Thompson Water and Bodney 12 October 2026

A very bright dawn with warm sunshine continuing through the morning.  Cloud moved in during the afternoon with rain arriving.  Light to moderate SE wind. Sunrise 0717.

Thompson Water (0710-0845)

I arrived about 7 minutes prior to sunrise with the first bird seen being a single Redwing on woodland floor, the head pattern was striking.  As I got out of the car a Woodlark was overhead occasionally singing and calling, also, Siskins were heard passing over.

It was apparent from my first overview of the water that there was good numbers of wildfowl present, I therefore conducted a count before the rising sun made counting difficult due to the strong glare.  Present on the water was 9 Mute Swans, 200+ Mallard, 24+ Gadwall, 2+ Teal, and 6+ Shoveler.  A further 50+ Teal arrived overhead and settled on the water, as they descended the noise of the air passing through the birds wings was incredible.  A pair of Egyptian Geese flew onto the water.  Other arrivals included 4 Cormorants.  3 Grey Herons stealthily stalked prey from surface weed.

At least 3 Cetti's Warblers were singing their explosive song from willow scrub and were typically elusive visually. 

Common species seen included Great Spotted Woodpecker overflying the water as did a single Bullfinch. Siskins were heard throughout my visit, the largest visual count involved 20+ birds above the woodland canopy.

At 0815 another single Woodlark was seen quite low overhead, possibly a different bird from the one heard upon my arrival.

Bodney (0915-1015)

A change of Breckland landscape to the vast and extensive arable farmland which at some times of year can appear bleak, but I love bleak.

My walk this morning was along a long road to a boundary gate at the army training area. The road in recent times was flanked by wide grassy verges, however, Scots Pines have now been planted along both sides of the road, this habitat will now serve as good connectivity for birds and other wildlife moving between sites.

Bodney 11 October 2026. Note the young Pines which will provide wildlife with habitat connectivity

Typical autumn bird species seen in this open habitat included many Skylarks and good number of Meadow Pipits (30+), most of which were seen on sheltered headland margins, with birds often alighting on top of pines to watch and be alert from. A couple of Pied Wagtails were seen.

Meadow Pipit at Bodney 11 October 2026. A common winter visitor and passage migrant.

 

Coal Tit at Bodney 11 October 2026

A pair of Coal Tits were seen moving south along the young pine belt (making use of habitat connectivity).  This is our smallest Tit species which is beautifully marked with a black crown, wide bib, and large white cheek patch. There is a white oval patch on the black hind crown.  The dark wings shows two white wing bars.

This was a good day for Woodlarks and my third bird of the day was singing close to the army training boundary. 

The only notable bird movement seen today was watching 15+ Lapwings overflying in a westerly heading.

Western Conifer Seed Bug in Watton 11 October 2026

On the afternoon of 11 October 2026 I was helping a friend in her garden in Watton. During a coffee break I noticed a large bug in her conservatory, a species which looked familiar as I had one in my conservatory in August 2025.  This was a Western Conifer Seed Bug, a very recent arrival in Britain with the first identified in 2007.  The Western Conifer Seed Bug is native to North America.

Western Conifer Seed Bug in Watton 11 October 2026

  

Little Cressingham (The Arms) 8 October 2026 (0725-0930)

Another of my favourite habitats to visit in autumn and winter is large game strips and wide field margins of various weeds and seed mixes.  These habitats are very attractive to Finch and Bunting species both as feeding sites as well as providing cover.  Such habitats attract good numbers of Chaffinches, Linnets, Goldfinches, Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings, and the very attractive winter visitor from Northern Europe, the Brambling.

On the morning of 8 October I visited a large game strip with gone-to-seed Oilseed Rape and Brassicas with adjacent stubbles and bare land.  Here in Breckland such sites often attracts small flocks of Woodlarks, especially on bare land within stubbles.  

Upon my arrival a very smart Chiffchaff passed through roadside scrub and overhead many small flocks of Chaffinches arrived.  A few small flocks of Redwings passed overhead in a southerly heading.

300+ Linnets at Little Cressingham 8 October 2026

Initially, around 50+ Linnets were present at the game strip and throughout this visit I aware of the constant arrival of more Linnets from the south, eventually, 300+ Linnets were present providing an impressive spectacle as they flocked together and wheeled above the game strip.  Linnets were often seen settling on the tall Oilseed Rape where they feed upon the seed pods.

