It was a quiet morning at Sculthorpe Moor, despite the fact that it turned out to be pleasantly warm throughout the day. I continued with my warden duties, which included filling the feeders and talking to other birders around the reserve.
The following was seen since my arrival at 8.30am:
Buzzard x 2 - The pair were seen circling over Oak Fen first thing in the morning.
Sparrowhawk x 1 - A single bird was attempting to mob the pair of Buzzards but then headed to the Scrape.
Reed Bunting x 5
Little Grebe x 2
Cormorant x 1
Chaffinch x 2
Songthrush x 1
Mute Swan x 2
Greylag Goose x 11
Red Kite x 1 - It was seen flying close to the Visitor Centre mid morning, then drifted south.
Jay x 1
Sedge Warbler x 3 - All were seen alongside the boardwalk, opposite Oak Fen.
Marsh Tit x 2
Treecreeper x 1 - It appeared to have a moth in its beak and was seen close to the boardwalk in Dry Wood.
Canada Goose x 1
Greenfinch x 3
Nuthatch x 1 - Seen briefly on the feeder at the bottom of the ramp, leading to the Tower Hide.
Great Spotted Woodpecker x 1 - The male was perched on a branch, close to the Nuthatch sighting, then headed towards Whitley Hide.
It was my first day volunteering as a warden at Sculthorpe Moor and it was fantastic to see such a variety of raptors on display. The weather was also pleasant, with temperatures gradually rising to 12°C, and there was a light breeze throughout the morning.
Map of Sculthorpe Moor.
The following was seen since 8.30am:
White-tailed Eagle x 1 - A distant sighting (at 12.15pm) as it was flying above the wooded area on the eastern side of the reserve. It then drifted towards Fakenham and did not appear again. Nuthatch x 1 Buzzard x 6 - All seen as they mobbed the White-tailed Eagle. They then returned to the reserve after it had been driven-away. Kestrel x 1 - Hovering close to Victor's Hide, late morning. Sedge Warbler x 3 - All seen along the River Wensum and a lot more were heard throughout the morning. Little Egret x 1 Reed Bunting x 3 Marsh Harrier x 1 - A female seen flying along the River Wensum in a westerly direction. Sparrowhawk x 1 - It was seen from a distance on the eastern side of the reserve, flying in a northerly direction. Cuckoo x 1 - It was seen opposite Victor's Hide, perched along the telephone lines at the back of the fen. Kingfisher x 1 Grey Heron x 1
Butterflies and Mammals Water Vole x 1 - At least one was seen along the dyke. It also appeared quite tolerate of us being there as it sat only a foot away from us. Orange Tip x 2 Peacock x 1
It was our first visit to Hickling Broad and it easily met our expectations. The management of the reserve is exceptional and I can now see why it enjoys such an excellent reputation.
The approach to Cadbury Hide.
The weather was slightly warmer than expected, forecasts predicted temperatures of around 8°C, but the large amount of cloud cover did cause temperatures to drop sporadically.
The following was seen since our arrival at 9.10am:
Blackcap x 1
Chiffchaff x 3 - One individual was seen building a nest alongside the path near Deary's Pool.
Little Egret x 2
Snipe x 1 - It appeared momentarily, directly opposite the Cadbury Hide, but then disappeared from view.
Willow Warbler x 1 - Several were heard throughout the morning but the only individual seen was close to the Cadbury Hide.
Bearded Tit x 1 - A single male seen briefly flying above the reeds, on the right hand side, as we walked away from Secker's Hide.
Scaup x 3 - A single male accompanied by two females, seen from the first view point.
Great Crested Grebe x 4
Grey Heron x 1
Sedge Warbler x 2 - The two individuals were both seen close to the Observation Hut.
One of the Sedge Warblers seen close to the Observation Hut.
Wren x 2
Kestrel x 1 - It was first seen hovering close to the Observation Hut, then directly opposite the Cadbury Hide in the early afternoon.
Crane x 5 - They were all seen flying towards Bygrave's Marsh, but then headed in a north easterly direction.
Marsh Harrier x 1
Pied Wagtail x 2
The following butterflies were seen during our visit, but no sign of the Swallowtail (unfortunately):
I decided to have a quick walk down to Rush Meadow, near Scarning, at 7.10am and take a look at my local patch.
A view of Rush Meadow from the pathway, alongside the stream.
The weather forecast stated that it would be around 8°C, but with the spring sun and very little cloud, it felt considerably warmer. As a result, the following was seen throughout the morning:
Goldfinch x 4
Greenfinch x 2
Blackcap x 3 - A pair were seen together in the woodland, alongside the pathway, on the north eastern corner of the reserve.
Pied Wagtail x 2 - A pair were seen outside the entrance to the sewage works. Significantly lower numbers than had previously been seen here.
Swallow x 7 - All of the birds were perched on a wire suspended above the entrance to the sewage works.
House Martin x 1 - A single bird seen perched with the Swallows.
