January 1st

The New Year started icily cold but bright with developing showers of sleet and snow and my first bird of 2010 was Jackdaw. I managed to steal 40 minutes or so away from home to see if I could relocate the juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard I had seen over fields just north-west of Brumstead Church at 2:15pm on the last day of 2009. There was no sign of it, while I watched at least, but I did see a couple of distant Common Buzzards in the direction of East Ruston and Dilham. An immature male Marsh Harrier put in an appearance too before drifting south. Mr. Beck, who farms at Brumstead Hall, stopped to enquire what I was looking for, and during our conversation spoke of the proposed erection of two large wind turbines on adjacent farmland. Although a renewable, green source of energy, wind turbines can be an emotive subject and I wouldn't relish the thought of having them close to my own home but my real concern would be what impact they would have on our local population of Buzzards and Marsh Harriers, perhaps even Broadlands famous Cranes, as well as the skeins of Pink-footed Geese that visit us each winter. A really heart breaking example of the danger turbines can have to birds can be seen on Youtube. The document relating to the proposals at Brumstead can be viewed here.