Breckland Birder

Breckland Birder
Red Deer in Breckland, Norfolk Photo by Paul Newport

Saturday 22 June 2013

Little Cressingham, Norfolk.

A thoroughly miserable morning with leaden skies and persistent rain was followed in the afternoon with brighter conditions, although the wind remained quite strong.
Late afternoon and I decided to drop into the area around Little Cressingham Mill, as soon as I arrived it was apparent that there was lots of young birds noisily begging for food in the trees and bushes around the water.
Probably the most visible and audible birds was a family party of Great Tits - several juvenile birds were seen in lower branches begging and being fed by the adult birds whilst close by a family party of Wrens generally kept to lower cover in dense nettlebeds, again, the young were fed by the ever attentive parents.
Great Spotted Woodpecker (juvenile) 22/06/13
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers flew into an Ash tree by the mill including this very attractive juvenile bird.  Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers are easily separated from the adult birds by the red cap and pale red under-tail coverts.

Spotted Flycatchers are a declining species, however, this locality generally holds a pair.  Frustratingly, I could not locate Spotted Flycatchers visually but I could hear them calling.

Whilst sitting on a wall looking downstream, a single Grey Wagtail briefly put in an appearance when it alighted on a log in the water, however, it flew off almost as soon as it arrived.  This is a good record as its presence indicates probable breeding somewhere in the valley.
Other common species seen in this area included Goldfinches, Robin (1), House Martins flying around the cottage, and a pair of Swallows flying in and out of the wheel house.
A single Common Buzzard was seen high overhead where it hung briefly 'kite-like' whilst facing into the strong wind.

1 comment:

  1. Good to see you back in business, Paul and the blog stories as fascinating as ever. Near Newbury the same day and I also had a "dull-looking" juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker in my son's garden plus Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits and, surprise surprise, a true pair of Bullfinches.

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