New member Mark and Angela joined me and Ezio this morning. After info regarding a Brambling on the sunflowers near The Cabin, we diverted that way but could only find Chaffinches. Some small birds seemed to be flitting around a blob in a tree the other side of the field, which turned out to be a nicely posed male Kestrel. Jays, Long-tailed Tit and Nuthatch were calling as we headed off to go under the bridge to the fields, a Buzzard was sitting low down in a tree at the foot of the embankment and a Raven cronked. “Merlin” picked up Firecrest and Siskin call, but I can’t count merlin-only records!

Not much standing water, but the wet fields held 75 Lapwings and two Stonechats on the scrub. Further down were parties of Rooks, Crows and Jackdaws. On the pools were about 50 Wigeon in two groups, a few Teal, 10 Pintail, and grazing geese comprised 140 Greylag, 160 Canadas and 3 Egyptian. A lone Little Egret, 5 Grey Herons and two Mute Swans were noted, as were a flock of 30 Starlings. One of the swans looked “crashed”, but then got up and walked away. Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldcrest heard on the way to Stretham.

Along the river were two more adult swans, plus one of this year’s cygnets though that was on its own. Another 2 Stonechats in the scrub, and Meadow Pipits heard in the fields. Pretty quiet down past Frogshole and Rye Farm. We checked the trackside ponds and Mark saw something scuttle across, possibly a Water Rail, but it didn’t re-emerge. Then Angela needed to get on with the rest of her day while Mark and I doubled back and had another go at the sunflowers, with better success, not only more Chaffinches than earlier, but we managed a good ‘scope view of a Brambling and were able to show it to a couple from Shoreham too! First I’ve seen here for years, but too distant for a pic.

Val Bentley, 12th November 2024