Tuesday 5 May 2015

Runhall, Norfolk

My work as a carer takes me across many lovely villages in the River Yare valley of Norfolk and my afternoon breaks allows me to explore a variety of habitats.  As well as photographing birds, I also get immense pleasure in maintaining a photographic record of habitats.  To many a leafy lane is just that, a leafy lane, however, to me I see an abundance of beautiful habitats which provides homes to birds and many other forms of wildlife.  I also hope that sharing my passion for habitats allows others to know what to expect within these valuable sites.

Runhall (Black Horse Road)                                                                                                                  The photograph below shows Black Horse Road heading north from the River Yare.  This small area has a variety of habitats which were clearly beneficial to birds.  Sadly, some see an untidy area, I see valuable wildlife habitats.
Runhall (Black Horse Road) 05/05/15 (Although not apparent from this picture, today saw strong and damaging winds)
The large Bramble patch left of centre in the picture was visited by a pair of Long-tailed Tits carrying food for their young.  Also here was a Blackcap which was issuing its agitated "tak" call.
Whitethroat at Runhall (Black Horse Road) 05/05/15
The small length of roadside hedgerow immediately right of centre in the picture was visited by Whitethroats.  This male Whitethroat sang from a number of perches including the tall Hawthorns right of the road and the hedge running left to right through the centre of the photo.
Also present at this site this afternoon was calling Green Woodpecker, a pair of Chaffinches, a pair of Blackbirds, and a couple of Swallows in the area.
I am quite sure that most people see the value of areas such as this at Runhall, I also hope that more and more inaccessable corners of fields and roadsides are left for scrub to take over, such areas enhance the beauty of our countryside. Listening to a Whitethroat announcing itself from the top of a Hawthorn is a wonderful experience, especially so on a warm summers day with the buzzing of Bees for company.




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2 comments:

  1. Tim5 May 2015 at 23:16

    Tidy the countryside...
    tame the garden....
    sterilise the park.....
    and you hear people say....
    "There used to be much more wildlife around here when I was young!?"

    To me, Paul, those are wonderful links in the wildlife corridors...
    our brambles here produce NO real fruit...
    but they give rich rewards, just the same...
    I'd prefer to come across a harvest mouse or dormouse nest in a patch of bramble...
    or watch those fluttering little "balls of white, pink and black wool with a pair of knitting needles" going too and fro...
    even though I do like blackberry and apple pie!!

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  2. The Breckland Birder6 May 2015 at 10:04

    Thank you Tim, I knew that you and I would share similar thoughts on the countryside and its habitats. I can think of nothing better than seeing tangled masses of hedgerows and scrub supporting life. I also see patches of Bramble, the odd spinney, a thicket, and an old hedgerow as being highways for birds and other wildlife to go about their daily business of breeding, feeding, and of course, links in winter for Tits etc to make their way between woodlands.
    And Yes.....Apple and Blackberry Pie...tastes especially good when the ingredients are sourced from the local hedgerow.

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