Breck Fast

It's the verge of Spring, just before the green closes up the woodland. The remnants of snow lay in the hollows, and the river bank is still flooded. Santon Downham is a great place to guage the beginning of another breeding season. Marsh Tits, Treecreepers and Nuthatches stand out as their songs fill the bare branches, but the special bird here is the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. This diminuitive bird does its best to stay obscured in the treetops, even when drumming its weak tremor. Its slight build is reflected in its power. Unlike the Greater Spotted Woodpecker, the lesser pecker cannot seem to maintain a robust clatter. The drumming often trails off halfway through, before renewed efforts increase the pace. Every now and then, it calls like a distant Kestrel.

On the open ground - a narrow strip of Breckland heather and fine grasses, a pair of Woodlarks doodle discreetly as the woodland finches bounce overhead, making their way between blocks of trees. They can be quite confiding, trusting in their muted streaks to hide themas they forage. The cream band running back from their eyes meets on their hindneck, and when seen, the dark primary coverts give its wing a bold contrast, unlike that of the Skylark.

Over in the King's Forest, larger areas of grassland and newly lumbered compartments provide enough habitat for both Lark species, as well as the smaller Meadow Pipit. The air is filled with their twinkling song - descending scales and abstract melodies mingle, A pair of Stonechats dart from gorse to gorse. The Birch trees along the eastern edge of the clearing attract Redpolls briefly. Stopping for a few seconds and then moving on.

A tall stand of conifers makes for hard viewing, but in the uppermost sprays of needles and cones, a group of Crossbills mingle with Siskins as they noisily feed. 

At the end of the path, another stretch of trees - mixed Larch and Pine aligns with the north. In one long since wounded and regrown tree, a large nest sits cradled by the split trunk. Further along, another nest hugs the trunk more precariously. Both nests are pretty flat but pretty deep. Neither looks to be in use...yet.

 

Returning to the main clearing, to get the widest view of the sky, it's not long before the nestbuilders show themselves. Two large Hawks, one adult and one younger bird briefly appear above the treeline. The adult circles. The young bird moves off slowly but with purpose. She is not wanted here.