#Welney WWT

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Norfolk Wildlife Diary

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Young rabbit taken through the cafe window at Welney WWT.-2 by Glyn Bowman Via Flickr: Day out Visiting Welney WWT.

[dansnaturepictures]

My first visit to Norfolk and Suffolk: 5 years on

This year my wildlife watching and photography will probably be defined by my trip of a life time to the highlands of Scotland, which allowed me to see an incredible amount of birds and some spectacular birds, mammals and views over two days. When on the flat Moray coast on the second day of Heatherlea’s ‘Birding Bites’ tour, I couldn’t help but be reminded of another birding holiday to a renowned British location Norfolk and Suffolk five years previous during my last ever school Easter Holidays. Like the Scotland trip it became a rather brilliant general wildlife few days away, with a large amount of birds seen including three new ones and many I hadn’t seen often at all before as we visited famous locations. I felt due to perhaps a later Pembrokeshire trip and so much going on personally for me in 2013, despite a return to Norfolk and Suffolk in the summer I never really valued this trip as much as I should so with today marking 5 years since I arrived in East Anglia for a few days I thought I’d do a post remembering each day of the trip and what made it so great.

On day one after the long journey one of these places I had heard of RSPB Tichwell was where we visited, getting a great introduction of what the land looked here as shown in the 1st picture I took in this photoset. All pictures in this photoset are mine I have to clarify, as by this point in 2013 I hadn’t started watermarking them again. Avocet and Ruff shown there in the 2nd and 3rd pictures in this photoset and Knot as year ticks as well as Brent Geese and a singing Skylark were the standout birds of hundreds as I first learnt and reflected on a lot afterwards just how wild Norfolk is and how numerous the birds are here.

On the second day I was happy to clock up another WWT reserve visited going to Welney shown in the 4th picture in this photoset, a brief Hen Harrier view brought me my first life tick of the trip and Whooper Swan and Black-necked Grebe were classy supporting stars. For the rest of the day we visited Cley as shown in the 6th picture in this photoset a view from it, which is a very impressive reserve, it provided good picture opportunities and Purple Sandpiper was a bird that stood out. I also took the 5th picture in this photoset of a flock of one of my favourite birds the Brent Geese. The biggest day of the holiday was the third as we first went on a boat trip from Blakeney Point to see Common and Grey Seals and it was a wonderful wildlife experience, it really was an honour to get so close to beautiful creatures and the 7th picture in this photoset is just one I took . Then I was excited as the afternoon was spent at famous former Springwatch home Pensthorpe, as shown in the 8th picture in this photoset.

On the way home Suffolk became our focus as we visited future Springwatch home and one of the greatest reserves in the country RSPB Minsmere, the famous reedbed habitat shown in the 9th picture in this photoset. It would also star on our summer visit to this area that year seeing my first ever Little Gulls. On the April day again I got three year ticks, but what a three with two life ticks Red-throated Diver and Garganey and only my second ever Smew. I also got stunning Bittern views that day which lived long in the memory. The Garganey as I mentioned in my post of Saturday’s trip I later discovered was my 200th bird seen, I have only gone onto see Garganey and Red-throated Diver a small handful of times and haven’t seen another Smew since which sums up why this was a historic day and trip for me. The Garganey rivals the seals for moment of the trip as I had been after seeing one for a very long time and we just got into a hide packed out as a White-tailed Eagle which we didn’t go onto see had been spotted. But I was in heaven as I looked out and saw the unmistakable male and female Garganey. I got the 10th picture in this photoset a record shot of it. On the way back we called into Rainham Marshes seeing a Black Redstart nearby on the River Thames and I had had one of the times of my birding life.

[wildlife-film]

Grass snake | WWT Welney

[micaramel]

Accipiter nisus Welney WWT http://bit.ly/2hRgugI

[sbingo13]

Doing a bit wetland bird spotting! #wwtwelney #welneywetlandcentre #norfolk #eastofengland #england #hibernot #icu_britain #ukpotd #ic_landscapes #loves_united_kingdom #ig_britishisles #britains_talent #capturingbritain #rsa_nature #igworldquest #ig_naturegallery #igglobalclub #Snap_Earth #uk_pho #ordnancesurvey #traveling_uk #mynaturalbritain #england_insta (at WWT Welney)

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Welney WWT Infrared Landscapes http://ift.tt/2jRDQhe

