Spring has officially arrived at Holkham National Nature Reserve. The woodlands
to the east of the reserve are filled with the tuneful calling of singing
Wrens, the melodic crescendo of Sedge Warblers, and my personal favourite, the
whistle of Long-Tailed Tits. It is therefore very exciting that the warden team
has conducted the reserve’s first ever woodland bird survey.
Reed Bunting have a distinctive three-note territorial call.
The area near Pinewoods caravan park was chosen because of its range of
habitats in such a small area. While predominately pine, the route also includes birch, scrub and water
margins. This dense environment makes it very difficult to see small birds,
therefore we have to rely on bird song to identify species.
The woods are alive with bird song, especially in the early morning.
The identification of birds through their call is an extremely difficult
task. Birds often have multiple and very different calls depending on their
situation. Being able to distinguish them takes skill and patience. Luckily for
us our resident ornithologist Andy Bloomfield is one such man! Our first survey
was a great success and we counted 23 Wren, 3 Goldcrest, 16 Chiffchaff, 3 Treecreeper,
1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker and 3 Blackcap to name but a few!
The Treecreeper's other name is Tree Mouse
as it is thought to resemble a mouse hopping up a tree.
The survey will be repeated at different times throughout the year, enabling
us to assemble a picture of this otherwise overlooked part of the reserve.
Jonathan
Holkham Warden
Jonathan
Holkham Warden