The second of two back-to-back single-day Brecks Tours. The original forecast was for better weather today than yesterday but it turned out worse. Fog at dawn lifted to mist which lingered to a greater or lesser extent all day. With next to no wind it was not great weather for raptors in particular. Still, we made the most of it and managed to see everything else with a bit of perseverance.
We met in Swaffham again and drove into the northern part of the Forest. Parking by the head of the ride, we could hear a Song Thrush singing in the trees above as we got out of the minibus. Lots of Redwings were chattering in the nearby pines. One was feeding in some ivy with several Blackbirds and came out onto the edge briefly. A Linnet was perched in the top of a short birch in a small copse in the middle of the field opposite.
As we walked down the track and out into the clearing, a male Common Crossbill flew across and landed in the top of a tree. We got it in the scope and it stayed there for some time. Nice views. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew out of the pines behind us and landed in the top of a bare deciduous tree, where it was joined briefly by a Mistle Thrush.
Walking up across the middle of the clearing, we found lots more Crossbills over the far side. A pair were perched in a deciduous tree preening when we got there. Later, three different Crossbills flew into the same tree and started picking at the peeling bark on branches. Another male landed in the top of a pine and started singing briefly. Birds were flying in and out of the pines all the time. Great to watch – Common Crossbills are in the Forest in very good numbers this year.
There were several Siskins flying round overhead too. Three landed in the branches of an oak tree by the path. A Mistle Thrush was singing in one of the tall pines in the middle of the clearing, where we got it in the scope.
There was no sign of any Woodlark today. It was not really a good morning to catch them singing, so they were probably feeding quietly somewhere on the ground. We scanned and listened carefully was we walked round on the track. More Crossbills flew in and out over our heads. Mainly males, so hopefully there are some females on the nest somewhere close by. We stopped to look at a Minotaur Beetle which was walking across the path.
Down in the scrubby corner at the far end, several Linnets were flying in and out of the gorse. A Yellowhammer flew up and perched briefly in a young pine tree. Three Great Spotted Woodpeckers chased each other through the trees calling. Scanning the paddocks, we found several Stock Doves on the barn roof on the far side again.
Back along the bottom path, a couple of Chiffchaffs were singing. It didn’t really feel much like spring today but a reminder that it is on its way. A Goshawk called from the trees at the back of the clearing, but there was no sign of it. We heard a Treecreeper singing briefly.
Back to the minibus and we could still hear all the Redwings still chattering in trees. Scanning across the open field opposite, we noticed several perched up in a bare tree along the edge, so we got them in the scope. Another Crossbill was perched up in a bare larch in the distance.
As we drove on round, lots more Redwings came up from the side of the road under the trees. Just beyond, a flock of Starlings whirled round over the road ahead of us and then dropped down into the field on one side. As we drove up, we could see lots of Fieldfares feeding in there with them.
Along the road past the high point overlooking the forest, it was very misty. A couple of optimistic birders were scanning. We decided to continue on, hoping that it might brighten up. We stopped next by the pig fields. Scanning across, we quickly found the Stone Curlews again. At first we could only see two, then another two stood up right next to them as a couple of pigs approached, amazing camouflage. We found two more further over too, six today.
There were a couple of Oystercatchers in the field too, plus the pair of Egyptian Geese and several Shelduck again. A pair of Mallard seemed to be appreciating the muddy puddle over on the far side. We could see a small group of Black-headed Gulls, Common Gulls and one or two Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
A Raven called from somewhere in the mist behind us, and then we heard a Eurasian Curlew too. One of the Stone Curlews then started calling, and we could hear where it gets its old Norfolk name of ‘Wailing Heath Chicken’.
Back in the minibus, we drove back round to the high point. The people we had seen earlier on our way past were still scanning, but hadn’t seen anything. No raptors were up at all, not even a Buzzard, it was all very quiet. At one point the Woodpigeons went up but it was all a bit half-hearted.
A couple of Skylarks were singing in the field behind. We decided to walk down the road, hoping for Woodlark but they were quiet today. There were a few Roe Deer on the edge of the trees. A couple of Brown Hares and two Red-legged Partridge were in one of the fields.
It had been very still all morning but as we walked back to the minibus, the breeze appeared just to pick up a little. For a minute or so it seemed to wake the raptors from their slumbers. A few Common Buzzards circled up, two behind us, then a small kettle of three together in front. A Red Kite flew across over the trees, then a second circled up further back. Just when we thought there might be a chance of Goshawk too, everything disappeared back down, the mist increased again, and it went back to quiet.
