2020 was rough, aside from the obvious global pandemic, overrun health service and mass graves; I was hit by a car and lost my wee brun shadow, my daemon, Fends. I miss her every day.
That said, I am recovering my fitness and I know she is waiting for me in Valhalla. I also know we are in Tier 4. Which is a limiter, focussing efforts to West Suffolk and local birding. This local focus has coincided with my Dove Step Rehab training - so I am clocking serious miles throughout the coming months, all in prime West Suffolk birding habitat. That said, after the dire birding year that was 2020 (yes, there was glimmers of hope, but it was a lot shit too) the first three days of 2021 have proved incredible, especially considering the local focus as enforced by our overlords.
I type this with a year list of 95 species, just three days into the year and having finished 2020 on a paltry 178 species! The local birding has been unprecedented over the last few days; Brent Goose, Barnacle Goose, White-fronted Geese, Yellow-legged Gull, Red Kite, Merlin, Raven and Grey Wagtail all fell, either on training walks or just a few miles from home.
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| Grey Wagtail - January 2021 |
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| Red Kite - January 2021 |
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| White-fronted Geese - January 2021 |
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| White-fronted Geese - January 2021 |
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| Barnacle Goose - January 2021 |
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| Brent Goose - January 2021 |
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| Brent Goose - January 2021 |
After the initial 'hits' of the last two days, today we dropped the hammer, a day which will be enshrined in birding lore for centuries to come...
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| Lakenheath Fen sunrise - January 2021 |
We beat the maddening masses and arrived at Lakenheath before sunrise, getting insane views of Barn Owl on the way, a sure sign that the gods were smiling on us. We stuck to the Brandon Fen area of the reserve, concentrating our efforts of the washland and reed beds. Our efforts were rewarded with Whooper Swans, Water Rail, Great White Egret, Kingfisher, Bearded Tit, Cetti's Warbler and star of the show; Water Pipit. My hearing isn't the best, so I cannot pick up Water Pip on call as easily as other local birders. As such I grilled the wagtails and pipits feeding on the deck, working my way through to find the Water. What. A. Bird.
It was helpful to have Meadow Pipits adjacent for ready comparison. We went through features; super, wings bars, darker legs etc. to assure ourselves. High quality to start the day. There was also Stonechat flitting about and at least one Great White Egret...
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| Stonechat - January 2021 |
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| Great White Egret - January 2021 |
Birding nearby fenland from the car proved equally productive with the absolute star of the show a male Hen Harrier, initially mobbed by crows and a Kestrel, then flying west along the river. I see far, far more ringtails than males - as such it was startling to see the grey male. Another solid bird to start the year and a joy to see so close to home. There was a also herds of Whoopers, a Green Sandpiper in one of the ditches and a male Merlin perched close-to, which promptly flew as I raised my camera!
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| Whooper Swans - January 2021 |
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| Green Sandpiper - January 2021 |
Our route home took in the obligatory Brandon visit for Mandarin inlacing a bonus Kingfisher, we actually saw Kingfishers at 3 locations across the day! A Marsh Tit was a Brandon bonus too.
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| Kingfisher - January 2021 |
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| Kingfisher - January 2021 |
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Drake Mandarin - January 2021
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We concluded the day with two woodland specials; Hawfinch and Crossbill. I've never seen Hawfinch so close to home, it was an absolute privilege and a solid boost ahead of returning to both work and hard Dove Step training first thing tomorrow morning...
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| Crossbill - January 2021 |
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| Hawfinch - January 2021 |
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| Hawfinch - January 2021 |
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