Songthrush x 1
Little Egret x 1 Kingfisher x 1 - It was seen flying south along the stream, approaching the sewage works.
Grey Heron x 1
Wren x 2
Jay x 2
Kestrel x 1 - It was seen hovering high above the woodland, then drifted north.
It was also interesting to see that the Norfolk Wildlife Trust had been spending some time on the reserve trying to recover some of the species-rich vegetation, after extensive scrub growth over the years.
According to the WREN website, who are providing funding, they will be carrying out a combination of urgently required restoration work and the development of more sustainable site management practices.
This would include the:-
Restoration of the central dyke and the removal of scrub encroachment
Introduction of water-level management
Introduction of a sustainable grazing regime
There is also similar work being carried out at Scarning Fen, in an attempt to secure the future condition of these two sites on the Dereham stream corridor.
Since my previous post regarding the illegal trapping of birds in Cyprus, Chris Packham has released a short film documenting the extent of the problem in the eastern mediterranean country.
I would encourage anyone to sign the petition so, at the very least, government will be required to provide some kind of response to this serious issue: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/191485
What is The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS)?
The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) monitors waterbirds in the UK. The project is managed by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and has been going since its inception in 1947.
The principal aims of WeBS are to identify the size of waterbird populations, determine trends in their distribution, and assess the importance of individual sites for waterbirds. This is in line with the UK's Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).
Species trends, peak counts and site summary data are accessible to all online, via the WeBS Annual Report.
Sparham Pools
The Sparham Pools reserve, which is leased to and maintained by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT), is located near the villages of Lyng and Sparham. The reserve is a series of former gravel pits, that have now been flooded to form deep and shallow pools with islands.
It is popular with birdwatchers as it attracts a number of waders and waterfowl. Notable sightings in recent months have included Osprey, Black Tern and Great Grey Strike. It is now a favoured site for Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls, who breed on the small/artificial islands.
Map of Sparham Pools
Waterbird Populations at Sparham Pools in 2018
The following is a breakdown of species seen at Sparham Pools since 18th Feb 2018.
18th
Feb
15th
Apr
20th
May
Black-headed Gull
2
107
35
Coot
8
2
1
Cormorant
1
1
1
Egyptian Goose
0
0
5
Gadwall
11
2
2
Great Crested Grebe
0
1
3
Grey Heron
0
0
1
Greylag Goose
0
1
9
Mallard
2
0
0
Moorhen
1
0
2
Mute Swan
1
1
2
Oystercatcher
2
0
0
Reed Warbler
0
0
2
Shoveler
4
1
0
Tufted Duck
8
3
0
Wigeon
0
1
0
Total
40
120
63
Waterbird Populations at Sparham Pools in 2017
The following is a breakdown of species seen at Sparham Pools since 14th May 2017.
What is the Norfolk Bat Survey?
The Norfolk Bat Survey was launched by Dr Stuart Newson at the British Trust for Ornithology in April 2013, to improve our understanding of bats and support their conservation. Since this time, the project has analysed over a million bat recordings from across the county.
With the help of volunteers, the project conducts bat surveys across the whole of Norfolk (and in parts of Suffolk), by providing an opportunity for anyone to take advantage of recent advances in technology for automating the capture and analysis of acoustic data for bats.
The sophisticated equipment is placed at three different locations within a 1km square, which is allocated to a volunteer, and it will record any bat calls throughout the consecutive nights.
These recordings are stored on an SD card which then can be accessed through a computer. Then sound analysis software (such as BatScan) can then be used to closely identify individual species.
Scarning Water Meadows
As part of the project, I'm responsible for monitoring bat activity in Scarning Water Meadows.
The diagram below represents the specific areas, within Dereham, where the recordings will be taking place. The red square, to the bottom left of the image, is where the majority of my recordings will be taking place from the beginning of May until the end of September.
Areas being monitored as part of the Norfolk Bat Survey are highlighted red.
As different species have successfully been identified I'll report the findings (along with uploading the recordings) on this blog. The following information was provided by Hazel Jones (Bat Survey Organiser) at the British Trust for Ornithology.
Results from Saturday 6th May 2017 at TF 97961 12443
The analysis of the recordings detected the following species. The numbers relate to the number of bat passes rather than the number of individual bats.
Species
Total number of passes (all
night)
Common Pipistrelle
490
Leisler's bat
1
Natterer's bat
3
Noctule
32
Serotine
3
Soprano Pipistrelle
40
Below are details of recordings that could not be assigned with any certainty to a single species.
Species
Total number of passes (all
night)
Leisler's bat or Noctule
14
Myotis species
4
Pipistrelle species
7
Results from Monday 8th May 2017 at TF 98466 13275
The analysis of the recordings detected the following species. The numbers relate to the number of bat passes rather than the number of individual bats.
Species
Total number of passes (all
night)
Barbastelle
5
Common Pipistrelle
1
Leisler's bat
1
Natterer's bat
1
Noctule
18
Serotine
2
Soprano Pipistrelle
23
Below are details of recordings that could not be assigned with any certainty to a single species.
