1 June 2025

 A later start for me on the 1st, however, this was to be a productive morning visiting a large forest clearing  near Hockham, Norfolk.  The habitat at the site visited is one of regeneration, a few years ago it was harvested of its Pine tree crop and has since been replanted with sapling Pines.  The habitat within the clearing is one of much Bramble and Birch scrub with isolated mature Birch trees within the clearing and as it stands at the current time this habitat should support the species seen today before the young Pines grow too large and those species seen will seek new suitable territories.  The growing Pine compartments will then see different bird species move in whilst those species requiring clearings to breed in will find new suitable sites within which to set up territories.  Pine compartments here in the Brecks are a rotational crop, therefore, the different stages of habitat growth will always be suitable for specialist species.

Forest clearing near Hockham Norfolk 1 June 2025. This site today held Blackcap, Garden Warblers, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, one Tree Pipit, and two Cuckoos.

The location visited today has for some years been the summer home for Nightjars and even though I visited in daylight hours I was hoping to find one of these enigmatic birds roosting on a tree branch, however, none seen on this visit.

Tree Pipit (male) in forest clearing.

Today was all about breeding successes and the first evidence of this was watching juvenile Blackcaps in a small Holly being fed by parent birds.  The clearing is currently well suited for Sylvia Warblers and this visit produced 4 Garden Warbler territories, at one site a pair of Garden Warblers were watched at woodland edge habitat with ground cover, one bird was seen leaving the site with a faecal sac (proof of breeding).  At least 4 singing Whitethroats located along with a single Willow Warbler.  One Tree Pipit was singing and performing it conspicuous song-flight over its territory, this bird often sang in the Holly just left of centre in the above picture.  Two Cuckoos were present, a calling male (unseen) and a female, which was seen moving between trees in the clearing and giving its distinctive bubbling call. 

The only raptor species seen on this visit was a beautiful hunting male Kestrel and two Buzzards.

  

A summary of local Birding in May 2025

May begins to see a slowing of migration as most summer visitors will now be on their breeding territories, however, arrivals and passage birds can still be seen, and indeed heard. Virtually all winter visitors have left our shores by May and will be breeding on their summer territories in Northern Europe, despite this, I occasionally see stragglers passing through in early May, most notably, I have seen a few late Fieldfares in the first week of May. One of our latest summer migrants to arrive back on its breeding territory here in Breckland is the enigmatic Nightjar, this curious bird generally arrives with us in the third week of May

The 1^st of May was the warmest day of the year to date with a high of 27° Celsius. On the 1^st of the month I was working in Wymondham and was making my way to Silfield when I was held up by major construction works and roadworks on the Station Road area, where in a small length of tall hedgerow a male Lesser Whitethroat was singing. If this particular bird had returned to the same locality where it left late last summer then how said for the bird to find completely different surroundings.

It is always exciting to find evidence of scarce birds being present at new localities on the local Breckland patch, and indeed this was the case on 3^rd May when I walking through Lower Stow Bedon and heard a singing Cetti’s Warbler in suitable breeding habitat alongside the Rocklands Road. A singing Reed Warbler was also present at the same site.

At Great Cressingham on the 4^th May a Marsh Harrier was seen at height drifting slowly north, this particular bird was probably a passage migrant.

A visit to a short section of the Pingo trail on the 8^th produced 6+ singing Garden Warblers, this species breeds on commons where there is ground covering scrub, regenerating Birch woods, and woodland edge with ground cover. Also on this date I located a pair of Cranes with a single chick.

Garden Warbler

On the 10^th, whilst driving along the Deopham Road outside Hingham a single Raven passed low over farmland and calling.

A late visit to Thompson Water on the 11^th produced two Cuckoo, a male which was calling, and a female directly above me in a Birch tree, she also called with wonderful bubbling call. Also seen was a single Hobby hunting flying insects, many singing Reed Warblers, and at least 3 singing Cetti’s Warblers.

On the 12^th at Ashill Common I had excellent views of a singing and displaying Turtle Dove, a rare sight these days. The areas of rich habitat here includes an ancient hedgerow, pockets of Birch woodland, and Gorse, these habitats produced at least 4 singing Whitethroats, one singing Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcaps, many Linnets (which can always be found where Gorse grows), and a female Sparrowhawk soaring above the common.

Turtle Dove at Ashill on 12th May

At Bodney on the 18^th a Little Egret was seen flying along the river valley and in a nearby meadow a pair of Oystercatchers were seen mating. Later, on the 18^th a Marsh Harrier flew over the Hingham road at Hackford.

On the 21^st at Little Cressingham a single Little Egret flew close by and settled in the river valley, also here I saw evidence of successful breeding by Stonechats with an adult and juvenile bird seen.

A visit to Thompson late evening and early night on the 22^nd was intended as a search for the very enigmatic Woodcock, specifically, I wanted to see the flight display of the male bird known as ‘roding’ which occurs following sunset over wooded areas. I parked by the church in Thompson following sunset and with a beautiful orange hue in the western sky, I began my watch. With light declining a male Tawny Owl began calling, this was followed by a distant calling male Cuckoo. At some 30 minutes after sunset time was right for Woodcock to display and with just a short time to wait a male Woodcock was seen performing its display (roding) over woodland, this display sees the bird flying in more or less straight lines whilst giving a grunting call “kor-kor-kor...tizzick”. This display behaviour is performed in order to attract a mate and defend its territory from other male birds. It is said that the female Woodcock emits a call on the ground which attracts the male bird down, I have never heard this particular call from the female. Finally, on this pleasant evening I heard a Little Owl call.

On the evening of the 25^th I visited a forest clearing near Hockham specifically to see or hear that most enigmatic of our summer migrants, the Nightjar. As light faded fast the highly distinct “churring” of a male Nightjar was heard within the clearing, this incredible song varies in pitch and can last for 10 minutes or more with each session of song. Nightjars can be seen against a moonlit sky as they fly over the clearing gathering up insects, especially moths, for food. The bill of this bird is small, however, as it makes sweeps over its territory the bill opens to a very wide gape as it catches moths.

On the morning of the 27^th I visited the beautiful village of Great Hockham for a wander around, I was so pleased to see so many Swifts, including screaming parties flying between buildings, a sight and sound which is the epitome of an English summers day. Also noted was at least 10+ Greenfinches, again, their beautiful wheezing song a reflection of a warm day in summer in an English village.