Karl J
Well-known member
Yet more superb weather - blue skies, a little breeze, just a few thin high clouds.
Day 3 of the holiday, another excellent one.
Catching an early morning train to Brundall, we then took a couple of mile cycle ride through the village & the quiet (empty !) country lanes, taking the 'long way round' today , via Strumpshaw hill. At ~ 40 m above sea level this is the highest point of the area and gives some really good views across the landscape ( it's now been earmarked for a few photographs as well !) as its one of the only places where the valley is easily discernable ; round here most of the countryside is so flat you can't see a valley at all. From the top it's quite a long downhill ride ( the easy bit ! ) to the bottom of the valley, and after going past Strumpshaw Hall, through the dappled shade of the leafy lane and then over the level crossing, which I think is familiar to quite a few birders, we came to Buckenham marshes ... which is on this map
A short way beyond this along the narrow lane is Buckenham train station. I think ( but I'm open to correction here ) the train station was built during the time of mass farm labour ( sort of late 1800's ) so it's use is minimal now, in fact I've never seen a train stop there. It is still in service as a stop by 2 trains a day but it's a 'request stop' only. The only bits of the actual staton left in service are the platforms, the old waiting room is now someones house.
It's always so quiet round here, no through route for cars. Superb. Lunch by the river.
Saw these today :
Butterflies :
Large Skipper ... I think ... ?
Peacock
Gatekeeper
Meadow Brown
Small Tortoiseshell
Red Admiral
Painted Lady
Green-veined White
Small White
Not as many sp. as yesterday at Strumpshaw reserve, nor as many numbers within each sp.
Dragonfly :
Brown Hawker
Black-tailed Skimmer
Blue-tailed Damselfly
Again, not as many sp. as yesterday at Strumpshaw reserve, nor as many numbers within each sp.
Birds :
Rook
Crow
Wren
Starling
Pied Wagtail
Cuckoo
Swallow
Swift
House Martin
Whitethroat
Sedge Warbler
Lapwing - svl flocks, in total 200 - 300 I'd guess
Goldfinch
Spotted Flycatcher ..... 1st one I've ever seen
Woodpigeon
Stock Dove
Meadow Pipit
Kestrel
Coot
Moorhen
Mallard
Mute Swan
Greylag Geese
Egyptian Geese
Canada Geese
Tufted Duck
Shelduck
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Cormorant
Avocet
Redshank
Black-tailed Godwit
Little Egret x 1
Oystercatcher
Ruff x 1
Lower numbers of dragonfly & butterfly made up for by super number of birds.
Noticeable by it's absence though was any trace of a Marsh Harrier - not even in the distance.. It was one of the few visits when I've not seen one.
Day 3 of the holiday, another excellent one.
Catching an early morning train to Brundall, we then took a couple of mile cycle ride through the village & the quiet (empty !) country lanes, taking the 'long way round' today , via Strumpshaw hill. At ~ 40 m above sea level this is the highest point of the area and gives some really good views across the landscape ( it's now been earmarked for a few photographs as well !) as its one of the only places where the valley is easily discernable ; round here most of the countryside is so flat you can't see a valley at all. From the top it's quite a long downhill ride ( the easy bit ! ) to the bottom of the valley, and after going past Strumpshaw Hall, through the dappled shade of the leafy lane and then over the level crossing, which I think is familiar to quite a few birders, we came to Buckenham marshes ... which is on this map
A short way beyond this along the narrow lane is Buckenham train station. I think ( but I'm open to correction here ) the train station was built during the time of mass farm labour ( sort of late 1800's ) so it's use is minimal now, in fact I've never seen a train stop there. It is still in service as a stop by 2 trains a day but it's a 'request stop' only. The only bits of the actual staton left in service are the platforms, the old waiting room is now someones house.
It's always so quiet round here, no through route for cars. Superb. Lunch by the river.
Saw these today :
Butterflies :
Large Skipper ... I think ... ?
Peacock
Gatekeeper
Meadow Brown
Small Tortoiseshell
Red Admiral
Painted Lady
Green-veined White
Small White
Not as many sp. as yesterday at Strumpshaw reserve, nor as many numbers within each sp.
Dragonfly :
Brown Hawker
Black-tailed Skimmer
Blue-tailed Damselfly
Again, not as many sp. as yesterday at Strumpshaw reserve, nor as many numbers within each sp.
Birds :
Rook
Crow
Wren
Starling
Pied Wagtail
Cuckoo
Swallow
Swift
House Martin
Whitethroat
Sedge Warbler
Lapwing - svl flocks, in total 200 - 300 I'd guess
Goldfinch
Spotted Flycatcher ..... 1st one I've ever seen
Woodpigeon
Stock Dove
Meadow Pipit
Kestrel
Coot
Moorhen
Mallard
Mute Swan
Greylag Geese
Egyptian Geese
Canada Geese
Tufted Duck
Shelduck
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Cormorant
Avocet
Redshank
Black-tailed Godwit
Little Egret x 1
Oystercatcher
Ruff x 1
Lower numbers of dragonfly & butterfly made up for by super number of birds.
Noticeable by it's absence though was any trace of a Marsh Harrier - not even in the distance.. It was one of the few visits when I've not seen one.
