Thompson Common, Norfolk

A stunning morning with a moderate frost at dawn then bright, sunny conditions throughout the day.
The winter woodland is now dominated by mobile flocks of Tit species in their never-ending search for food, this morning was no exception with good numbers of Blue Tits (20+), Marsh Tits, Coal Tits, and Great Tits frequently seen this morning.  Nuthatch (2+) also seen.

Damp Birch woodland on Thompson Common 2nd December

A stunning Nuthatch at Thompson Common 2nd December

There appeared to be little Finch movement during my visit other than the odd Siskin passing over and calling.
A single Goshawk was seen flying into a tree canopy, its presence scattering Wood Pigeons.

Thompson Water 2nd December

My visit took in Thompson Water where a variety of Duck species were seen, these included Wigeon (20+), Mallard (40+), Shoveler, and Gadwall.  3+ Grey Herons, a single Grey Wagtail, and one Little Grebe were seen.
As expected within the dense reeds, a Water Rail gave its eerie squealing call.
Within mature woodland on the common a single Tawny Owl briefly called from its daytime roost site.

Hockham, Norfolk

Finally, following many days of greyness, the sun put in an appearance.  The day dawned with a slight frost and little wind.  Light was very good and visibility was also very good.
With today being my only day off this week, I intended to use the fine weather to my advantage and check on a site at Hockham, Norfolk.
This mornings visit to Hockham accrued a reasonable list of 25 species:

2 Mute Swan
Teal
Wigeon
Shoveler
Mallard
Marsh Harrier (juvenile female)
1 Buzzard
Water Rail
3 Pheasant
2 Carrion Crow
2 Jay
Wood Pigeon
2 Stock Dove
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
3 Blackbird
Redwing
Robin
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Goldcrest
Wren
Treecreeper
1 Cetti's Warbler
2 Bullfinch

I love the sight and sound of wintering duck species and this morning was particularly good for Teal, some were seen when put up by a female Marsh Harrier, however, the true numbers were clearly high given the calls of birds heard within marsh habitat.  Wigeon, Shoveler, and Mallard were also present.
A distant raptor was being mobbed by a Crow species, it certainly looked liked at Harrier, and as it neared, it was clearly a Marsh Harrier, a female bird.  The Crow broke off its attack and the Harrier then itself mobbed a perched Buzzard.  Later, the Marsh Harrier spooked several Duck species, including many Teal and a few Shoveler.

Marsh Harrier at Hockham 29th November

Sparrowhawk over Watton 18th November

A Sparrowhawk over the garden on 18th November.  The coarse barring on the underparts suggests this is a juvenile bird.

Ravens at Little Cressingham

0720: I was on an early morning dog walk between Little and Great Cressingham when I heard the call of an approaching Raven, I eventually saw the bird approaching from the north-west and then realised there was two birds.  These impressive Crows passed either side of me and alighted in trees and offered good views, they dropped down into the field before flying off calling.  A memorable sighting of this huge Corvid species.

'Phantom of the forest' in the mist

This morning was a typical November start to the day, fairly calm, a slight ground frost, and thick fog persisting until mid-morning.  The dawn temperature was +1 degree Celsius. By late morning brighter conditions with strong sunlight lasted into the afternoon.
I arrived in the forest near Hockham at about 0720 and remained until about 1030.  Despite poor visibility, Redwings, a few Fieldfare, and lots of Blackbirds, plundered Hawthorn bushes for their fruits.  Higher in trees both Goldfinches and Siskins were present in good numbers.
My frequent visits to this locality over the years has seen me identify specific trees where Goshawks like to perch and survey their surrounding, so, despite the poor light and visibility I positioned myself where I had good views of the said trees.  Time passed by and the fog was reluctant to move, short and promising glimpses of the sun through the fog was often frustratingly all too brief with thick fog covering the sun again.

Goshawk chasing Carrion Crow in fog near Hockham 9th November

I then noticed a tussle between a couple of birds ahead of me, one was a Goshawk literally on the tail of a Carrion Crow, this tussle developed into a chase, however, the Crow got away and the Goshawk alighted in one of its favourite trees just a hundred yards  or so ahead of me, its size indicated this was a male bird.  The Goshawk was aware of my presence and flew leisurely off into the fog.