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Norfolk 2021

Sue and I spent a week in Norfolk in early September this year. On one day we went into Sheringham, a pleasant town on the coast. Sheringham is the eastern terminus of the North Norfolk Railway. They were holding a Gala day on the day we were there so there were lots of historic locomotives to be seen. Another day we went to the RSPB reserve at Titchwell. The highlight was an excellent view of…

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East Anglian Weekend

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Naturelog: 11th May

On the way back to London from Lincolnshire, we stopped again at Welney Wetlands reserve in Norfolk. We had hoped of seeing a Common Crane that had been seen earlier that morning but it remained hidden during our visit. The highlight was seeing a Little Ringed Plover on a nest and a Western Marsh Harrier.

Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis) Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser) Mute Swan (Cygnus…

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Naturelog: 4th May

A week in South Lincolnshire starts in Norfolk as we visit Welney Wetlands reserve on our way north from London.

Welney Wetlands

After a refreshing drink in the great cafe here, we make our way over to the main hide. One of the attractions of this reserve is the chance to see Whooper Swans all year around. This species was once only a winter visitor but a small population have now become…

[petec9099]

Norfolk Journey-Day 1

Sue and I spent two weeks exploring the north of Norfolk and would like to share some of the highlights of our trip.

  Our first stop on arriving in Norfolk was at the WWT reserve at Welney in Fenland. This reserve is best known for its wintering migratory swans but it is good all year round. The really good thing is that you can birdwatch why you eat your lunch in the restaurant (if you can get…

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On the way back from a trip to Peterborough, Sue and I stopped off at Welney Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust for lunch and a couple of hours bird watching. From the main hide, we could see that the number of Whooper Swans present had risen significantly since our last visit back in mid-September with arrivals from the breeding grounds in the artic.

  Also present were good numbers of duck species which also make their home for the winter on the washes of Cambridgeshire and Norfolk

Eurasian Wigeon

Common Pochard

Northern Shoveler (m & f)

  Pintail (m)

The star birds of the day, although only seen briefly in flight were a group of 3 Common Cranes, which flew into the far side of the reserve before disappearing into the vegetation and out of sight. These once very rare birds are now increasing in numbers due to re-introduction programmes in Somerset and East Anglia.

Common Crane (Photographed Slimbridge Dec 2013)

Despite being the first weekend in November, we also saw a red admiral and a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly and a pair of Common Darter Dragonflies, witness to how mild the autumn has been.

Red-legged Partridge [sp] (Alectoris rufa) Common Pheasant [sp] (Phasianus colchicus) Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser) Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis) Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) Gadwall (Anas strepera) Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos) Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) Eurasian Teal [sp] (Anas crecca) Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea) Little Egret [sp] (Egretta garzetta) Great Cormorant [sp] (Phalacrocorax carbo) Red Kite [sp] (Milvus milvus) Western Marsh Harrier [sp] (Circus aeruginosus) Common Buzzard [sp] (Buteo buteo) Common Kestrel [sp] (Falco tinnunculus) Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus) Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra) Common Crane [sp] (Grus grus) Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) Common Snipe [sp] (Gallinago gallinago) Black-tailed Godwit [sp] (Limosa limosa) Dunlin [sp] (Calidris alpina) Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus) Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus) Eurasian Collared Dove [sp] (Streptopelia decaocto) European Green Woodpecker [sp] (Picus viridis) Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica) Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone) Great Tit [sp] (Parus major) Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus) Eurasian Skylark [sp] (Alauda arvensis) Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris) House Sparrow [sp] (Passer domesticus) Eurasian Tree Sparrow [sp] (Passer montanus) Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii) European Goldfinch [sp] (Carduelis carduelis)

Naturelog: 5th November On the way back from a trip to Peterborough, Sue and I stopped off at Welney Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust for lunch and a couple of hours bird watching.

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Norfolk Journey: Welney Whooper Swans

Norfolk Journey: Welney Whooper Swans

And so to the last day of our Norfolk Journey -for this year at least- and we find ourselves back at the Wildfowl reserve at Welney on the Norfolk – Cambridgeshire border.

