Norfolk’s wildlife in November

Nick Acheson, Norfolk Wildlife Trust
 
Stand outside on a clear night in November and let your mind reach into the doings and beings of the wild world. Overhead in the vastness and blackness of the sky are the sounds of thrushes on the move, birds retreating from the Scandinavian and Siberian cold as winter grips the boreal forests in which they bred. The night flight call of the redwings above you is a fine fizzling lisp, striping through the dark sky like a shooting star. The fieldfares with them have a choppier flight and a choppy call to go with it: a squelchy chuck-chuck like wellies sprung from wet mud. Listen carefully and you may hear the bright tick of a song thrush too, southbound in the night on wings from the forests of the north.

Tawny Owl, photo by Julian Thomas

Nearby, the local tawny owls are shouting their claim to the woods, stating their intention to breed here in late winter and to raise their round-eyed but steel-taloned chicks over the spring and summer. In the male’s gentle fluting and the female’s impetuous double-shriek the message is clear: let no other tawny encroach our patch. Perhaps, if you live close to a common or a vole-tunnelled meadow, you may also hear the breathy, insistent call of a barn owl, like a dropped can of cola being opened just a crack.

If the air is mild the woods’ edge may yet be crisscrossed by a million calls too high for human ears to hear. British bats begin their hibernation now – putting themselves on standby through the harsh, insect-scarce middle winter – but may still be on the wing and feeding in November. The cobweb of sound they cast across the night may only be heard by us with the help of a bat detector, which translates their too-high talk into sound we can hear; each species of bat with a distinctive purr, trill or rattle in the sounds the machine makes.

Bat, photo by Mark Ollett

The other mammals in Norfolk’s night may only roam where their legs will take them and are guided more than any other sense by scent. We primates, with our forward-pointing eyes, dulled noses and half-dulled ears, are designed for the day. (We even say, ‘Oh I see,’ when we mean we understand.) Most mammals though, especially those active at night, navigate the cobweb of meaning spun over woods and fields by smell. Simon Barnes expresses this magnificently in his How to Be a Bad Birdwatcher: ‘If you were to write a novel for a dog, it would have to be written not in sound symbols, like the words you are reading now, but in smell symbols.’

Hedgehog, photo by Peter Mallett

So in your November night, you may hear the garden snuffling of a not-quite-hibernating hedgehog sniffing his prickled way around the world, or his enthusiastic crunching as he crushes a slug in his teeth. Or you may imagine the trail of scent drawing a quick-eyed stoat through the dark in suit of his prey, or delighting the rubbery nose of a stripe-faced badger as he trots peaceably through a paddock hoping to find worms.

As you retreat to your warm bed beneath the eaves and beneath the covers, take with you this wild November night and the creatures which inhabit it. For over your roof the thrushes stroke the starred sky, down the lane the male owl’s muted hoots lay claim to a territory of trees, and in the twitch of a stoat’s nose is life lived and life lost.


Find out more about Norfolk’s wildlife.  Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife Information Service is here to answer any questions or identify your species pictures.

October species of the month: fungi

Ed Parnell, Norfolk Wildlife Trust 

One of the great pleasures of autumn is to walk through the woods, breathing in the distinctive, slightly sweet odour of rotten wood and fallen leaves. On dead trees, around the base of stumps, and in grassy clearings, fungi will also be much in evidence but knowing which species you’re looking at is not always easy. That’s no surprise when you consider that over 10,000 fungi species have been recorded in Britain – with around 3,500 of those found in Norfolk.

Perhaps the best way to get an introduction to this mycological world is to join a fungus foray. A number of such walks are held around the county each autumn, run by Norfolk Wildlife Trust local groups, the National Trust or the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society. It’s essential to know what you’re doing where fungi are concerned, particularly if you are picking mushrooms to eat, as there are a number of poisonous species, some of which are potentially deadly. If in any doubt whatsoever stick to the mushrooms in your local supermarket!

Death Cap, photo by Tony Leech

The most common of the deadly species in the UK is the deathcap. Although this yellowish species looks rather innocuous and undistinguished its effects are anything but, with fatal kidney and liver failure resulting a couple of days after ingestion. Similar symptoms are produced by the equally emotively named destroying angel. Another to avoid is the panthercap, which at least is easier to recognise – it has a rather lethal look about it with cream spots splattered across its brown cap.

