Winter Walk

Drawing back the bedroom curtains to a clear blue sky, the sun is rising and not a breath of wind.  Ah but this January and there is a price to pay for a beautiful morning.  The grass is white with a hard overnight frost, the pond frozen as it has been for several days now and paths glisten with ice ready to catch out the careless pedestrian as my knee found out later!

No matter, it’s too nice a day to be indoors.  Grab the camera a banana and apple.  Warm jacket, boots and gloves, let’s go explore the countryside.

A Great Tit (Parus major) forages on a bank unaware of my presence a few feet away

I crossed fields, through woodland with the drumming of a Great Spotted Woodpecker and then the hamlet of Spa Common down to the old canal.  The footpath is still fenced off so carry on up hill and through the first farm to skirt the edge of Witton Woods then down to the mill pond at Ebridge.

A Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) provided a fly past. Not good news for the fish stocks if this fellow finds them!

The mill pond is part of the restored section of this dis-used waterway.  Today it was iced over.  To the side is a spillway, like a small man made waterfall it provided an area of shallow open water and to my delight was visited by the local Wagtails.

A gorgeous Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) glistens in the bright sun. Not common in Norfolk but the habitat in these mill pools and streams is very much to their liking

Another wagtail enjoys the ice free water, the more common and widespread Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

Leaving the mill behind it was uphill on the field edge avoiding the somewhat busy, narrow, minor road to the hamlet of White Horse Common.  Named after a 17th century cottage which became the village pub in the 19th century, now it’s a house again as is the old Wheelwright Arms where I spent a few enjoyable evenings supping ale in my youth.

Not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’ the Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a much maligned bird. At this time of the year their plumage takes on a sheen of purples and greens. The chattery song with much mimicry is quite pleasant. They eat a great many harmful insects and if you witness the pre-roost gatherings it’s one of the wonders of nature. What’s not to like?

A female House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) looks surprised to see me. No longer a common sight, the UK population has fell by 70% between 1977 and 2018 and is now on the red list of concern

And so back down the high banked lane and across the now thawed and muddy field to home.  A splendid few hours and miles with lots to see and enjoy.