Not only do I have favoured sites to visit at this time of year, I also have specific habitats within those sites I like to watch. On the morning of 8 August I visited an area of rough grassland by Bodney camp which included Watton Brook and some old Elder bushes I always check for migrant birds, especially Warblers which feed on fruits in order to build energy for their passage south.
The most obvious birds seen overhead at first was several House Martins and Swallows, with some House Martins feeding at a considerable height.
A large Hawthorn held a preening Chiffchaff whilst other presumed early migrants included a single Willow Warbler and a couple of Blackcaps, one of which was seen to pick at an elderberry. Later, a Willow Warbler, possibly the one I saw earlier flew off strongly and low to the south-west.
At least 3 Stonechats were present, the rough grassland habitat here provides a good habitat for invertebates which Stonechats hunt for. The 3 Stonechats seen included a male, female, and a young juvenile bird, the female was watched flying to the ground where a small inverebrate was collected and fed to the juvenile bird.
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| Stonechat (female) at Bodney. This bird was seen to feed a juvenile. |
Also seen on this visit was many Goldfinches (adults and juveniles) which wandered the area feeding from thistles. Also noted was a single Stock Dove, two Grey Herons, Coal Tit, an alarm calling Whitethroat, Robin, Wren (including juveniles), and Linnets. Raptor species were represented by one Red Kite and two Buzzards.
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