Deciding on my High Ten Breckland birds ought to have been straightforward, however there was one essential resolution to be made. Ought to my High Ten be birds that birders come to the Brecks to see, or my 10 favorite species? In the long run I opted for a mix of the 2.
Nice Bustards had been misplaced from the Brecks 192 years in the past
Breckland, by the best way, is an space of dry, sandy soils on the borders of Suffolk and Norfolk, two counties within the East of England. The realm is notable for its low annual rainfall – it is without doubt one of the driest areas in Britain. Two centuries in the past it was a barren space the place Britain’s final Nice Bustards had been nonetheless to be discovered on the intensive rabbit-cropped heaths. The final nest was recorded in 1832, and after that the birds disappeared. In accordance with Claud Ticehurst, writing in his Historical past of the Birds of Suffolk (1932), it was in 1812 that belts of fir timber had been first planted throughout the Brecks “with the intention to shield the crops of rye from the wind-blown sands, and evidently this breaking apart of the huge open areas was unsuited to the cautious habits of the Nice Bustard”. There’s at present a reintroduction undertaking for Nice Bustards on Salisbury Plain in Southern England, however there can be no level in releasing birds within the Brecks as we not have the habitat.
What the Brecks does have, although, is the biggest lowland pine forest in Britain. Planting began after the First World Battle, with the intention of offering a strategic reserve of timber for the nation. In accordance with Wikipedia, “the creation of the forest destroyed a lot of the standard Breckland setting of gorse and sandy ridges, ending the frequent sand blows”. Native Scots pines had been planted initially, however at this time the forest is dominated by Corsican Pines. The mature stands of Corsican Pines are unattractive to birds, however when timber are felled the cleared areas appeal to Nightjars and Woodlarks, two of the Breck’s particular birds.
No 1 Stone Curlew
Britain is on the very northern restrict of the Stone Curlew’s vary. With a breeding inhabitants of round 360 pairs, additionally it is one in every of our rarest breeding birds. The Brecks is an important space in England for these fascinating waders, with an estimated 270 pairs, of which 70% nest on arable farmland. The European Breeding Atlas 2 notes that “the Eurasian Thick-knee [not a name anyone in the UK uses] has tailored to open arable land so long as the vegetation stays low, permitting good all-round visibility”. That is actually true within the Brecks.
A Stone Curlew on the Norfolk Wildlife Belief’s Weeting Heath reserve ({photograph} by David Addy). Weeting Heath is the best place to see Stone Curlews in England
The Breckland inhabitants is wholesome as a result of appreciable efforts by each farmers and conservationists to assist the birds. Being cautious, cryptically colored and superb at holding out of sight, seeing these birds is all the time a problem. Most visiting birders choose to go to the Norfolk Wildlife Belief’s reserve at Weeting Heath, the place the land is managed for the birds, and the place at the least two pairs nest nearby of the hides. I can often discover birds a lot nearer to residence, however seeing a Stone Curlew is all the time a thrill.
The good majority of Stone Curlews within the Brecks nest on arable land
No 2 Goshawk
The huge ranks of conifers that make up Thetford Forest might not be nice hen habitat (Goldcrests and Coal Tits are probably the most quite a few birds you will discover), however they do present protected nesting websites for Goshawks, and there are a number of pairs within the Brecks. Goshawks have an fascinating historical past in England, for it’s only lately that they’ve develop into widespread breeding birds. Ticehurst famous that it “was by no means something however uncommon in Suffolk” and he failed to search out any data for the primary three a long time of the twentieth century. At the moment, although Goshawks most likely breed in each English county, these highly effective hawks are nonetheless a lot wanted by birders, a lot of whom come to the Brecks to see them.
One of the best time to search out one is on sunny days in early March after they show over their territories. There are a few well-known websites the place you might be virtually positive of seeing them, and in season these can appeal to crowds of 30 and even 40 individuals. There are, after all, different locations the place you’ll be able to look ahead to them undisturbed by different birders.
No 3 Woodlark
There are reckoned to be round 3,000 pairs of Woodlarks in Britain, however this nonetheless makes them a scarce and sought-after species. The heaths of the Brecks, together with the forest clearings, present good habitat for this hen, which has some of the engaging of Latin names: Lullula arborea. The primary a part of that identify refers back to the Woodlark’s fantastic tune, which many reckon to be one of many prettiest songs of any British hen. I often hear my first Woodlark singing in early January, a cheering sound within the depths of winter, and one which holds promise for the 12 months forward. They proceed to carry out till June – they sing within the air, or from a favoured excessive tune submit, reminiscent of the highest of a lifeless tree. After they cease singing they’re much tougher to search out, and in summer time I can go weeks with out seeing one.
