Wensum Valley Birdwatching Society

Archive for the ‘Field Trips’ Category

On a bright frosty morning seventeen members met in the car park of the Welney Wetland Centre to share a day’s birding together. Some of the group got straight down to business by identifying the birds around the car park environs.  Before moving into the Centre itself 35 species had been found including Tree Sparrow, Reed Bunting, Fieldfare and circa 50 Linnet and that was without going anywhere! Read the rest of this entry »

Lynford Arboretum is near Mundford and we will meet at 9am at the Arboretum Car Park.  Ref TL823943 (off the A1065 Swaffham – Mundford road).

The Arboretum, set within the Thetford Forest area, is run by Forest Enterprise. Lynford Hall served as a forester training school between 1947 and 1957 and trainee foresters started planting the older trees that are now found in the arboretum. The variety of pine and broadleaf woodland, wet meadows and open water habitats are suitable for a wide range of resident species. Read the rest of this entry »

The exact location for this outdoor trip will be decided at the last minute as it will depend on the birds.

We meet at Morrison’s car park Fakenham ( Grid Ref TF 934375 ) and leave there at 0900. We have permission from Morrison’s to park as long as we are well away from the main entrance.  Suggest we gather in the far left-hand corner near the road.

 Our Event Leader is Colin Fenn. Contact Colin on 01362-697783 to confirm your interest or complete the attendance sheet at any of our indoor events.  Please let Colin know if you intend travelling direct (and to check where we are going!) In case of emergency on the day Colin’s mobile number is 07941300038.

This will be an all-day event so bring packed lunch and wear suitable clothing/footwear as the weather on the coast can be changeable.  If you are members of RSPB, NWT or NOA then please bring your membership cards.

Visit 10am – 3pm

Meet in the Wetland Centre free car park at 10am.

Welney is famous for its wildfowl and is probably the best place in Norfolk to see wild swans.   There is also a chance of finding Corn Bunting, Tree Sparrow and Peregrine besides other more common species.

The reserve is off the A10, seven miles south of Downham Market .  Turn right at the “Ten Mile Bank/Welney” brown tourist sign.  Follow the road for 0.8 miles to a bridge.  Turn left, then immediately right down Station Road (there is a brown tourist sign but it is difficult to see).  Follow Station Road for about 4.5 miles to the reserve car park on the left.  Be warned: this road is straight but keep your speed down as there are several undulations and potholes along the road.

It is hoped that a member of the WWT Welney team will be available on our arrival to give us an introduction to the Trust, the reserve and what birds may be seen during our visit.

There will be a swan feed at 12 noon.

Welney has excellent visitor facilities including a café which is open 10am-4.30pm with hot food available between 12noon & 2.30pm.  Members may prefer to take their own packed lunch.

If we have a group exceeding 12 then visitor permits cost  £5.60 (adults) £4.25 concessions (65+). 

If you wish to join the visit either add your name to the visit list at the indoor meeting on  21^st Jan or contact Alwyn (chair@wvbs.org.uk) by Monday 25^th January.

Where do I start?  7.30 transport arrives, wet and gloomy; 9.00 bright and sunny but a cold wind at Sandringham;  10.30 Dersingham Bog;  12.00 a very cold north wind at Snettisham (never has a hide been more welcome!); 3.30 Roydon Common.  Another action packed day with WVBS.  What treats had Ray in store for us?  He might even have surprised himself! 

A Great Grey Shrike at Dersingham Bog!  He must have known that so many of us had not seen his species before.  How well he showed us his black eye-mask, his long tail, the black and white on his wings.  I could have stayed all day watching him.  Not to be, we had seen him, as well as a pair of Green Woodpeckers showing very well, and a pair of Stonechats.  Did I mention the wonderful views of Mistle Thrush and a Redwing earlier at Sandringham?

Not much time for a leisurely lunch on this trip.  A hasty few minutes at the layby on the A149 to down our sandwich and a drink, and then on to Snettisham.  I have been there when it has been windier, but never when the wind has been so cold.

Our day’s birding list has been compiled elsewhere, but Pintail Ducks, Golden Eye, a flock of Golden Plover, many Little Grebe and my own favourite Grey Plover were amongst those species seen.      But that northerly wind was cold and we were hastening back to the cars when, joy of joy, the Scaup which Alwyn had seen earlier on our way down was spotted again on one of the lagoons alongside the bungalows.  A much better specimen than that I had previously seen.  And I have forgotten to mention the Barn Owl seen on entering the reserve.

