Birds of the Brecks

BIRDS

OF THE BRECKS

By Su Gough

About the Brecks

As you travel across East Anglia and enter the area known as the Brecks, the look and feel of the landscape changes dramatically. Wide vistas, vast skies and sandy fields divided by rows of twisted pines all confirm a sense that this is a world apart. Also known as Breckland, it covers some 370 square miles of inland Norfolk and Suffolk, extending roughly north to south from Swaffham to Bury St Edmunds, and west to east from Lakenheath to East Harling. Characterised by generally sandy soils with layers of chalk and flint, and by a climate that is among the driest in Britain, the local landscapes have a distinctive quality. Native forest cover was largely cleared by the Neolithic period, some 4,500 years ago, giving way to a largely open steppe-type habitat of heathland and with swathes of inland sand dunes.

Away from the river valleys, the soil was light and nutrient-poor, with agriculture basic and often temporary. Sections of heath were periodically ploughed or broken (hence the term ‘brecks’) and then cropped for a few years before the land was exhausted and the fields allowed to revert to heathland. Sheep husbandry and the rearing of Rabbits in managed warrens proved to be more productive forms of land use, ensuring that the treeless open heaths of the area survived until the early years of the 20th century.

Only with the arrival of large-scale commercial timber production (the Forestry Commission began planting Thetford Forest in 1922) and intensive arable farming, made possible by artificial fertilisers and pesticides, did the traditional Brecks landscape begin to change.

Wildlife abounded on the open heaths, which became the last refuge of species driven to the brink of extinction elsewhere in Britain.

It was a world described lyrically by W G Clarke – a local amateur archaeologist and natural historian who coined the term ‘Breckland’ – in his many articles and celebrated book, In Breckland Wilds (1925). Although the face of the Brecks has changed much since Clarke’s day, the area remains rich in wildlife. The forestry plantations have provided a range of new habitat opportunities, and recent heathland restoration schemes have helped improve the fortunes of many of the specialist birds and plants.

A biodiversity audit published by the University of East Anglia in 2010 revealed that the area supports some 12,500 species, including 28 per cent of all those considered rare or under threat – more than in any other part of the UK. With several flagship reserves and many other accessible habitats, the Brecks offers some of the best wildlife watching anywhere in the country.

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Nunnery Lakes Reserve Lakenheath Fen Weeting Heath East Wretham Heath Livermere Lynford Arboretum Santon Warren Cavenham Heath Lackford Lakes King’s Forest

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Map: Artista-Design Š The Breckland Society

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The habitats of Breckland Outside of the few towns, the Brecks are characterised by small, scattered villages and isolated farmsteads. By far the most obvious habitat feature of the area is Thetford Forest, but natural heathland, farmland and wetlands form a rich mosaic and are home to a hugely diverse array of birdlife.

Forest

When first planted in the 1920s as a series of primarily pine plantations, Thetford Forest grew into a vast desert of single-aged monoculture, trees stretching to the horizon in all directions. As parts of the forest have matured, been harvested and replanted, the tree composition has become more varied, with a wide range of different ages and structures. There are also large stands of broadleaved trees, especially along the roads. The forest is mostly open access and contains miles of sandy tracks which can be explored by foot, bicycle or even on horseback. For many years its ecological importance has been recognised and improvements made to encourage wildlife.

Mike Toms / BTO

There are no major nature reserves within the forest, but visitor centres such as those at Brandon Country Park and the Forestry Commission’s High Lodge are a good introduction to the area. Wildlife abounds, and certain locations are well known among birdwatchers: Lynford Arboretum, near Mundford, is an excellent place and known for its wintering Hawfinches and Common Crossbills. The area around the Forestry Commission’s headquarters at Santon Downham is also worth exploring, with walking routes taking you past St Helen’s picnic site. For those searching for Goshawk, Mayday Farm on the B1106 between Elveden and Brandon has been a good place to look. King’s Forest, whilst still part of Thetford Forest, is a southerly outlier and particularly good for Tree Pipit and Woodlark, with always a chance of Goshawk there as well.

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Farmland

You are never far from farmland in the Brecks, but not all of it consists of the vast wheat fields that many people may imagine. Wheat is grown in huge quantities, as is barley and a third, less familiar, arable crop called triticale (a hybrid between wheat and rye which copes well in the dry conditions). Many of these crops are spring-sown, resulting in a large amount of stubble, which is something of a feature of Breckland in winter and often superb for winter birds. Alongside this are the game cover crops planted as shelter for Pheasants and partridges on the many large shooting estates, another feature of the area. Large flocks of farmland birds share these game cover crops, which are an excellent place to look for Tree Sparrows, Corn Buntings and other scarce species.

