Friday, 24 February 2017

Broadwater Warren

This was my third visit to this rapidly developing new reserve, and I am really starting to love it. There is a marvellous patchwork of habitats including heathland, Alder dominated mire woodland, Birch woodland, stands of Scots Pine and some ancient woodland.


A splendid male Common Crossbill.

I also saw Marsh Tits, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Woodcock (a lifetime first for me) and a fantastic flock of 50+ Lesser redpolls.

Birch woodland.

Scots Pine.


Lesser Redpolls.


The iron rich stream in the mire woodland stains the water orange. In the foreground of the second picture is a clump of Greater Tussock Sedge Carex paniculata.

Tuesday, 21 February 2017

February Half-term 2017: Bird List

I managed to see 101 species this half-term. This was a new record, exceeding the previous total of 86 species from the same period last year. It is also the highest total for a half-term holiday, my previous best being 98 from Whitsun last year.

Singing Nuthatch, Oxburgh Hall Norfolk.

There was one lifetime first, which was the Cuckmere Haven Twite, my 427th species.

Goldcrest at Oxburgh Hall Norfolk.

In addition to the Twite, there were several new species added to my year list:
Waxwing
White-fronted Goose
Red-legged Partridge
Marsh Tit
Crossbill
Hawfinch
Egyptian Goose
Pink-footed Goose
Hen Harrier
Barn Owl
Golden Plover
Gannet
These species took my year total to 126.

Siskin at Felbrigg Hall.

Full Bird List:
Mute Swan Cygnus olor 
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus 
White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons 
Greylag Goose Anser anser 
Canada Goose Branta canadensis 
Brent Goose Branta bernicla 
Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca 
Shelduck Tadorna tadorna 
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope 
Gadwall Anas strepera 
Eurasian Teal Anas crecca 
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata 
Common Pochard Aythya ferina 
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula 
Goosander Mergus merganser 
Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa 
Grey Partridge Perdix perdix 
Pheasant Phasianus colchicus 
Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta 
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus 
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 
Red Kite Milvus milvus 
Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus 
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus 
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus 
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo 
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus 
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 
Coot Fulica atra 
Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus 
European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria 
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus 
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima
Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus 
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago 
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata 
Common Redshank Tringa totanus 
Turnstone Arenaria interpres 
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus 
Common Gull Larus canus 
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans 
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 
Stock Dove Columba oenas 
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus 
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto 
Barn Owl Tyto alba 
Kingfisher Alcedo atthis 
Green Woodpecker Picus viridis 
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major 
Magpie Pica pica 
Jay Garrulus glandarius 
Jackdaw Corvus monedula 
Rook Corvus frugilegus 
Carrion Crow Corvus corone 
Raven Corvus corax 
Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus 
Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus 
Great Tit Parus major 
Coal Tit Periparus ater 
Marsh Tit Poecile palustris 
Skylark Alauda arvensis 
Shore Lark Eremophila alpestris 
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus 
Goldcrest Regulus regulus 
Wren Troglodytes troglodytes 
Nuthatch Sitta europaea 
Treecreeper Certhia familiaris 
Starling Sturnus vulgaris 
Blackbird  Turdus merula 
Fieldfare Turdus pilaris 
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos 
Redwing Turdus iliacus 
Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus 
Robin Erithacus rubecula 
European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola 
Dunnock Prunella modularis 
House Sparrow Passer domesticus 
Pied Wagtail Motacilla yarelli
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis 
Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus 
Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta 
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs 
Greenfinch Chloris chloris 
Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis 
Siskin Spinus spinus 
Linnet Linaria cannabina 
Twite Linaria flavirostris
Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra 
Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes 
Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus 
Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra 

February Half-term 2017: Highlights

Nine days of exciting experiences in the natural world.

Mute Swans at Holkham Pines NNR.

The weather this half-term has been very kind, and after a cold start the mild temperatures have enabled me to get outside a great deal. I even caught the sun a little on Saturday 18th, which is probably a first for me in February.