Deopham, Norfolk, 3rd November

Once again, for my afternoon work break, I headed off to Deopham to check on the species present in the wide expanses of arable.  The habitat mostly watched was maize stubble and a wide weedy strip comprising mostly of fathen.
Golden Plover once again featured with high numbers on the ground with further decent sized flocks arriving.  They remained uncounted on this visit. One Lapwing was on the land.
An impressive 400+ Linnets wandered around the farmland with an emphasis on the birds visiting a weedy strip where they hung from the tall fathen to extract seeds.

Some of the 400+ Linnets wandering farmland at Deopham 3rd November

Also present was at least 100+ Skylarks, however, their movements made it difficult to assess their true numbers which were probably much greater.

Meadow Pipit at Deopham 3rd November

Meadow Pipits are now present in good numbers, their familiar "sip sip sip" calls often heard around me.
Small flocks of Starlings (30+) and Redwings (16) were seen.  Only two raptors seen, a single soaring Buzzard and a hunting Kestrel.

Deopham, Norfolk, 31st October

For my work break today I decided to check on the Golden Plovers on farmland at Deopham.  The following are photographs of that visit when an estimated 2500 birds were seen.

Deopham, Norfolk, 29th October

For my afternoon work break I decided to check the vast expanse of arable habitat on the former airfield location.  It was a beautiful afternoon with superb light and very good visibility.  The wind was a moderate, occasionally fresh easterly.
This location has always been reliable for Golden Plover, and indeed, upon my arrival, a few alighted on a field of maize stubble.  Once set up, it was clear that good number of Golden Plover (350+) were present.  Typically, some birds made short sprints over the land, but on occasions, when disturbed, they would all fly up and circle the area until alighting in the same area.  On one occasion this flock made fast passes low over the land twisting and turning, revealing their bright white underparts in unison before turning a second later to show dark underparts, I am sure the quick reveal of the white underparts and then the dark upperparts is a behaviour used to confuse potential predators.

Golden Plover at Deopham 29th October

Golden Plovers breed in upland Britain and in winter, they move to lowland farmland, sometimes in great numbers, I have seen winter flocks in Norfolk/Suffolk numbering 4000+ birds.
Stubble and weedy strips on arable land is generally a good place to search for mobile flocks of Finches, Buntings, and Larks, and in addition to the Golden Plovers today were 250+ Linnets, 70+ Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails, and a Buzzard and one Kestrel.

Deopham, Norfolk

I had an hour long break from work this morning and decided on watching the vast expanse of arable farmland at the site of the former WW2 airfield at Deopham.  There has been a lot of devastating changes to this locality in the past year.  This land was purchased by a local businessman and one of the first actions seen was the digging up of the former runway, in my opinion this is an insult to the servicemen who served here during the war.  Further devastation saw the grubbing up of two very valuable hedgerows and scrub, habitats which were the summer home of migrant Warblers, and the autumn/winter staging post for migrant Thrush species.  Clearly, the scum who caused this devastation has no conscience and is driven by the need for greed.  His judgement day will come.
This location felt bleak and isolated, its very rural feel suiting me down to the ground.  From my 'point' watch the fields around me comprised Sugar Beet and large areas of maize stubble, suitable for Finches and Pipits.
Todays birds were:

3 Cormorant - south
15 Golden Plover - east
7 Stock Dove
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtails
Skylarks
300+ Linnets

Now is the time to see flocking Finches and Buntings on arable land, and the maize stubble here provides great feeding opportunities for these Finches.  300+ Linnets was a good count, and is an expected species in this habitat.  I have also recently seen three-figure numbers of Linnets in Sugar Beet crop, so check these habitat for these delightful Finches.
The Linnet is a common breeding bird in Norfolk, it is also a winter visitor from Europe.
 
