I booked a rental car from 18th December 2021 to 20th December 2021 for a trip away from home and visits to a number of sites in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.
The weather was generally very poor with dark grey cloud at best and mist and fog at worst, although thankfully it remained dry. It was unproductive in terms of photography but I did manage to get a few successful photos of a very limited number of species.
However, my trip provided excellent birding opportunities, including 18 further additions to my UK year list for 2021 taking it to 183 species. This is likely to be my final total for 2021 with only a few days left in the year and less than 2020 when I recorded 194 species and substantially less than the 220 to 235 species that I typically recorded in the 4 years prior to the Covid-19 pandemic restricting travel.
Nonetheless, 18 additions to my 2021 year list was very welcome and I successfully saw most of my target species. The 18 additions were ….
Black-throated Diver
Great Northern Diver
Slavonian Grebe
Bewick’s Swan
Whooper Swan
Pink-footed Goose
Eurasian White-fronted Goose
Common Eider
Long-tailed Duck
Red-breasted Merganser
Hen Harrier
Common Crane
Purple Sandpiper
Bar-tailed Godwit
Tawny Owl
Short-eared Owl
Shorelark
Snow Bunting
There were a few species that I had expected or hoped to see since they had been recently reported at sites that I was visiting or at sites nearby but which eluded me ….
Shag
Taiga Bean Goose
Red-crested Pochard
Scaup
Velvet Scoter
Merlin
Black Guillemot
Great Grey Shrike
Black Redstart
Twite
Hawfinch
18th December 2021 …. Essex
After picking up my rental car, I drove up to EWT Abberton Reservoir just south of Colchester in north east Essex.
The huge expanse of EWT Abberton Reservoir is one of Europe's top wetland sites. It is of international importance as a safe haven for wild ducks, swans and other water birds, whether resident, passing through on migration or over-wintering.
Despite it being very misty resulting in extremely poor visibility out across the reservoir, I still managed to record 50 species by watching from Abberton Church, both causeways crossing the reservoir and from the 2 hides close to the visitor centre.
The highlights were as follows:
Great Northern Diver (1), Red-necked Grebe (1), Great Crested Grebe (c.100), Bewick’s Swan (5), Mute Swan (c.100), Long-tailed Duck (1), Smew (1 female), Goosander (25), Goldeneye (c.200), Pintail (c.100), Wigeon (++), Tufted Duck (+++), Common Pochard (+++), Shoveler (+), Teal (+), Mallard (+), Shelduck (1), Great White Egret (3), Little Egret (1), Grey Heron (4), Golden Plover (c.50), Lapwing (+++), Black-tailed Godwit (9), Dunlin (6), Common Snipe (5), Ruff (1), Common Redshank (1), Coot (++++), Marsh Harrier (1), Green Woodpecker (1)
I bumped into Steve Grimwade, a fellow Essex Birdwatching Society member, outside one of the hides. My thanks to him for the directions in the mist for the Great Northern Diver, Long-tailed Duck and Bewick’s Swan.
Unfortunately, I failed to find any of the 3 or 4 Scaup in the huge raft of Tufted Ducks and Common Pochards or the Red-crested Pochards, both of which were being reported in the days prior to my visit.
19th December 2021 …. Suffolk and Norfolk
My first stop was RSPB North Warren just outside Aldeburgh on the Suffolk coast.
RSPB North Warren contains grazing marshes, reedbeds, heathland and woodland. Large numbers of ducks, swans and geese congregate on the grazing marshes in the winter months.
My main target species at this site was Eurasian White-fronted Goose which can usually be found on the grazing marshes during winter. Unfortunately, the mist was even thicker than the previous day and showed no sign of lifting as the morning progressed. In fact it was impossible to see much at all although I was lucky in that c.150 Barnacle Geese could just about be made out.
The only photos that I managed to get were of Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls in Aldeburgh which were near enough to my car not to be lost in the mist.
Photo: Herring Gull
Photo: Herring Gull
Photo: Black-headed Gull
After a disappointing time at RSPB North Warren, I drove up to Lowestoft and specifically Ness Point. Being largely a coastal industrial area, it has nothing to recommend it scenically although it is significant in being the most easterly point in the UK. It is also well known amongst birders as being a very reliable site for Purple Sandpipers in winter. This species is a relatively scarce winter visitor to the UK from their Arctic breeding grounds.
