Day 2 of a 3-day Winter Birds, Brecks & Goshawks tour. There was drizzle or light rain for most of the morning, although we did have a brief sunny interlude. The afternoon was a bit drier before it eventually started to brighten up by the end of the day. We spent the day in the Brecks and Thetford Forest.
As we drove down to the Brecks this morning, it was drizzling on and off. We parked at the head of a ride and as we got out, we could hear a Song Thrush singing. Walking in along the track, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in distance. The surprise of the day was when a Great White Egret circled over above our heads. We were not far from the river, but there is nowhere for it to feed here. Possibly it was on the move.
We heard a Woodlark call nearby and stopped to scan. Two flew across over the back of the grass and landed in front of the trees. Just at that moment, it started to rain more heavily so we had to wait a couple of minutes before we could get them in the scope without it getting too wet.
There seemed to be a pair of Woodlarks, but we thought we heard another call. When two of them started squabbling, we realised there were at least three. A pair walked off together in one direction while the third went the other way.
As we carried on round, a Yellowhammer sang briefly. We flushed a Song Thrush from a wet ditch ahead of us. Down by the river, there were a few tits in the willows and a Chiffchaff with them. Several Siskins flew up from the path as we came round the corner. They landed in the back of the willows, then flew back out into the alders above the path. Further on, a Redwing flew in and landed in the poplars.
As we got back towards the bridge, an Egyptian Goose flew out of the trees calling loudly and another pair walked across the path. We could hear loud twittering in the trees across the river and looked over to see lots of Siskins and a few Goldfinches in the bushes the other side. Several Siskins were coming down to the feeders behind the houses, along with a Nuthatch and a Long-tailed Tit too.
Over the bridge, another Siskin was singing in the alders. There is not much food out in the garden by the road these days so we carried on past and up to the Forestry Commission car park to use the facilities. More Siskins were in the gardens from here but we couldn’t see any Redpolls. It was a bit more exposed though and driving rain here so we didn’t linger.
As we walked back to the minibus, we saw a Common Buzzard circling despite the rain. A sign? As we drove north, the cloud base lifted and it seemed to brighten up a little. A couple more Common Buzzards appeared, so we decided to have a quick look to see if there was any Goshawk activity.
We stopped and got out at a high point overlooking the forest. There were even some tiny patches of blue sky in the grey now, if you looked very carefully. It was enough to get two Common Buzzards up behind us and a couple of Skylarks singing.
We didn’t have to wait too long before we picked up a Goshawk coming up out of the trees in front with another Buzzard. The Goshawk circled up and gained height very quickly. Then it turned and drifted across before dropping sharply until we lost sight of it behind the pines. Brief, but more than we expected given the weather.
We continued to scan. Several flocks of Fieldfares flew over, and five landed in the top of a bare tree. A Peregrine flew up in the distance briefly, along with several more Buzzards. A Sparrowhawk started displaying over the trees too but there was no more sign of any Goshawks. Then it quickly clouded over and started to drizzle again. The raptor window had closed as quickly as it opened. Glad we stopped when we did.
We moved on to another nearby forestry ride. The rain had stopped again by the time we arrived but it was still grey and cloudy. The trees were quiet as we walked in through the dense pine plantations. As we stood on the track out in the middle of the clearing we heard a Common Crossbill call above us. Looking up and scanning the scattered pines, it flew out and landed in the top of a lone tree. We got it in the scopes for a closer look before it dropped down again.
A little further up, we flushed several more Crossbills which flew up from the ground. Presumably they were feeding on fallen seeds. They flew up into an oak tree above and we had some great views of them now hopping around in the branches. Several were picking at the peeling bark on some dead branches. They looked to be mostly males with a couple of females. Crossbills nest very early, so perhaps there were more females somewhere nearby on the nest?
A Woodlark started calling from somewhere in the clearing behind us. We were distracted by the Crossbills though. They gradually flew up into the tops of the firs behind. There were several Goldfinches and Siskins too. By the time we turned our attention to finding the Woodlark it had gone quiet.
Back to the minibus, we drove down to Lynford next. It was time for lunch now. Thankfully the weather had improved, and it was dry enough for us to eat in the picnic area in the car park.
Afterwards, we walked across the road and into the arboretum. A Nuthatch and a Coal Tit came in to the feeders by the Shepherd’s Baa coffee shop, while we were waiting for everyone to use the loos. Another couple of birders outside there told us there had been a Hawfinch a few minutes earlier from the gate.
By the time we got up to the Gate, the Hawfinch had disappeared. There were lots of Chaffinches coming down to feed on the ground but no sign of any Bramblings. They are very scarce here this year, as we had discussed yesterday. We did see several Yellowhammers, including some smart males. Another Nuthatch came in to the fatballs in the cage on the tree.
We continued on down to the bridge. There was bird food already put out on the pillars and lots of birds coming in and out. We could hear Marsh Tit as we walked up, but we could only see Great and Blue Tits. The Little Grebes were laughing at us from the reeds in the lake.
Our main target here was Hawfinch so we walked on to look in the paddocks. Several Crossbills flew in and out of the pines behind us, calling. Two more were perched in the tops of the poplars looking back towards the bridge. There was nothing in the trees in the middle of the paddocks at first, so we stood and scanned. It didn’t take too long to pick up our first Hawfinch, in top of the fir trees beyond. A female, it was very distant but OK views in the scopes before it dropped down out of view.
We walked on a little further, to give us a clearer view of the firs. A smart male Crossbill landed on the top of one of the pines behind us now.
All the time, we continued to scan the trees in the paddocks. Another Hawfinch appeared in the top of one of the hornbeams. We got it in the scopes and watched it preening, another female. Much better views. A second landed in the top of the ash trees nearby briefly too, but quickly dropped down out of view.
When the Hawfinch finally flew, it seemed to drop down towards another of the hornbeams further back. We couldn’t see whether it landed from here so walked back a short way to where we could see the tree. Scanning underneath, we could lots of Chaffinches feeding on the ground. At least one Hawfinch was in with them. More nice views in the scopes.
The Crossbills were flying in and out of the ash trees in middle too now. A Great Spotted Woodpecker perched in the top of one preening. When the birds feeding under the hornbeam were spooked they flew up into the branches above. The Chaffinches dropped down again but we couldn’t see the Hawfinch now.
We walked back to the bridge. The birds were still coming in to the food and we didn’t have to wait too long before a Marsh Tit came in. As usual, it darted in a couple of times and grabbed a seed before flying quickly back. Nice views in the trees behind. Several Siskins were feeding in the alders above.
On the way back, we stopped to scan from the gate again. There were still lots of Chaffinches coming down to feed on the ground and at least six Yellowhammers now. A Marsh Tit came in to the fatballs here too now.
Sadly we were out of time and we had a long drive back to base. Once again, the weather had been tricky again at times today but despite that, we had been remarkably successful down in the Brecks. Still another day to go tomorrow too.
