Friday 8 May 2020

Abusive & threatening teenager down Fisher Row but Cuckoo sighting very welcome

On my usual jaunt down Fisher Row, which is always very pleasant. However, at 6.15pm, I had a rather unsavoury encounter. Having heard Willow Warblers c3 down the track that bisects the main path tp the river taking the narrow track that goes west just north of the Yea garden. I encountered a teenager, 17- 19 years old with grey tracksuit bottoms, dark top, brown slightly curly hair, with trainers and his height was about 5 foot 8 or 9 inches tall. You cannot socially distance along this track, as it is very narrow. so I kindly asked him to please stop whilst I quickly put on my mask and goggles on (please respect my right to stay safe during this pandemic), he disregarded this polite request and he started to verbally abuse me, ridicule and make fun of me wearing the mask and goggles. He was even shouting to his 3 mates further back to get me! I cycled on and I said "I come in peace!", I didn't expect such abuse down Oulton Marshes! Fortunately I was wearing my NHS badges which the other 3 teenagers saw and they were absolutely fine and they even apologised for him being an idiot and I cycled on. I cycled round to the river overlooking the tea garden and just east of there I saw and heard a Cuckoo in full atop a bush calling away, which gave me welcome respite from the earlier encounter. Whimbrels were gain heard on Petoes plus 4 Little Egret together there and another further along. Going back along the SEO field tailway gate a family of Greylag Geese, 2 adults and at least 5 goslings. Lastly at the back was a reeling Grasshopper Warbler. (I am sure these teenagers have been down before at this time as I remember hearing 4 teenage voices emanating from this area on a recent evening trip to Fisher Row).

2 comments:

Ricky said...

I really want to see and hear a cuckoo. What would you recommend?

Peter Ransome said...

Depends where you live Ricky, if you are not far from Fisher Row, then that is a good place at the moment on the "Tea garden" marsh just before the river, walk down from St. Michael's Church, bottom of hill turn left and follow path over rail track and to the river and then walk along the raised river path, the marsh to your right one is showing well there. Also Carlton Marshes, but a lot of the tracks there are not accessible at the moment. If you don't live Lowestoft way, then away that has a mixture of marsh, a few trees and scrub is good. Buckingham Marshes RSPB is another good place to see Cuckoo near Norwich.