27.04.2024 - Field Trip : Billingford Lakes

Leader and Bird List: David Gibbons
Reporter : David Laurie

It was a cool, overcast start with light rain but twenty members were tempted to what was a new venue for a WVBS trip and a new site for several participants. Meeting at the car park at 9:00 there were Swallows and House Martins flying around, a passing Pied Wagtail and
Skylarks over the field.

Our chosen route was the Blue route and on the first lakes were Greylag Geese, Mallards and Great Crested Grebes all with young. There were also Tufted Ducks and Coots. In the woodland there were fine carvings of badger and fox accompanied by Blackcap and Chiffchaff, the first of the day's warblers.
By the Great Lake there were Willow Warblers, two Common Terns over the water and Coots with young. Then, as we approached John Wilson Lake  there was a Swift overhead, the first of the year for most of us. The lake itself had more Great Crested Grebes, Canada and Greylag Geese, Tufted Ducks, Black-headed Gulls and Common Terns while a Cetti's Warbler sang behind us.
At the bridge over the Wensum there was a Bullfinch and a singing Whitethroat that showed well in the Willows beside the water. There was also the song of a Garden Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat. Walking back along the river there were a couple of Sedge Warblers singing, a nesting Mute Swan on Basil Todd Lake and a Little Egret flying past.
The rain eased gradually during the morning and by the time we were back at Reception it had stopped. Hot drinks from the cafe were welcome and we could take refuge in the cabin for lunch.
With the prospect of a dry afternoon, though with the temperature still in single figures, five of us decided to walk around again, this time heading back to the bridge on the Blue trail as before. On the way there was a Marsh Harrier circling overhead, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Buzzard carrying material to a nest visible high in a tree.
At the bridge we went on the Red route (Roman Ramble), hearing more Garden Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat. There was a Green Woodpecker high in a dead tree and a Greenfinch. A real highlight was the recently installed sand bank which had an estimated fifty Sand Martins flying around and busily going in and out of the nest holes, thankfully ignoring the prominent Keep Out sign.
We went back over the bridge and turned left onto the Green route (Discovery trail). A pause at the hide at Basil Todd Lake gave us singing Whitethroats and Garden Warbler and nearing Reception we had a good view of a Mistle Thrush.
Billingford is a good site for warblers and even on this cool day we heard half a dozen Blackcaps, Garden Warblers, Willow Warblers, Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs plus two or three Cetti's Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers and Reed Warblers. It should be a good
site for Cuckoo and Hobby, but neither appeared today.
It was an excellent day out and our thanks go to David Gibbons for organizing the trip and keeping the bird list. There is a £5 entry fee for the Nature Walks but this is well worth it for a half or full day's exploration of a mix of lakes, woodland and riverside.

Woodpigeon
Grey Heron
Greylag Goose
House Sparrow
Swallow
Black-headed Gull
Pied Wagtail
Coot
Jackdaw
Herring Gull
Jay
Goldfinch
House Martin
Skylark
Moorhen
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Robin
Tufted Duck
Mute Swan
Sand Martin
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Dunnock
Carrion Crow
Oystercatcher
Mallard
Rook
Blackcap
Great Tit
Wren
Buzzard
Song Thrush
Green Woodpecker
Collared Dove
Pheasant
Cetti's Warbler
Magpie
Long-tailed Tit
Great Crested Grebe
Chaffinch
Common Tern
Goldcrest
Lesser Whitethroat
Swift
Whitethroat
Canada Goose
Bullfinch
Cormorant
Gadwall
Sedge Warbler
Garden Warbler
Reed Bunting
Stock Dove
Little Egret
Greenfinch
Yellowhammer
Marsh Harrier
Mistle Thrush
Great Spotter Woodpecker

Additional species seen in the afternoon:
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Marsh Harrier, Mistle Thrush, Pheasant, Reed Warbler, Red-legged Partridge, Stock Dove,