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Leader: Ray Gribble Report: David Laurie Bird List: Seamus O'Dowd Fifteen of us gathered at the NWT car park for a morning visit to Sparham enhanced by dry weather, some sun, a mild temperature (for December) and a brisk but not unpleasant South Westerly wind. A Song Thrush was in good voice, and a Grey Heron and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over, promising well for our outing. Starting with a walk around the NWT lake, the first pool held a small party of Teal and for a lucky few a glimpse of a passing Kingfisher. A little further on we came across a substantial flock of Siskins high in the Alders and accompanied by the occasional Goldfinch and Redpoll. Nearby a Treecreeper was spotted.
Further along the path there were a few more Teal, a Cormorant and some Mallards but the most exciting sight was an Otter surfacing and diving and traceable underwater by its bubble trail. The island in the middle of the NWT lake has nesting Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls in summer while today it held a pair of Egyptian Geese and two Gadwall. On the lake there were Coot and a solitary Tufted Duck. There are usually more ducks here, but the presence of an Otter may have sent them elsewhere. Moving along the path, the tall oaks gave us Long-tailed Tits and a Goldcrest or two before we turned right onto the footpath and made our way down to the gate where we were met by Charles Sayer, the landowner and long-time WVBS supporter. Charles is a dedicated conservationist and gave us a tour of the woodland planted some 25 years ago and holding a mix of planted and self-seeded trees. Silver Birch were among the first natural colonisers but may die out as the wood matures and Oaks progress to full size. To a background of distant bells from Lyng Church, he spoke of the management necessary for sunlight to enter and encourage additional plants and their accompanying wildlife. Overgrazing by deer, particularly Muntjacs, is a concern. Emerging from the wood on our way to the WVBS Hide there was a wintering Chiffchaff, which is not such a rare sight these days. At the Hide (8) we spotted four Little Grebes and some Canada Geese on the lake to the right and on the left, which is the lake with the club's tern rafts, a couple of Mute Swans, some Mallards and a single Tufted Duck. In the distance a Kingfisher was just about visible in some bankside Willows and a Little Egret flew over, intersecting with a high, circling Sparrowhawk. We then walked back, crossing the footpath and making our way up the track towards the barn. The Hawthorn hedge held Fieldfare and Redwing, some Reed Buntings and at least one Yellowhammer. In the field Pied Wagtails were flitting about, active as ever. Turning to the left we explored the strip planted for winter bird food, coming across small flocks of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits plus a few more Reed Buntings. A rustling among the millet proved to be a startled Muntjac. Returning alongside the road there was a covey of Red-legged Partridges on the track and after that we made our way back to the car park. It was a very enjoyable morning with a total of 48 bird species seen. Our thanks go to Ray Gribble for leading the walk and to Charles Sayer for his tour of the woodland. Bird List Blackbird Black-headed Gull Blue Tit Buzzard Canada Goose Chaffinch Chiffchaff Collared Dove Coot Cormorant Dunnock Egyptian Goose Fieldfare Goldcrest Goldfinch Great Spotted Woodpecker Great Tit Grey Heron Jackdaw Jay Kingfisher Little Egret Little Grebe Long-tailed Tit Magpie Mallard Meadow Pipit Moorhen Mute Swan Pheasant Pied Wagtail Red-legged Partridge Redpoll Redwing Reed Bunting Robin Rook Siskin Skylark Song Thrush Sparrowhawk Teal Treecreeper Tufted Duck Wigeon Woodpigeon Wren Yellowhammer
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December 2025
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