Perhaps the most distinctive poisonous species to watch out for is the fly agaric. With its bright scarlet cap, covered with white, wart-like specks, this is the archetypal fairytale toadstool. In addition to causing convulsions and a catatonic sleep it’s also strongly hallucinogenic – a property utilised by shamans of the Sami people of Lapland, as well as their reindeer, which seem to experience a similar mind-altered state when consuming these magical mushrooms. Indeed, many reindeer apparently become rather partial to the sensation, actively seeking out the toadstools when they get the chance. In Norfolk, you won’t see any reindeers behaving badly, but a good place to search for fly agarics is NWT Roydon Common, near King’s Lynn, as the site’s mixture of heathland and birch woods is ideal for this red and white gem. 

Fly agaric, photo by Peter Dent

Other interesting species found in Norfolk include: giant puffballs, which can grow up to 80cm across; King Alfred’s Cakes (ironically inedible) – small, hard rounded balls which grow on dead trees and can be seen at NWT Lower Wood, Ashwellthorpe; Chicken of the woods which, as its name suggests, tastes (apparently!) like chicken; the stinkhorn, which is often detected by its unpleasant, putrid odour, and which also has a rudely distinctive appearance – NWT Foxley Wood, just off the A1067 Norwich–Fakenham road is a good place to look for this species, as well as being generally good for all autumn fungi.

For details of Norfolk Wildlife Trust events see www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/whats on

August species of the month: the spoonbill

Ed Parnell of Norfolk Wildlife Trust

One of the most spectacular birds that visitors to the north Norfolk coast might just spot this summer, is also our most recent avian colonist. Similar in build to a grey heron, though slightly smaller, the spoonbill’s plumage is completely white, except in the breeding season when adults show a small patch of yellowish feathers on their chest. At this time of year mature birds also have a rather fetching, shaggy crest at the back of their head. But by far their most noticeable feature is the one for which they are named – that enormous, spatula-like bill.

Spoonbill by Pat Wileman

Spoonbills generally feed in flocks, swinging their heads from side to side through shallow pools of water. This is where the remarkable bill comes into its own: held slightly open it is packed full of sensors that detect minute vibrations and, once located, unlucky beetles, crustaceans, worms, small fish – even tadpoles and frogs – stand no chance of escape.

Although they bred in East Anglia during medieval times, spoonbills had not bred in Norfolk for over 300 years until, in 2010, a colony was discovered at Holkham marshes, where six pairs raised ten chicks. Conservationists crossed their fingers that the birds (originating from the Netherlands) would return again in 2011, which, gratifyingly, is what happened; eight pairs bred, successfully fledging 14 young.

Because the birds are easily disturbed it’s not possible for visitors to view the colony at Holkham. However, this isn’t a problem as the spoonbills (including a large number of non-breeding individuals) feed in sizeable flocks along the coast. The best site is probably Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Cley Marshes, where a record flock of 25 birds was recorded in 2010. Here the shallow pools and scrapes are an ideal place for the birds to feed, and they can often be watched at close-quarters from the comfort of numerous viewing hides.

Spoonbills flying, photo by Brian Macfarlane

One final word of caution: to see that famous bill you may well have to be patient. Spoonbills are notorious for spending large amounts of time asleep, their heads tucked frustratingly under a wing – the first view many birdwatchers have of the species is of a rather undistinguished group of white lumps sat on a muddy spit! Later in the day is often a good time to catch them being more active (they’re actually partly nocturnal), swinging their heads in characteristic, almost synchronised fashion.

As well as offering a great chance of seeing spoonbills, NWT Cley Marshes is also a great place to see all sorts of other wading birds and ducks at this time of the year, including the chance of rare visitors from America and Europe. And to celebrate National Marine Week in August (so good it lasts a fortnight!), a number of special events for families and children will be held at the reserve. Entrance to the award-winnning visitor centre and cafe is free, though there is a small charge for adult non-NWT members to access the bird hides. The reserve is just east of Cley next the Sea village on the A149 coast road towards Sheringham.

Species of the month July: the Norfolk plover

Ed Parnell, Norfolk Wildlife Trust

The Breckland Living Landscape is home to the stone curlew, one of the county’s most distinctive birds, fittingly also known as the Norfolk plover.

Stone curlew, Jessica Riederer

Stone curlews are a type of wading bird, but they are not (as their name might suggest) related to the Eurasian curlew, which is a familiar bird found mainly around our coasts. In fact, the stone curlew is the only European representative of the Thick-knee family and, yes, it does have rather knobbly knees – though you’ll need a very good view to actually notice this!

