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Thursday, 9 January 2025

Lyng Mill on the River Wensum, Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve and Lynford Arboretum, Norfolk, Britain.

A cool but good days woodland birding with John.
 
We started the day by dropping Pam off somewhere in the city for an appointment before John and I headed out towards Fakenham, on the way we picked up Common Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) before we made a stop at Lyng Mill on the River Wensum hoping to find Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).
The map of the reserve.
There was a lot of water flowing down the river so we failed to find the Wagtail but we did see Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Western Jackdaw, European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).
Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis).
Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis).
We moved on and went to the Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve, our first stop was at the Dragonfly hide where we had great views of a
Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis) but it unfortunately kept sitting on a wire fence, a really smart Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) which showed very well and a nice ♂ Eurasian Bullfinch (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula).
Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus).
Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus).
Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus).
Other species included
Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common Chaffinch, European Robin, Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), Great and Eurasian Blue Tit, European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).
Eurasian Bullfinch (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula).
Eurasian Bullfinch (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula).
A ditch amongst the Alders.
John on one of the many boardwalks around the reserve.
We continued on around the reserve visiting a couple more woodland hides where we saw
Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), Muntjac Deer (Muntiacus reevesi), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Long-tailed (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus) and Marsh Tit (Carbonero Palustre / Poecile palustris), Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea) and in a group of Alder trees between the hides we found several Eurasian Siskins (Jilguero Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), a couple of Lesser Redpoll (Pardillo norteño / Acanthis flammea) and in a nest box a sleepy Tawny Owl (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco).
Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus).
Common Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus).
European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).
Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).
The hide over looking an area of water was birdless as it was totally frozen so we returned to the Dragonfly hide where we added Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) but nothing else so we moved on again and headed towards Lynford Arboretum, on the way adding a single Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).
Muntjac Deer (Muntiacus reevesi).
Muntjac Deer (Muntiacus reevesi).
Tawny Owl (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco).
Part of the more open area of the reserve.
We parked and then did a short walk to a spot John calls the Tunnel where there is a line of over hanging trees and a small pool which attracts passerine species in for a drink but we didn't see anything on this pass so we dropped down to the river where there are several feeds, apart form a good number of Brown Rats (Rattus norvegicus) we also managed to see Coal, Great and Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Siskin, European Robin, Dunnock, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch, Common Blackbird and we heard Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).
Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).
Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).
European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).
Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis).
We walked back up to the Tunnel but there was still nothing showing so we dropped down the other side of the car park to Lynford Lake and Lynford Water where we added Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Tufted Duck (Porrón Moñudo / Aythya fuligula), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and another Little Egret.
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).
Marsh Tit (Carbonero Palustre / Poecile palustris).
Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).
We walked back up to the car and decided to pop to the Shepherds Baa for a coffee and a cake which went down very nicely, just as we were leaving a very nice lady birder told us that a
Hawfinch (Picogordo Común / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) had been showing at the Tunnel so we went back and after a short wait the bird returned and came down for a drink, a great way to finish the days birding. 
Hawfinch (Picogordo Común / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes).
Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus).
We made our way back to the house, on the way finding Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii).

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