I got talking to one of the volunteer wardens as I was surprised to already see Whooper Swans on the reserve as these are winter visitors from the Arctic. She explained that they now have a small resident population made up…

[dansnaturepictures]

Species appreciation post: Hen Harrier for Hen Harrier Day 2020 (With a couple of Marsh Harrier pictures in this set for storytelling purposes) 

I did intend to post this tonight but I have looked at the Hen Harrier Day hashtag on Twitter and seen it in full swing and thought the day has rather passed by tonight so I am posting it now. Its time for my latest species appreciation post and today I am celebrating one of the most beautiful, elegant and iconic bird species in the UK. I am extremely fond of the Hen Harrier, and have known what a remarkable looking and inspirational bird they are from when I first saw one in bird books getting into birdwatching as a kid and when one of my heroes Simon King followed a pair in Islay, Scotland during the first BBC Springwatch I ever watched my favourite TV programme. For me Hen Harriers are a bird like no other, the rulers of the skies with their fantastic colours and markings both males and females and their sky dancing ways. 

Please see this footage of one posted by the RSPB to see what I mean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbuovJyIWLs Whilst this is something I have never actually seen myself it took my breath away and I aspire to see it. 

But that’s the fear, that I won’t be able to have the chance to one day see them doing this for much longer. This post is probably to be deemed one of the most political I’ve ever done being posted on what is among others at this time of year as they have been for a few years in August now Hen Harrier Day, and to that I say good! For as I know I reach a variety of people here, if you are not aware, there is a crime wave ravaging the British uplands where these birds are home. Years and years of persecution, generally as a result of conflict with the driven grouse shooting industry which is a big debate as its so all encompassing of those types of landscapes. Birds like Golden Eagles, Buzzards and the list goes on have been found trapped, poisoned and generally killed due mostly to their natural right to exist in an ecosystem that is being managed, and this blog is prompting strong opinion from me I must say and I know there will always be differing viewpoints that is a beautiful thing itself this part of this blog is an opinion piece not factual, to within an inch of its life. 

But no bird is suffering from these cruel acts, which I have to stress is not being carried out by absolutely everybody associated with driven grouse shooting and the shooting industry but just by those criminal minority who think its their right to control nature, more so than the Hen Harrier. In England especially this bird is struggling and could soon simply be wiped out. Its a sad fact that has prompted over the last half decade or so one of the most popular and inspirational wildlife conservation movements I have ever known. People have been united in their quest to raise awareness and turn the tide on raptor persecution especially against the majestic Hen Harrier. Mark Avery’s book “Inglorious: Conflict in the Uplands” was a gamechanger that prompted Hen Harrier Day and in my opinion paved the way for movements like Wild Justice with his co-founders of that group Ruth Tingay and Chris Packham. We are all aware of what continues to go on, and how wrong it is. And we shall never give up. 

The descriptions of the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inglorious-Conflict-Uplands-Mark-Avery/dp/1472917413 perfectly describe the situation. 

I’ve sadly never managed to get to a physical Hen Harrier Day, but at the Bird Fair where I usually go every year I have seen some passionate, informed and explosive debates centering this topic the last few years. Many have been from and involving the inspirational Chris Packham and in some supporting photos of mine in this post the seventh one is one I took of him in the events marque at the Bird Fair in 2016 at Rutland Water where it is always held. Here his board references one of the most significant features of this movement the petition to government to ban driven grouse shooting which received phenomenal support. 

So with the political backdrop addressed, here is my story with seeing Hen Harriers. Its obvious from this post already I think and me generally how much I love birds of prey some of my favourite birds are among them. And I marveled at seeing them right from when I began birdwatching. But I was late to the party with harrier species, not seeing my first of the commoner Marsh Harrier until 2012, I began birdwatching in 2006/07. I’d seen White-tailed Eagle before I’d seen a harrier with a sighting of one in Hampshire a rare one in 2011. Quite something, pre Isle of Wight sea eagle reintroduction project, for someone from Hampshire. My first Marsh Harrier came at RSPB’s Radipole Lake in Weymouth, Dorset such a stronghold for them where I later took the fourth picture in this photoset of this bird I could do a separate one of these posts on in 2018. I took the third in this photoset of a Marsh Harrier at Farlington Marshes in January this year. 

