31st DECEMBER 2006.
NATURE WALK AND YEARS’ FINAL SIGHTINGS.
The final day of the year was to hold several surprises. The first of which was that neither Terry, Leons’ brother, nor John, Leons’ cousin were going to be able to make it to the Wetlands Centre today. This was a shame as we had booked for the final Nature Walk of the year some weeks ago and I was looking forward to seeing these two chaps again.
It was an overcast, cold day and the wind appeared to be freshening as we made our way to the Centre. By the time we had met our guide, Dan, it had started to rain and I was glad of the lightweight anorak that I had in my bag. Our first stop was to be the ‘Headley’ hide to try to spot the Bittern that, by all accounts, had been showing well all week. We were to be disappointed; Dan had been there earlier and had drawn a blank then as well.
NATURE WALK AND YEARS’ FINAL SIGHTINGS.
The final day of the year was to hold several surprises. The first of which was that neither Terry, Leons’ brother, nor John, Leons’ cousin were going to be able to make it to the Wetlands Centre today. This was a shame as we had booked for the final Nature Walk of the year some weeks ago and I was looking forward to seeing these two chaps again.
It was an overcast, cold day and the wind appeared to be freshening as we made our way to the Centre. By the time we had met our guide, Dan, it had started to rain and I was glad of the lightweight anorak that I had in my bag. Our first stop was to be the ‘Headley’ hide to try to spot the Bittern that, by all accounts, had been showing well all week. We were to be disappointed; Dan had been there earlier and had drawn a blank then as well.
BARK COLOUR CHANGINGPhoto: Reg Norman
The group was then directed back through the Centre towards the ‘Peacock Tower’ by way of the feeding station. All was strangely quiet in the ‘Waterlife’ area, indeed it was the quietest that I can ever remember it being. Things started to look up when we reached the feeder station, there were many of the usual Finches and Tits in evidence and the other members of the group, who seemed to be even less experienced that Leon and I were asking many questions.
We moved on to the ‘Peacock Tower’ where it seemed to be very quiet as well although Dan kept himself very busy spotting different birds for us to see. We had some very good views of a pair of Pintails right outside the hide on the ‘Wader Scrape’.
After a while Dan made his way back to the Centre to leave us to our own devices. Leon and I stayed for a little while before deciding to make our way to the ‘Wildside’ hide. It had stopped raining by now and even looked like it might brighten up a bit!
Instead of taking the direct route to our destination we skirted the ‘Sheltered Lagoon’ where we were lucky enough to see two different woodpeckers in quick succession although there was little else to be seen! When we reached the feeder station area again we were surprised to see a Brown Rat feeding amongst the Chaffinches and Wood Pigeons! Only a few feet away, the birds were taking absolutely no notice of him whatsoever! At the ‘Dulverton’ hide neither of us was surprised to see that there were no Snipe to be seen. It just seemed to be that sort of day where nothing much was to happen!
There as not much to be seen from the Observatory either, we managed to direct two chaps who were specifically looking for the Bittern towards the ‘Headley’ hide and wished them all the best. I re-packed my bag, returning the newly folded anorak to its’ place. Whilst doing so e discussed the birds that we had NOT seen this year that we would liked to have seen. Mine were the Long Billed Dowitcher at Oare Marshes and the famous Long Billed Murrelet in Devon. Leon would have loved to have seen the Goldcrest that our friend Terry and I had seen on this site. I said that it would be funny if, and that I would love him to see the bird on our final visit of the year!
We moved on to the ‘Peacock Tower’ where it seemed to be very quiet as well although Dan kept himself very busy spotting different birds for us to see. We had some very good views of a pair of Pintails right outside the hide on the ‘Wader Scrape’.
After a while Dan made his way back to the Centre to leave us to our own devices. Leon and I stayed for a little while before deciding to make our way to the ‘Wildside’ hide. It had stopped raining by now and even looked like it might brighten up a bit!
Instead of taking the direct route to our destination we skirted the ‘Sheltered Lagoon’ where we were lucky enough to see two different woodpeckers in quick succession although there was little else to be seen! When we reached the feeder station area again we were surprised to see a Brown Rat feeding amongst the Chaffinches and Wood Pigeons! Only a few feet away, the birds were taking absolutely no notice of him whatsoever! At the ‘Dulverton’ hide neither of us was surprised to see that there were no Snipe to be seen. It just seemed to be that sort of day where nothing much was to happen!
There as not much to be seen from the Observatory either, we managed to direct two chaps who were specifically looking for the Bittern towards the ‘Headley’ hide and wished them all the best. I re-packed my bag, returning the newly folded anorak to its’ place. Whilst doing so e discussed the birds that we had NOT seen this year that we would liked to have seen. Mine were the Long Billed Dowitcher at Oare Marshes and the famous Long Billed Murrelet in Devon. Leon would have loved to have seen the Goldcrest that our friend Terry and I had seen on this site. I said that it would be funny if, and that I would love him to see the bird on our final visit of the year!
TERRY, LIZ AND LEONPhoto; Reg Norman
We visited the ‘Lodge’ area just to see if we could tempt fate and it was here that we met up with Terry and Liz. Both Terry and I lost no time in telling Leon what a beautiful bird the Goldcrest was and how glad we were that we had seen it! Terry then went on to describe the almost perfect views that they had had of the Bittern from the ‘Headley hide. To add insult to injury I pointed out that the Goldcrest had now started to sing although we were unable to see it! We said goodbye to our friends and wished them all he best for the coming year.
They had only just left us when Leon shouted, (why does he always shout?) “There it is, the Goldcrest!” There it was, the Goldcrest! I am not sure who was the happiest, Leon for seeing it or me for him having seen it at last, the second of my surprises that day! We spent quite some time watching the small bird, pointing it out to several others as they passed.
They had only just left us when Leon shouted, (why does he always shout?) “There it is, the Goldcrest!” There it was, the Goldcrest! I am not sure who was the happiest, Leon for seeing it or me for him having seen it at last, the second of my surprises that day! We spent quite some time watching the small bird, pointing it out to several others as they passed.
FIRST CATKINS, NEW YEARS EVE
Photo; Reg Norman
The ‘Wildside’ hide was very quiet and we considered ourselves lucky to see the solitary Snipe in his usual position just outside the hide. We didn’t stay long as it was starting to get very cold as well. It was at this point that I tried out my new hip flask; it seemed to work alright but thought that I might need more practice. Leon thought that he would need some more as well!
We were glad to meet up with some of the ‘regulars’ in the ‘Headley’ hide who were only too pleased to regale us with tales of the Bitterns, swimming prowess! It had, of course, vanished into the reeds by now. It was probably the best place to be as the wind had picked up considerably and the temperature had dropped even more. We wished everybody the best for the coming year and made our way to ‘the office’ stopping only for seed for Leons’ ‘pigs’.
BIRDS SEEN: Tufted Duck, Pochard, Mallard, Lapwing, Blackbird, Cormorant, Coot, Moorhen, Carrion Crow, Starling, Shoveller, Ruddy Duck, Robin, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Long Tailed Tit, Teal, Wigeon, Black Headed Gull, Heron, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Great Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Little Grebe, Pintail, Gadwall, Ring Necked Parakeet, Canada Goose, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeon, Reed Bunting, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Wren, Goldfinch, Goldcrest, Kestrel, Common Snipe, Stonechat, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Jay, Great Crested Grebe.
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