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| Reed Bunting at Houghton 25/09/15 |
Little evidence seen or heard this morning, presumably due to the wind direction, however, a very light overhead passage of Siskins was heard (not seen).
Overhead at the church, 4 Swallows passed over high in a north-easterly heading. I believe these Swallows are flying north-east where they will head for the Norfolk Coast, and then follow the coastline south before departing our shores.
A slow walk along the double hedgerows east of the church produced a respectable 15+ Blackcaps and around 6 Chiffchaffs, although I did not locate a single Whitethroat.
Also within this habitat, Yellowhammers were seen with this Reed Bunting. The latter species has now long abandoned their breeding sites and have wandered away to joing other Buntings, especially Yellowhammers, to spend the autumn and winter in the hedgerows, field edges, stubble, and farmyards in their collective search for weedseeds and grain spillages.
Blue and Great Tits, along with a single Marsh Tit was seen, and Goldcrests heard.
Linnets were present in variable, but small numbers, the largest gathering seen numbering about 20 birds.
Lovely Reed Bunting picture....
ReplyDeletethat is the onlyl way we see them here...
in winter, in these colours, in the Blackthorn on the far side of the meadow....
come Spring, we do get to see the ones who are males....
as they put on their finery for the forthcoming nuptials...
very occasionally we get to see a mature male...
very occasionally... and only present for a couple of days if that!
On another plumage tack...
it isn't mentioned in the books....
male Black Redstarts only get their full evening dress....
with the white tail flashes on the primaries....
at the start of their second winter....
it was very confusing at first seeing two "females" mating!!
Or a "female" chasing a male off territory!!
Tim