Having obtained my special permissions to enter Grovely Dingle I decided that I'd go down today and see what it was like in the Reserve. Spent about 2 hours wondering round decided to walk this time and forget the bike and it only took me 10 mins walk to get there! And to think I've lived here for 2 years and never knew it was there!
Walking towards the Reserve from the Northern side had lots of Blue Tits and Great Tits also the Buzzard was perched in the hedge in the same place as before. Carrying on up noted 4 Moorhen around the small pond there and 4 Black Headed Gulls flew over. Cutting down across the field and into the top of the Dingle 6 Greenfinch flew over, in the trees at the top of the reserve a Nuthatch called and a flock of Long Tailed Tits passed through. Walking into the reserve there were several Goldfinch feeding in the tops of some trees, walking along a bit further a medium sized brown bird flew away from me fairly low then another... I started thinking thrush or maybe even Woodcock, I then walk a bit closer to where they flushed from and another flushes they were Woodcock!!! This one flew up to about head height and flew off left showing off a long bill and chubby body, brilliant! Woodcock has always been a bit of a bogey bird for me always avoiding me despite looking in good habitat and always spending extra time looking around the Visitor Centre at Titchwell every time I've visited!
Carrying on into the reserve I quickly picked up on the path that goes around the reserve thanks to Andy Harris for sending me a map with instructions for getting around. Now walking round on the path had several Wren shout and me and a Dunnock flew past, heading north I flushed another Woodcock and another! Following the path around brought me round south where several Blackbird flew round also a Song Thrush tried its best to hide from me. Walking on further I flushed another Woodcock! Also several Great Tit called and one was singing but it sounded a lot more like a Bunting with a hint of Pheasant! Looking up I noticed a pair of Mallard flying over, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker called from within the woods. Carrying on round the 'Oak Wood' a male Pheasant walked out from the wood and onto the adjacent fields and I flushed a Woodcock! Into the 'Hawthorn Wood' the Great Spot continued to call but I couldn't find him in the tree tops, a Stock Dove was high up in an Oak, looking beautiful in the bright sunshine. Carrying on round a Grey Wagtail gave brilliant views on one of the many streams that run through the reserve. Heading back out of the woods flushed yet another Woodcock! I wait how long just to see one and I've just had at least 7 possibly 8 different birds! A male Bullfinch called from across the field and 3 Black headed Gulls seemed to be mobbing an invisible something. Another Song Thrush was by the end of the Public footpath rounding off a very enjoyable visit to Grovely Dingle!
Patch List now stands at 31, Year list-37 and Life list- 232
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