Great Cressingham

 Sunday September 14

Having talked about it as a possiblity over the last couple of weeks, today it happened. We drove to the Great Cressingham area in search of pig fields. Their position changes from time to time, don't know if it's annual. Moving all those pig houses must be a mammoth task. We found three very extensive areas quite closely covered with igloo like domes. Each one a shelter for a family. Piglets of varying size sped about, rootling the soil with their square snouts as diligently as the adults - but less efficiently. 

Viewing from the car is difficult, through five barred gates or small gaps in thick hedgerows, usually through the top of tall weeds. After an hour and a half of diligent scoping, eyes watering and intention flagging, a small gap in the hedge allowed Pam to call 'got one'. Two Stone Curlews were squatting on the stony ground produced by the pigs' snouts, ideally camouflaged, occasionally opening a round yellow eye. Traditionally, the Curlews gather here before migrating, usually seen in larger numbers. We decided that two was enough for us as a football match - the Manchester Derby - called.