Not As Productive As Usual But A Good Day Out All The Same

Croxton Heath, Santon Downham & Ickburgh – Tuesday 10^th March 2015

Nursery Web Spider

Our nature watching got off to an a good start this morning by seeing this Nursery Web Spider, our first of 2015.

We left home at 12.10pm. The temperature was 11˚C and it was a gloriously sunny day with not too much wind.

We saw a Kestrel resplendent in the sunshine on top of a tree just past Wayland Wood and another nearer East Wretham. At East Wretham we saw a Wren busily hunting insects in the Brambles. We also came across an Egyptian Goose, 2 Pied Wagtails and 2 Magpies near East Wretham Village Hall. As we continued along the road we came across about 6 Guinea Fowl lined up on a wall which eventually joined another 4 in a garden. 

Croxton Heath

We decided that our main thrust today would be to see if we could spot any Adders or Lizards enjoying this beautiful day. We weren’t very successful but I think this was mainly due to the fact that I can’t walk very far so we didn’t really get far enough onto the Heath at Croxton. We were trying to emulate our fellow Wattonian, Paul Newport, who had a much more successful day than us on Saturday. You can read his blog here: http://brecklandbirder.blogspot.co.uk. I did see a Buzzard soaring high in the sky over the Heath until an approaching military helicopter forced it much higher. We did see a few small birds flitting about on the Heath but never close enough to identify them except for a Great Tit in some Brambles.

We then moved just around the corner to Fowl Mere which is on the M.O.D. STANTA Battle Training Ground. You can just about see it from the road but I think you can walk a little way along the perimeter fence to get a better look at it. We could certainly hear the Wildfowl on it but we were more interested in watching a Jay in a roadside tree just inside the perimeter fence. It was unusual because Jays are normally very shy birds moving away from people quite quickly but this one seemed unphased by us watching him as he was watching something in the grass beneath him which he dropped upon and then took it back to its perch in the tree to eat. I couldn’t see exactly what it was but it looked quite big and I couldn’t help wondering if he’d had more success than we had in finding a Lizard.

The Devil's Punchbowl

We parked up at The Devil’s Punchbowl which was a new place for us. This is a deep depression in the ground that has some water in it but unlike the many Pingos in our area this isn’t a Pingo it is a “doline” and I quote from Stephen MacKay on: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/182980

The Devil's Punchbowl

“The Devil's Punchbowl. This is a classic example of a doline caused by ground subsidence in areas with limestone bedrock. They are numerous in the Norfolk breckland where the bedrock consists of chalk beneath a cover of glacial till. At different times the Devil's Punchbowl is filled with water or is dry, depending on the level of the water table. The concentric rings indicate the water level at different times.”

After my earlier exertions at walking on the Heath, I couldn’t manage another walk to have a look at it but after we had our lunch Jan had a walk to have a look. While we were having our lunch there were a couple of Long Tailed Tits in the tree in front of us and a couple of Crows who appeared to be doing what the Jay had done earlier. Jan also saw a couple of Chaffinches.

Santon Downham

Having made a detour to Thetford to refuel the car we decided to have another look at Santon Downham for the Great Grey Shrike which seems to be moving between there and Grimes’ Graves. It had been reported at Santon Downham for the last two days. This time we parked above the railway line and Jan approached the river from the Disabled Pathway while I waited in the car. Jan was gone quite a while and I was hopeful that she had seen the Shrike but when she returned, she’d had no joy. Jan had been able to see the Reed Beds where it had been reported but couldn’t see any sight of it. I on the other hand, back in the car, had been entertained by about 5 Squirrels chasing around. I know these animals are considered a pest, especially in the forest but they always make me smile and yes I would prefer them to be Red Squirrels. We also saw another Kestrel, Jackdaws, Crows, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Chaffinches, Goldfinches and Blackbirds. Jan also got a short video of 4 USAF F-15 Eagles on their way back to Lakenheath.

Santon Downham

For the last hour of daylight we went to Ickburgh and although we saw a pair of Egyptian Geese fly over and some Crows there was very little else moving. We then returned home via Threxton but there were no more sightings.

River Wissey Ickburgh

Although not such a good day it was just so good to be out on such a Spring-like day and if we hadn’t have been out we wouldn’t have seen any of it. So get out there, keep your eyes peeled and good spotting.

Sunset At Ickburgh