John Harding / BTO

Root crops are frequent, with fields of potatoes, carrots, onions and sugar beet all providing breeding habitat for Yellow Wagtail, Oystercatcher and Stone-curlew.

Hedges between fields are traditionally few and far between, due to the generally low levels of livestock. The most familiar farm animal in Breckland is the pig, many of which are reared outdoors and are an inescapable sight across much of the area. Their fields, ploughed to mud by thousands of snouts, may not be attractive visually but are a magnet for birds, with gulls, waders, ducks, geese, corvids and small passerines all finding them irresistible.

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The habitats of Breckland Heathland

Although less obvious visually than the forest, the heaths of the Brecks are a defining habitat and once extended over almost the entire area. They are characterised by the domination of grass species, often cropped very short by Rabbits, and with patches of lichen and mosses also present. Heather occurs in some situations, and clumps of small shrubs such as Gorse and Broom abound.

Historically birds such as Wheatear, Lapwing, Nightjar, Ringed Plover and Stonecurlew bred on the Breckland heaths; some of these at least were able to make a successful transition to farmland or forestry as the heaths were ploughed up or converted to forestry during the last century. Recent heathland restoration programmes have helped redress this loss of habitat. The main heathland reserves are the Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s East Wretham Heath and Weeting Heath (the latter being a well-known Stone-curlew site), Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Knettishall Heath (where Woodcock ‘rode’ on summer nights) and Cavenham Heath, managed by Natural England. Characteristic birds include Stonechat, Tree Pipit and Woodlark.

Active management is required to maintain the heaths in good condition, including the use of ponies, cattle and sheep to prevent scrub encroachment.

Wetland

It comes as a surprise in such a dry area that there are important wetlands in the Brecks. Rivers such as the Little Ouse and Wissey support vital habitats and are important for birds such as Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and Little Egret. Along the western and southern fringes of the area are a series of fens, including the Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Market Weston Fen and Redgrave & Lopham Fen, where Marsh Harriers breed. Also important are the strange features known as pingos, a relict from the last Ice Age, when lenses of buried ice melted to form depressions in the ground. Shoveler and other ducks breed around them, and they are especially important for insects. Equally valuable for birdlife are the mysterious Breckland meres, which are usually wet in summer and dry in winter; this is because it takes several months for the winter rainfall to percolate through the bedrock before emerging.

Most open water in Breckland nowadays is due to flooded gravel diggings; two of the best wetland reserves, Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Lackford Lakes and the BTO Nunnery Lakes Reserve are both former gravel pits. Little Egret, Bittern, Cetti’s Warbler and all manner of waders, warblers and wildfowl can be encountered at both of these sites. Special mention must also be made of Lakenheath Fen RSPB reserve, right on the western edge of the Brecks – where Breckland soils transition to fenland. The land was farmed intensively for many decades, but is being returned to its natural habitats and is now home to some of the region’s most sought-after species, such as Crane, Bittern, Marsh Harrier and Bearded Tit. No birdwatching visit to the Brecks would be complete without a visit here.

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Recording, monitoring and learning more Making your sightings count – why should I record wildlife?

Being out in the countryside and identifying the birds that we find is always exciting, but the value of our enjoyment can be greatly enhanced when our sightings are shared with organisations that seek to understand our wildlife.

Knowing what birds you have on a site you visit is really important; it is the building block to knowing how an area can be managed to conserve wildlife.

Noting down or ‘recording’ your sightings of birds as ‘biological records’ is not only vital for managing our best wildlife sites, but it also allows us to protect those sites from any impact of housing and other types of development.

What you should record?

A biological record is simply a species observed by a person at a location on a given date. To be of use, records must contain four essential pieces of information: • What species was observed (common or scientific names are fine).

• Where was it observed (ideally a six-figure grid reference or better).

• When was it observed (ideally the exact date).

• Who recorded it (full name of the person who’s sighting it was).

Who should you send records to?

The Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service (NBIS) and Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service (SBIS) are the Local Environmental Records Centres (LERC) covering the Brecks. These organisations are the central point for all records covering their respective counties. You may submit your records by using their respective online systems or you can email the records directly.