It was a year later I felt in heaven at making it a harrier double as at WWT’s Welney reserve in Norfolk in 2013 when a real fight back of seeing birds and huge expansion in the amount of birds I had seen that year was just beginning around Easter, when I got the briefest but most precious view of a female Hen Harrier. Looking back, Hen Harrier was so key to that 2013 super year for me for birds and other wildlife which is so important to my hobby. It was on the way back from that Norfolk trip chatting to someone at the RSPB’s London reserve Rainham Marshes who’d been surveying them there in days prior that we learned Hen Harrier migrate to our native (there about) New Forest in winter. In 2015 nearly exactly at the spot she’d said she’d been at when we parked up at Godshill in the New Forest for a walk a man who saw we had binoculars etc. happily and like he almost couldn’t believe us told us he’d seen a female Hen Harrier. As we walked around we kept our eyes open and saw this female! As well as some possible left over prey bits of a pigeon on the ground. This was a fantastic view that really allowed us to make out their markings so well that beautiful colour and the famous ring tail. It was one of my best bird moments ever I remember thinking to myself this weekend I’ve seen one of the rarest birds in the country to set a little surge towards the end of 2015 where I saw so many birds I’d only seen for the second time ever. 

I would see Hen Harriers the next two years, my first ever male whilst we were driving through Snowdonia, Wales in 2016 apt as I actually wrote this post and timed to go out when it was Hen Harrier Day Wales. A brilliant bit of birding to add into that holiday alongside other top birds seen. I saw another male and this time photographed it the first in this photoset at Ibsley Common in the New Forest in 2017 where my Mum had seen them before that year. One of my greatest ever New Forest and birdwatching moments on a typical winter’s day just before Christmas that shall live very long in the memory. Very amazing to appreciate a male flying. 

I never take for granted I’ll see a Hen Harrier every year and with it tied at 2-2 between males and females I’d seen, I didn’t see one in 2018 despite trying out some locations. 

But the end of 2019 signaled a new era for me and Hen Harriers. When searching for a Great Grey Shrike we’d eventually see in 2020 at the Whitefield Moor/Holmhill bog area in the New Forest a first of few trips there last winter we saw a lightly coloured bird of prey fly over whilst looking at Fieldfares on a semi rainy day and I just could not get a very good view of it to see what it was. Marsh Harrier went down alongside a hawk as a possible candidate. But it hit me when looking at someone’s Facebook post of the Great Grey Shrike as he had seen a Hen Harrier too with a picture of it nearby to where we were. It was good habitat, could it have been that? A bird I was desperate to see as I chased down another bird year list highest ever total for me needing to surpass my 198 seen in 2018. 

The stage in hindsight was truly set then as on Sunday 29th December 2019 another typical winter’s afternoon with me working the following Monday and Tuesday we went back to Holmhill bog looking for the Great Grey Shrike on my last wildlife/photography walk of 2019 where I produced a lot of sky pictures. I was on 199 birds at that point, my bogey bird for the year Slavonian Grebe seen at Lymington on Christmas Day had secured my personal record again. But I looked set to end another year agongisingly close to achieving every birder’s goal of 200 birds seen in a year for my first time ever. We looked over the heath at a lead which didn’t in the end turn out to be the Great Grey Shrike that had continually been reported. When at that moment a bird of prey fly over my Mum picked it up and we instantly knew what it was, a female Hen Harrier! I was in heaven as I watched my 200th bird of the year soar over the boggy heath. What a sensational moment with an incredible species. Another one flew out moments later too, a Short-eared Owl. The only way to end such an incredible year of wildlife and birdwatching for me and year listing. I managed a very poor standard record shot of the Hen Harrier flying with my new camera at that point the second picture in this photoset but I wanted to having something to remember this extremely important moment for me by. This is my fourth this year and actually my 20th of these species appreciation posts now. So fitting what I will probably always now know as bird 200 was the subject of it. 

Hen Harriers are a bird of habit this one may have been the one seen here before we did so this one instantly became a first bit of winter 2020 target. We went on a day in late January a similar one and it was our main target, which seemed to do the trick as unexpectedly we got a cracking view of the Great Grey Shrike finally! We were the first to see it in nearly a month it seemed so that was incredible moment. But then at the near exact same place as before not far from where the Great Grey Shrike was we did see the Hen Harrier again here which brought me unimaginable joy. The fifth and sixth pictures in this photoset are ones I’ve taken of typical Hen Harrier habitat down the years at North York Moors and in the New Forest. Well done for everything you may have done for Hen Harrier Day today and standing up to make a difference. Anyone who has a genuine interest and care in birds will love this one, and we are a force to be reckoned with behind this species. 

