Hockham and Thompson, Norfolk

Another day of low cloud and a cold northerly wind will undoubtedly put any early passage by summer migrants on hold.  This time last year good numbers of Chiffchaffs were in song, however, this morning I could only manage the one bird at Thompson.

Hockham
I arrived along one of the many minor roads which passes through the forest, just prior to 0700.  A walk along a number of forest rides produced several singing Song Thrushes, Goldcrests, and Treecreeper.  The Fen held the following:

3 Mute Swans
Greylag Geese
Canada Geese (pair)
Wigeon (pair)
Shoveler (pair)
Gadwall
Teal
1 Grey Heron
1 Water Rail (calling)
3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (all 'drumming' birds)
1 Reed Bunting - singing male

Thompson Common
A short but productive visit to this beautiful, ancient site brought my first presumed  migrant Chiffchaff of the year.  Of the species seen on this visit a noisy Marsh Tit was particularly entertaining as he flew around his territory singing his loud song.
A calling Little Grebe was on one of the largest Pingo's on the common.
The common is a mixture of wonderful habitats from dry gorse to very damp woodland, scrub, and Pingo's.  A patch of dry gorse habitat held a singing Yellowhammer whilst damp scrub held a singing Reed Bunting.

Marsh Tit (singing male) Thompson Common 19/03/16

A Marsh Tit was singing out of sight, however, I found a place to sit and wait, and in time, a pair of Marsh Tits visited woodland and scrub habitat around me with the male of alighting in a Hawthorn in front of me.  The noisy song is a repeated "chip-chip-chip-chip-chip-chip-chip-chip-chip", quite different from any other Tit species song.  This song is a very useful identification feature of Marsh Tit, especially when needing to separate from the much rarer Willow Tit, a species I have also seen in the area.
Also present on the common was a single Chiffchaff giving its "hweet" call. 
A single Great Spotted Woodpecker was 'drumming' and a couple of Green Woodpeckers were seen and heard.
A flock of 40+ Redwings was a reminder that winter is not over yet.