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Into the final knockings

I rose before the sun today and enjoyed a crisp morning and a walk around Surlingham Marsh. I encountered a Muntjac Deer on the Carnser, perhaps foraging away from frozen areas like the numerous Thrushes on the ground. I then heard 1 if not 2 Bullfinch, and for a change the pair were easy to see amongst the dead wood and pale sky. Stunning birds and lovely to have them so local. A female Marsh Harrier was hunting over Heron's Marsh, and she or another bird flew close by overhead as I made my way round. There was little else out and about bar a Chinese Water Deer and a nice mixed Tit flock containing Marsh and Coal. It was a gorgeous morning though.


Returning home briefly for a much needed bacon butty, I then went east to Rockland Broad. The small dyke that held a Grey Wagtail last Winter appears to have been dredged, much to the interest of the local Finches and Tits. Still no Brambling though. The broad itself held Tufted Duck, Coot, LBB, Common and Black Headed Gull. More Bullfinch called from the scrub. 2 Chinese Water Deer grazed on the meadow. 

I gave Claxton Marshes a go this evening, ending the day with 2 each of Kestrel and Barn Owl. 4 Chinese Water Deer were here. Darkness had moreorless engulfed the marsh, but I popped to Church Marsh to check the depth gauge and heard both Snipe and Chinese Water Deer. That makes a total of 8 today, on the increase I would suggest and potentially damaging, as nice as they are to see.

Not long until the year list comes to an end, and begins again anew. Still time to add a tick or two to the patch list, hoping for Short-eared Owl (seen the wrong side of last Christmas) or a Whooper/Bewicks.

Comments

  1. Unknown14 December 2014 at 12:37

    Hi Jim. Easy to see 8+ Chinese Water Deer from my bedroom window here. As grazers (not browsers) favouring the open habitat of grazing marshes, we've noticed no damage whatsoever, unlike Muntjac

    ReplyDelete

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