The best and most popular tool, especially if you are really keen on birdwatching and wish to record regularly at any site across Britain and be able to create and manage your own lists, is the BirdTrack (www.birdtrack.net) website and smartphone app. Information submitted through BirdTrack is available to county recorders and others working to understand and conserve our bird populations.

Getting involved in monitoring and surveys

If you are reasonably competent at recording birds and/or you wish to volunteer more regularly, you can take part in many monitoring or survey projects. A good place to start is the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO – www.bto.org), which runs a range of different surveys for interested volunteers. These include the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey, BTO Garden BirdWatch, the Nest Record Scheme, the Ringing Scheme and the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS).

Learning more

If you are new to birdwatching, or would like to further your identification skills, the following are good ways to learn and get involved: • There are many local clubs and societies that will put you in touch with like-minded people.

• The BTO website is a good place to find courses on bird identification and other learning tools, including identification videos.

• Ispot is a friendly and free community helping you to identify and share wildlife sightings and is a great place for beginners (www.ispotnature.org).

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Tawny Owl Description: Familiar ‘brown owl’, although surprisingly rarely seen as it is so nocturnal.

Daytime roost sites can sometimes be discovered by listening to small birds mobbing the resting owl. Then an upright softly plumaged brown bird might be glimpsed, usually tucked up next to a tree trunk. Beautifully patterned feathers. Very well-known call. Can sometimes be seen at night as it flies away from trees or telegraph poles with heavy body and short, rounded, deeply bowed wings.

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John Harding / BTO

Strix aluco

Fun facts: The classic call is often referred to as ‘twit-tuwoo’ and both birds in the pair may call in defence of their territory. The female utters a ‘kee-vick’ and her mate replies with a ‘who-whoooo’ hoot. Tawny Owls feed on a wide range of prey.

In towns, villages and farmyards they can take a significant number of small birds, rats and mice, but they may also feed on earthworms, taken from the surface of lawns on wet nights – which is when the worms emerge to feed above ground.

Accipiter nisus

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A Description: Common forest bird of prey J that has also adapted to more open habitats.

Feeds mostly on birds caught in flight, often using a stealthy technique by flying low along a hedge, before swooping up and over it onto unsuspecting prey. Males are a beautiful slate grey above with fine orange barring below; females are a grey-brown. Young birds are similar to females and all can show odd white feathers on their backs. Sparrowhawks are supremely well designed for hunting among trees, with short broad wings and long tails which help with agility. In spring, displaying birds fly high with their white undertail feathers puffed out like a pom-pom. A familiar sight in gardens, where they attempt to catch birds drawn to feeders.

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Fun fact: Almost all birds of prey have a size difference between males and females, and this is particularly pronounced in Sparrowhawks, with females 25% larger than their mates, allowing the sexes to target different prey species within their territories helping to prevent competition for the same food.

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Sparrowhawk

FOREST Great Spotted Woodpecker Description: Striking black, white and red bird. Most often seen on trees, but a regular visitor to bird feeders where it favours suet and peanuts. Usually clings to trunks and branches, even hanging underneath them.

All birds have red under the tail – bright red in adults, diffuse pinky-red in young birds – as well as obviously big white shoulder patches. Can be heard drumming in early spring and utters a hard ‘kek’ throughout the year. When flying between trees always has a very undulating flight; when crossing large open areas it will usually make a bee-line for the nearest tree.

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Jill Pakenham / BTO

Dendrocopos major

Fun fact: Males have a small red patch on the back of the head, females have no red on the head. Young birds have the whole of the crown red, which can lead to confusion with the rare Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (see page 27). Parents will sometimes bring young birds to garden feeders in the summer.

Garrulus glandarius Description: An atypical member of the crow family, lacking the usual plain black colouring, and about the size of a Woodpigeon.

Beautiful pink and blue plumage, with black and white markings. Jays are very noisy birds, with a harsh scream that echoes through the trees, a sound that seems at odds with their beautiful plumage. They are often seen flying away on broad paddle-shaped black wings, with black tail and very obvious white rump.

When seen well the pinkish body feathers are complemented by a black moustache, pale streaked head and gorgeous blue and black patches on the wings.

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John Flowerday / BTO

Jay

Fun fact: Jays hide acorns in the late summer and autumn, to feed on during the winter. Individuals can be sneaky, watching other Jays so they can return and raid their caches at a later stage. Acorns that are forgotten are an important source of new oak trees.