We decided to head to Lynford for lunch. If the weather did improve, we could always come back. As we drove in along the road, there were lots of cars driving in and out, lots of people queued at the Shepherd’s Baa, but thankfully the picnic tables in the car park were almost empty. After lunch, we walked into the arboretum. We stopped at the gate to scan. There were no fatballs left in the feeders today but several Blue Tits were still picking around. They were joined by a single Coal Tit. A Goldcrest dropped down into the pond to bathe.
Several Chaffinches were hopping around in the leaves, despite the lack of food now. We spotted a single Brambling feeding in between the trees off to one side. It was hard to see at first but then hopped out to join the Chaffinches in the open. They are rather scarce here this year, probably as it was very mild in Scandinavia in the autumn/early winter last year.
Continuing on to the bridge, there were lots of Chaffinches in the trees. A steady succession of Blue Tits and Great Tits were coming down to the food put out on the pillars. A brief male Siskin worked its way low down through the alders. The Little Grebes were laughing from the reeds behind again.
Down by the paddocks, we were told that apparently there had been two Hawfinches about an hour earlier but there was no sign now. Scanning the tops of the trees behind, we picked up what were presumably the same two Hawfinches. But just as we got them in the scope, they flew off. They appeared to drop down towards the trees beyond the far end of the paddocks but we lost sight of them.
We walked down to the end to see if we could find them, but there was no more sign. There were two Nuthatches in a gnarly oak tree which we watched climbing around the trunks. At one point a third Nuthatch joined them too. A couple of Long-tailed Tits flicked in and out of the tree in front of us. At one point, it looked like they might be collecting nest material, picking at cobwebs and lichen. A Goldcrest was flycatching from the branches, catching small gnats.
We continued to scan the tops of the pines and the trees in the middle of the paddocks, but there was still no more sign of the Hawfinches. We did find a Jay, and a couple of Magpies. Several Crossbills flew out of the pines and landed in the tops of the ash trees in the middle. Not the same level of excitement for them now as there had been earlier this morning! We often at least see Buzzards here but there was no sign of any raptor activity still.
As we walked back round, a Marsh Tit was in the willow ahead of us. We stopped where we had a clear view across the paddocks and scanned across. Now we picked up a Hawfinch in the top of one of the pines at the back again. We got it in the scope and realised there were two as a second flew out. We watched it fly off strongly back towards the Arboretum. The other flew too but landed again in another fir tree nearby. We got it in the scope again before that one then flew off too, the other way.
Setting off to walk back, a Firecrest flew across the path and up into one of the pines above our heads. Just at the wrong moment, two dogwalkers walked past us and the Firecrest flew off further down. We couldn’t refind it now. Back to the bridge, several Crossbills were in the tops of the poplars but nothing much was coming in to the food now. Continuing on up the hill beyond, we could hear a Blackcap singing in the trees. Our first of the spring.
Back up at the gate, the Coal Tit came in again and another Goldcrest dropped down to the pool to bathe. There was no sign of the Brambling now though, and fewer Chaffinches. After a quick loo stop, we decided there was still time to try one last stop somewhere else.
We drove into the forest again and stopped at the head of another ride. As we walked in, it was all very grey and quiet. It didn’t feel very promising. Still, we kept stopping to scan. We hadn’t gone too far when two Woodlarks flew up from the long grass close to the path. They must have been hunkered down where we couldn’t see them. We could see their short tails and broad, rounded wings, a very different silhouette to a Skylark.
Thankfully the Woodlarks circled back round and dropped down again. One landed in view and we got it the scope. As it walked slowly back into the grass, we moved up very gradually and could see the two of them. Great views creeping around in the grass feeding. We could see their pale supercilia, meeting in a shallow ‘v’ on the back of their necks.
A male Stonechat appeared in the top of one of the small trees behind us. Our last Crossbill of the day flew over chipping. There was still no sign of any raptor activity here either, the mist had not lifted all day. As we turned to walk back, two Mandarin Ducks flew past over towards the river, calling.
Back to Swaffham, and we said our goodbyes. The weather hadn’t been kind to us today, but despite that we had still seen most of the birds we had hoped to see with some great views of many of the specialities of the Brecks and Thetford Forest.
