Norfolk Holiday - Part III - Bearded Tits

And finally onto the more *exotic* finds at Pensthorpe…

*exciting

They have a Crane breeding program…

Not too sure about the cut wing feathers, I realise they need to be kept in one place but it doesn't quite sit right with me.

Turtle Dove

Avocets

Male Ruff strutting his stuff

A big ugly Crane…

Corn Crake

And now for the grand finale!

Bearded Tits!!!

Ok, so it was a little bit of a cheat as these are actually in an enclosure where you can see them easily along with the Avocets, Turtle Doves, Ruffs and a few other species.

Babies

And the BBC team arrived to set up for Spring Watch

Norfolk Holiday - Pensthorpe Part II

And now for the 'green' areas of Pensthorpe…

On the wildlife walk:

Cowslips

Clematis Rubens

Rubens and Wisteria

White Wisteria

A view looking back down the garden

A view over to one of the pond/lakes

Piet Oudolf's Millennium Garden:

And that's it!

As I said, I realise I was pushing it and have a feeling they created it to add interest in the late Summer/Autumn where the wildlife and woodland areas provide interest in the spring/early summer.
I guess it's an excuse to go back later in the year sometime providing I have the time/money.

A woodland walk area, leading up towards the Red Squirrel enclosure:

No Red Squirrels to be seen, no surprise there as they generally hide away from 11am until evening - from my experience of them in Scotland where we have them come to feeders in the garden.

I didn't take a great many photos of the green areas, I was mainly focused on getting the birds... Must remember for next time to take along a different lens for landscape shots! :)

Norfolk Holiday - Part I

Ok, get yourselves a cup of tea because there's a serious amount of photos to get through… I am going to divide my photos from Pensthorpe up because there are 100.

Yes you heard that correctly, 100!

I have no idea how I managed it because I'm no great fan of wading/water birds but the photos are mainly of the ducks/geese and a rather beautiful and amazing surprise!

Then there are also photos of some of the gardens… Piet Oudolf's Millennium Garden in particular was a disappointment; clearly it is geared towards Late Summer/Autumn… Oh well, another time perhaps.
I'd known I was pushing it and with the harsh winter plants are behind - Bluebells are still out compared to this time last year when there was barely any left.

So on with the first instalment:

First stop is the lovely B&B we stayed in, Swanton Morley near Dereham… Called Hunter's Hall.

It was on a farm, and looked to be converted stables, nice rooms and seemed to work more like a hotel than your average B&B.

Fields, this did have some white British White cows in it on the Sunday, but sadly they'd disappeared on the Monday when we left… There was a huge bull!

From the B&B we set off to Pensthorpe, not really knowing what to expect as all I wanted to see was the Millennium garden…

There are so many water birds here it's unreal, and so many of them are far too tame. If you don't like birds around your feet then you may be best avoiding one of the entrances into the reserve - i.e. don't go in the left entrance, go straight ahead into the nature garden!

A Stork

Lots of Ducks/Geese as promised. Wonderful Mandarins too!

Urm… Any ideas?

Mr Mandarin showing off to his wife

Fluffing up his feathers…

Baby Moorhen??

White Cheeked Pintail

Baby Coots, only a mother could love them!

And indeed she does…

As it began to rain she covered them up…

??

Red Crested Pochard

Lots of fighting for food

Smew

Black Headed Gull

Ruddy Duck

I was thinking Sedge Warbler…

Same again, or a Reed Warbler??

Juvenile Blackbird being protected by dad

Hoard of Greylag (?)Geese coming to attack Pete… Babies made such a cute noise compared to the hissing of the parents! Eeek.

I think this was a baby Barnacle Goose

Ruddy Shelduck

Gorgeous little female Smew, my favourite.

Male Smew

Pretty too, but I don't know what it is.

Poor one legged Mallard ;)

Another unknown… I'm not very good at this!

Juvenile Mallard maybe?

Sleeping Shelduck

Sleeping???

Teals

???

Female Gooseander… Let me tell you, they're vicious!

Poor little female Smew didn't stand a chance!

They kept on pushing her under water.

And on our way out we came across this…

Mmm, I smell something

Food!!!

Widgeon?? Nup, urm, no idea!

I thought birds didn't have teeth!!! Scary. Merganser? No idea. Pretty though.

Male Smew again

Moorhen feeding baby

So what did I learn from all this??

• I know far more ducks/waders/water birds than I thought I knew.
• I still have a long way to go.

(Corrections thanks to Shirl)