[dansnaturepictures]

16/12/17-Hen Harrier and Fox star in my super Saturday afternoon at Ibsley Common in the New Forest with a quick call into Blashford Lakes 

We first headed to Ibsley Common in the New Forest this afternoon, after a fairly sunny morning in bleak conditions helping make it quite a quiet afternoon until one moment changed it all and made me glad I had suggested coming here today. I took the 3rd and 4th pictures in this photoset before that moment. We were walking back on the lower heath there, something we don’t usually do as we normally go up the hill to complete a circular walk but some sort of distant mechanical bangs had put Missy one of our dogs on edge so we decided to follow her wishes and retrace our steps. What fate had waiting for us was marvellous. 

My Mum pointed out a light grey bird with black wing tips majestically soaring across the heath. It could only be a male Hen Harrier which winter in the New Forest and I was over the moon to see this bird. It was only the fourth time I had ever seen it and only two of those sightings the latter two today and last year were of males. It took my bird year list to 188, meaning I’ve beaten my previous record by 7 of last year which is quite something considering how high the number to beat was for me. The Hen Harrier is another bird I felt might not make it onto this year list but just like the Great Northern Diver and Velvet Scoter I had seen it late. It would have been another in my list of amazing species seen in my 10 Wildlife/Photography highlights of 2017 blogs the one about birdwatching in general this year had it not already gone out so here is the link to that again: http://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/167457601107/my-10-wildlifephotography-highlights-of-2017blog

As we walked on we were so lucky to get an unprecedented for us second view in a day of the Hen Harrier as it glided above trees, allowing me to get the very distant record shot the 2nd picture in this photoset and probably allowing me my best ever Hen Harrier view after seeing my first in 2013 at WWT Welney and seeing one three years running now at Godshill in the New Forest and Snowdonia also before today. Interestingly like that day at Godshill in 2015 we found pigeon feathers today so perhaps evidence of a kill. I feel so honoured to have been able to witness this bird today and I hope we will all be able to enjoy this bird in our countryside for years and years. I say this so much but I think its important just to bring it up wherever I can whenever I see a persecuted species but I cannot understand how anyone would be happy to kill these beautiful birds. When I saw this bird gliding through beautiful countryside today I knew it belongs here! 

Onto the area as shown well by the 3rd picture in this photoset I think, my Mum actually saw one at this place last winter but still this year and I can see why its so good for them it does just look a bit different to other bits of the New Forest and seem like classic Hen Harrier habitat for me. Today was a great advert for New Forest wildlife I think, I remarked when out there that if you’d have told me five years ago I would have seen Ring Ouzel and Hen Harrier in one year in the New Forest I’d have laughed but both of these birds renowned for being found up north do come here in autumn and winter and I am so proud of that. Like the Ring Ouzel did the Hen Harrier no doubt would have played a big role in my New Forest visits 10 wildlife/photography highlights blog this year so here’s that blog as well: http://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/167983129001/my-10-wildlifephotography-highlights-of-2017-blog

Afterwards we came across the Fallow Deers you often see at Ibsley Common and this confirmed I’d seen three deer species in a week with Red at Puttles Bridge and Roe along the River Itchen. This might not seem very impressive but it is to me as they were all in Hampshire where whilst we’ve got lots of deer species in the forest especially its not always that easy to see many with many areas hosting just Fallow or Roe. 

To cement this as an excellent afternoon when driving to Blashford Lakes to pick up my Mum’s husband on the way back we saw the Fox in the 1st picture in this photoset on the roadside. Thankfully I had my big lens on to try for the picture still as I was aware we might see the Starling murmuration at Blashford so it was still on for that but we just missed it, however I did fumble the shot out the window a bit. I’m still always happy to get Fox photographs though its becoming a bit of a mission and this is another improved effort I’m proud of. Again if I’d have been told this morning I would be running a Hen Harrier (no matter how much of a dodgy record shot) and Fox through my photo editor I would not have believed it and I just love that surprise element in my hobby of not knowing what can happen next. 

Wildlife Sightings Summary: (Ibsley Common) My first Hen Harrier of the year, one of my favourite mammals the Fallow Deer, Raven, Woodpigeon and Grey Wagtail. (Blashford Lakes) Robin and Herring Gull.