The Birds and the Bee’s
I’m currently enjoying a welcome week off work and have just returned from a few days on the wonderful North Norfolk coast. Like the rest of the UK the weather was a bit wet and wild (to say the least!) but Norfolk always seems to deliver the wildlife goods no matter what season you visit. Every field seems to hold one or two Brown Hares, singing Skylark, the occasional Muntjac and we even logged a couple of Red Kites (something that would have been unthinkable a few years ago). Less welcome were the sheer numbers of Pheasant and Red-legged Partridge we encountered – millions of these game birds are bred and released for shooting every year and we still have no clear picture what sort of impact this number of non-native birds are having on our native flora and fauna!
We took ‘Skye’ our little caravan down to a site just inland from Cley next the Sea and the world famous Cley Marshes NWT. Although its sometimes overshadowed by RSPB Titchwell to the west, Cley still produced some wonderful bird sightings for us with Marsh Harriers floating over the Reedbed and causing panic amongst the wildfowl, flocks of Brent Geese, Water Pipit (a real birders bird), Yellow-legged and Caspian Gulls and plenty of waders (Avocet, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff and Golden Plover to name a few).
Avocet – One of sixty or so at Cley Marshes NWT
Best of all though, were the mobile flock of Snow Buntings the haunted the shingle ridge behind the beach and the fabulous male (2) and female Bearded tits we enjoyed from the East bank.
Back home a couple of days later and (despite the continuing poor weather) it was clear spring was still inching its way forward. In the local park Newts had returned to the ponds and on my regular ramble Skylark were singing in greater numbers, a Buzzard was displaying over woodland and the first Cow slips were beginning to spring up (though not flowering yet). It was also great to see the local male Kestrel again as I had not seen him for a few weeks and had become concerned he might have fallen foul to the wet and stormy weather!
Today (in the rain and sleet) I decided to check a couple of local urban wildlife. Unsurprisingly there wasn’t a lot to see but I did manage to find some Bee Orchid Rosettes which bodes well for later in the year when hopefully we’ll be in for a fine display of these beautiful plants.
Bee Orchid Rosette
Each year Derbyshire plays host to wonderful floral displays from some of our rarest and most striking plants, with many of the White Peak’s limestone dales and their old quarry sites ablaze with colour in spring and early summer.
A beautiful Bee Orchid – one of may orchid species that can be encountered in Derbyshire
So if its wild orchids and rare flora, birds of prey or butterflies that peak your interest I’m sure we can tailor a walking tour to meet your needs so why not get in touch for a chat with our friendly guide.
