A late morning start after overnight and early morning rain. I've missed visiting Sculthorpe Moor reserve which is one of my favourite visits, mostly for the photographic opportunities as well as the variety of birds, fungus and excellent hot chocolate. The volunteers here are both friendlier and more helpful than most too.
It is possible to drive as far as the Volunteer Hut Hide, which is what we did. Pam took my Blue Badge in but was told that it wasn't necessary, of course we could drive down. But, we had to open the gate ourselves as there was only one person on duty. Big deal.
From the parking area, it'ds a short walk to the screen shielding the feeding area. This screen has sliding door viewing rectangles at varying heights. Unusually, Pam found one the right height for her ! I sat at mine and we both had a lovely time watching the frantic activity of the feeding birds and photographing them for the year's folder. Male and female Bramblings and Bullfinches, Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits, Dunnock, Greenfinch and a scavenging Pheasant. A Marsh Tit called and flew from a tree behind us - without feeding.
Pam noticed two wheelchairs parked near the notice board. I could borrow one to use as a zimmer frame in which I could sit whenever necessary. Two men told us of four Otters they'd seen from the third hide. The wheelchair would make a longer walk possible. No. Pam cannot be expected to push it with her painful and movement restricted shoulders.
The light was fading fast. Time to try for the Rough-legged Buzzard at Choseley. I knew that hedges should be checked, both near the farm and the barns. I was doing so as we approached the corner leading down to the barns when Pam called 'What's that, straight ahead'. 'Where' I asked. Straight ahead was the answer. I scanned as well as I could when Pam said 'flying up the green field and dropped out of view'. A white-tailed Buzzard. Another one missed. We tried again on the way home but nothing doing. No finches or buntings at the drying barns either.
Drove Orchard parking area overlooks the orchards with plenty of fallen fruit and a couple of ornamental fruited trees. We didn't see any Waxwings, neither were they reported to-day. We did see an enormous flock of flighty Fieldfare and Redwings, always entertaining.
We found and scoured Holt Sewage Farm as our first stop. 20 + Pied Wagtails, Corvids and Starlings skipped over and around the circling effluent spouting bars over the sewage treatment gravel tanks. Finding plenty to eat. Thanks for the info Mike. No Grey Wagtails to-day.
Monday January 28
More heavy rain overnight, the roads were heavily puddled. Buckenham Marshes called. More Wigeon than on previous visits, whistling their way in and out of the drainage dykes, grazing the marsh greedily, the drakes' custard head stripe gleaming in the sun. Yes. Sun.
Three Taiga Bean Geese in the far distant corner, a few Canadas, at least six Ruff, one a white male and a sprinkling of Lapwing. A large flock of geese rose from Cantley Marsh, appearing to fly towards us, tantalisingly, (is this a word) before returning out of sight .Then they came again, this time landing in front of the beet factory. About a hundred and fifty White-fronted Geese.
We also added two Mistle Thrushes to the year list.
Many more photographs for the folder, very few good enough to even make an appearance on here.
No comments:
Post a Comment