Every week 2 members from the WVBS take a walk around Pensthorpe Natural Park and record every species that they have seen / heard and how many they have seen. This is submitted into our recorder, David Gibbons, and he collates all the data and sends it on to the County Recorder.
Below are the results from the recent monitoring visits, including a short summary from members.
Below are the results from the recent monitoring visits, including a short summary from members.
Monday 4th November.
We arrived at 7.30am on Monday to a chilly, overcast, and grey Pensthorpe with very little
wind. Starting our survey in the car park we soon picked up over 50 Stock Doves, together
with 100 Starlings, on wires by the old barn. Scanning the horizon we estimated over 500
Pink-footed Geese heading West over the Fakenham area in 5 separate skeins – a common
sight these days as they scour the countryside for food-providing fields. The familiar football-
rattle call alerted us to a group of 4 Mistle Thrush active around the car park, whilst small
flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare pulsed overhead. Up to 50 Lapwing were seen several times
– we guessed they were all part of the same flock.
We saw few small passerines in the car park, but at the Farmland Hide 2 Yellowhammer and
singles of Song Thrush, Linnet, Bullfinch and Meadow Pipit were seen along the hedgerow
near the barn. Coming to the feeders were a pair of Coal Tits and a Marsh Tit, together with
the usual Blue Tits, Great Tits and Dunnocks.
Highlights from the Wetlands Hide include Kingfisher, Water Rail, Cetti’s Warbler, 2 Common
Snipe, Grey Heron, whilst on Old Squaw we saw at least 7 Little Grebe (5 more later on the
waderscrape). A juvenile Marsh Harrier flew low overhead.
Looking West towards Fakenham we could make out a big flock of 300+ finches, with some
coming closer into the Alders near old Squaw hide. We were able to confirm at least 200
Goldfinches in the flocks, with 20+ Siskin and 4 Redpoll (of the lesser type!).
The woodlands were fairly quiet, but we managed to pick up another Marsh Tit (no rings) and
a Nuthatch on the feeders, plus Green and Great-spotted Woodpeckers around the park.
The wader scrape held large numbers of wildfowl, including 55 Wigeon and many of the 180
Teal we recorded over the day. Another Water Rail was heard calling. We were surprised and
delighted when 4 Cattle Egrets dropped briefly onto the scrape, including one first-winter
bird. Scanning the marshes revealed 2 distant Great White Egrets, 2 Buzzards including 1
young bird and a pair of Reed Buntings.
In the car park on the way out we could make out a flock of 500+ Starlings swarming before t
roosting – hopefully a sign of bigger murmurations to come.
The tally for the day was 67 bird species plus sightings of Muntjac, Squirrel and Migrant
Hawker.
Steve Chapman and Steve Connor
Wednesday 15th November.
The day started off well – as soon as I got out of the car, Nick pointed out a Goldcrest on a
nearby tree. So lovely to see this beautiful little bird clearly now the trees are bare.
The other things of note around the car park and drive were the huge numbers of Rook &
Jackdaw circling overhead and 2 Great White Egret who flew across the drive one after the
other and had presumably been roosting somewhere nearby.
Just before we went through the (new wooden) gates, we spotted a Fieldfare and some
Redwing in a tree – my first of the Autumn. A Mistle Thrush was also calling and a number of
Blackbird were feeding on the remains on the pumpkins.
The feeders at the Farmland Hide were busier than usual, the highlight being a Great Spotted
Woodpecker that briefly came down to feed, 3 Skylark over the meadow and a flock of Linet.
The Wetland was quiet, mainly just Teal. Unusually there were no geese at all until eight
Egyptian noisily flew in and chased each other around, disturbing the peace!
A Grey Wagtail was spotted on the way to the hide overlooking Old Squaw. The lake itself had
large numbers of Coot & Gadwall but fewer Tufted duck than usual.
The Woodland Hide was busy, and it was good to see 2 Marsh Tit as they have been absent
on recent surveys. A Great Spotted Woodpecker joined the tits, squirrels and Chaffinches, and
we saw another two as we walked through the wood and out onto the boardwalk. Then, as
we were approaching the scrape, a Green Woodpecker flew out of the trees. In the little gorse
bush just before the hides there were another 2 Goldcrest.
Lots of ducks at the Scrape but no Geese. There were a fair number of Gulls on Moon Water
but again, no Geese. In fact, we only saw 4 Greylags the whole day, and no Canada Geese at
all.
