Dec 14th Buckenham Marshes

The RSPB Christmas Walk

It was the annual RSPB Christmas walk event this afternoon. My colleagues at Strumpshaw invited all the volunteers for a walk from Strumpshaw to Buckenham Marshes. I decided to join them at Buckenham for the last part of their walk. The weather could have been better for the occasion, but at least the short spells of rain and hail didn't come to much in the end apart from creating a dull, gloomy atmosphere.

Cantley sugar beet plant 

Wigeon

On first impressions, the fields were pretty empty looking. But once you start scanning these supposedly empty fields, you start to notice that there were actually plenty of birds dotted here and there. The obvious ones being the patches of wigeon and Canada and greylag geese, but there were also plenty of lapwing and teal here too. A few Chinese water deer were strolling across these fields with plentiful green grass to graze on. Flocks of pink-footed geese flew high above us and we also saw snipe, ruff, buzzard and 2 stonechats in the distance.

Greylag

Pink-footed Geese

Chinese Water Deer

Teal

Taiga Bean Geese

What I really was hoping to see today were the flock of fifteen Taiga bean geese that have been mobile between here and Cantley. They have been spotted by passing birdwatchers by the far end of the grazing field near the railway line, just as they often are. You really need a scope to see them.  After some patience, me and the remainder of what remained of our group (who had not left for mince pies at Strumpshaw), managed to see them before they decided to fly off due to a passing railway maintenance worker spooking them. Buckenham used to be THE place to see bean geese in the country, boasting a regular flock of 50. Sadly, their numbers have declined each winter and today, its just these 15 making the annual winter visit from Arctic Russia. They may have been pretty far away, but I'm still pretty pleased to see them all the same.