Four days away taking in sites in both counties, with a couple out of the region whilst travelling. So I started at a local site for me, Langsett Res, mainly for Redstart and Flycatchers. Arrived on site at 6am being greeted by Blackbirds, Blackcaps and Chaffinch. At the flycatcher site I only managed Redstart, one singing male. On the dam wall were two Common Sandpipers, in the same area were Siskin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Oystercatchers, and a pair of Little Ringed Plovers.
Bird List ; Blackbird, Blackcap, Black headed Gull, Blue Tit, Canada Goose, Crow, Chiffchaff, Common Sandpipers, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Oystercatcher, Redstart, Robin, Siskin, Song Thrush, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren (27)
Down then into Lincolnshire and to a new site, Willow Tree Fen, hopefully for Cranes, and on arrival at 10am I found it closed. I parked up close by decided to have breakfast and view from the closed gates, no Cranes were seen. Highlights were Buzzard, Cuckoo, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, and Skylark.
Bird List : Black headed Gull, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coot, Cuckoo, Goldfinch, Greylag Goose, Jackdaw, Little Egret, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Pheasant, Reed Bunting, Rook, Shoveler, Skylark, Woodpigeon. (18)
On then to Weeting Heath, arriving here at 12:30pm and being direct tothe East Hide for the target species here, Stone Curlew, easily found this time, they can be difficult at times. Other highlights here were Greater Spotted Woodpecker and Wheatear. No Woodlark or Tree Pipit
Butterfly highlights here were Brimstone, Orange tip, Red Admiral, and Speckled Wood
Bird List : Blackcap, Chaffinch, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Lapwing, Lesser Black backed Gull, Oystercatcher, Robin, Rook, Stock Dove, Wheatear, Whitethroat (12)
On then to Lakenheath Fen, main target here were a few Dragonflies but I found none. Out onto the reserve for walk. On one of the pools I found a single Dunlin and a Grey Plover, along with a few Swifts and House Martins overhead. News of Cranes at the bottom end of the reserve had me walking off in that direction, on arrival I got the news that they had flown off even further down the reserve and out of sight, so I watched the Common Terns for a while and it wasn’t long before I heard the Cranes, a couple of minutes later two Common Cranes were in the air. long necks, trailing legs, with grey-black filght pattern on the upper body. When they had gone thru I managed to pick up a few Hobbies in flight, hunting the reedbed nearby with one coming in close to where I was stood. I stopped till about 5:30pm picking up on Cuckoo, Cettis Warbler, Reed Warbler, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Stonechat.
Bird List : Avocet, Blackcap, Black headed Gull, Canada Goose, Cetti’s Warbler, Common Tern, Cormorant, Crane, Cuckoo, Dunlin, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Plover, Greylag Goose, Hobby, House Martin, Lapwing, Lesser Black backed Gull, Little Egret, Long tailed Tit, Magpie, Marsh Harrier, Mute Swan, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Shelduck, Shoveler, Stonechat, Swift, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat (32)
I then booked into my Bed and Breakfast for my stay at Acer Lodge in the Thetford Area. I spent three nights here and would definitely be back. The breakfast was great and a good choice also. Rooms were clean, shower was fantastic, large TV so you could actually see it, wonderful views out the back, and large garden with bird feeders (regular Great Spotted Woodpeckers on these), and great/friendly hosts. After checking I used one of the local pubs for a meal then moved onto a local heath nature reserve called East Wretham Heath in the vain hope of Owls and Nightjar. No Nightjars were heard or seen and a Barn Owl was seen on exit of the reserve at 9:30pm. Other highlights whilst I was on the heath were Egyptian Goose, Pied Wagtail, Green Woodpecker, Mandarin Duck and Little Grebe, all new for the day.
Bird List : Barn Owl, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coot, Cuckoo, Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black backed Gull, Little Grebe, Mallard, Mandarin Duck, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Rook, Shoveler, Stock Dove, Swallow, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren
Huddsbirder 