 

Raven - a new personal patch record, 12th October

1 Hobby at Houghton-on-the-Hill
Small Thrush arrivals
Raven at Little Cressingham
250+ Linnets at Little Cressingham

My first stop of the day was at Houghton-on-the-Hill where I intended to search for late summer migrants.  The moderate SW wind was not conducive to good visual migration although I did find what was probably evidence of recent arrivals.
Checking hedgerows and trees my thoughts were with the Yellow-browed Warbler I found here two years ago, but the only Warbler species found was a single Chiffchaff.
At about 0813, a single Hobby passed over in a leisurely flight and continued off in a south-west heading, this late record was certainly of a passage bird.
I decided to check an old hedgerow for migrant Thrushes, hoping maybe for a Ring Ouzel, however, I did locate several Blackbirds, a few Redwings, and Song Thrush in Hawthorn, these were undoubtedly recently arrived hungry migrants.
A single Sparrowhawk was seen flying close to the ground and then hedge-hopping in an attempt to surprise potential prey.

Little Cressingham (late afternoon) 1630-1715
Late afternoon remained as grey as indeed the rest of the day had been, despite low light, visibility was quite good.
Checking suitable woodland habitat I found a few Redwings, Song Thrushes, and Blackbirds, these birds had a great fondness for a rich supply of dogberries, a soft palatable fruit which was also attractive to Blue, Great, and Coal Tits.
Overhead, a few Skylarks (8+) passed over, but over a large field of Sugar Beet, a very respectable flock of 250+ Linnets wandered over the crop, often settling within it.
Crow species always feature prominently in this area with some very sizable flocks of Rooks and Jackdaws always reliable.  This afternoon a flock of 2,000+ Rooks and Jackdaws were typically seen in a long, strung out flock.
Rooks and Carrion Crows were calling, and Jackdaws cackled as they always do, however, I did not expect to hear the distinctive call of a Raven.  This bird remained out of sight but the repeated "klonk klonk" or "klock klock" call was clearly that of this huge Corvid species.
This is my first 'patch' record of Raven, although I have read that this species has been recorded close by at Great Cressingham and at Thetford.

Visible Migration from the Garden 0720-0900

With a busy day ahead of me, I conducted a brief early morning watch of the sky above my garden for evidence of visible migration.
As expected, both Song Thrush and Redwings were seen overhead in a SW or S heading, most were single figure movements although one flock of Redwings numbered 30+ birds.
Also of note was One Swallow over in a SE heading.
Later in the morning whilst in Watton, further Thrushes were overhead in a SW heading.

Threxton (Watton Brook Valley) 1320-1500

1 Woodlark
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Blackcap (female)
4 Sand Martins (Visible Migration) west during heavy shower

An interesting visit to the valley, this time at Threxton, frequent and often heavy showers moved through on a moderate west wind.  One or two brighter spells.
This was an interesting visit for not only evidence of passage Warbler species, but notably for witnessing visible migration along the valley.

Threxton (Watton Brook Valley) 4th October

 The landscape and variety of habitat in this part of the valley is a good recipe for finding many bird species.  The Watton Brook meanders through floodplain and grazing land, the farmland is quite rolling, fine woodlands and roadside trees of considerable age, old Hawthorn, Alder, Elder, and Guelder Rose, along with the nearby Sewage Treatment works, all exist here and present the needs for birds, be they resident, or passage species.
An immaculate female Blackcap was seen in Hawthorn, and later in a dark conifer, which, enhanced the lovely fresh plumage of this bird, she had the typical brown cap, white half-ring around the lower part of the eye, brown wings, and off-white underparts.
When a flock of Long-tailed Tits moved through a hedge, thoughts of something unusual with them came to mind, this time Blue Tits and Goldcrest were in this mixed-species flock.
Whilst watching the mixed flock of Tits, I became aware of an approaching "toolu toolu" call, a short while later a single Woodlark passed low, directly over me.  
Several Pied Wagtails were present, these were joined by a single Grey Wagtail.
At about 1430, another area of dark cloud and heavy showers passed through, it was in the rain when I noticed Hirundine passage, checking them, it was 4 Sand Martins passing through west along the valley.
A check along the valley in one of the rare brighter spells I saw a distant male Kestrel sitting on the topmost dead branch of a tall Oak.  I managed to scope this handsome bird at x60.  He had the light grey head and nape, yellow cere, chestnut mantle with black spotting, dark pointed primaries, grey tail with black terminal band, and I could just see his buff underparts.  His head was bobbing as he focussed upon his surroundings.  The Kestrels presence eventually attracted a few Jackdaws which eventually drove him off.
A very pleasing visit with evidence of migration being witnessed, an aspect of birding which never ceases to amaze.