Last port of call – Roydon Common.  The day was drawing to a close and much less wind than at Snettisham.  A great spot of a Buzzard sitting in a tree goodness knows how many hundreds of yards away.  And then the highlight of the end of the day – one male and two female Hen Harriers flying back and forth before our eyes.  How handsome the male is and thank goodness the females have a white ring on their tails so that we could spot them in the gathering gloom.

All birds wonderful to see but a Great Grey Shrike (a lifer for me), a Scaup and both Hen Harriers, what more could we have wanted from the day?

Liz  Bridge

As we left Cherry-Tree carpark just after 9 a.m on June 28th it was already warm and sultry.  We got to Weeting Heath reserve even before the warden had arrived and opened up.  He soon got organised and told us the latest news.  We approached the West hide quietly and were rewarded with a good view of one Stone Curlew with another pair just visible.  A Stoat was racing around up to no good and a Buzzard was in the far trees.  Read the rest of this entry »

Join us for our annual Dawn Chorus event at NWT Sparham Pools. We meet for a 04.30 start and finish around 08.00. Bacon Butties are available at the end to all those who booked them( cost £1 each) Bring your own coffee/tea.etc.  Please contact the Event Leader, Alwyn Jackson urgently if you haven’t already done so. Please park quietly and tidily as space is at a premium.

By popular demand the Summer Bird Count is being re-introduced into our outdoor programme on Sunday 7th.June. Make a note in your diary. Richard Norris has kindly volunteered to organise it. Please contact Richard with your team and whether you wish to stay for meals. All by 24th. May, please,so arrangements can be finalised.

The Rules are:-

• You can start anywhere within the WVBS area and at whatever time suits you on Sun 7th June
• All species counted must be seen or heard
• In teams of two all must see or hear each species counted
• In teams of three, 2 must see or hear each species counted
• In teams of four, 3 must see or hear each species counted
• Feral pigeons are accepted, hybrid waterfowl are not.
• Birds within the grounds of Pensthorpe are not accepted

The finish time is 6pm inside the Fox & Hounds, Lyng. Leave A1067 go past Lyng Mill into the village and the pub is on your right. The car park is c. 30m past the pub.  The Fox & Hounds are well known for their good meals and have asked that we provide them with an indication of how many people will be there for the end of the Count and how many will want meals.

It would be helpful if the more knowledgeable birders will accept less knowledgeable members in their teams.

Our nightjar evening will follow the usual format. Those who would like to have a bit of a social and have a meal will meet at the Marsham Arms at 7:00pm ish so we can all sit down and order our meals at 7:30ish. If you would just like to have a drink you can join us at any time in the evening.

We will aim to finish our meals etc. so we can leave the Marsham Arms no later than 9:20pm and arrive at Marsham Heath by 9:30 in time to catch the nightjars coming out. Please let me know if you would like directions or more information and also numbers so I can inform the landlord. Over 20 members had meals last year so we like to give warning to the landlord by 10th. June latest as nothing is pre-ordered. Contact Josh Leeder.

Don’t forget your gnat repellent and appropriate clothing for the weather.

Outdoor trip into the wilds of Suffolk! Anything could turn up but we hope to see Stone Curlews & Wood Larks at Weeting and Golden Oriels and much more at Lakenheath. This is an all day trip so bring your lunch. Underfoot is reasonably flat and firm but sensible footwear is advisable.  Lakenheath is exposed so be prepared for all weathers.

We meet at Cherry Tree carpark in Dereham and leave promptly at 0900 to arrive at Weeting at 0940 and then on to Lakenheath.  Event Leader is Colin Fenn.  Please let Colin know if you intend going straight to Weeting or if you are unable to attend for some reason. 

Bring NWT/RSPB membership cards.

A note for your diary. More details next month

It was Sunday at last, our chance to learn our bird identification by sound as well as sight. Glen had suggested that if we went to Felbrigg early we could get an hour in before the official start at 9.30am to hear the dawn chorus. Read the rest of this entry »

Having met up at the Hickling Broad Visitor Centre, 26 members set off along the Bittern Trail ably led by David Knight. Within minutes cries were going up from all directions – Redwing, Fieldfare, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer and Green Woodpecker. I didn’t know which way to look first! Read the rest of this entry »

Despite very wet weather, a strong wind and cool temperatures eighteen members gathered at the Alms Houses car park at Holkham to enjoy a day’s birdwatching together. We ventured into the park and within a few yards found a Nuthatch perched in the treetops sheltering from the wind and preening. Small birds like this were going to be difficult to find in such foul weather but we were not deterred. As we progressed towards the lake we were able to add a few more species to our list including a small party of Long-tailed Tits. Read the rest of this entry »