Breckland Birder

Breckland Birder
Red Deer in Breckland, Norfolk Photo by Paul Newport

Monday 1 October 2018

Hobby Highlight.

The day dawned bright but with a fresh northerly wind.  Cloud increased and by late afternoon there was full coverage.  Dawn temperatures of 7 degrees Celsius rising to a high of 14 degrees Celsius.
I started the day with a walk around high ground at North Pickenham for evidence of passage, however, it was quiet.  The odd Meadow Pipit passed over and there was no sign of any Hirundines.
The highlight was getting close to 3 Goldcrests together in a bush, one a male with its beautiful Orange crest flared, a female with her yellow crown-stripe visible in the dark interior of the bush, and a juvenile bird.

Hobby over Watton
Probably my highlight of the day was 3 separate observations of single Hobbies between 0950 and early afternoon.  The first bird seen at 0950 was quite distant, but viewing the raptor through binoculars suggested this was a juvenile bird, the black and white facial pattern was distinct at range and when the bird was seen in good light the upperparts appeared brownish.
The second observation occurred at about 1010, this bird was an adult, as it entered into a dive the red ventral area was seen.  The last observation of the day was early afternoon with a bird seen soaring over the town.
The Hobby is a late breeder and it is highly likely these were local breeding/raised birds.  Their southbound migration coincides with the southerly passage of Hirundines, birds which are prey species for the Hobby.

The Arms (Little Cressingham)
A late afternoon walk along a thick, mixed hedgerow produced a single male Blackcap, a probable passage bird, and a couple of Mistle Thrushes.

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