Whitesheet

A walk around Whitesheet near Holt was where we chose to take our Sunday monthly group this week.  A Heathland habitat with some fir plantation and deciduous woodland so a good mix of bird species were in the offering. We started with a Willow Warbler in the parking area which was soon followed by Goldcrest, Chaffinch and Song Thrush.  Looking over the old landfill area we had a little luck a bird flew up on to the top of a gorse bush, scoping it I had a surprise instead of being a Linnet or Stonechat which I had expected, it turned out to be a Spotted Flycatcher.  Soon after we added good views of a Jay and a Yellowhammer which dutifully sang for us.

Singing Yellowhammer - Whitesheet © Nick Hull

We moved on and walked back through the pine plantation and headed out towards the heath and almost immediately we were treated to the sound of a Woodlark singing and we viewed it as it hovered above us before moving off.  A pair of Bullfinch on the path quickly disappeared into the gorse not to be seen again.  Another Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff were singing along with another Yellowhammer, Robin and Wren were also in song along this path.  A short way further on a Tree Pipit was heard and later found singing from a dead tree and another was found about a hundred yards further on.  Here we fell into a number of Linnet and Greenfinch all going about their seasonal duties some carrying nesting material others singing.  A pair of Stonechat were busy looking after a pair of recently fledge young which looked just fine in their cream flecked first plumage.  Here we had our only views of Common Whitethroat though we heard others on our walk. 

Male Stonechat - Whitesheet © Nick Hull

A Cuckoo was heard possibly a second as Bob had seen and heard another when he had arrived at the parking area before we joined him. On our return route we had three more Tree Pipits another Woodlark singing, Bullfinch calling and many of the usual commoner species and we ended with a Green Woodpecker searching for ant hill in a small paddock near to the farm.

female Green Woodpecker - Whitesheet © Nick Hull