March saw an early arrival of Chiffchaffs and indeed this trend continued into April. Chiffchaffs are one of the earliest of our summer migrants to return to breed, my first this year was heard on 2nd March on Wretham Heath, by April, many woodlands resounded to the onomatopoeic song of this Warbler. Another early Warbler is the Blackcap, a beautiful songster which began arriving in numbers during the early days of April.
On the 1st of April over marshland near Hingham a Snipe was seen performing its display flight, sadly a rare sight and sound these days. The display by Snipe is known as drumming, this drumming sound, sometimes likened to the bleating of sheep, is produced by the bird as it dives over its territory, the outer tail feathers are held out from the rest of the tail and the rushing air causes the feathers to vibrate, thus causing the drumming sound. Victorian Ornithologists originally thought the Snipes drumming was a vocalisation.
On the 5th April, notable Breckland species were seen on the patch including Stone Curlew, a pair of Curlews, two Stonechats on heathland, and overhead, two male Woodlarks seen very well performing their beautiful song-flight display. Also of note was a Raven seen overflying farmland and calling.
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| Stonechat (Male) A familiar and beautiful Breckland species |
A visit to Hockham on the 7th saw further increases of summer migrants arriving to breed, notably Chiffchaffs in good numbers, but also Blackcaps seen and heard. A bit of exotic colour seen with a pair Mandarins seen, these are tree nesting ducks with a few pairs in the Brecks. Overhead, 3+ Crossbills passed over calling and in a north-east heading. Perhaps the highlight of the morning came in the form of two Mediterranean Gulls passing over, these are stunning gulls with white underparts, a black hood, and a blood red bill, these plumage features, especially the white underparts and black hood, gives us a gull with contrasting features.
Another long distance summer migrant was located on the 9th at Hockham, two Tree Pipits, a species which arrives with us in early April from its sub-Saharan wintering grounds. The Tree Pipit is a scarce breeder in Britain and here on our local Breckland patch they can be found displaying their beautiful song-flight within forest clearings where scattered tall trees within the clearing are used as song-posts. Also present in this clearing was a singing male Stonechat and an overflying Swallow.
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| Tree Pipit at Hockham. A scarce summer migrant |
A walk along a section of the Peddars Way at Great Cressingham on 10th April saw my first Whitethroats of the year, both were singing males in suitable breeding habitat.
One of the most familiar harbingers of spring is the Cuckoo and on the 13th April I located two calling males at Hockham. Very sadly, this bird, like so many other species has declined significantly in recent decades, the most reliable habitats to look and listen for the Cuckoo is around reedbeds and marshes where host species such as Warblers frequent.
A visit to Thompson Common early on 14th April produced another calling Cuckoo in suitable breeding habitat and overhead a male Goshawk was closely shadowed by a Crow, which is a potential prey species. A Pingo on the common held one Green Sandpiper, a passage wader species, and a single Grey Wagtail feeding around the edges of the water-filled Pingo.
A short work break visit to Seamere Marsh near Hingham on the 15th saw my first Lesser Whitethroat of the year, a singing male in typical breeding habitat comprising an old broken hedgerow with tall trees at intervals. The Lesser Whitethroat is in Britain, at the limit of its breeding range in north-western Europe with most birds occurring in the south and east of Britain although range expansion has seen some birds breeding in the lowland areas of Wales and Scotland. The Lesser Whitethroat is rare in Ireland.
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| Lesser Whitethroat - a stunning Sylvia Warbler |
On the 19th April I enjoyed a full mornings visit to Wretham Heath, as well as visiting the heath I also had lengthy stops at both Langmere and Ringmere. My arrival at the car park saw a number of common species including House Martins visiting the artificial nest sites on the wardens house whilst in the surrounding bushes Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, and Goldcrest, were all singing. My first static watch was from Langmere hide where numerous species were seen including a pair of Oystercatchers, one Curlew which arrived to feed along the muddy shores before flying off, 6 Gadwall, 3 Shelduck, a pair of Egyptian Geese with 5 goslings, singing Chaffinch and Blackcap, Lapwing, and a pair of Teal. A ♂ Cuckoo was wandering about calling. The beautiful mature Scots Pine plantation held further singing Blackcaps, Coal Tits, and at least two Ravens which were frustratingly out of sight but frequently calling. As I left the woodland for more open heathland habitat I recorded two singing Tree Pipits in a forest clearing and in the top of a tall Birch tree a ♂ Willow Warbler delivered its sweet song. My next static watch was at Ringmere where further evidence of successful breeding seen beginning with a pair Egyptian Geese with 6 goslings. Also noted here was 3 pairs of Tufted Duck, 5 Shelduck, 4 Little Grebe, and a pair of Mistle Thrushes which visited the muddy shores to collect invertebrate food which was taken to waiting young in nearby woodland.
On the morning of 20th April I decided to visit the new Woodland Trust site at Thompson, what a fantastic habitat which will provide a permanent home for so many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and a wealth of invertebrates. Even at this early stage in the creation of this large habitat, Skylarks appeared numerous on this visit and a singing and displaying Whitethroat was watched in bramble scrub. Evidence of breeding success seen with a pair of Stonechats with the ♀ food carrying. A couple of Lapwings saw off Crows, a clear indication of eggs or young present.
Another exciting day of birding on 22nd April with a visit to Thompson Water where many Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers were singing in the vast reedbed habitat, also present was at least 3 singing Cetti’s Warblers and singing Garden Warbler. A pair of Great Crested Grebes were present with one bird on a nest. Overhead, 3 Swifts were flying to and from over the woodland canopy where they fed upon winged invertebrates.
On the 23rd April I walked a section of the Pingo trail at Stow Bedon where I walked through a variety of habitats from conifer woodland, Oak and Birch woodland, heath, woodland swamp, and open fen and marsh. As we approach the end of April the countryside is filling with the song of both our resident species and summer visitors and on this visit to the Pingo trail I located several singing Garden Warblers, Blackcaps, and a couple of Willow Warblers too. One Cetti’s Warbler was singing its loud, explosive song and overhead Crossbills gave themselves away with their distinctive “glip glip” calls. Also overhead and at height, 4 Mediterranean Gulls headed east and calling. And finally, on my return walk two Woodlarks were displaying their beautiful song-flight.
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| Spotted Redshank at Thompson Water 27 April |
