Unlike last year the drive across county from Great Ryburgh to Newport was smooth and largely trouble free. I even had company this time with Marilyn on board. Red Kites were seen in amazing numbers as we headed west and while going through the western Fens we saw a herd of Whooper Swans and six Cranes including two that glided low over the van in glorious sunlight!
Most of the party we picked up at Newport station and we met
the remaining two at Speech House in the Forest of Dean and before too long we
were all back out in the field and walking up the track to New Fancy View in
the slim hope of a late afternoon Goshawk.
It was cool and breezy and we did not see one but the local Ravens put
on a show with tumbles and rolls but were strangely silent.
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| Raven |
A couple of Buzzards were up and about and Siskins buzzed past us in bouncy dabs of green and yellow. A Common Crossbill called as it came to in to land behind us and even began singing but soon dropped into the pines and was lost. The pesky sun was also in our eyes and three more calling birds back near the van similarly eluded us. As expected there was ample evidence of Wild Boar in the verges.
We looped around to Cannop Ponds and immediately stumbled
onto a female Brambling down on the feeding station boulders where she was
consorting with a few Chaffinches which was an unexpected bonus. The regular Tits
were coming down including Coal and dapper Marsh Tits and several Siskins were
hogging the niger feeder.
There were 28 gaudy Mandarins paddling around with sails up
and colours gleaming despite the lateness of the day and a pair of Grey
Wagtails were commuting to and from the slipway and stream.
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| Mandarin |
We ambled along the lake edge listening to the evening chorus
warming up with Song Thrushes, Blackbirds and Robins while Dunnocks and the odd
Chaffinch and Tit joined in. A pair of Treecreepers played chase around a mossy
oak and a small party of Redwings were calling softly in the canopy. Not long
now till they start to move off.
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| Blackbird - one had random white feathers |
We had driven past verges covered in blooming Celandines and Daffodils but there was not one flower around the lakeside and only the Wood Spurge was attempting get things started.
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| Wood Spurge |
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Chromatomyia
aprilina |
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| Lovely Lichens |
We retraced our steps and got better Wagtail
views with a pair of Pieds now joining the Greys along with pointy two Nuthatches. Marilyn
pointed out a raptor overhead and although going away from us it was clearly a
male Goshawk. Hopefully we shall get a
better chance tomorrow morning.
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| Grey Wagtail |
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