Stone curlews are very much an inland bird, finding one of their national strongholds among the grassy heathlands and neighbouring arable fields of the Brecks. They are a migratory species, arriving back in Norfolk in March and April each year, having spent their winter around the Mediterranean and even south of the Sahara. A few birds now do seem to be staying put in Norfolk over the winter, perhaps a trend that will increase with climate change? 

Plumage-wise Norfolk plovers are brown and streaked above, with a pale belly and a noticeable white wing-bar. They have a stubby, strong-looking bill and long yellowish-green legs. However, their most distinctive features are their large yellow eyes, which led to another of their historical Norfolk names – the goggle-eyed plover!

Arguably the best site to see stone curlews in the UK is NWTWeeting Heath, near Brandon. Two special viewing hides have been constructed here which give excellent views over the grassy heath where the birds feed and nest. The turf is kept short by large numbers of rabbits, something which is actively encouraged by Norfolk Wildlife Trust, as they keep the grass at just the right height for these rare birds, as well as numerous scarce Breckland plants and invertebrates.

Despite the shortness of the grass, the stone curlews are not always easy to spot as their brown-streaked plumage can look remarkably like a rabbit from a distance. Often, too, the birds sit motionless for long periods (particularly when they are on the nest) and it is not until they move across the ground in short, running bursts that they become obvious. Towards dusk though their activity levels rise and they start making their rather eerie, wailing calls.

NWT Weeting Heath is located just west of Brandon on the Norfolk-Suffolk border. Leave Brandon on the A1065 towards Mundford. Cross the railway line on the outskirts of the town, then turn left to Weeting village. In the village itself take the left turn to Hockwold cum Wilton. The reserve car park and visitor centre are 2.5km west of Weeting village and well-signed from the road. 

Visitor Centre: 29 March to 31 August, every day, 10am-5pm
Reserve: 29 March to September (Aug on demand due to nesting) every day 7am till dusk
Call the centre: 01842 827615  

A small entrance charge applies for adult non-NWT members.

Species of the month: Bittern

Ed Parnell of Norfolk Wildlife Trust

Visit some of the larger reedbeds of the Broads in May, particularly early in the morning or around dusk, and there’s every chance you’ll hear a strange booming sound, reminiscent of someone blowing across the top of an empty bottle: the breeding call of the male bittern, one of the UK’s rarest and most unusual birds.

Bittern, photo by Ed Parnell

The bittern is a member of the heron family, but differs widely in its plumage from the commonly-encountered grey heron. Bitterns have a light, straw coloured base colour, which is exotically streaked with darker, almost-black, lines and chevrons. The overall effect is exceptionally cryptic and it is little wonder that the bird blends so effortlessly into its favoured reedbed habitat. Although bitterns have a long neck, which they stretch out vertically to mimic their surroundings when alarmed, they never appear as tall and elegant as herons. Indeed, in certain poses they almost seem to take on a rather hunched, owl-like appearance. What never changes is the lethal dagger-like bill, which is used to impale unfortunate frogs, fish and small mammals with lethal precision.

As to the bittern’s boom, this remarkable sound is produced when the courting male bird exhales air from its oesophagus. The noise, usually repeated in short sequences of three or four chimes, has the lowest frequency of any note produced by a British bird and can be heard from up to three miles away.

Bitterns were a common bird in medieval times, when wetland and reedbed in places like the Fens was much more prevalent. They were also considered a great delicacy for the table and eaten in large numbers (sometimes hundreds at a time) at medieval banquets. Over-hunting, along with the loss of its habitat, factored in its decline and by the end of the Victorian age, the species had disappeared as a British breeding bird.

Bittern in the reeds, photo by Liz Dack

So when in 1911 the Edwardian naturalist Emma Turner photographed a nestling at Hickling Broad, there was much excitement. And despite a gradual increase in numbers over the following decades (with Norfolk the UK stronghold), the species began a severe downward spiral in the late 1960s. By 2010 the UK population contained just 14 booming male birds.

However, dedicated conservation work (including generous EU funding) has helped to turn things around so that in 2011 the UK population of the species reached 104 males, with 23 of these in Norfolk. These are centred around the Broads, with smaller numbers in suitable habitat along the north Norfolk coast at sites such as NWT Cley Marshes and NWT Holme Dunes. The best places to hear the species though (for they are very hard to see, unless you happen to be in the right place at the right time) is in the Broads, with NWT Hickling Broad offering a very good chance.