Signs of spring to come

I love looking for the new wildflowers that come up in succession after snowdrops.

Winter aconite is a bright cheery yellow ahead of the narcissi/daffodils that are now just shoots. Their leaves are like Elizabethan ruffs. Spotted on February 3rd, these are still filling out:

I noted crocuses on the first of February. More have appeared across the grass, and open their flowers for a few hours when there's enough sun. On a morning of thin sunshine, a bumblebee on Feb 11th found their petals closed.

 

 

 

A skylark has been singing in recent days, and a chaffinch after a hesitant start. Tiny green buds have appeared on my small hawthorns. There's some green to the dark-brown buds on my small birches, cherries and elders. The rose bushes have many red buds, one rose is already unfurling tiny leaves. It seems a long time since the trees have been in leaf; I'm looking forward to seeing them again.

Short-eared owl 3rd Feb 2022

A winter afternoon at Rockland broad on the lower Yare valley, Norfolk. A barn owl quartering the marshes, and a winter migrant too: a short-eared owl.

The sun peeped yellow from between thick cloud cover, highlighting reeds and birds: a heron flew over, four mute swans with a woompf of wings and then a barn owl flew bright and distinct over the marshes.

 Barn owl low over the reeds, with four mute swans flying higher above.

Far across the marshes, something else was quartering. Greylag geese and shelducks were settled, but above them flew a short-eared owl. A darker face and body than the barn owl, with long pale wings and a flightpath sometimes high above the reeds:

 

 

Short-eared owl and barn owl come together in one frame over the reeds.

 

 

 The short-eared owl afforded close views as it flew over the reeds, lit by the setting sun against the dark trees. It often glided, sometimes flew up high compared to the barn owl that was also hunting these marshes. 

 

Short-eared owls are a winter migrant to southern England.

 

 

 

Sun setting over the reeds. Gulls flew over often, a small flock of lapwing, a skein of canada geese. A chinese water deer was seen, a mute swan pair and then a solitary bird flew over.

 

 Herring gulls circled, at one time a large flock swirled above the broad.

 

A cetti's warbler called from the reeds, whilst a marsh harrier glided over low. It became breezier as the sun set. 

Owls hunting of an afternoon over reeds, marsh and field: a winter vision.

January 2023 Quick Roundup

Generally mild days with some grey-clouded and gusty, others bright and frosty. Late to hear a Mistle Thrush this year, late to see a Greenfinch. Gradually growing lighter in afternoons and then the morning. More birds started to sing, and many glimpses of spring to come.

 

A tranquil sunrise at the North Norfolk coast to start the year.

 

A Robin singing at dawn, a Wood Pigeon cooing. Stepping outside, I saw a Buzzard land in a tree: my first bird of 2023. Pink-footed Geese chattering far off across the marshes; a Brown Hare running closer to me, my first mammal.

Sunrise from the beach. Long shallow waves, frothy-topped spray when wind gusting. A Black-headed Gull and a Sanderling my companions at the surf.

 

 Lapwing flock: brilliant white flashing bellies.

 

Glittering Lapwings crowding the coastal skies: large numbers this year, 14,000 reported.

A few often fly over at the broads, with one or two regularly seen in fields.

One arable field crowded with Golden Plover.

Pink-footed 'pinkfeet' Geese resting and eating, Greylags also.

White-tailed Eagle perches in top of freshmarsh dead tree. Leaves Norfolk mid-January for other perches.

Following the curve of the Yare river.

Plenty of bird activity in marsh-bed, copse and reed. Chinese Water Deer seen often and a Fox once, a glimpse of black-ears and a direct gaze.

 

 

Fieldfare flocks seen hopping across arable fields and perched in trees. Redwings deeper within hedges, or flying up from grasses. One Song Thrush heard, another glimpsed in the top of a shrub. 

Beautiful warbling of a Mistle Thrush heard later this year than others.

 

Gorgeous winter days with air frosts turning trees white. A trio of Lesser Redpolls feeding on birch catkins. Blackbirds and a jackdaw stab at fatballs, apples eaten too. Robin singing.

 

Common Cranes still feeding in groups, some with last-year's juveniles. Elegance. Heard bugling from across the fields and seen in flight. A shy Common Crane pair in one field a contrast to the confiding Mute Swan pairs seen across marsh and fields.

A Whooper Swan trio flying over a marsh, a few Beswick's seen at a distance: little contact with the migrant swans this winter.

 

 

A Bittern flying across a frozen broad where ducks crowd any running water. A Marsh Harrier waiting in the reeds for an unwary victim, herons perch in trees and a Kingfisher flashes across the ice. Green Woodpecker laughing at a distance. Later in the month, Great-spotted Woodpeckers knocking in woodland: spring is soon to come.

Barn Owls hunting across reedbed and marsh. Long-eared Owl seen at roost in a hedge, a Short-eared Owl seen briefly flying at St. Benets Abbey. Kestrels and Marsh Harriers seen regularly, a male Hen Harrier once, beautifully pale.

 

 

Wigeon cross (and sleep) on a frozen pool. Teal slumbering, Black-tailed Godwits and Snipe probing the marshes. Frost soon melting, but pools and lakes remain icy.

 

 Wigeon flying in from over the sea are a glittering line in the sky. Large pinkfeet skeins seen regularly at the coast, and from the broads, silent skeins of cormorants seen flying to roost.

 "Cronk, cronk" a Raven pair calling.

Two Blue Tits chase around in birch twiggery, a Robin serenades another and then too chase about.

 

 

Yellow Hazel catkins have been seen all month, with snowdrops discovered towards the end of it.

Trimming the roses and sweeping up the last of the autumn leaves for compost and mulch.

Great white egret hunting as the sun sets.

 

Enjoying winter's early sunsets.

Raucous Greylag Geese; trios of ducks and Lapwings with crazy, frantic motion flying across the red sunset whilst Bearded Tits ping from reeds, Teal calling constantly. A call to the heart as Common Cranes bugle: looked for, a pair are seen descending to roost.

Chilled air, bright planets and misty stars at dusk.

 

Common Crane pair descending to roost.

My sounds of January:

Pink-footed Geese

Wigeon

Common Crane

Birds heard singing:

Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Dunnock.

Great-spotted Woodpecker knocking. 

Goldcrest and Nuthatch calling.

A sub-singing Blackbird.

Gone for a hack, winter - study

 Gone for a hack, winter (study)

Pen and coloured pencils on 5"x7" cardstock

Featuring a Spanish horse, park white cattle and Whooper & Beswick's swans