Sure enough, it took just a few minutes to find 6 Purple Sandpipers foraging and feeding just a short walk from the Euroscope direction marker. On previous visits, I have usually found them on the rocky tidal defences. Purple Sandpipers are incredibly confiding and allow a very close approach and therefore, despite the mist and poor light, I was successful in getting some photos of these birds.
Photo: Purple Sandpiper
Photo: Purple Sandpiper
Photo: Purple Sandpiper
Photo: Purple Sandpiper
Photo: Purple Sandpiper
Turnstones and Purple Sandpipers can be found in similar habitats and there were c.30 of the latter species also to be seen.
Photo: Turnstone
Photo: Turnstone
After visiting Lowestoft, I debated whether to next visit RSPB Buckenham Marshes just east of Norwich in Norfolk but, given the short daylight hours, I decided to drive directly to NWT Hickling Broad and Marshes and specifically the Stubb Mill viewpoint.
NWT Hickling Broad and Marshes is the largest of the Norfolk Broads and is a year-round haven for wildlife and holds a significant percentage of the UK population of Common Crane as well as important breeding numbers of Bittern, Marsh Harrier and Bearded Tit. In winter, large numbers of Marsh Harriers roost in the reedbed north east of Stubb Mill and Hen Harrier, Merlin and Barn Owl can also often be seen. Interesting mammals include the introduced Chinese Water Deer plus Red Deer and Otter.
I spent around 3 hours at the Stubb Mill viewpoint and stayed until it was almost completely dark. It was extremely cold just sitting still for most of the time but the reward was many highlights as follows:
Common Crane (a total of 17 coming in to roost in groups of 2 or 3), Hen Harrier (1 male), Marsh Harrier (at least 25 coming in to roost), Kestrel (1), Tawny Owl (male heard calling near Stubb Mill and another heard calling near visitor centre), Pink-footed Goose (++++), Egyptian Goose (2), Mute Swan (1), Little Egret (1), Grey Heron (4), Mallard (c.200), Teal (c.20), Shoveler (c.20), Wigeon (c.10), Shelduck (3), Tufted Duck (1), Gadwall (1), Curlew (1 heard calling), Redwing (c.5), Chinese Water Deer (1), Red Deer (1 stag and 2 hinds)
The only disappointment was failing to see a Barn Owl which I nearly always record on visits to Stubb Mill.
After walking back along the lane in darkness to the visitor centre car park, I drove to Travelodge Great Yarmouth Acle which has been a convenient location for an overnight stay for many years.
20th December 2021 …. Norfolk
Having deferred my visit to RSPB Buckenham Marshes the previous day, this was my first stop after a short drive from Acle.
RSPB Buckenham Marshes is situated on the northern bank of the River Yare in Norfolk and around 8 miles south east of Norwich and immediately adjacent to RSPB Strumpshaw Fen. It includes marshland, reedbeds and wetland habitats and hosts large numbers of ducks and geese in winter.
My main target species at this site were Taiga Bean Goose and Eurasian White-fronted Goose. The former are exceptionally scarce winter visitors to a very small number of sites in the UK of which RSPB Buckenham Marshes is one whilst varying numbers of the latter can usually be found here each winter. Despite several repeated scans through the very large flock of Pink-footed Geese, unfortunately I could not pick out either of these species.
Since I wanted to spend a lot of time at Holkham National Nature Reserve up on the north Norfolk coast, I did not stay long at RSPB Buckenham Marshes or walk very far and my goose-watch took place from close to the entrance of the reserve by the railway station.
However, during my brief time I did record Peregrine (2 perched up as expected on the usual gates and fence posts), Marsh Harrier (3), Chinese Water Deer (at least 20 and the largest number that I have ever seen at a single site before) and Brown Hare (2 very distant individuals).
Whilst at RSPB Buckenham Marshes, I bumped into David Bryant, the publisher of Birds of the Heath, a blog regarding the birds of the Yare Valley. I have met David several times at the site and at other locations in Suffolk and Norfolk in recent years, most noticeably near Aldeburgh for an Arctic Redpoll and at Sheringham for a Black Redstart.
