Pied Wagtails (15 or so - the collective noun for them is a charm but I have seen suggestions such as a waggle or crust) land on a manure heap to feed on the insects.
It was as we turned North into Cressingham Road at Bodney that things started to happen. We came across a large mixed flock of small birds (200+) flittng along and between the hedgerows on both sides of the road. As we watched them we could pick out Bramblings, Yellowhammers, Chaffinches, Reed Buntings, Blue Tits and Great Tits.
Cressingham Road - Looking North Towards Bodney
Live Update: As I’m writing this at 7.45am on Monday 9th February, I’ve just seen a Goldfinch, 2 Great Tits and 2 Long Tailed Tits on our feeders – nothing special you might think but since we’ve had the large number of House Sparrows (up to 30) feeding in our garden since last Summer there has been a dearth of other birds.
Cressingham Road - Looking South Towards Little Cressingham
Back to Friday: It was impossible to film or photograph them from the car because every time we got within range they just moved on. In the end we parked up and Drew stalked the birds hoping for a good shot but they were still as flighty. Whilst Jan and I waited in the car we saw a Yellowhammer and more Corvids including a Jay who flew off into a small copse of trees.
Drew's Picture Of A Reed Bunting Part Of A Large Flock Of Birds
It is interesting to note that our fellow Watton resident and expert birder and photographer also talks about a similar experience in roughly the same location in his blog of Sunday 8th February but his sighting had a thrilling conclusion. You can read about it here:
When Drew returned we carried on North up the Cressingham Road until we parked up at Watton Brook. We saw another 2 Buzzards (more than likely the first two we had seen) and 8 or 9 Fieldfares in a tree. We also saw 3 Hares, 2 in the field in front of us and the other one in a field across the road from us. We could also see 100s of Corvids in the fields ahead of us. All during this time the air was filled with various Gulls, Corvids and Wood Pigeons.
As we travelled North along Cressingham Road we saw a Kestrel on the wires where we have seen one several times. I got a short video of him before he flew off. We saw another Kestrel a bit further along the road, which was possibly the same bird. We moved onto the Ford at Hilborough where Drew took Willow for a short walk and we parked up looking into a field. We first heard a Buzzard calling and then Jan spotted one riding the thermals high in the sky and then I noticed a second one trying to find a thermal to rise on. It could have been the same two birds we had seen earlier as these birds cover vast areas but I think they were two different birds. We also saw very briefly two small birds which were probably Goldcrests but we didn’t see them for long enough to positively identify them.
We made a brief diversion to Ickburgh to our new favourite place where I filmed a Mute Swan Cygnet which was in the process of moulting into its adult feathers but it still didn’t have any colour to its beak, so this was its first Winter.
Carrying onto Lynford Arboretum where Jan and Drew attempted to see the male Hawfinch which has been seen around the five bar gate and although they heard him they didn’t manage to spot him. They did see Nuthatches, Blue Tits, Great Tits and Jan saw a Goldcrest. While I was waiting in the car I saw a couple of Grey Squirrels and plenty of Wood Pigeons.
Around The Feeders Lynford Arboretum
After some suitably warm refreshments we returned home seeing a Roe Deer Hind in a field of Sheep along the Watton Road. Quite a coincidence really as earlier we had been discussing whether Deer would feed in the same field as Sheep.
It had been a reasonably good day but nothing was particularly close although it had been good to share it with Drew.
Answer to The Quiz
The link is Circus. The three species of raptor known as Harriers that breed in Britain are Montagu’s (named after Lt-Col. George Montagu). Hen (domesticated chickens are descended from the Asian Red Jungle-Fowl). Marsh: The scientific generic name of all three Harriers is Circus – Circus pygargus, Circus cyaneus and Circus aeruginosus).
Next question after the weekend’s blog entry. Keep your eyes peeled and good spotting.
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