It's now well into the year and the list is going pretty well. 158 before today, which is not a record but is pretty decent. I've also missed a lot of commoner ones in favour of focusing on higher tariff birds so overall I'm pretty pleased. With Spring just starting and the first sand martins arriving I decided to have a go at seeing some of the residents I've not caught up with yet this year.
First stop was an old favourite, the lesser-spotted woodpeckers at Santon Downham. They are one of the more reliable pairs of these rapidly declining birds and are also one of the most well-known. Many pairs are now suppressed to protect them but these are both well-known and accessible. A 10 minute walk along the river path from the car-park got me to the area where they are. Four other birders were already there but I quickly ascertained that they hadn't shown yet. The was when the problems started. First, they are only two small birds in a large area of woodland and even without leaves on the trees are pretty elusive. The best chance to find them is to locate them after they have called. The weather though was against us. You normally picture birds sitting up in there top of trees in a warming morning sun and declaring their territory. Today though was one of those days when it was never going to get light and the birds were essentially silent. Heavy cloud and a light occasional drizzle gave then morning a very flat feel. We waited by the bank for about an hour with only a pair of mandarin ducks flying around to keep us company.
One of the other birders commented that the light was so awful that even the mandarins looked black and white (the photo above is heavily messed-about-with!). Eventually we had a call from the wood behind us. The lesser spot has a sharp yikkering call, a bit reminiscent of a kestrel to my ears. It only did it once though and before we could get onto the bird in flew off across the river and into the trees where we watched it feeding for a minute before it flew again.
Another half-hour of no action followed before myself and the two others left decided that it was as good as it was going to get and packed up. I passed about a dozen people heading along the path towards out spot and gave them the bad news that they were probably in for a long wait!
My second stop was a Cockley Cley, only 15 minutes away, for the goshawks which have two nests nearby. I parked up in the lay-by and was joined in short-order by my new friends from the lesser-spot twitch. The weather hadn't improved. In fact for raptors it was about pretty useless. The light was bad and we were looking for birds at pretty long-distance. There was also no wind whatsoever which meant they were less likely to do their display flights. We stayed for just over an hour but there was no sign. I did add woodlark to the yearlist and was entertained by a few hares in the fields.
My last stop was again only a short drive away. Lynford arboretum is home to hawfinches and I had been there a couple of weeks ago for them. My target this time was the firecrests which inhabit the holly and ivy near the cafe. One of my new friends was already there with the same idea. First though he used a bit of local knowledge to put me onto a roosting tawny owl in a tree near the bridge. I knew they were there but had never before managed to find them. I realised why now as you to stand in exactly the right spot to get even a partial view of one of them high up in the tree.
I finished off by locating the firecrest just down from the cafe, which had just supplied me with a very tasty sausage roll! As with the theme of the day the light was truly awful and it was in thick shade but I did manage to grab a few shots before it disappeared.
By now the weather was closing in and there was rain on its way. I passed up on the opportunity to go for anything else, which would have been a stretch anyway. Four more ticks for the year, taking me to 162. Not too bad considering the weather and I only missed the goshawks which should be gettable later on anyway. Still a few common birds to go for and with migration starting who knows what else might turn up!
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