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Star species Burhinus oedicnemus The strange Stone-curlew is perhaps THE star bird of Breckland. Always a scarce and elusive bird, numbers crashed by more than 85% to a low in 1985 due to loss of the semi-natural habitats where it prefers to breed. In addition, changes in farming practices meant that the camouflaged nests of field-nesting pairs were being accidentally destroyed by machinery.

Virtually all of the remaining breeding pairs were in Breckland and extinction loomed, but concerted conservation efforts mean that there are now about 400 pairs in Breckland and their other stronghold in Wessex.

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Chris Knights / BTO

Stone-curlew

Chris Knights / BTO

Description: A bizarre-looking and sounding bird! Stone-curlews are waders that prefer the very driest of habitats. They are stout with short necks and beaks, large heads and long pale yellow legs. The overall buff coloration of the feathers is relieved by dark fine streaks, densest on the head. The birds are paler below and, with good views, distinctive patterns of white can be seen: most noticeably an almost horizontal white stripe across the wings, bounded by dark stripes, and a white throat and stripes on the face. Perhaps the most obvious feature of the bird is its huge, staring yellow eyes, which hint at the fact that Stone-curlews are principally nocturnal birds. During the day they spend long periods motionless, making them even harder to spot in their Rabbit-dominated habitats.

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HEATHLAND

Stone-curlew make a variety of sometimes blood-curdling calls. Their distinctive nocturnal ‘curr-loo-eee’ is the most frequent, but they also hiss and wail. Nighttime across Breckland can be noisy when there are ‘Stonies’ about!

Similar species: Unlikely to be mistaken for anything else, though views are often distant. Curlew have long, down-curved beaks, although they share the buff and brown colouring of Stone-curlew and are also found on Breckland heaths and farmland. Likewise, female Pheasants are a similar colour but are larger with long tails and hold themselves horizontally; be aware of young Pheasants, which lack the long tail of the adults.

Where to look: Weeting Heath. In late summer post-breeding flocks can often be seen at Cavenham Heath before migrating south for winter.

Chris Knights / BTO

Fun fact: Despite their name, Stone-curlews are not closely related to the more familiar Curlew but are named for their similarity of calls. We are now lucky that the banshee-wailing of Stone-curlews at night is, once more, a characteristic sound of Breckland in summer.

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Lapwing Vanellus vanellus

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A M Description: Initial overall impression is of J J a black and white bird but closer views will immediately reveal a metallic green back, glistening with a purple iridescence, a black front and facial markings and a jaunty, wispy crest. The underparts are clean white, but the undertail is a rufous orange. In flight, Lapwing have remarkably broad paddle-shaped wings which are black above and black and white below, leading to a flickering effect; flocks in flight in winter are a magnificent sight.

Lapwing are vocal birds, giving a heartbreaking ‘feeeeah..wik’ throughout the year.

Found at wetland reserves, such as the BTO Nunnery Lakes Reserve, Lackford Lakes and Livermere, and nesting on open fields anywhere in Breckland. Far more common in winter, when flocks can be found on stubble fields, pig fields and old airfields in particular.

Fun fact: Lapwing is a popular species in folklore and there are many country names for it, including Green Plover, after its colour, and the well-known Peewit, after its mournful call.

Barn Owl Tyto alba

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A M Description: Instantly recognisable; the iconic J J white owl floating like a ghost on buoyant wings over meadows and marshland. If seen perched, the body appears tiny compared to size of head, wings and legs, but the warm buff colouring of the back can be seen, alongside the black eyes nestled inside the rounded heart-shaped facial disc. Barn Owls frequently nest in buildings and owl boxes, but they will also nest in trees or even straw stacks. Roadside verges are a favoured hunting ground, although this sadly leads to many being killed by cars. In winter Barn Owls can often be seen hunting during the day and, throughout the year, they are more likely to be seen at dusk than Tawny Owls.

Fun fact: Luckily, Barn Owls are fairly common in Breckland and can often be seen hunting in daylight during the winter and early spring. As a behaviour, daylight hunting appears to be more common in eastern England than it is in many other parts of the country.

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FARMLAND Falco tinnunculus

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A Description: A familiar small falcon, which J J hunts for its small mammal or insect prey by either sitting and watching from a high perch, or hovering motionless whilst scanning for movement below. The males are handsome, with grey heads and tails, and chestnut brown backs. Females and young birds are brown, but all share dark wing tips, cream-coloured chests with bold dark spots, a wide black band at the end of the tail and a dark moustache.