Crow species were ever present, this included a single Raven watched flying west.  Two Meadow Pipits were seen and a Green Woodpecker heard calling. 

   

Houghton-on-the-Hill 7 October 2026 (Migrant arrivals and overhead movements) 0650-1000

An autumnal feel to the morning with mist and fog, mostly in low lying areas, some light rain and very calm to begin with.  Low thick cloud moved in. 

This was a productive morning for finding grounded migrants and for evidence of overhead bird movements, the highlights which were:

One Woodlark directly overhead NW then North

8+ Song Thrushes (recent arrivals) in Blackthorn and Hawthorn

Several Blackbirds (possible migrants) with Song Thrushes 

I arrived at Houghton some 15 minutes prior to sunrise, the long drive up the track to St Mary's saw a number of Thrushes in the half-light flying up from a field into trees.  Having arrived the first birds noted was Nuthatch, Robin, and Wren.

I walked to a break in a hedge where I had commanding views to the north and north-east where I hoped to witness visible migration.  At this time the cloud was high with one or two breaks, however, after some time of watching a covering of thick, low cloud moved in, the sky was positively leaden, it looked promising. Although I could not see any Thrush movement, excitement came with an approaching and calling Woodlark which passed directly overhead in a NW heading, I watched the bird through binoculars when it turned north before being lost to view.  I have seen Woodlarks away from their typical breeding habitats in autumn and winter when they move to farmland/st theubble to feed. 

Other movements seen included single and double figure counts of Skylarks flying in variable directions and Black-headed Gulls south.  Within the hedgerow where I was standing a single Blackcap was present and alarm calling.

The highlight of my visit was back at the church where I weas intent on watching the rich fruit bearing boundary hedgerow along the western boundary at the site of the former Houghton village.  I detected movement in a patch of Blackthorn and checking through binoculars and scope I could see lots of Thrush movement, birds were flying between cover and rarely settling.  Eventually, I could see these were all Song Thrushes (8+) and several Blackbirds too.  I had some good views occasionally of the Song Thrushes, these birds were very alert and gregarious with one view through binoculars involving four birds. Food included Hawthorn and Sloes.  British Song Thrushes are solitary birds, the Song Thrushes gregarious behaviour seen here clearly shows these were continental migrants from Northern Europe.  The question is "Did these birds arrive a little earlier when the thick and low cloud arrived"?

Also noted at this location was a number of mobile Long-tailed Tits and Blue Tits.   

Bradenham (Bradenham Lane) 4 October 2026

I frequently go birding to random locations without too much planning, my reason for doing this is to survey birds at sites which probably get little birding coverage.  For me this is very important as such sites, the habitats, and their birds, especially when recorded on BTO's Birdtrack, will provide important information on previously unknown, or under-recorded sites hitherto not documented.

On the morning of 4 October I visited Bradenham Lane, a very narrow and probably ancient road, which passes through arable farmland at an elevated location.  Having checked the long roadside hedgerow I could see that sloes was the most abundant fruit.

Bradenham Lane 4 October 2026

This was a morning of common species associated with typical arable habitat, although some overhead movements was seen.  Firstly, movements seen was:-

40+ Common Gull S/E

1 Meadow Pipit South

2 Red Kites South (very high)

The long and virtually unbroken hedgerow alongside the lane held 5+ Dunnock, 5+ Robin, 4 Carrion Crows (2 pairs), Wren, Dunnock (6 sites),  one Yellowhammer, one Chiffchaff (heard), 3+ Magpie, Jay, 13+ Stock Doves, Wood Pigeon, and Buzzard.

Overhead, a social gathering of 300+ Rooks were circling in what I suspect is a type of bonding behaviour associated with these gregarious crows.

Close to the end of the visit I saw a Sparrowhawk at height circling before plummeting at speed towards the ground.

Also of interest on this visit was the finding a Clouded Yellow butterfly, initially in the bramble scrub (right of centre in the above picture) and later along the roadside hedgerow. 

