WWT Welney, Cranwich Heath, Little Cressingham & Threxton
Thursday 16th April 2015
Avocet
After three days of being cooped up I was glad to be able to get out today and it was good to have Jan home.
We left home at 12.10pm contrary to the weather forecast it was a lovely sunny day with the odd light cloud, a slight breeze and a temperature of 15˚C. On our way to Welney we saw 2 Orange Tip Butterflies, Magpies, Kestrel, Lapwings and Mute Swans.
Lady Fen (WWT Welney)
When we arrived at Welney we had a light lunch which we were able to have out on the verandah overlooking Lady Fen where we saw Shovellers, 2 Avocets, 2 Little Egrets, Mallard, Lapwings, Goldfinch, Reed Buntings, Coots, Mistle Thrush and 2 Mute Swans.
I had the use of the reserve’s mobility scooter which meant we could get to both ends of the reserve, it was really great to be out in the open, Jan even dispensed with her coat! We decided to go the Lyle Hide but it took us a long time to get there because we were quite interested in the insect life. There were Peacock, Small White and Small Tortoiseshells about. One of the Peacocks we saw was quite a bit bigger than the others, obviously one that had hibernated over the Winter. We also saw three types of Bumble Bee; White Tailed, Common Carder and the Shrill Carder. We also saw an enormous Bumble Bee that was obviously a Queen looking for a nesting site.
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly
When we eventually got to the Lyle Hide we were quite amazed to see 20+ Avocets, I’ve never seen so many in one place at the same time. There were also about a dozen Black Tailed Godwits all in their beautiful breeding colours. From this hide we also saw Teal, Mallard, Mute Swans, Pied Wagtail, Buzzard, Herons, Little Egrets, Swallow (our first of the year) and a possible Bonaparte Gull. I’m not too sure about Gulls but although it was with some Black Headed Gulls it was slightly different from them. If it was a Bonaparte it is a rare vagrant from the U.S.A. We do get a few in the UK but not many. We also heard a Green Woodpecker a few times.
Shrill Carder Bee
We then went to the other end of the reserve to the Reed Bed Hide. The last time we were here the water was nearly at the hide but now there was very little except for a stream. On the approach to the hide we saw 3 Reed Warblers. From the hide we saw Lapwing, Crows, Jackdaws, Mute Swans, Cormorants, Shelduck and Wood Pigeon. As we left the hide we saw a Wren and on the way back to the Visitor Centre we saw a Blackcap, Great Tit, Wren, Robin, Blue Tit, Chaffinch and a Reed Bunting.
Black Tailed Godwits
At the Visitor Centre we saw a Hare on Lady Fen. Before we left the reserve we had a look at the pond outside the centre hoping to see a Water Vole but apart from a few hole there was no evidence of any activity.
An Interesting Place To Look For Bugs & Nature's Art
As we made our way home we saw 3 Skylarks, Buzzard, Mallard and Mute Swans.
We had a stop at Cranwich Heath to finish off our flask of coffee. We saw Crows, Rabbits, Magpies, Wood Pigeon and Jan heard a Raptor calling from the forest behind us.
Death
Our next stop on our way home got a bit exciting. We stopped at the bridge over the Brook at Little Cressingham on the Great Cressingham Road. Before us laid a scene of rural tranquillity; ahead there was a field of obviously very pregnant Ewes with 4 very white recently born Lambs with some tiny Rabbits frolicking around in the field. It was the same to our right, in a field a bit further away we could see 4 Hares chasing around, the air was full of bird song with especially a Robin that was singing very close to our car whom we never saw. The pleasant evening sky was punctuated by lines of Corvids making their way to to their roosts and at one point we heard the sounds of Swans flying in their individual way but all that was about to change very dramatically.
Silhouette Of The Red Kite
Jan thought she saw a Buzzard being mobbed by Crows and it was carrying something, but that it didn’t quite look right for a Buzzard, I caught a quick glimpse of the bird as it passed behind us on our right. My first thought was perhaps it was a Goshawk. Jan started to film the bird in some trees behind us; she said whatever it had it wasn’t very big and it was probably a bird as the Raptor was plucking the feathers from it.
New Life
At almost the same time as Jan saw the Raptor a Ewe in the field in front of us started to look very uncomfortable her waters broke and she got up and started to paw and lick the ground and then laid down again; she was obviously just about to give birth and before our our eyes and about 100 or so metres from us she gave birth to a Lamb which she licked and pulled the sacking from it. This continued for some time with the newly born Lamb attempting to unsuccessfully get up but eventually after many attempts and many falls the Lamb did get up and started to shakily suckle from the Ewe before falling again. This continued for some time. I think Jan was torn what to watch the birth or the Raptor. The Lamb gradually gained more strength and was able to suckle more strongly from the Ewe.
When I asked Jan about the Raptor she was filming she said it had just flown off and just as she said that it landed on the tree right in front of us. Immediately I could see what wasn’t right with the”Buzzard.” It wasn’t a Buzzard or a Goshawk, it was a Red Kite and it was still busily plucking its prey.
Orb Spider Weaves Her Web
We lost all sense of time and must have sat there for a good 45-60 minutes watching the mystery of life and death unfold before our very eyes. The Red Kite eventually flew off towards Bodney. We could see no tags so this was not a released bird. I did get the impression that it looked a bit tatty but I’m sure the meal it had just eaten would help that.
While all this was happening my wedding ring came off my finger, fortunately into the car (a result of recent weight loss) and during this time we also heard a Green Woodpecker and saw a Yellowhammer and a Pied Wagtail. Also one of the other Ewes in the field who had also been looking extremely uncomfortable rolled on her side and appeared to be quite motionless. At one point we feared she had died but by the time we left this incredible scene she was up and about and busily eating. The newly born Lamb was now looking stronger and suckling greedily.
Sun Going Down
While all this was happening the Sun was going down behind the trees causing a very memorable sunset. We made our way home but it wasn’t quite over as we went along Fairstead Lane towards Little Cressingham, a Hare ran in front of us into the field. As we went through Threxton we saw a Greylag, 3 Hares and a Muntjac Deer.
What We Saw:
Kestrel (3)
Magpie (5)
Lapwing (Too many to count)
Moorhen (Several)
Mute Swan (Too many to count)
Shoveler (8 pairs)
Little Egrets (8)
Avocets (30)
Goldfinch (10)
Reed Bunting (2)
Coot (Too many to count)
Black Tailed Godwits (20)
Teal (6 pairs)
Mallard (Too many to count)
Pied Wagtail (3)
Swallow (2)
Buzzard (3)
Cormorant (10)
Bonaparte Gull (Possible)
Black Headed Gull (Too many to count)
Wood Pigeon (Too many to Count)
Heron (6)
Reed Warblers (3)
Whooper Swan (4)
Shelduck (Too many to count)
Wren (2)
Blackcap (2)
Great Tit (Several)
Blue Tit (Several)
Robin (Several)
Chaffinch (Several)
Skylarks (3)
Crows (Too many to count)
Rooks (Too many to count)
Jackdaws (Too many to count)
Red Kite (1)
Yellowhammer (1)
Greylag (Too many to count)
Green Woodpeckers (2 heard)
Hares (9)
Muntjac Deer (1)
Orange Tip Butterfly (2)
Small White Butterfly (2)
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly (12)
Peacock Butterfly (10)
White Tailed Bumblebee (Too many to count)
Common Carder Bee (Too many to count)
Shrill Carder Bee (2)
Sunset Over Great Cressingham
All in all a good and satisfying day out in the field. Keep your eyes peeled and good spotting.
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