Birding Braunie

Decided to pop up to Thetford in Norfolk yesterday to see the long-staying Black-bellied Dipper. This like our native Dipper but a subspecies found in Northern Europe and as such, rather rare in this country. Anyway, first a zip up the M11 and A11 until you hit Thetford Forest and then Thetford itself. For all you Dad’s Army fans, this town was where they shot most of the TV series. It’s a lovely town and one that has been overlooked by me in the past. River Thet I arrived at the Nuns’ bridge and set about following the riverto the area where the dipper favoured. The ground was very muddy and it was difficult to stay upright. very soon, I found a small group of birders huddled together beside a tributary stream close to the car park. They weren’t cold or having a love in but were all admiring the Black-bellied Dipper that was putting on a display for anyone who was interested. It was incredible to be only 10 feet from the bird. It spent half its time swimming in the stream and

I recommend the Yellow Trail if you want to really suffer And here’s why. The 2.5 mile route feels like 10 if you walk through this stuff and your socks will slide off inside your wellies due to the force of the mud clinging to your boots. The Blue Trail is pretty but for pussies... ...but you have less chance of taking a bad photo of a Nuthatch and more chance of getting a good shot of Bracket Fungi. Birds seen: Yellow Trail Common Buzzard x2 Nuthatch x5 Common Treecreeper x4 Coal Tit Chaffinch Jay Great Spotted Woodpecker Goldcrest Long-tailed Tit Blue Tit Great Tit Woodpigeon Carrion Crow Blue Trail Chaffinch Blue Tit Woodpigeon