Fancy a Chat?

This young male Black Redstart was taking advantage of the fly bonanza on the undercliff at West Runton.

Now that full lock-down has started to ease it’s just great to get out and have a chat!

Raptor Central

I was sat in the study yesterday when Mark up the road messaged he’d walked out onto Sheringham golf course and was looking West. I guess he could half see the reported White tailed Eagle in the distance circling over a heat haze ridden Cley. He thought it might come our way.

The morning was one of those semi-murky days where the sun never quite manages to break the clouds. A still day, full of promise of raptors circling upwards and moving along the North Norfolk ridge. I’d already been down to the sea earlier. There were things moving; long lines of Scoter, a few Gannet and Red throated Divers. A lone Sand Martin zipping its way West was the pick of the bunch and my first for the year; but after an hour or so I decided to go home and put a few final touches to the NNNS AGM that was taking place by way of a Zoom meeting in the evening.

There were four White tailed Eagles scattered around Norfolk yesterday. It was likely at least one would work its way over West Runton. When I got Mark’s message I decided to sit for a while at the lounge window and see what would fly over. I’ve seen quite a few White tailed eagles around Norfolk over the years. Two graced the airspace over the garden where I used to live in Northrepps and I’ve even seen one from the north end of Water Lane where I now live in West Runton … but they are always nice to see.

I didn’t have to wait long before a Red Kite circled above and it wasn’t long after it was joined by another, then another and finally a fourth. A Sparrowhawk also joined the throng. It would have been inconceivable 40 years ago to have a group of Red Kites hanging around the Norfolk coast but these days spring wanderings such as this are more or less expected. Still, they are brilliant to see.

What with Ospreys being introduced into coastal North Suffolk, and White-tailed Eagles into West Norfolk the county could turn into raptor central.

One of the Eagles did work it’s way along the ridge pasts Felbrigg and I probably would have picked it up from the window … if I hadn’t been back on the laptop! Even as I post this the following morning there’s another Kite outside my lounge window. Glorious birds.

Apparition

Tania recently asked me ‘What was the best wildlife moment of my life?’ I had to think carefully because I’ve had a few experiences over the years. However, I came down on the side of the first time I saw a Moose in Canada.

As kids we’ve all seen pictures in books of things that enthrall us. Well, these images get burned into young minds. Indelible records that never leave us. Images that perpetuate actions later in life. Seeing the Golden Oriole on a Brooke Bond Tea card. A front piece in a book of the ‘Mallard’ steam train. Rupert flying on the back of an eagle in the tale of ‘Rupert and the Diamond Leaf’. A drawing of a Moose in a book about North America was one of those images. It was very ‘Landseeresque’ in the style of Monarch of the Glen; a moose with full headgear. I wanted to see a Moose. I needed to see a Moose; it was firmly on my bucket list.

Planning the trip to Canada in 2012 I’d taken a look where they were densest in number. The biggest ‘bags’, after all they are still a ‘shootin an a fishin’ community out there, were around the Gaspe peninsula. I must say at this point that everyone I’d talked to about Moose said they were difficult to see; something that was reinforced by what I’d read, but hey you have to try don’t you?

The trip fitted in nicely with the close season so there was less likelihood of being shot and the weather in August was usually quite pleasant.

One year later and twenty miles along a rather bumpy slate, scree like track and a few miles walk into thick forest I’d taken a seat aside a small pool where the heat of the day would surely bring in a Moose. Several hot and quiet hours later the apparition of being appeared between the trees.  Silently and slowly, it came nearer. A big boy with full palmate antlers. So moved was I to see such an iconic creature I was almost scared to sound off the shutter on the camera. I remember welling up at seeing such a modern-day dinosaur.

What was your best wildlife moment?

About the village

Near to where we live is a horse sanctuary. I’ve always thought the open fields and good supply of insects would be ideal for Ring Ousels but I’ve never seen any here … so far. However, until they arrive in a couple of months there are always the Mistle Thrushes to watch. Charismatic big thrushes these birds. When disturbed they fly off with a complaining chatter otherwise they hop about as though they own the place.