The Norsey Wood Society works closely with Basildon Borough Council, the owners of Norsey Wood Nature Reserve, an ancient woodland which is also
a Site of Special Scientific Interest on the edge of Billericay in Essex, UK
Winter Birds
Autumn and Winter Birds of Norsey Wood
In early summer birdsong mainly dies away as the nesting season has drawn to a close. The warblers have now left to migrate to destinations in Europe and Africa. The young resident birds of the year have since fledged as the adults go into moult. A three or four week period where feather replacement saps the bird’s energy as it retreats into the safety of deep vegetation and even contact calls are few. Also, some resident birds may temporarily move away from the Wood to seek a different habitat. This is the time when the Wood can appear to be devoid of bird-life! Many of the young form ‘tit parties’ and often include Wrens, Goldcrests, Treecreepers, and maybe a Nuthatch, that roam the Wood leapfrogging over each other in their foraging activities. Such a roving in unison provides safety in numbers and also disturbs insects from the foliage for the benefit of all. A feature of these flocks, should one be lucky enough to locate one, is the many Long-tailed Tits that bound across the gap from tree to tree in what appears to be an unending procession!
During the early eighties, for several years, a small flock of migrating Pied Flycatchers used to drop into the Wood in September, near to the Ranger’s Office. These were most likely from Scandinavia/continental Europe via Britain on their way to southern Europe and beyond. Some were trapped and ringed on behalf of the BTO ringing scheme.
As the weather worsens in continental Europe, Blackbirds, Robins and Chaffinches arrive in significant numbers to seek refuge in our milder conditions. Later to be joined by Scandinavian thrushes in the form of Fieldfares and Redwings; the last named sometimes visiting the Wood in flocks of c.60 to descend on the berry crop and take shelter in the Wood’s microclimate. Similarly, as frail as they may appear, other Goldcrests in significant numbers make the perilous night-time North Sea crossing to seek our milder winters.
A special winter visitor to the Wood is the Woodcock, a bird that is rarely seen as it feeds mainly at night and roosts almost invisibly amongst the leaf litter during the day in the quieter areas of the Wood. These birds could be of Russian and or Scandinavian origin and migrate to the British Isles to escape the harsh winter conditions of their breeding habitat. Their long bills with sensitive tips are designed to probe, locate and extract mainly earthworms from the woodland’s soft damp soil.
In the good years of birch mast, the Wood is visited by winter flocks of Lesser Redpolls, Common Redpolls, Siskins and on occasions Bramblings. The first three species cling upside down to the thin twigs in the outer canopy to extract the season’s bounty of tree seed. The seeds from Alder cones are equally favoured. Many of these birds will have crossed the North Sea to join our British birds after migrating from Scandinavia and west from mainland Europe.
In March and April our winter visitors will begin to return to their respective geographical areas of origin as if making way for the returning migratory birds to arrive from the south. A time when our resident birds have already eagerly commenced their territorial and courtship songs. And so the annual cycle begins again.