Nature Notes December 2021
Sunshine in early December is usually in short supply, so as the north wind blew the clouds away, we headed to Sparham Pool for an invigorating walk. In the car park, a Hazel bush still sported its lime green and yellow leaves, while those of a nearby Oak were russets, browns and gold. A Silver Birch had several so-called ‘witches brooms’ in its branches. These are dense growths of twigs that look like bird’s nests and are caused by microscopic organisms modifying the growth of the tree! Jackdaws were flying around an old Beech tree, giving their ‘jak’ calls; warning others away from ‘their’ nesting holes. We disturbed a Heron from the edge of the pool which flapped slowly across the water to a less disturbed spot. Mallard were squabbling along the edges of the islands, but in the open water, brown and grey Gadwall were the most numerous duck. Three smaller drake Tufted Duck dived repeatedly, the white flash along their sides standing out against the dark water when they surfaced, while a pair of Shoveler were in courtship mode, chasing and diving repeatedly. We followed the Wensum Way towards Lenwade, as a group of Canada Geese flew overhead giving their honking calls. More distantly, we could hear a Green Woodpecker’s ‘yaffle’ from the hillside to the north. It would have been hunting for ants nests, as they have very long sticky tongues which they use to extract ant grubs, once they have excavated a suitable hole into a nest with their dagger-like bill.
Jane and Neil enjoying a walk along the Marriotts Way, photographed a lovely rope of Black Bryony berries amongst the vegetation. They also found a White Saddle fungus: one of those fungi that do not have gills but a strangely furrowed stalk and saddle shaped cap. It does not fruit every year, but this year, conditions have been right for them and they have popped up in several places.
Joan and Ian however did not even have to go out of doors to have a very special view of a wild creature. They have a trail camera focussed on their Hedgehog feeding place and one evening they had a beautiful picture of a young Vixen, sitting under their front window, looking straight at the camera! Wildlife clearly moves closer to our homes as winter starts to bite.
Do let me know if you see anything of interest rachel.42rr@btinternet.com