Thompson, Norfolk

A better morning than of late with something finally akin to spring in the air.  Gone are the cold northerly winds and we welcome more settled weather with near normal temperatures.

2 Little Grebe
1 Hobby
1 Snipe singing
1 Cuckoo
4 Garden Warblers
2 Reed Warblers
Blackcaps
Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler

Reed Warbler singing near Thompson 28th April

A single Hobby seen in open country was my first sighting of this superb Falcon this year.  Close by a single Snipe was often singing its repetitive "chip-per" song in an area of marshy ground.
My aim this morning was to check suitable habitats for signs of Warbler species on territory, most effort was given to a mix of Birch and Willow with good clumps of bramble and other ground covering scrub.  The result of these checks produced 4 singing Garden Warblers with one site seeing a pair together in suitable breeding habitat.  Lots of Blackcaps also present with one male singing close to a Garden Warbler, this allowed good comparison between these two similar sounding species.
A prolonged check of a lovely patch of Willow, Sallow, and ground-cover, including a large bramble patch produced Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, Song Thrush, Robin, Blue Tit and Blackbird.

This beautiful habitat held Garden Warbler (pair), Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 1 singing Willow Warbler, Song Thrush, Robin, Blackbird, Green Woodpecker, and Linnet

A final check of two small patches of Reeds and Sallow produced a singing Reed Warbler at each site.  A prolonged watch of one site saw a quite mobile Reed Warbler in reeds as well as in nearby Sallow (photographed).  This patch of habitat also held a pair of Reed Buntings and Yellowhammer.