1 March 2012 - report on the One Stop Nature Walk - from our local guide
Our evening on 1st March began in Thornham Harbour in extremely calm, sunny and warm conditions, very unseasonal but none of us were complaining. We began watching two rock pipits of the Scandinavean race litoralis on the edge of the main creek that leaves the harbour.
As we reached the seawall it was obvious one of our hoped for species was on show as several birdwatchers were watching intently across the marshes. A short-eared owl was soon picked up by everyone hunting over the field with its deep mechanical flaps. This bird also perched on a post for us, while another was seen further ahead. With the sun burning brightly in our faces we decided to move further along the seawall to improve viewing conditions, pausing for a while to look over Thornham creek and with the area being backlit the views of the male teal, curlew, grey plover, knot, redshank and a fine spotted redshank with three of its slighter, browner cousins were stunning.
We then walked further along the seawall only to stop almost immediately as a pair of Mediterranean gulls flew over towards the roost at Thornham Beach, their nasal ‘yeah’ call alerting us, one was a full adult showing its full clean white wings from below.
Mediterranean Gull - winter plumage
Further along the bank hunting activity seemed to have slowed, until a brown blob in a distant field, was revealed to be a resting short-eared owl. It seemed everyone was waiting for more flight views but the ridiculously calm conditions may have been putting the birds off as smoke rose vertically in the distance and small swarms of midges appeared over our heads like halos. The calm conditions however had the opposite effect for the local grey partridges as local males were calling from several different areas, the nearest entertaining us when a lone male decided to impose himself on an established pair only to be taken to task by the other male, several confrontations and jumps into the air were brought to a holt, when the female joined ranks with her mate and chased the imposter off. As the evening wore on the temperature began to drop considerably towards dusk, but this didn’t put off the two Chinese water deer way out on the marsh, nor the male marsh harrier which gave us fine views.
However the hoped for barn owl was less obliging with only one individual on the distant NWT reserve being picked up late on, perching briefly before flying off.
As dusk drew closer a small skein of pink-footed geese came into roost on Thornham beach, and by this time a thin cold band of mist began to form over the marsh, it was time to head back to the car park.
Why not join us on our next walk to see local Saltmarsh birds - Burnham Deepdale - see website for
details
