This weekend, spent a bit of time birding locally. Firstly trying the graveyard off Dereham road. A few finches, including brambling and tits, and good but fleeting views of a sparrowhawk flying low to the ground were about all I could find, but the light wasn't great and it was rather overcast. Then on to check out Sycamore Wood and Mile Cross/ Sweet Briar Marsh. Found a large flock of goldfinches with a single lesser redpoll amongst them. Again not much else, great spotted woodpecker but no lessers.
Thought I'd try the site again yesterday, pretty similar stuff, couple of nice nuthatches, green and Gt spotted woodpeckers, sparrowhawk, Treecreeper heard but again no lesser peckers. Still, this and the woods off Larkman lane do seem to have plenty of commoner woodpeckers so I wonder if they would also be good habitat for lessers? Worth keeping an eye on I'd say.
Bumped into a photographer who I'd met previously at UEA, he mentioned that some people had been seeing otters along that stretch of the wensum- he himself had seen something that could have been otter or mink at one point. I had also spoken to some dogwalkers previously who said they had seen three otters on two separate occasions. However, more worringly, this guy said he'd spoken to another guy who was a regular drinker on the allotments who had bragged about shooting the otters with an air rifle. :-C
Forgot to add that last weekend went on the guided walk at Berney Marshes. On the train on the way we saw roe deer, red fox and a pair of red legged partidge. Lots of lapwing, golden plover and snipe along with a couple of little egrets and a marsh harrier at the site. Also several pairs of hare and a chinese water deer. No geese during the walk but as we were waiting for the train back we finally saw a small skein of pink feet fly over. :t:
Anyone fancy a meet up weekend after next for some birding?
Jo