Hi,
I just biked around a few obscure places in west Norfolk probably never mentioned in 'where to watch birds' - Laddus Drove, Eau Brink and Wiggenhall St Peter. The habitat is basically farmland and small villages separated by dykes. I saw and heard 54 species in a couple of hours just by cycling along. Yellow wagtails were commonplace, singing from telegraph wires and feeding in set aside; they were breeding as usual in barley. Corn Buntings sang from isolated roadside bushes and overhead wires together with Yellowhammers and Skylarks. The commonest warbler was Blackcap, followed by Sedge and Reed. I heard one chiffchaff, one willow warbler and one grasshopper warbler singing. The other highlight was a singing cuckoo.
So the moral of the tale is- get off the beaten track early and explore :)
S
For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides, binoculars, scopes, tripods, etc - put 'Birding Tips' into the search box
Just shows intensive agriculture not as bad as almost everyone says as the fens which must cover at the very least 500 sq miles of the most intensive agriculture land gave all those results.So pleased you had a good time and posted the results.
Hi
last year I heard that birders in Norfolk werent seeing many Yellowhammers so I did a circular bike ride between Wisbech and Kings Lynn- I counted 13 singing males in 2 square miles either side of the A47.
I say get out of the car and listen :)
while doing the above I also found breeding Spotted flycatcher!
Hi S,
I actually need to go birding with you. I know I would learn more and see more in just one day just by having you along :-).
My OH goes cycling most weekends, he's a complete addict. His one highlight on a Sunday morning at around 6.30am is watching 2 little owls sunning themselves on a tree stump in one of the villages he cycles through. They are there every week in the exact same place. If I didn't think it would hinder his progress, I would load him up with the camera and tripod so he could get a photo of them!
Regards
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
Unknown said: Hi S, I actually need to go birding with you. I know I would learn more and see more in just one day just by having you along :-).
That's why I think local RSPB groups, County Bird clubs and Bird tour companies are so useful and popular. Trips to a great reserve are always enhanced if you have someone who knows the birds and the terrain.
At my local patch of Titchwell there are a couple of volunteers I've known for years- we'll call them Ray and Tony for arguments sake- they know the reserve inside out, not just the birds but the favourite corners for Temmincks stints, kingfishers, stonechats etc.
Unknown said: Hi S, I actually need to go birding with you. I know I would learn more and see more in just one day just by having you along :-). My OH goes cycling most weekends, he's a complete addict. His one highlight on a Sunday morning at around 6.30am is watching 2 little owls sunning themselves on a tree stump in one of the villages he cycles through. They are there every week in the exact same place. If I didn't think it would hinder his progress, I would load him up with the camera and tripod so he could get a photo of them!
I have a regular Little owl that sits on a barn within 2oo yards of a busy roundabout- he looks like a chimney pot. I assume very few people notice him :)