On the way to the café, we met the Guide in the Hide - Kathy Blake. We stopped to chat and
noticed a couple of Red Kite circling overhead. A good end to a good day.
Mandy E & Nick E
We arrived at 7.30am on Monday to a chilly, overcast, and grey Pensthorpe with very little
wind. Starting our survey in the car park we soon picked up over 50 Stock Doves, together
with 100 Starlings, on wires by the old barn. Scanning the horizon we estimated over 500
Pink-footed Geese heading West over the Fakenham area in 5 separate skeins – a common
sight these days as they scour the countryside for food-providing fields. The familiar football-
rattle call alerted us to a group of 4 Mistle Thrush active around the car park, whilst small
flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare pulsed overhead. Up to 50 Lapwing were seen several times
– we guessed they were all part of the same flock.
We saw few small passerines in the car park, but at the Farmland Hide 2 Yellowhammer and
singles of Song Thrush, Linnet, Bullfinch and Meadow Pipit were seen along the hedgerow
near the barn. Coming to the feeders were a pair of Coal Tits and a Marsh Tit, together with
the usual Blue Tits, Great Tits and Dunnocks.
Highlights from the Wetlands Hide include Kingfisher, Water Rail, Cetti’s Warbler, 2 Common
Snipe, Grey Heron, whilst on Old Squaw we saw at least 7 Little Grebe (5 more later on the
waderscrape). A juvenile Marsh Harrier flew low overhead.
Looking West towards Fakenham we could make out a big flock of 300+ finches, with some
coming closer into the Alders near old Squaw hide. We were able to confirm at least 200
Goldfinches in the flocks, with 20+ Siskin and 4 Redpoll (of the lesser type!).
The woodlands were fairly quiet, but we managed to pick up another Marsh Tit (no rings) and
a Nuthatch on the feeders, plus Green and Great-spotted Woodpeckers around the park.
The wader scrape held large numbers of wildfowl, including 55 Wigeon and many of the 180
Teal we recorded over the day. Another Water Rail was heard calling. We were surprised and
delighted when 4 Cattle Egrets dropped briefly onto the scrape, including one first-winter
bird. Scanning the marshes revealed 2 distant Great White Egrets, 2 Buzzards including 1
young bird and a pair of Reed Buntings.
In the car park on the way out we could make out a flock of 500+ Starlings swarming before t
roosting – hopefully a sign of bigger murmurations to come.
The tally for the day was 67 bird species plus sightings of Muntjac, Squirrel and Migrant
Hawker.
Steve Chapman and Steve Connor
Wednesday 15th November.
The day started off well – as soon as I got out of the car, Nick pointed out a Goldcrest on a
nearby tree. So lovely to see this beautiful little bird clearly now the trees are bare.
The other things of note around the car park and drive were the huge numbers of Rook &
Jackdaw circling overhead and 2 Great White Egret who flew across the drive one after the
other and had presumably been roosting somewhere nearby.
Just before we went through the (new wooden) gates, we spotted a Fieldfare and some
Redwing in a tree – my first of the Autumn. A Mistle Thrush was also calling and a number of
Blackbird were feeding on the remains on the pumpkins.
The feeders at the Farmland Hide were busier than usual, the highlight being a Great Spotted
Woodpecker that briefly came down to feed, 3 Skylark over the meadow and a flock of Linet.
The Wetland was quiet, mainly just Teal. Unusually there were no geese at all until eight
Egyptian noisily flew in and chased each other around, disturbing the peace!
A Grey Wagtail was spotted on the way to the hide overlooking Old Squaw. The lake itself had
large numbers of Coot & Gadwall but fewer Tufted duck than usual.
The Woodland Hide was busy, and it was good to see 2 Marsh Tit as they have been absent
on recent surveys. A Great Spotted Woodpecker joined the tits, squirrels and Chaffinches, and
we saw another two as we walked through the wood and out onto the boardwalk. Then, as
we were approaching the scrape, a Green Woodpecker flew out of the trees. In the little gorse
bush just before the hides there were another 2 Goldcrest.
Lots of ducks at the Scrape but no Geese. There were a fair number of Gulls on Moon Water
but again, no Geese. In fact, we only saw 4 Greylags the whole day, and no Canada Geese at
all.
On the way to the café, we met the Guide in the Hide - Kathy Blake. We stopped to chat and
noticed a couple of Red Kite circling overhead. A good end to a good day.
Mandy E & Nick E