Species
Total number of passes (all
night)
Leisler's bat or Noctule
6
Myotis species
2
Pipistrelle species
9
Species Information and Distribution across Norfolk
Common Pipistrelle and Soprano Pipistrelle
The two commonest Pipistrelle species found in the UK, the Common and Soprano Pipistrelles, were only identified as separate species in the 1990s. The two species look very similar and often the easiest way to tell them apart is from the frequency of their echolocation calls.
Soprano Pipistrelle
Common Pipistrelle
The map on the left shows distribution and the map on the right (if present) shows patterns of activity. Deeper red indicates higher certainty of occurrence or greater activity. Maps are derived from statistical models using climate and land cover to explain and predict bat data.
The distribution of the Soprano Pipistrelle bat species in Norfolk.
The distribution of the Common Pipistrelle bat species in Norfolk.
Noctule
The Noctule is one of the largest British species and is usually the first bat to appear in the evening, sometimes even before sunset. They fly in the open, often well above tree-top level, with repeated steep dives when chasing insects. This species can fly at 50kph.
Noctule
The map on the left shows distribution and the map on the right (if present) shows patterns of activity. Deeper red indicates higher certainty of occurrence or greater activity. Maps are derived from statistical models using climate and land cover to explain and predict bat data.
The distribution of the Noctule bat species in Norfolk
Natterer’s bat
Natterer’s bats have a slow to medium-paced flight, sometimes over water, but more often amongst trees, where their broad wings and tail membrane give them great manoeuvrability at slow speed. They normally fly at heights of less than 5m, but occasionally may reach 15m in the tree canopy. Much of the prey is taken from foliage and includes many flightless or day-flying insects.
Natterer's Bat
The map on the left shows distribution and the map on the right (if present) shows patterns of activity. Deeper red indicates higher certainty of occurrence or greater activity. Maps are derived from statistical models using climate and land cover to explain and predict bat data.
The distribution of the Natterer's bat species in Norfolk
Arrived shortly after 9.30am and parked the car at the end of the East Bank.
This time we decided to take a slightly different route around Cley and we walked in an easterly direction along Attenborough Way, towards the Babcock Hide. It was our hope that we would see the Water Pipit that had been reported recently, but sadly this was not the case.
We then crossed the Coast Road and walked west up Walsey Hills and then through the Walsey Hills NOA reserve. After stopping at the NWT Cley Visitor Centre, we then finished off the day by visiting the main bird hides opposite Pat's Pool and Simmond's Scrape.
Despite temperatures being around 9°C, it felt considerably warmer. There were also winds from a north westerly direction of around 16-17mph,
Ruff x 3 - A single bird seen opposite the Babcock Hide on Watling Water, whilst the other two were on Simmond's Scrape later in the day.
A Ruff as seen on Simmond's Scrape.
Canada Goose x 4 - All seen from a distance on Pope's Pool shortly after we arrived in the morning.
Little Egret x 3
Oystercatcher x 4
Gadwall x 4 - All seen together on Watling Water.
Pied Wagtail x 2
Redshank x 7
Pochard x 3
Curlew x 4
Avocet x 45 - The majority were seen across Pat's Pool and Simmond's Scrape.
Skylark x 3 - A pair appeared to be nesting in the field, close to the path, leading to the Babcock Hide.
Little Grebe x 2 - The pair were seen together on Snipe's Marsh on the Walsey Hills NOA reserve.
Black-tailed Godwit x 24 - All seen close together on Simmond's Scrape.
Whilst walking through the Walsey Hills NOA reserve, we also recorded the various butterflies that we happened to come across:
This was my first visit to the BTO's Nunnery Lakes reserve in Thetford. We arrived shortly after 9.00am and parked the car at the BTO's headquarters, just off Nuns' Bridge Road.
The entrance to the reserve was initially difficult to find, but after some persistence we were able to access the reserve by following the pathway, which runs alongside the Little Ouse River.
The weather was pleasantly warm with temperatures not exceeding 12°C. The reserve itself seemed to be well managed, with some work taking place next to the only bird hide on the reserve.
Kingfisher x 2 - The pair were seen flying along the Little Ouse River, from the bridge, in a northerly direction. Grey Wagtail x 2 - Again the pair of them were seen beneath the bridge and continued to feed along the river edge. Jay x 3 Egyptian Goose x 3 Buzzard x 1 - A single bird seen circling above Barnham Cross Common. Blackcap x 1 - A single male seen alongside the path on the way into the reserve. Canada Goose x 61 - It was surprising to see such large numbers across the reserve and it was quite noticeable that several of them had neck rings. Tufted Duck x 11 - All of them were seen on the first of the three main lakes. Great Crested Grebe x 1 Cormorant x 1 Grey Heron x 1 Reed Bunting x 1 - A single male seen in the reed bed on the left, as we approached the bird hide.
