13th – 17th Norfolk Birding Winter Tour- Day Four of Five. The Brecks

We headed to the Brecks today and started in the North with a look for the now very scarce Willow Tits!

As we headed up the track it’s nearest congeners, a Marsh Tit was calling and eventually we all got good views as it fed low down on a mossy branch.
As we walked further on a Woodlark called briefly but disappeared. Then a Willow Tit was singing albeit distantly, it continued on off for a short time, but not longer enough to see it. We then tried the feed station, lots of Coal Tits, plus several Marsh Tit, but no definite Willows! A real bonus came, when a pair of Raven ‘kronked’ and flew over our heads! 

We then headed to the raptor watchpoint, we were soon watching several Buzzards, then a Red Kite, but it took time and patience before a fine male Goshawk flew along the tree tops, then spiralled up and tangled with a Buzzard affording everyone good views.

We headed off for lunch and then started birding around Lynford. A nice flock of 60 Siskin got us started, plus a Treecreeper.
Down by the bridge, there was more Siskin, a Brambling amongst the Chaffinches, several Marsh Tits and a Nuthatch. Nearby I managed to locate the regular Tawny Owl roosting up tight against the trunk of a tree.
We then headed out into the paddocks, there was a nice scattering of 50 Redwing on the ground. 

Brian was the first to spot the star and target bird a fine male Hawfinch! Over the next hour, we had up to 4 Hawfinch, as they played hide and seek with us in the tree tops.
We did a circular walk around the paddocks, some smart Gadwall on the lake, nice flock of Siskin a couple of Goldcrest, another Treecreeper but not much else of real note.