Saturday 13 July 2024

Little Cressingham (Watton Brook Valley) 1345-1600

A few changes to the habitat in the valley since my previous visit, the riversides are very full and lush, Burr reed is beginning to thicken in the brook, and it was good to see the roadside verges looking very attractive to invertebrate species with knapweed, umbellifer species, and long grasses.

The meadows in the valley are very wet with isolated patches of flood water looking good for passage wader species. 

Highlight species seen included a juvenile female Goshawk, one Little Egret on a meadow, evidence of breeding success with at least 3 juvenile Stonechats seen, adult Whitethroats with food for young, and a single Kingfisher flying downstream.

Whitethroat Little Cressingham 13 July 2024

Upon my arrival in the Watton Brook valley, I was greeted by a rather curious Whitethroat which flew up onto a post and stayed alert as it looked around.   Later in the valley, Whitethroats gave alarm calls when I was close to the nest, also, food was being carried for young.

The immediate area here saw plenty of long grasses with various tall weed species including knapweed and umbellifers, which provided a rich

habitat for invertebrate species for bird species including our Whitethroat pair, to gather for their young from.

Little Cressingham 13 July 2024. Insect rich habitat 

Whilst scanning the tops of a nearby woodland, I saw a very erratic, disorganised departure of birds, such behaviour suggested a Goshawk was present and as I looked above the woodland canopy I saw the menacing approach of a Goshawk clearly intent on taking prey, once over the woodland it entered the trees, this bird was a juvenile female Goshawk, a very large, powerful raptor. 

Still looking west along the valley a single Little Egret searching for prey in the grass.  An Oystercatcher was also probing into the soft ground.

Checking the valley I saw 3 Stonechats (juveniles), quite distantly, on fencing posts and tall weeds,  From these perches the birds would fly to the ground to presumably take an invertebrate and then return to its perch. 

Also here was a number of Goldfinches which fed from knapweed and thistles

Watton Brook.  A lush valley rich in insect life