A drive home from work produced a couple of Swifts at Wicklewood, now becoming scarce as most have now departed for Africa.
Following work I made a visit to the Watton Brook Valley near Little Cressingham. The time is approaching when the fencing, posts, and thick cover alongside the brook will hold migrant Chats, Flycatchers, Warblers, and Wagtails.
My visit this afternoon was fairly quiet with the exception of a very distant female Stonechat on fencing and posts. Typical behaviour observed included the bird flying to the ground for a few seconds and then flying back to the fence/post to probably eat a small invertebrate it had caught in the grass. Frequent wing-flicking was seen. Although distant the bird appeared dull orangey brown on its breast with darker head and upperparts. There was a hint of a small white patch on its secondaries.
Stonechats are short distant migrants with birds not wandering too far from their summer breeding haunts. This bird was undoubtedly a breeder on a local Breckland heath.
Also seen was a single Song Thrush which flew directly overhead giving its distinctive "tic" call.
Back at home in Watton and another single Swift seen overhead late afternoon.
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