Nov 22nd Strumpshaw Fen

Starlings emerging from their roost

It was rather blustery as I arrived at Strumpshaw this morning. I got to the reserve surprisingly early today due to catching a much early train than usual. The sun was still rising and the darkness was fading minute by minute by the time I had completed my walk from Brundall station. It was 7:30am and I was unpacking my bag at the blind beside Reception Hide. While finding the camera case inside my backpack, I heard a whooshing sound coming from the reed bed adjacent to me. I turned my head and saw thousands of starlings erupt into the sky. I was stunned in awe for a brief moment before I realised I still had the camera in my hands. So I rushed myself to get the camera out of it's case, removed the lens cap and had enough time to take two shots before they were gone. The spectacle lasted only mere seconds. They thundered over my head and towards the car park all at once. 20,000 of them were leaving their roost site to start a new day in separate directions across the Norfolk countryside.

Sunrise

Still in complete shock of what I had just witnessed, I knew only something extremely special would be able to top that. However, as much as I tried, I couldn't find anything that fits that description. I did glimpse a stoat on my way to Fen Hide, but it was so quick that I had no time to appreciate it. From Fen Hide, 2 or 3 Chinese water deer kept coming in and out of the strips of reed beds sandwiching the areas of open stubble which they were grazing on. A pair of mute swans were having a lay in with their heads snuggled under their wings, while a kestrel and up to 5 or 6 marsh harriers were out hunting, hovering and soaring above the reedy landscape in the blustery winds. I also saw a couple of stonechats and, from the woods on the way back, a flock of shy bullfinches flying away from me into some thicker scrub.


Mute Swans

Chinese Water Deer

Kestrel

Stonechat

Marsh Harrier

Mallards

The action from the Reception Hide during my shift was pretty dull. The ducks and coots were spending most of their time at the far side of the broad, occasionally making their way closer to the hide for short spells before retreating back to the opposite side again. A sparrowhawk made a quick, low flight over the broad, but it was the marsh harriers that continued to thrill us and annoy the local crows with their numerous patrols. There were several of them, sometimes playing in the wind together (as well as those annoyed crows mobbing them).

Teal

Shoveler

Coot

Cobber the Black Swan



Common Darter

Finally, if you thought November was a strange time of year to see dragonflies, then you'd probably be surprised to see this photo I took today. It has been a rather warm November this year and though there is a slight nip in the air due to the strong gusts of wind, this morning was relatively warm enough for a few common darters to be on the wing still. It isn't unusual to see common darters out and about right now. As long as it stays warm and sunny, they can sometimes linger on until the beginning of December.