Any good view will reveal the stripes on the face, and the lack of clear black cheek bars of Peregrine and Hobby. Populations of this little falcon have been declining nationally but the species is still a frequent sight in Breckland in any habitat except within mature woodland. Kestrels may be seen hunting over blocks of clearfell, where small mammals and small birds are the favoured prey. In such areas they may use old crow nests for their breeding sites, although elsewhere tree cavities and nest boxes are used.

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Paul Hillion / BTO

Kestrel

Fun fact: Known as the ‘Windhover’ or ‘Motorway Hawk’, the Kestrel’s hovering flight is familiar to anyone travelling along our road system.

Columba oenas

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A Description: One of the most frequently overlooked species, Stock Doves are common in Breckland but usually dismissed as Woodpigeons, with which they can often be found. Stockier than the same-sized Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove shares the overall grey tones of Woodpigeon but lacks any white markings; with none on the side of the neck and, in flight, showing no white wing stripes.

Instead, Stock Dove shows a handsome dark boundary to the wings and a short black wing bar. They are hole nesters, using buildings or, more usually, tree cavities. Often found in pairs throughout the year, their song is an unusual, slow, deep ‘woooo… woooo…woooo’

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Edmund Fellowes / BTO

Stock Dove

Fun fact: Stock Doves will nest in Rabbit burrows; old East Anglian warreners would place crossed sticks across the holes so that the parents could continue to feed the chicks while preventing them from leaving the nest so they could be taken later for the pot.

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Star species Circus aeruginosus During the 1960s and 70s Marsh Harriers were exceedingly rare summer visitors, with nesting only regular on the Suffolk coast.

Numbers have since recovered and some 400 pairs now breed over the country, with most being found in the east of England. They have changed their behaviour as well, with many birds now remaining resident throughout the year and small numbers beginning to nest in arable crops, a habit that could help swell their numbers further.

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Description: A large and fairly rangy bird of prey, most likely to be found over rank vegetation and reed beds in wet areas, although also seen over arable crops. Highly variable in colour. Adult females are perhaps the most straightforward to identify, as they are chocolate brown all over, with cream head and shoulder patches. Males are smaller, more slender and usually have tricoloured upperparts: brown back and shoulders, grey wings and black wingtips. The head is generally pale and, with the paler underwings, contrasts with the darker lower body and dark wing tips. Youngsters tend to look more like females, but there is great variation and it is not always age- or sex-related. Any large bird quartering low over the ground with wings raised and, often, legs dangling, is likely to be a Marsh Harrier.

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Marsh Harrier

Paul Hillion / BTO

Similar species: The most likely confusion species in Breckland is Buzzard. This can be a challenge in some cases, especially as Marsh Harriers often fly with their wings raised in the same diagnostic ‘V’-shape. As Marsh Harriers are highly variable in plumage, studying their markings is not always helpful, but they lack the dark patch on the ‘elbow’ of the Buzzard underwing. The other potential species is the much scarcer Hen Harrier (see page 94), the female and young of which look similar and have the same habits but have an obvious white rump.

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WETLAND

Where to look: During the breeding season almost guaranteed at Lakenheath Fen; also at Redgrave & Lopham Fen and can be seen at other wetland sites.

Otherwise equally likely to be found quartering stubble fields or rough grassland.

Paul Hillion / BTO

Fun fact: Marsh Harriers are often polygynous; this means that males have more than one mate, often two and occasionally three. The females will nest separately, but once the chicks need feeding, the male will provision each nest equally if food availability allows.

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BRECKS GUIDE No. 1 Birds of the Brecks

By Su Gough The Brecks form a unique area of inland East Anglia, straddling the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. Recognised as one of the most important parts of the United Kingdom in terms of biodiversity, they encompass tracts of forest, heathland and arable farmland, threaded by river corridors. These diverse habitats support a range of fascinating wildlife.

Well established as a popular destination for birdwatchers, the area is home to some of Britain’s rarest and most sought-after species, with excellent birding possible throughout the year. This handy guide will help you identify the special birds of the area, explaining how to distinguish them from more familiar species and directing you to the best places and times of year at which to find them.

The Brecks Guides provide an affordable and informative introduction to the wildlife of the area. Pocket-sized, they are the ideal companions for a day out in the countryside.

ISBN 978-1-908581-88-4

9 781908 581884 Published by the British Trust for Ornithology.

ÂŁ8.95