No 4 Curlew
Curlews solely began to colonise the Brecks in 1947, so that they don’t have a protracted historical past of breeding within the space. At the moment there are most likely between 30 and 40 pairs, most of which nest on farmland. The inhabitants is susceptible and isn’t rising, but it surely does look like holding its personal. This can be as a result of foxes – one of many younger Curlew’s most severe predators – are strictly managed all through a lot of the Brecks the place recreation taking pictures takes place. Consequently ample younger birds are fledged most years to maintain the inhabitants.
Curlews are breeding guests, with the primary birds returning to their territories in late February and early March. The haunting, melancholic tune of the Curlew is without doubt one of the nice sounds of spring.
No 5 Hawfinch
These good-looking finches with their spectacular, nutcracker payments are uncommon and extremely localised birds in southern Britain. The Brecks is the most effective place to see them in Jap England, as there’s a small breeding inhabitants, most likely augmented by migrants within the winter. Probably the most dependable website for them is Lynford Arboretum in Norfolk, the place there’s a common winter roost. This could quantity something from half a dozen birds to greater than 50, however massive flocks have develop into uncommon lately.
A good friend is lucky sufficient to see them in his Breckland backyard yearly, and in 2022 two pairs nested. Sadly, they haven’t nested since; this 12 months there have been no spring sightings, although the occasional hen was seen in the summertime.
This Hawfinch was photographed in a good friend’s Breckland backyard in Might 2022
No 6 Crossbill
It was a difficult resolution whether or not to incorporate this finch. The Brecks was famend as the most effective locations to see nesting Crossbills, and within the Thirties egg collectors had been drawn to the realm to raid their nests. One in every of them was Desmond Nethersole-Thompson, who notes in his guide Pine Crossbills (1975) that “We additionally shortly found that, aside from the periodic invasions or irruptions from northern Europe the scale of the Breckland populations of crossbills enormously fluctuated from 12 months to 12 months”. The Breckland inhabitants is at present at a low, with only a few pairs. It’s not a hen I might be assured of discovering, so any sightings are all the time a bonus. This 12 months I’ve solely seen them twice.
No 7 Firecrest
Sharing with the Goldcrest the title of Europe’s smallest hen, Firecrests are simply missed. Ticehurst regard it as “amongst the rarest in Suffolk”, and it was solely in 1975 that they had been first discovered breeding within the Brecks for the primary time. At the moment there’s a small however rising inhabitants within the space, however discovering one is all the time a problem. One of the best ways to take action is listening for the male’s tune, which is barely decrease pitched than that of the Goldcrest, and which lacks the rhythm of the latter. If you do lastly see your Firecrest you uncover a bit of gem of a hen, its broad white supercilium (eye-stripe) making it immediately recognisable. There are a variety of web sites in Thetford Forest the place these hen breed, however Lynford Arboretum might be probably the most dependable.
No 8 Woodcock
Woodcock winter within the space in good numbers. In January this 12 months I watched beaters flush 14 from a single small wooden on a Pheasant-shooting day. Although Woodcock are a preferred quarry species, many individuals select to not shoot them, and on at the present time no person raised a gun to 1. Most birdwatchers regard Woodcock as uncommon birds. They’re not, however they’re tough to see except flushed by canines.
The Brecks has a small however declining breeding inhabitants – regardless of analysis, no person is aware of why the variety of nesting birds is falling. They nonetheless breed on my native heath, simply a few miles from residence, so in early spring by means of to mid summer time I usually go to observe for roding males. Roding is the identify given to the curious show flight of the Woodcock, when the males patrol their territory at nightfall and daybreak, flying low over the tops of the timber. I not often fail to get pleasure from good sightings, although I’ve but to rise to the problem of getting good images.
No 9 Lengthy-eared Owl
Presumably probably the most irritating hen in my High Ten, for these owls are shy and secretive, in addition to being scarce and very tough to see. Normally the best approach to find a breeding pair is to hear for the begging name of the younger, a name that carries for appreciable distances, and which might be listened for in late Might and early June.
Although I’ve seen these owls looking in broad daylight in Northern France, I’ve by no means seen a British hen do the identical. This 12 months I failed to search out any breeding pairs, and my solely sighting on my native heath was a hen that flew previous me after I was on the lookout for Woodcock in Might. Was it breeding close by? I by no means discovered.
No 10 Cuckoo
Although the Cuckoo is a widespread breeding hen all through the British Isles, numbers have fallen dramatically lately, and its tune is not the acquainted sound it as soon as was. Happily we nonetheless have a very good inhabitants right here within the Brecks, helped regionally, little doubt, by a wholesome breeding inhabitants of Reed Warblers in our valley fens. Reed Warblers are the Cuckoo’s favorite species to parasitise right here.
The primary native Cuckoo is usually to be heard across the twenty first April, and I can then count on to listen to one every single day till the top of June, when the males head again to tropical Africa. Easy although the Cuckoo’s tune is, for me it’s the sound of spring, and one which by no means fails to make me smile and really feel joyful to be alive.