Thompson Water 27 September 2026 (1200-1300)

A relatively short but productive visit to Thompson Water.  Wildfowl were present in good numbers with Mallard being the most numerous species with 150+ birds present.  Other wildfowl included a few Shoveler, Gadwall, 5 Mute Swans, and rather interestingly, a single ♀ Pintail.

Two Marsh Harriers were seen (♂ and ♀), the ♂ being readily identifiable by his smaller size and tri-coloured plumage.  Also present was two Buzzards.

1. Hobby hunting insects at Thompson Water 27 September 2026

2. Hobby (juvenile) Thompson Water 27 September 2026

3. Hobby at Thompson Water 27 September 2026. 

4. Hobby 27 September 2026. Feeding.

The highlight of this visit to Thompson Water was watching at least two Hobbies hunting, catching, and feeding upon insects.  These supremely fast Falcons fly low and close to the Water Soldier where they would chase insects, sometimes displaying incredible manouvers in the chase.

Typical behaviour was seen as in picture (1) where a Hobby would make frequent passes over the Water Soldier.  Picture (2) shows a Hobby in a fast pass, this is a juvenile bird, it's age confirmed by the pale tips to the wing coverts and on the rump.  The Hobby in picture (3) is turning sharply, possibly having seen an insect to chase, this is a useful angle for ageing this bird as it has pale buff undertail coverts, on adult birds the undertail coverts or 'trousers' are red. Finally, as shown in picture (4) the Hobby has an insect in its talons upon which it feeds on in flight.

Once seen, as in this observation today, the supreme velocity in the chase and stoop by Hobbies is mesmerising and totally unforgettable as they chase and catch insects and small birds which include Hirundines and even Swifts.

The Hobby is a migratory Falcon arriving with us in Britain in mid-April, they are scarce but increasing breeders with us.  At the time of writing, Hobbies will be preparing to migrate south, most would have departed now and by October all birds will have left us for their wintering grounds in south-central Africa. 

Little Cressingham (Peddars Way) 25 September 2026

This morning I visited the small section of the Peddars Way between Watton Brook north to the Watton Road crossroads.  The topography here ranges from the low lying valley where Watton Brook flows through lush meadows, rising to a gentle but long climb to the Watton Road crossroads which is the highest land in this immediate area.  The wide expanses of farmland either side of this section of the Peddars Way is very rolling in nature.

My aim was to search for migrant birds in the rich hedgerows alongside the Peddars Way, but also I wanted to see what the hedgerows comprised of along with the variety of fruits which await the arrival of migratory Thrush species.

Beginning at the lowest point of my walk at Watton Brook, the dominant tree species here is the Alder, a typical tree of wet ground, especially alongside rivers.  A meadow saw encroaching Alder scrub where a Wren sang its loud song.  At the start of the ascent along the Peddars Way I checked a field boundary of Willow and ground covering scrub, here I saw at least 4 Yellowhammers.  Also noted here was a singing Chiffchaff.

The gentle climb along the Peddars Way north of Little Cressingham 25 September 2026

  

Field boundary west of the Peddars Way 25 September. Check low scrub for Stonechats.

As the climb along the Peddars Way begins to level a lovely long and well established and unbroken hedgerow runs alongsie the full length of the road to the crossroads. This hedgerow held a variety plants bearing healthy stocks of fruit including Hawthorn, Blackthorn (good crop of sloes seen), Dog Rose, Bramble, and Buckthorn.  This hedgerow held at least 3 Chiffchaffs and an alarm calling Blackcap. The large field to the immediate west of the Peddars Way held 50+ Stock Doves and Wood Pigeons.

Mixed hedgerow alongside the Peddars Way 25 September 2026 (awaiting the arrival of winter Thrushes)

Blackthorn (Sloes) 25 September 2026 (Awaiting Thrushes such as Fieldfare

Fieldfare - soon to arrive with other Thrush species to plunder the hedgerows of their fruits

Buckthorn 25 September 2026. Watch for Thrushes, Starlings, and Waxwings.

So, there is much to look forward to now in the latter days of September and especially into October when an early morning visit at first light to berry laden bushes within our hedgerows, will see Fieldfares, Redwings, Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Mistle Thrushes, and maybe Waxwings, either feeding, or dropping out of the sky, sometimes in their hundreds, to feed following a long night on the wing.