Trip reports

Bird Walk at Mayday Farm and the Brecklands on Sunday 8th March 2009

Sunday, 8 March 2009

Sixteen people attended our annual visit to the Suffolk/Norfolk Brecks. Having always been in April we tried a March visit both last year and this, in the hope of seeing displaying Goshawks. As last year the conditions were again very windy which is not the ideal, but on this occasion in the morning at least we were blessed with beautiful bright sunny conditions. We walked westward along one of the access tracks for well over a mile, further than previously, to a more open area where I was reliably informed that a Goshawk had been seen very well the day before. Although we spent a considerable time scanning above the trees we were unable to locate the desired species, however we did get good views of several Common Buzzards, which are now present in good numbers throughout much of East Anglia. Also seen were at least two Kestrels.
At the same time we were fortunate to have superb views of a small flock of both male and female Crossbills in the top of a couple of deciduous trees which were still bare. For the first time for many years we could not find any Woodlarks, and on the whole small birds were noticeably absent although we did see a couple of Coal Tits. On the walk back to the car, a few of our group who were lagging behind did manage to see a Goshawk through a gap in the trees but were unable to attract the rest of the party ahead of them.

Most of the group then moved on to Santon Downham where everyone had good close views of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling in the tops of the trees as it moved slowly through. It was followed shortly after by its partner, and it was very satisfying to see this species which has declined so much in recent years in direct contrast to its two much larger cousins. Also seen at this site were small groups of Siskins feeding at the tops of alders.

By this time the weather had deteriorated considerably and when we arrived at Lynford Arboretum it was starting to rain. We scanned the tops of the trees in the paddock for the reported Hawfinches but then had to dive into our cars as heavy rain swept across. After about 15 minutes and no sign of a respite we decided to call it a day.