After my brief visit to RSPB Buckenham Marshes, I drove around 50 miles north west to the Norfolk coast for my main visit of the day, namely Holkham National Nature Reserve and specifically Holkham beach and bay.
Holkham National Nature Reserve is England's largest National Nature Reserve and it is situated on the Norfolk coast between Burnham Overy Staithe and Blakeney. It is managed by Natural England with the co-operation of the Holkham Estate and its 3900 hectares comprise a wide range of habitats including grazing marsh, pine woodland, scrub, salt marsh, sand dunes and foreshore. The reserve is part of the North Norfolk Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest and the larger area is additionally protected through Natura 2000, Special Protection Area and Ramsar listings and it is part of both an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a World Biosphere Reserve.
Holkham National Nature Reserve is a huge area and I accessed the site via Lady Anne’s Drive (opposite the entrance to Holkham Hall) and the Holkham Beach car park.
Before doing so, I checked the grazing marsh just to the west and viewable from the A149 near St Withburga's Gate. There had been reports of a flock of Eurasian White-fronted Geese here for several days prior to my visit so there was a further opportunity to catch up with this species after missing them at RSPB North Warren and at RSPB Buckenham Marshes. It proved to be third time lucky with a flock of c.60 Eurasian White-fronted Geese easily viewable.
My visit to Holkham beach and bay and the area either side of Lady Anne’s Drive proved to be very productive as I expected it to be following the reports in recent weeks.
The highlights were as follows:
Lady Anne’s Drive: Marsh Harrier (3), Pink-footed Goose (++), Brent Goose (9), Wigeon (+++), Mallard (c.10), Shelduck (2), Curlew (1)
Holkham beach and sand dunes: Shorelark (5), Snow Bunting (c.90), Meadow Pipit (7)
Holkham bay (sea): Black-throated Diver (1), Red-throated Diver (2), Slavonian Grebe (2), Great Crested Grebe (2), Common Scoter (c.50), Red-breasted Merganser (4 males), Eider (1 or possibly 2 immature males), Cormorant (c.30)
Holkham bay (foreshore): Bar-tailed Godwit (c.15), Sanderling (c.10), Oystercatcher (c.5)
Unfortunately, I failed to find Velvet Scoter, Red-necked Grebe or Great Northern Diver on the sea despite recent reports although at least I saw the last 2 species at EWT Abberton Reservoir.
Photo: Snow Buntings
Photo: Snow Buntings
Photo: Snow Bunting
Photo: Snow Buntings
After leaving Holkham National Nature Reserve and heading south away from the coast, I saw 2 individual Common Buzzards perched up on telegraph poles between Holkham and Burnham Market and a Red Kite over Burnham Market town.
My final visit was to WWT Welney. Apart from the spectacle of the huge numbers of ducks, swans and other wetland birds that congregate at this site in winter, I was particularly keen to see the Short-eared Owls that had been reported over Lady Fen from the visitor centre in recent late afternoons.
After checking in at the visitor centre and buying a coffee and a snack, I sat down and scanned Lady Fen. It didn’t take too long for 2 hunting Short-eared Owls to appear in the approaching dusk and both birds provided extended views albeit distant.
Lady Fen also produced the following highlights: Whooper Swan (1), Great White Egret (1), Teal (c.20), Shelduck (1), Common Snipe (2), Chinese Water Deer (2)
Highlights from the main observatory hide in the gathering darkness were as follows: Whooper Swan (c.50), Mute Swan (c.20), Wigeon (++++), Mallard (++), Common Pochard (++),Teal (++), Shoveler (+), Pintail (+), Tufted Duck (1), Greylag Goose (++), Canada Goose (+), Great White Egret (2), Black-tailed Godwit (c.300 including remarkably a single bird still in full summer plumage), Lapwing (++++), Coot (+), Moorhen (3), Black-headed Gull (+++++), Marsh Harrier (10), Common Buzzard (1)
I have not spent much time at my St. Nicholas Church local patch site during this month but as I drove down Church Hill on both 18th and 20th December 2021, I saw a Red Fox run across the road at the same location.
In addition, as I had almost arrived home after returning my rental car on 21st December 2021, I saw 2 Grey Squirrels running along the grassy track at the end of my road.
💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature
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