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Chandlers Ford “Falcons” |
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Date: May 4th-6th 2007 — 126 species recorded |
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Check Lists for Norfolk Fieldtrip weekend |
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BIRD LIST AVOCET BLACKBIRD BLACKCAP CORN BUNTING REED BUNTING BUZZARD CHAFFINCH CHIFFCHAFF COOT CORMORANT CARRION CROW CUCKOO CURLEW STONE CURLEW COLLERED DOVE STOCK DOVE RUDDY DUCK TUFTED DUCK DUNLIN DUNNOCK LITTLE EGRET GADWELL GARGANEY BARTAILED GODWIT BLACK TAILED GODWIT GOLDCREST GOLDFINCH BARNACALE GOOSE BRENT GOOSE CANADA GOOSE EGYPTIAN GOOSE GREYLAG GOOSE PINK FOOTED GOOSE GREAT CRESTED GREBE LITTLE GREBE GREENFINCH GREENSHANK BLACK HEADED GULL COMMON GULL GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL HERRING GULL LESSER BLACKBACKED GULL LITTLE GULL MARSH HARRIER MONTAGUES HARRIER GREY HERON HOBBY JACKDAW JAY KESTREL KNOT LAPWING LINNET MAGPIE MALLARD HOUSE MARTIN SAND MARTIN MOORHEN NIGHTINGALE BARN OWL LITTLE OWL TAWNY OWL |
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OYSTERCATCHER COMMON PARTRIDGE RED LEGGED PARTRIDGE PHEASANT WOOD PIGEON PINTAIL MEADOW PIPIT GREY PLOVER LITTLE RINGED PLOVER RINGED PLOVER POCHARD REDSHANK SPOTTED REDSHANK ROBIN ROOK RUFF SANDERLING COMMON SANDPIPER COMMON SCOTER VELVET SCOTER SHELDUCK SHOVELER SKYLARK SNIPE HOUSE SPARROW SPARROWHAWK SPOONBILL STARLING TEMMINK’S STINT STONECHAT SWALLOW MUTE SWAN WHOOPER SWAN SWIFT TEAL COMMON TERN LITTLE TERN SANDWICH TERN MISTLE THRUSH SONG THRUSH BEARDED TIT BLUE TIT COAL TIT GREAT TIT LONG TAILED TIT TREECREEPER TURNSTONE GREY WAGTAIL PIED WAGTAIL YELLOW WAGTAIL CETTIS WARBLER GARDEN WARBLER REED WARBLER SEDGE WARBLER WILLOW WARBLER WHIMBREL WHINCHAT LESSER WHITETHROAT WHITETHROAT WIGEON GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER GREEN WOODPECKER WREN YELLOWHAMMER |
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All packed and ready to go by 10:00 on Friday. Explorers in the minibus; back-up cars in a line—and we are off: we have a convoy.
The bird list began immediately. As the journey progressed, and we stopped for comfort breaks, we compared lists. The occupants of the cars were clear leaders until we hit Norfolk—then the youngsters in the minibus began to steam ahead (had they just woken up?).
By the time we got to Wells-next-the-Sea the list was approaching 40 species.
We all piled out at the field centre and got ourselves organised in our dormitories. Then it was back in the vehicles for our first visit to East Cley. The Marsh Harriers coasted over the reeds; Bearded Tits scuttled through the reeds at the edge of the drainage ditches; Greylag Geese and their young (fluffy little balls of feathers) paraded across the mudflats and sandwich terns rose in clouds above the water surface. Then Mark spotted them—two spoonbills. They flew straight over our heads, no more than 20 feet above us. Absolutely breathtaking.
Then back to our base for a huge plate of spaghetti bolognese followed by apple pie and custard. What more could you ask?
With full tummies, we dived back into the vehicles for a quick trip up onto the Salt House heathlands. As the sun went down we thought we caught the faint sound of nightjars churring (but not positive enough to record). Then a blackcap began to call and moments later the nightingales began to sing. Spell binding stuff. |
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The next morning (04:30), those who wanted to, went on the Holkham watch. We saw the sun come up and heard the dawn chorus. Our reward for this commitment was the sight of a barn owl rising out from behind the trees and gliding across the dunes.
Then back to the Wells field centre for baked beans, eggs, sausages, bacon and toast.
Soon after we were all off again heading for RSPB Tichwell. A minor detour saw us watching whitethroats, linnets and… three MONTAGUES HARRIERS. A brief stop at Choosey Barns enabled us to see corn buntings and a yellowhammer. The highlight of this side-trip was seeing the little owl peacefully sitting in a tree beside the road.
Tichwell, as always, delivered. A wide range of ducks, waders and sea birds. For me the grace of the marsh harrier was stunning. The avocets were everywhere: their upturned beaks and side-to-side sweeping of the bill characteristic of this enchanting bird. We did a little sea watching as well and were rewarded with the scoters. The winchat on the wire near the RSPB visitor centre was superb—the pictures in books do not do justice to this beautiful bird.
Then back to the Wells field centre and on to Cley again with the hope of seeing more barn owls. We were unlucky with this, but we did see how eroded the shingle ridge had become. How long will it be before the sea breaks through and encroaches on the marshland behind?
Back to base again and an enormous chicken and chips dinner; followed by table tennis and board games (all provides by the centre). Another quick visit to Cley and up onto the heathlands behind and then back to crash-out for the night. No one had trouble sleeping!!
Our final day involved everyone tidying up their dormitories and having another huge breakfast. Then off to Welney Wetland Centre. A superb place to visit—what a setting!! The hides are excellent. The water levels have gone down a bit since I last visited (the place was flooded earlier in the year!). Garganey, pintails, a hobby, whooper swan and a hybrid pochard/tufted duck pretending to be a scaup were all seen by the group.
Then off we went again. This time to Weeting Heath. We had excellent views of the stone curlew. By this time we were all flagging a little. So for most of us we were able to stumble back into the vehicles and snooze our way back to Chandlers Ford.
We saw a total of 126 species of birds and traveled 635 miles in 3 days. It was a fascinating and exhausting trip.
In summary it was a very good field trip enjoyed by all. I would like to thank all who participated and made it so enjoyable. Joc’s spectacular meals, the Wells field centre for providing such good facilities, all our wildlife explorers for joining in so well and all our adult helpers who pitched in—Mark, Alex, Vic and Lesley.
We would like to acknowledge the financial support that the Winchester Group of the RSPB provided. Without their help we would not have been able to put on the trip.
Finally the group leaders made this all possible: thanks to Bob, Barbara, and Lynne. Last (but not least) Derek was the key architect. Thanks to his unbounded energy, organizing ability and birding knowledge he made the whole event possible.
Pete 08/05/2007 |
