Success in The Brecks?! 09/04/11

A later start than preferred due to an appointment with the doctor meant chances of a Lesser Pecker at Santon Downham were always going to be slim. It was a cracking morning however, plenty of birdsong including Blackcap, Nuthatch, Marsh Tit, Siskin and other woodland residents. In terms of target species, a possible Willow Tit was all we managed, and a brief view of Whitlingham's finest. We had lunch in the sun and headed off to try somewhere different, which in typical brecks fashion shall remain a location 'somewhere in the forest'.

Things really picked up here, beginning with the butterlies on the wing. Holly Blue, Orange Tip, Brimstone, Peacock, Tortoiseshell and Comma were all enjoying the 20 degree plus heat. As were 2 Common Lizards!

2 Woodlark sang from separate clearings, a beautiful song with a real liquid quality I never tire of. Best of all, excellent views of 3+ Goshawk including one bird that flew over head allowing a closer than usual look at the plumage of this enigmatic species.

A familiar call alerted us to the presence of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, which gave a brief view before flying off. Other bits and bobs included A Buzzard carrying a large twig, Kestrel, GS and Green Woodpeckers and a local walker told us a Redstart had been seen earlier in the morning.

So a relatively straightforward and rewarding afternoon, helped in no small part by my uncle and little cousin who joined me for the day. I would back him to find a first for Britain one day; he beat me to a Goshawk shout on more than one occasion!

Debs and I leave for Estonia on Monday, so depending on net access this may be it for a while. But I bet you can't wait for those gripping photos of Steller's Eider, Pygmy Owl and Great Snipe. We can't!

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Everything is about edge

Hardley, where it is often confusing to define where the garden ends and the marsh begins. Tumble-down houses and rickety shacks, away from any bus route and Team Sky sorts wrapped in lycra, this is a village that by choice is cut off. The secret is out, and pre-storm Ciara as many as 10 large lenses littered the river bank firing at will. Their target- Winter ghosts. First, the classic Scooby-Doo type, as a Barn Owl responds to an ill-advised squeak in the grass and heads towards the onlookers. Another quickly joins the hunt, their formation a picture of double-edged stealth. But these year-round residents are not the key objective today, that honour is given to the Short-eared Owl. 3/4 of these can be seen from the staithe at the minute, floating like giant moths over the tussocks and edges. In a recent article in The New Yorker, Jake Fiennes states "Everything is about edge". Hedges, ditches, scrub, forgotten tracts of land that link nothing and no-one. Fiennes, now ...

Grey Phalarope- a new patch bird

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Wood's End and Surlingham, 13/03/11

Decided it was time to search for a Lesser Pecker within and around the patch, ideal habitat alongside the Yare and plenty of deadwood. I should say now that the search was fruitless, but did throw up some good habo and a few decent birds for the area. Wood's End had a large flock of Siskin in a small conifer plantation, and a Nuthatch called from within. A Common Buzzard called overhead, and was seen again from the pub- I will keep an eye on this a potential breeding site. Great Spotted Pecker showed well, and my second Brimstone Butterfly in 2 days passed through- stealing a march, or so I thought! My first was seen from the staffroom yesterday, not all bad on the Western Front then. Surlingham was looking pristine in the sunshine, and approaching the lagoon I could hear Lapwing- usually across river at Wood's End- and then a familiar call which I almost ignored, but then realised where I was.....Redshank! Never actually saw it, but still a new bird for the patch. A pair of S...

Notes from the valley

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