Ringstead Downs NWT!

After seeing reports of a few Ring Ouzels around Norfolk on the pager at lunchtime, I decided to take a visit to Ringstead Downs after work this evening. Whizzed home, quick tea and out again. It has been beautifully sunny all day here in King's Lynn, but it was not as sunny as I neared the coast and looked a little misty too.

Parked up in the small carpark at Ringstead Downs and then followed the sign to the Woodland Garden & Chalkpit. I have not been to Ringstead Downs since this new area was developed. See website and information for this HERE. I was very impressed, the chalkpit looked excellent for Wallcreeper (if only!). I have visited the Downs since I was a little girl, but had no idea this huge chalk face was even here, hidden behind the trees! There is a small chalk face at the other end by the farm and pond, but was not aware of this one. The path through the wood opened up into a grassed area with seats and picnic tables with the chalk face directly in front of you. There was a seat positioned on the top of the chalk cliff, which you could reach by following the path around and up to the top where it is fenced to stop people/children falling over the edge! Its a fabulous viewpoint from the top. It was terribly sad to see that vandals had tipped all the picnic tables on their side. I don't understand why people do this and especially as each table had a brass plaque in memory of someone. I managed to re-position all the picnic tables back, even though they were pretty heavy! I didn't really see any birds in this area, but then it was late in the day.

I continued through to the main 'Downs' and slopes where it is excellent for Ring Ouzels. I had wonderful views of 4 Common Buzzards spiralling together just over the tops of the trees. There were 22 Guinea Fowl huddled close together at the bottom of one of the slopes. I also found a dead guinea fowl on one of the slopes further along and another impaled on a hawthorn tree!!! Saw a couple of hedge sparrows, great tit, robin, great spotted woodpecker bounded over the ridge and a few blackbirds teased me in thinking they were 'ouzels' but sadly no sign of any ring ouzels. The pond by the farm had extended into a massive flooded area all around the hawthorn bushes and it looked beautiful. A pied wagtail was feeding around this flooded area. Heard a Tawny Owl and there were loads of woodpigeons about. At 7.10pm I left the farm area to walk back. I had a fantastic surprise by the 'corner' opposite the largest slope, a Red Kite glided over the highest tree tops to almost above me and then glided back and out of view – this unfortunately was not long enough for me to get the camera out of my backpack, but the light was dire now anyway. Wow, not too bad for an evenings birding after work! As I continued walking back to the car I could hear a song thrush singing and alarm calls of blackbirds.

As I was driving along the Ringstead hill, just before the farm buildings (Mill on left) I had another wonderful and unexpected surprise – a Little Owl was sitting on the very top of a small bush (think it was a hawthorn)!!! Wow! It flew off into the ploughed field as I stopped the car, but I couldn't re-find it. I continued onto Holme and visited my parents for a while before returning home.