Sculthorpe Moor - 20/10/2020

GREAT TIT

On the way back from Snettisham I decided to have a look at Sculthorpe Moor, a delightful little reserve near Fakenham. This is a small reserve owned by the Hawk and Owl Trust, but with new acquisitions the reserve has almost been quadrupled in size. However the Virus has put any expansion on hold so it was only the main, small part of the reserve that was open. As is often the case with certain places, for example Lackford Lakes, although it may not the be best reserve to see something unusual, it makes up for it by being great for photography.

The reserve has a good example of what is called habitat succession, which is a term for the change in the habitats when they are left to be overgrown naturally. This in theory, starts with water, which gets invaded by reeds and fen, which itself gets invaded by willows and alders which form wet woodland, to eventually end up becoming dry woodland consisting of oak trees. This variety of different habitats adds to the number of birds present.

A smart male BULLFINCH

Despite being owned by the Hawk and Owl Trust most of the focus was on the smaller birds, and with such a variety of habitats there were plenty about. In the dry woodland a nice BULLFINCH was present, a beautiful red chested bird, a species that although common, is scarce enough to savour. There were also several NUTHATCHES here sometimes feeding on the feeders. Feeders are a big feature of the reserve, they are literally everywhere, and think what you will about this, it attracts the birds and it makes it great for photography.

Male BRAMBLING, this is a northern version of our chaffinches, that winters here in variable numbers.

Moving down to the wet woodland, there was a huge flock of GOLDFINCHES, with a TREECREEPER underneath, doing what it does best, creeping up a tree.

The best hide on the reserve is the Tower Hide, a viewing box elevated up in the trees, and on the feeders were a BRAMBLING and a MARSH TIT. This place has to be one of the best for seeing brambling, the birds are often within arms distance feeding on a bird table. Again, although not rare the brambling can at times be quite scarce, I sometimes go long periods between seeing them.

TREECREEPER

On the path to the final hide there was a flock of ten SISKINS in the alders, new for the winter whilst from the hide, which overlooks some small pools in the reeds, there was a male STONECHAT perched on the reed fronds.

With an increase in size, this reserve will be promoted from a place you visit on the way to and from some other reserve, to a destination in itself. Its a cracking little reserve, obviously well cared for and good for taking pics of some good birds. For an inland site it has a lot of rare habitats and for a place in an industrialised agricultural landscape its a beacon for birds.