07.01.2024 - Field Trip : WVBS Winter Bird Count

Coordinator & Reporter: Cath Robinson

​In the end, 15 teams turned out for the bird count on Sunday January 7th with team numbers ranging from 1-4 and 35 of us met up at the village hall for a round-up and tea and cakes at the end of the day.

Conditions: There was just so much standing water across the patch and the Wensum was very high with a strong current. There was a lot of fast flowing water about elsewhere and some roads were closed and many were flooded, which made life challenging. This amount of water significantly changed the distribution of many birds and wildfowl were very scarce - or at least hard to find and often not in their usual sites. (We saw one of our 2 Shelduck on top of a haystack by a pig field!).
Weather was overcast and distinctly chilly: it didn’t get above 5 deg C and with the northerly wind felt more like freezing. But it didn’t rain and I, for one, felt quite lucky to have a full day out.
Sightings came from across the patch. Overall, 96 species were seen and the winning team of the Dereham Three clocked 81 but everyone contributed and hopefully enjoyed their day:
David will have a lot of records to handle to keep him busy.
Highlights from different members included an unexpected Firecrest, a Goosander, Norwich Cathedral’s Peregrine, a Green Sandpiper, a Woodcock, Grey Wagtail, a Marsh Tit, Bramblings and a very confiding Robin.
My highlight was a glimpse of an otter along the side of the river down Hoe Lane. Quite near the fishing lakes......
I’m so pleased that so many took part and hopefully the new style of no rules and only competitive for those who wanted to be worked out.
Great cakes too.