With emphasis now well and truly on migration, I decided to make an early morning visit to High ground at Houghton-on-the-Hill to check for migrant activity. I arrived at about 0630 to a cool autumnal feel, the temperature was 7 degrees Celsius and cloudless skies brought a very bright dawn.
My main focus was on a patch of mostly Elder, Hawthorn, and Sallow habitat, as well as well stocked, long hedgerow corridor on a high ridge which is visible for miles, certainly an attractive staging post for passage birds. Birds seen today in this area as follows:
1 Hobby drifted overhead, 10+ Swallows, 1 Sparrowhawk, 15+ Whitethroats, 10+ Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs (numerous), 1 Goldcrest, 2 Song Thrushes, Blackbird, 12+ Greenfinches, 30+ Chaffinches, 25+ Goldfinches, 6+ Bullfinches.
Some time was spent watching Elder habitat which was bathed in early morning, warm sunshine, it was here that most Warblers were seen feeding upon elderberries, and on occasions, Blackcaps and Whitethroats shared the same small patch of elder to take their fill. The true numbers of Warblers in the area would have far exceeded the number I have reported here.
One Song Thrush and a couple of Blackbirds also fed upon elderberries and in nearby taller Sallows, Bullfinches (juveniles), Chaffinches, Goldfinches, and Yellowhammers were seen.
A check of a small pond near the church produced a good count of 30+ Chaffinches (visiting the pond to drink), 12 Greenfinches, Bullfinch, a few Chiffchaffs, Whitethroat, Blue and Great Tits, and Long-tailed Tits.
Breckland Birder
Red Deer in Breckland, Norfolk Photo by Paul Newport
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