Beeston & Sheringham Commons                                              sssi/sac Mute Swans Adder Little Egret

 Winter Notes from the Commons

The winter period (Dec/Jan/Feb) has again this year been characterized by storm force winds, particularly towards the end of February, rain and some quite warm days. There have been very few frosts and only one or two days when wintery showers occurred. There has been no lying snow. Throughout this time Mark Clements and I have continued to monitor the wildlife and the following are the highlights. Sightings are posted daily on the website (www.beestoncommon.org.uk) if you wish to see more details.


December got off to a slow start although two Little Egrets, a juvenile and an adult, were feeding in a stream and the main pond respectively (07 Dec). On the following day (08 Dec) about 1000 Pink-footed Geese were noted overflying in three groups and a Woodcock was reported on the North East Norfolk Bird Club (NENBC) website for the area. Two Firecrests, a Water Rail and over 1500 Pink-footed Geese were seen (09 Dec). The middle of the month became mild and a Peacock Butterfly was out (15 Dec) also a Siberian Chiffchaff was noted and two Water Rails were heard calling. One of the more familiar winter moths, a male Mottled Umber was found resting on a tree (16 Dec). The female Mottled Umber is wingless and rather spider-like and generally sits on the trunks or stems of its larval food plant, which is any number of British native trees. A flock of around 40 Fieldfares passed over, heading southwest (18 Dec) and two Whooper Swans headed east (20 Dec). The only Short-eared Owl on the Commons this winter was reported by Mark and seen when it was flushed by Corvids.  A Firecrest was still present in the south-west corner of the site (25-27 Dec) and a Woodcock and Brambling were also spotted. The last week of December was unusually mild and Honey Bees were visiting Gorse flowers and an Adder was observed (30 Dec) on Pill-box Hill.


The New Year opened with a sighting of a Siberian Chiffchaff and a Common Chiffchaff (01 Jan). A Jack Snipe and a Grey Lag Goose were also reported on the NENBC website for that day. Mark re-found the Firecrest (02 Jan) along with a Treecreeper and a Grey Wagtail. Marsh Tit, Fieldfare and Firecrest were noted (12 Jan). An unusual bird for the Commons was a flock of nine Mute Swans and a bird that has been conspicuous due to its absence finally put in an appearance (19 Jan). This was a flock of around 30 Lesser Redpolls found by Mark, which had dropped to around 20 the following day (20 Jan) as reported by Dave Billham on the NENBC website. While thinning some Sycamore saplings from the wooded area (23 Jan) a few Orange Ladybirds were found hibernating (they will also hibernate on the ground in leaf litter). The ladybirds feed on mildew (fungus) on trees, particularly Sycamore or Ash. A Firecrest was still present in the southwest corner of the SSSI (27 Jan) along with a Marsh Tit. At the end of the month (31 Jan) a pair of Mallard was present on the main pond.


A Red Kite headed west (02 Feb) and a Woodcock and 10 Orange Ladybirds were present in the southern woodland area. Two Ravens heading northwest were noted by Christopher Mason on the NENBC website (05 Feb). A flock of around 30 Goldfinches were noted (09 Feb) and a Song Thrush was heard singing. Walking through the central marsh (11 Feb) two Jack Snipe and three Common Snipe were flushed and 24 Linnets headed for some Gorse to roost for the night. Jack snipe are smaller than Common Snipe and are only winter visitors to the UK with breeding confined to northern Europe and northern Russia. As the middle of the month came nearer (12 Feb) the first spring flora were noted with Primrose, Common & Pleated Snowdrop, Stinking Hellebore and Spurge Laurel found in flower. The first storm ‘Dudley’ (16 Feb) passed without much incident as did the following storms, ‘Eunice’ (18 Feb) and ‘Franklin’ (21 Feb). A Barn Owl was reported by David Billham (21 Feb) hunting along the eastern edge of the SSSI and the following morning (22 Feb) Mark recorded a Woodlark overflying. From the pill-box Mark also saw two Red Kites heading east and a Marsh Harrier heading west (23 Feb). The Firecrest was present (26 Feb) and a Tawny Owl was also calling around mid-day. The first Adder of the year was seen basking out of the wind in a former WWII trench (28 Feb) and a male Brambling was observed heading east.


The last week of February has certainly been a lot calmer and very sunny – will it last into March and if so do we welcome a quiet spell for a while. The old saying about March is ‘In like a Lamb – out like a lion’, which if true could mean a return to rough weather at the end of the month. If it does turn windy then nesting birds could well be hit.  

                                                     

Francis Farrow

Hon. Warden – SAC / SSSI




Mottled Umber Spurge Laural Honey Bee Orange Ladybird