A morning of leaden skies and full cloud cover with a light to moderate E to ESE wind.
The conditions of the morning had a feel of a grey autumn day, in fact I call this a 'Shrike day' as these calm, grey days have often been associated in the past with the presence of this winter sentinel sitting in the top of a bush in open country watching its surroundings. However, just as spectacular is watching passage winter Thrushes overhead.
When I got ready to leave home for a local birding trip, I looked up and could see small numbers of Thrushes passing over from the east to west.
0805. I arrived at my intended destination in Little Cressingham with a two fold aim, to check on the presence of Finch species at a traditional site used for a large game strip, and to witness overhead passage on winter Thrushes.
I stood within a broken hedge to conduct a 'Point Count' (Counting birds in a static position) and immediately Finch species were overhead, shortly followed by the overhead passage of winter Thrushes, the majority of which were Redwings.
Throughout my count period I saw lots of flocks of Redwings passing over in a southerly heading, flock numbers ranged from just 4 birds to over 200+ birds. The total estimated counts of both Redwings and Finches seen were as follows:
1400+ Redwings (all in a southerly heading)
100+ Chaffinches
150+ Linnets
The majority of these Redwings passed overhead, however, a flock of 50+ birds dropped like stones from height and filled the bushes and trees around me. I was able to see some of these beautiful Thrushes through binoculars and could easily see the striking facial pattern including the bold, creamy supercillium (eye brow). After a few minutes of resting and feeding the Redwings departed south giving their distinctive and piercing "seeep" call.
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| Redwing - a stunningly attractive Thrush with a distinctive head pattern |
Redwings are both winter visitors and passage migrants on my Breckland patch. This small Thrush species abandons its breeding grounds in Scandinavia to seek milder weather and good feeding through the winter months. Many of these Redwings will stay to winter with us, however, some may migrate to as far as the Iberian Peninsula.
Autumn passage will also see Fieldfares, Song Thrushes, and Blackbirds, pass over, all of which along with Redwings, abandon their Scandinavian breeding grounds.
As well as the fantastic spectacle of Thrush migration and Finch flocks, the morning also saw other fantastic species from my 'Point Count' location.
I heard the highly distinctive call of Ravens to my west, I didn't have too long to wait before two Ravens (pair) flew along a field edge and often calling.
Also seen was a juvenile Goshawk briefly airborne before flying into pine woodland, moments later a male Sparrowhawk passed overhead.
The largest flock of Wood Pigeons seen this morning numbered 450+ birds.
Finally, it is without doubt that given my count of Redwings on passage, the counties totals must have been numbered in the tens of thousands, a significant movement indeed.
All in all, a very memorable mornings birding.
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