Author: Val Bentley

Levels in the snow

Val Bentley Bird Sightings

Just three of us, Suzy, Angela & myself, did the monthly stroll around this morning.  Quite hard going in places because the paths along the river and through the fields were quite uneven, but the dips were hidden by the patches of snow.  Suzy was delighted that she had seen Water Rail and Barn Owl in the area recently.

House Sparrows in bushes by Braziers kicked off the walk, and a good range of common species were collected along first section, including 3 Jays.  Across the fields we could see Snipe flying up and down, over 100 Teal in the small areas of water – the sun was lighting up their green wing patches (speculums) which looked gorgeous.  There were 3 Pintail, a few Wigeon and Shoveler and one Canada Goose.  The rest of the Canadas were grazing in one of the higher fields south of Rye Farm. Three Lapwing were looking a little bemused on the ice, then another 3 flew in to join them. A pair of Egyptian Geese were near the heronry, and Fieldfares and Redwings in the bushes along the railway line.

Along the river we were a little frustrated because some small ducks in the water kept only giving glimpses before disappearing out of sight.  A cry of joy came from Suzy who spotted the flash of a Kingfisher, but Angela and I weren’t quick enough to catch it.  On the overflow pit were a couple of Mute Swans having a preen.  When one got up it had to tread very carefully to avoid slipping over.  In a sheep field by New Inn were another lot of Snipe – about 30.  Looking into the light so photo not good, but we enjoyed watching them for a while.

The causeway is just about passable in wellies now so we walked back past Frogshole, finding a single Stock Dove among Jackdaws and Woodpigeons in another field of sheep, and a few more Lapwings and Teal over towards Buckwish Farm.  In the pools along the track was a Pied Wagtail, another Snipe and I reckon 7 Chiffchaffs flitting around. A Goldcrest called from the other side and a Nuthatch just as I got back to Hollands Lane.

Excellent walk, and many thanks to Suzy for the addition of Kingfisher to the list of 44 species! (VB)

 

Rye Farm track 25 November

Val Bentley Bird Sightings
Took Maya and my scope for a short walk along the Rye Farm track then a little way along to the west as far as the gate to the big sheep field. In just over an hour I registered 35 different species, which was rather a surprise! A Chiffchaff sang briefly near the ponds, and there were others calling – up to 5, I reckon. There wasn’t that much wildfowl on the water, mostly Mallard, Canada Geese and Black-headed Gulls, but a few Gadwall were swimming fairly close by, some Teal hiding in the bushes on the Buckwish Farm side of the water, a pair of Wigeon flew in, then managed to disappear again. Ravens were calling to the south, I heard Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers. The highlight of the morning – though only heard – was a Water Rail squealing close by just the other side of the hedge (west of Rye Farm). The way back yielded a Sparrowhawk which dashed across the track ahead of me, a nice pair of Stonechats north of Rye Farm, another snatch of Chiffchaff song, and a Goldcrest flitting about in a small tree.
All very pleasant! (VB)

Monday 14th November walk

Val Bentley Bird Sightings
Just as well I had a senior moment and put Monday on my calendar instead of the Tuesday that I had told Debbie – this morning was wet’n’horrible!
13 of us set out yesterday, It was a lovely still mild sunny day, with some cloud building by the end of the morning. Ian kindly brought along a gorgeous moth which had been in his trap earlier. A Merveille du jour – he released it where I could get a photo of it.
Water levels had reduced a little, but the path through the fields wasn’t really going to be possible, so we kept to the railway line. A Song Thrush was singing near the start of the walk, and near the crossroads with Sandy Lane, we heard Long-tailed Tits (many of these seen and heard en route today and the call of a Greenfinch. The “merlin” app said it heard a Siskin, but as I don’t recognise the call I didn’t count it! A soft call in the trees led to a Treecreeper, but it quickly disappeared behind a trunk so not everyone got to see it.
On the water were up to 2000 Black-headed Gulls, among which I found 1 Common and 2 Herring Gulls, though there were probably more of these. Probably 200 Canada Geese, 30 or so Greylag, 7 Egyptian. Also 7 Coots, 30 Wigeon, 20 Teal a couple of Shoveler, and a single Pintail. A bit earlier, and more unusual for the area, was a lone Tufted Duck. A small flock of Lapwing were noted c 20. Nearing Stretham we heard a Cetti’s Warbler sing briefly from the bushes.
It was hard going in the mud along the river, though we did see the only Heron of the day, a couple of Kestrels, heard a Green Woodpecker and probably had some Linnets, but they flitted or very quickly.
Just north of the bridge by New Inn was a Fieldfare laden tree – about 50 of them with a few Redwings. Nice ‘scope views of these before they took off noisily to the west. Along the bridleway we heard two Ravens and a group of Jays. 45 species all together

Down south

Val Bentley Bird Sightings

Geese were on the move yesterday when we did our “Area 9” walk. c130 Greylag Geese flew over, and there were 40 Canadas on the levels near Rye Farm. Nice to see a return of Lapwing now the ground is greening up – 25 in the same area and 50 Starlings feeding among them. All round the route we were accompanied by Chiffchaffs calling, and by flights of Swallows and House Martins. Highlight of the morning was a group of 6 Yellow Wagtails feeding by the feet of one of the cattle by Stretham Bridge. They upped and awayed before we could get close enough for a pic!

