Wensum Valley Birdwatching Society

Archive for the ‘Field Trips’ Category

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 »

Twelve members enjoyed a guided visit to Pensthorpe Conservation Area on Saturday July 21^st led by Andrew Reeve who is the Manager of the site. Andrew was able to explain the changes that had taken place at Pensthorpe over recent years and emphasized the valuable conservation efforts the Trust was involved in along with other groups like the RSPB and the Wildlife and Wetland Trust. He explained that Pensthorpe has to attract visitors so that this work can be sustained and that they had increased the visitor numbers over recent years but more were needed to reach a break even point.

A summer evening at Swanton Morley Gravel Pit – Thursday 5^th July

The forecast hadn’t seemed too bad but as 7.30 approached the sky darkened and the rain began falling.  Nevertheless eight stoical members joined Charles and Fran Neale for a summer evening’s stroll around Swanton Morley Gravel Pits.

Understandably birdwatching was a challenge as the smaller birds skulked silently in the undergrowth but happily the water birds continued with their activities despite the weather.  A great Crested Grebe was observed squatting on its nest possibly hoping the water levels would not rise any further.

A large creche of 61 Greylag Geese accompanied by two adults formed a large flotilla gliding across the pit.  A very active female Pochard was undeterred as she dived continuously in search of food items.  Very briefly a Little Egret flew into the upper branches of a tree but unfortunately only one of the party managed to see it despite efforts to attract everyone’s attention.

The Common Swifts were sweeping low over our heads in search of their insect food, a difficult task in such weather.  A party of Long-tailed Tits moved through the willow trees constantly calling.  So, despite the heavy rain we did see some birds.  The evening was enhanced by Bernie Marsham sharing his local knowledge and the group’s camaraderie more than made up for the abysmal weather conditions.

Thank you Charles and Fran for all your efforts in preparing and leading the evening

Thursday 21^st June Pub Grub and Nightjars at Marsham

Around 18 members met up at the Marsham Arms for a meal and were later joined by more members for the Nightjar walk. After a rainy afternoon the evening was dry and warm which made it ideal for standing on the heath awaiting dusk.

Patience was rewarded with several woodcock doing a flypast followed by the wing clamping and churring of the nightjars flying from the trees

1) Find a suitable stretch of water. Hickling Broad on a day when WVBS are visiting is a good choice.2) Spot a blob with your binoculars which could be a bird on top of a post in the middle of the Broad

3) Find a helpful companion with a telescope and train it on the bird

4) Agree that it has a blackish-brownish body with a light head, and is about the size of, but doesn’t look like, a female marsh harrier, which is flying around nearby.

5) Try to get a better look at its head, which is difficult as it has its back to you, although it is turning round to preen its back. Decide it has a brownish stripe through its eye, or above its eye, like an eyebrow (supercilium to those who speak posh).

6) Turn to bird book

7) Bird book shows an osprey has a similar head but has white underparts.

Bird turns around to make faces at a cormorant flying by. It has wide dark wings and white patches near the top of its legs. Bird turns its back on you, raises its tail and gives an indication that it has fed recently. It had a very dark rounded tail.

9) Decide a third opinion is needed

10) Third opinion looks and considers; bird continues with its back to onlookers. The back has a greenish sheen with a dark line where they overlap in the middle.

11) Third party proclaims an osprey

12) Fourth party arrives as osprey turns its head sideways to give a lovely profile view.

13) “That osprey has a ruddy long beak” fourth party comments.

14) Second much larger book is consulted.

15) Continental cormorants have white heads with black markings, and have white patches at the top of the legs in the breeding season.

16) First, second and third parties get ribbed about any cormorant-like bird that might be an osprey for the rest of the day.

17) Website consulted the next day indicates that continental cormorants may have infiltrated the large breeding colony near Colchester. No, it wasn’t an osprey!!

An eager group of birders met on Sunday morning at the pits. We had all expected the forecast ‘intermittent showers’ and so were well prepared in wet weather gear which was duly peeled off in layers as the walk progressed in late summery sunshine. Read the rest of this entry »

18 members from WVBS and Narvos met in the car park at Sparham Pools on a bright but very windy morning. Alwyn gave a brief history of the reserve before setting off around the southern edge, along the river and back by the northern edge. Normally we are restricted to the periphery of the lake but the owner, Charles Sayer ( a keen birder) had given us permission to go over his adjoining land. Read the rest of this entry »

Hi everybody,

I have written these few notes about our field meeting on Sunday 4th April which I thought might be of interest to you.

“Twenty members of the Nar Valley Ornithological Society (NARVOS) and the Wensum Valley Birdwatching Society met at Horsey Mill on Sunday 4 th April to enjoy a day’s birdwatching together under the leadership of Ray Gribble. The weather was fine and dry but a cool easterly wind meant that woolly hats were required.

The first part of the day was spent walking along the dyke bordering Breyden Marshes and then across the adjacent grazing marshes to Horsey village. At the start of the walk the members enjoyed good views of Marsh Harriers as they quartered the reed beds nearby and a Sparrowhawk as it passed overhead. Unexpectedly a Buzzard was located as it circled nearby being mobbed by two Crows. A Chinese Water Deer was seen on the grazing marshes but soon headed for cover when it became aware of our presence. A Chiffchaff was in full song in the bushes beside the path but some members found it difficult to locate as it moved around restlessly. Further along the path Ray drew everybody’s attention to a flock of 16 Common Crane feeding on the Brograve Levels, a rare treat to see so many of this species together in one place. Well spotted Ray!

After a pleasant break for lunch we moved to Winterton dunes as news had been received on Allan Hale’s pager that a Ring Ouzel and a Black Restart had been seen there. Some patient searching was rewarded with views of the Black Redstart on a garden fence – a good garden tick for someone! Despite further efforts we did not locate the Ring Ouzel but by way of compensation Josh Leeder found a roosting Long-eared Owl, again in a garden hedge! As some members returned to their cars and a well-earned cup of tea they noted a flock of Common Scoter off-shore and 6 Linnet flying overhead. Other members walking through the area behind the dunes encountered a pair of Stonechat perching prominently on the gorse.

Allan Hale’s pager again brought us news of a Firecrest at Waxham Barns so we retraced our steps in search of this beautiful little migrant. Once again after some patient searching NARVOS member Jasmine Rogers found the bird feeding actively in a bramble patch behind the “Shangrila” bungalow. Another garden tick!

Moving on again a short distance south down the track beside the Nelson Head public house we found a Ring Ouzel, a Shorelark and a Wheatear to round off what had proved to be a very successful and enjoyable day’s birdwatching. We had counted 60 species in total. Thank you Ray.”

Alwyn Jackson