Hilborough, Norfolk

A drive along the B1108 west of Watton towards Bodney at dawn saw very good light and visibility.  A slight frost and 2 degrees with a fresh south-westerly gave a fresh feel to the morning.  Once the sun broke the horizon it was very bright, although the forecast suggests this is not to last.
The drive along the B1108 takes you through vast open, rolling countryside with little evidence of human habitation, this in turn can give a bleak feel in winter, this I like, and this is why I love Breckland so much.

Hilborough
I walk through forest rides produced good numbers of Goldcrests, Marsh, and Blue Tits stirring from dense Ivy covered trees where they probably roosted, they then started their daily feeding routines high in the smaller limbs of the trees.

Woodlark (photographed Hilborough Feb 2015)

A check of a weedy field produced at least 9 Woodlarks rising up, some flew off over trees whilst a couple descended back into a weedy strip, a typical wintering habitat for this Breckland speciality.  I wonder if these numbers of Woodlark comprised adults and youngsters from a local known breeding site. The habitat where these Woodlarks were seen this morning comprised cereal stubble and wide weedy strips, a vital habitat for Woodlark survival in autumn and winter.
Also seen was 40+ Fieldfare overflying.
A check of a field of Pigs produced large numbers of flocking species, most notably, 2000+ Starlings which when disturbed rose up above the field together and wheeled around almost performing a mini-murmuration until they felt confident to return to the ground to feed.  Large numbers of Gulls were also present in the area, with more constantly arriving to feed.