West Suffolk - Lockdown Three
We are entering the first stages of the great unlocking. Releasing the populous back into the parks, town centres, coffee shops and pubs of England. The turn of the month means we are able to go further from home and meet people from another household outside. I might not be able to see family in the motherland yet, but it is a welcome stepping stone.
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| Mal - Lakenheath - 03rd January 2021 |
The purpose of the post isn't to celebrate the demise of lockdown in its various iterations and tiers. It is a celebration of the birds, birders and habitats - so close to home - which made the first quarter of 2021 truly remarkable. Every Sunday morning, without fail, I have met good friend Mal for some local birding whilst completing tens if not hundreds of miles of daily exercise:
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| Minus temperatures and frozen forest only encouraged our Sunday morning birding |
Our birding has been entirely within West Suffolk, much has been within less than 10 miles of the house and broadly within a 180 degree span to the north, up the Lark Valley. The furthest excursions have been up to the Little Ouse River at Brandon and Lakenheath. Our Sunday morning birding has always involved hours of daily exercise, much needed as Mal recovers from a broken back and I am still rehabilitating the effects of getting hit by a car last July. Much of the three month period has involved birding straight from the front door, walking to good spots. In particular across January and February as I built endurance with long training walks. I type this with over 430 miles of training in the legs, a good base to improve upon over the remaining two and a half months till Dove Step Rehab.
The 123 species total includes some truly remarkable birds in a West Suffolk context. With visits further afield to the Suffolk estuaries now allowed. It seems opportune to celebrate the West Suffolk birds that have made this third lockdown so tolerable:
Brent Goose
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| Brent Goose - Cavenham. My third for West Suffolk following individuals at Livermere, Micklemere over the years |
Barnacle Goose
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| Barnacele Goose - Lackford. This most convincing indvidual was with 11 White-fronts at Lackford |
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| Barnacle Geese - Livermere |
White-fronted Goose
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| White-fronted Geese - Cavenham. Birds at Lakenheath, Mickelmere and Lackford followed |
Whooper Swan
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| Whooper Swans - Lakenheath |
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| Whooper Swan - Seven Hills. One of a pair discovered on a training walk, well away from the expected fenland birds |
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| Whooper Swans - Lakenheath |
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| Whooper Swans - Lakenheath |
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| Whooper Swans - Seven Hills. Pair discovered on a training walk away from the expected fenland birds |
Mandarin Duck
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| Mandarin - Brandon Country Park |
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| Mandarin - Santon Downham |
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| Mandarin - Santon Downham |
Pintail
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| Pintail - Micklemere |
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| Pintail - Micklemere |
Goosander
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| Goosander - Cavenham. Just two red-heads in the Lark Valley for the whole period. Gone are the days of double figure counts at Lackford |
Grey Partridge
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| Grey Partridge - Risby |
Crane
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| Cranes - Lakenheath |
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| Cranes - Lakenheath |
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| Stone-curlew - Cavenham |
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| Oystercacthers - Fornham |
Avocet
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| Avocet - Lakenheath |
Curlew
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| Curlew - Cavenham |
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| Green Sandpiper - Lakenheath |
Kittiwake
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| Kittiwake - Lakenheath. West Suffolk AND Breckland tick! 21st March |
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| Iceland Gull - Livermere. At least my third for Livermere |
Caspian Gull
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| Caspian Gull - Lackford. First bird at Lackford on 14th February (seagulls are so romantic) |
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| Caspian Gull - Livermere. Further individual seen 24th March, by mistake, whilst looking for Iceland Gull |
White Stork
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| White Stork - Lakenheath. Unexpected find at Lakenheath on 21st March, picked up whilst scanning Mute Swan herd. Photo by Malcolm Fairley |
Cattle Egret
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| Cattle Egret - Lackford village 24th February. A full fat County tick! My first for Suffolk - just 5 miles from the front door! |
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| Cattle Egret - Lakenheath. Different to the Lackford bird and both are still present at the time of writing! |
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| Great White Egret - Micklemere. Birds seen at every local birding spot except Livermere so far this year! |
Sparrowhawk
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| Sparrowhawk - Lackford. Photo by Malcom Fairley |
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| Goshawk - West Suffolk |
Hen Harrier
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| Hen Harrier - West Suffolk. Ring-tail seen over farmland close to home and also a male at Lakenheath |
Red Kite
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| Red Kite - Lackford |
Barn Owl
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| Barn Owl - Lakenheath |
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| Barn Owl Lakenheath |
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| Barn Owl - Lackford. Photo by Malcolm Fairley |
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| Little Owl - West Suffolk |
Kingfisher
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| Kingfisher Brandon |
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| Kingfisher Brandon |
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
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| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Santon Downham |
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| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Santon Downham |
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| Blackcap - garden! First ever over-wintering bird seen from the house. Photo taken through kitchen window! |
Fieldfare
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| Fieldfare - Fornham |
Robin
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| Robin - garden |
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| Robin - Lackford |
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| Robin and Mal - Lackford |
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| Stonechat - Lakenheath |
Grey Wagtail
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| Grey Wagtail - Cavenham |
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| Grey Wagtail - Cavenham |
Brambling
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| Brambling - Livermere |
Hawfinch
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| Hawfinch - West Suffolk |
Lesser Redpoll
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| Lesser Redpoll - Lackford |
Common Crossbill
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| Common Crossbill - West Suffolk |
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