March Area 9 Walk

Val Bentley Bird Sightings

A gorgeous morning for Andy, Linda, Mel, Maya and myself to walk round “Area 9” on the 21st – it took us 4 ½ hours to complete the circuit, and both Maya and I had a well-deserved nap after lunch!  Started off by realising that I had forgotten notebook and pen, so Linda managed to find a pen in her car and I found a piece of paper in mine, so was able to note down species for the Wetland Bird count.

On the first part of the railway line we heard a few Dunnocks, and decided today’s aim was to get Linda to recognise their song.  Work in progress on that as it is a fairly nondescript warble!  A Goldcrest was singing above us by the crossroads with Sandy Lane, and when we reached the far side of the tunnel Mel spotted a Treecreeper in a tree on the embankment.  A good place for them.  Nuthatches and Stock Doves calling there too.  In the fields towards Rye Farm were a pair of Canada Geese, Moorhens and Mallards, three Herons, a singing male Reed Bunting, and a Raven flew over “cronking”. It had something in its claws and perched in a distant tree pecking away at whatever it was.

We got to the point where Mike & his group had seen Little Ringed Plover and Water Pipit yesterday.  The plover had moved on, but the Water Pipit was still there, and from views in the scope we decided it looked just like the one in my book, so a male in summer plumage with pink breast and grey head  – as per https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/water-pipit/ .  Very nice. According to the RSPB info the species “breeds in the Alps and other mountain ranges of central and southern Europe”.   About a dozen Lapwing were around here too, and in the pools 4 Teal and 18 Wigeon.  Greylag Geese and a pair of Egyptian Geese were near the heronry, where 2 nests were occupied.  Eight Cormorants in the oak tree there, and a Buzzard further south.

Along the river, a Green Sandpiper took off, then Mel spotted 2 waders fly low and away, from her description (as I missed them completely!) they must have been Dunlin.  We had Skylarks and Linnets singing, Meadow Pipits calling, another Green Sandpiper at the overflow pit, a Stonechat on the brambles, another small group of Linnets, and a superbright group of over 20 Yellowhammers on Sharon Jesse’s land. A Kestrel was on top of a small tree and a Red Kite flew past,  being harried by a crow.  A couple of Tortoiseshell butterflies were on the wing along here too.

Big Bird Bash (Area 9)

Val Bentley Bird Sightings
Alan, Angela T and Hazel H and myself for the last of the Bird Bash walks. A bright morning to start with a clear blue sky, but breezy and became more so as the morning progressed. Difficult to pick up sounds and movement in the rustling leaves.
A nice lot of water in the fields, sporting about 220 Canada Geese, 180 Greylags, with several Mallards and 1 smaller female duck which must have been a Teal. A few Black-headed Gills were on the water too. House Martins were flying around everywhere, must have been several hundred during the morning, with smaller numbers of Swallows. Herons and Cormorants noted. Crows were chasing a larger bird, which ought to have been a Buzzard but was also black, so turned out to be an interloping Raven.
A strange occurrence at Stretham. A group of 18 Mute Swans were heading downstream, with one at the rear having its wings slightly raised in an aggressive way. We realised that it was defending its territory, and once the 17 had been safely seen off to the other side of the bridge, it turned back and later we saw it with presumably its mate and single offspring!
Along the riverbank we heard a Cetti’s Warbler give a brief burst of song about a field’s distance away, and then we saw a smart bird sitting on a fence post. Whinchat or Wheatear – the juvs do look a bit similar. It flew and had no white rump, so the verdict was Whinchat. A mixed group of Goldfinches and Linnets flew into a small hawthorn before flying off, leaving just one Linnet behind for a while. Nothing in the overflow pit, but the riverside brambles held a couple of Stonechats (photo is of one of these).
Time was moving on so we came back along the bridleway rather than through Rye Farm, where we finally ticked off Great and Long-tailed Tits, but no Dunnocks!
Had missed a couple of species off my list, so the final total was 41, not 39 as my notes said.