There have been many highlights. I was delighted to see Brown Hares on three different occasions on my trip to Norfolk, my first for years. In addition I also saw Muntjac and Sika Deer.

A visit to Lynford Arboretum, also in Norfolk, generated Crossbill, Hawfinch and a Marsh Tit.

Distant view of four Hawfinches at Lynford Arboretum.

After seeing Purple Sandpipers for the first time in January I had great views of a pair at Sheringham.

Purple Sandpipers at Sheringham.

A visit to Holkham Pines National Nature Reserve on the north Norfolk coast is always rewarding: Three Red Kites lifting thousands of Lapwing and an incredible group of about a dozen Snipe that circled over me several times, huge flocks of grazing Wigeon which were remarkably approachable, and Marsh Harriers too.

A Red Kite causing panic among a flock of Lapwing at Holkham.

I was lucky enough to have great views of a Peregrine at Norwich cathedral, as it perched on the spire and sporadically harried the local pigeons.
Peregrine on the spire of Norwich cathedral.

I also had distant but thrilling views of my first male Hen Harrier near Horsey. Previously I have only seen juveniles or female birds

All in all a fantastic week. Here are my top five Wildlife Wonders:

#5 Hunting Barn Owl, Horsey 15th February.

Close views this marvellous species hunting in full daylight. The bird silently quartered an area of rough grassland occasionally hovering and then diving down.

#4 Twite, Cuckmere Haven 11th February.

A lifetime first, my 427th species. Such perfect camouflage it was impossible to see until it moved. Fantastic yellow beak.

#3 Shore Larks, Holkham Pines NNR 15th February.

I was delighted to find this reported flock of over twenty birds. Only the second time I have seen this beautiful species.

#2 Waxwings, Bexhill 11th February.


I am amazed that this only makes second place, so delighted was I at finally seeing some Waxwings after so many failures. What incredible birds.

#1 Seal colony, Horsey Gap 16th February.

This was a complete surprise for me. Hundreds of Grey, and a few Common Seals, hauled out along the beach. It was magical to be so close to such a large number of big wild mammals. Unforgettable.

Monday, 20 February 2017

Seals at Horsey Gap

What an amazing experience this was. A half hour walk south along the dunes from the Horsey Gap car park and suddenly, there are hundreds of seals hauled out along the beach between the groynes. Most of the seals were Grey Seals, but some of them were Common Seals.


The seals had an amazing range of colours.

This is a Grey Seal pup born in the Autumn. Almost adult sized it still has it juvenile coloured coat.

 The classic profile of a Grey Seal

From time to time, some of the Grey Seals would arch up for a stretch, and a bit of a look around.






The Grey Seals seemed content to lie very close to each other. The Common Seals tended to be slightly apart from the main group.

 A juvenile Grey Seal.


Two more Common Seals. Less than 10% of the seals present were from this species.




The colour variation of the Grey Seals was remarkable. This orange individual stood out.

A Common Seal.



The photos of the two Common Seals above show the characteristic 'v' shape made by their nostrils. Grey Seal nostrils are more parallel.


 A lovely sky with seals in the foreground.

A rare empty stretch of beach.

Please note that I am happy to be corrected over my identifications of Grey and Common seals.

Sunday, 19 February 2017

Norfolk

This half-term I visited Norfolk, which is rapidly becoming one of my favourite places and has started to rival Penwith. It was a lot of driving and luckily the weather seemed to change from winter into spring during my visit.

 Nuthatch, My Lady's Wood at Oxburgh Hall.

 Turnstone on the seafront at Sheringham.

 Roosting Purple Sandpipers on the seafront at Sheringham.

 A drake Shoveler in the marsh at Holkham.

 Grazing Wigeon at Holkham.


 Two views of the beach at Holkham Pines NNR.

 A pair of Egyptian Geese at Holkham Pines NNR.

 Subadult Mute Swan at Holkham Pines NNR.

 Bathing Robin at Holkham Pines NNR.

 Drake Gadwall at Felbrigg Hall.

 Male Chaffinch at Felbrigg Hall.


Winter tree line at Felbrigg Hall.