Visible Migration 3rd October

The night was clear and starlit and as I readied myself for work I was greeted by a thin film of ice on the car windscreen.  The air temperature was +4 degrees Celsius. The day dawned bright but as the morning wore on high cloud moved in giving milky skies, a very autumnal feel.

Hethersett and Great Melton 
At just after 0900 I started my morning work-break and at the same time a flock of 50+ Redwings passed over Hethersett in a westerly heading.  From here I moved onto Great Melton churchyard to survey bird numbers there.

Great Melton (Churchyard) 0920-1035
As soon as I arrived at the church I was greeted by several "tik" calls around me in the trees and woodland, these were continental Song Thrushes which had arrived during the night following their passage from Scandinavia.  A number of Song Thrushes were seen, often entering the old Yew trees, where they would feed upon berries.
Throughout my visit varying numbers of Redwings passed overhead in a westerly heading, again, these were birds would have departed Northern Europe last night.  The largest flock was 60+ birds with numbers totalling 200+ passing over.
Both Song Thrushes and Redwings breed in Scandinavia, however, this range is abandoned in the winter months for warmer areas, many will winter with us, although many will also migrate to as far as the Iberian Peninsula.
In addition to Thrush passage/arrivals, other species noted included 6 Jays, 6 Mistle Thrushes, Goldcrest (3), a pair of Marsh Tits, and I was getting ready to leave, a single House Martin overhead west.

Visible Migration - House Martins

A day of almost full cloud with frequent rain showers.  The occasional brighter spell threatened, only to cloud over again.  The wind was a fresh westerly.
Whilst birding near Hockham I became aware of House Martins appearing in the gloomy sky, with some birds clearly taking insects whilst others passed through south.  Eventually, all House Martins (40+) seen moved on south leaving empty skies (0900).  

Watton Brook Valley 0750-0920

What a fantastic start to the day with fog, mist, virtually no wind and about 6 degrees Celsius at dawn, very autumnal and atmospheric.
I visited one of my sites along the Watton Brook Valley early morning to check for evidence of passage or arrivals by summer migrants, in fact, all I could muster was a single female Blackcap.  There was no signs of Hirundine movement at all.
Despite the lack of summer migrants, this was a productive visit with 26 species recorded, this included Goshawk, one Kingfisher, and a male Stonechat.
Upon my arrival, many Jackdaws and Rooks were seen in nearby trees before descending into stubble to feed.  My first scan along the valley did not reveal anything, however, a further look a little later produced a lovely male Stonechat on fencing along the brook.
Checking a line of bushes and hedges alongside a track produced a single Blackcap (female), along with up to 20 Yellowhammers.

Blue Tit (juvenile) Watton Brook Valley 20th Sept.

Distant and agitated Crows and Pigeons exploded from a woodland, I had my suspicions, and these were well founded, a Goshawk flying along a hedge low, before entering woodland.  I am always amazed by the effect these awesome raptor has upon other species when it makes an appearance.
I then heard a Kingfisher in the valley, a short wait, then an azure blue rump of a Kingfisher was watched flying upstream away from me.  Much of this part of the brook is choked with burr reed. despite this, the Kingfisher found a patch of clear water and hovered above it for a few seconds before alighting in weeds.
Just prior to my departure, two Meadow Pipits flew east along the valley, undoubtedly migrants from the north.

Birds recorded
Goshawk (1), Buzzard (2), Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Kingfisher (1), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Blackcap (1), Goldcrest, Wren, Starling, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Stonechat (1 male), Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit (2), Goldfinch, Yellowhammer (c.20)

Stonechat near North Pickenham.

Stonechat near North Pickenham 19th Sept.

A beautiful female Stonechat was found late morning in a hedgerow near to North Pickenham.  As soon as I saw the bird its behaviour straight away suggested Stonechat in that it was seen on the topmost sprigs within a hedge nervously wing-flicking and rarely still, its dumpy appearance also suggested Stonechat.  From an elevated perch within the hedge the bird would make short 'flycatching' sallies for winged insect prey, before returning to the same, or nearby perch.  Occasionally the bird would tilt its head to one side to watch the sky, presumably for predators.
I have seen Stonechats at a number of sites on my patch late summer, early autumn, sometimes in family groups or as singletons.  These are short-distant migrants, rarely wandering too far from the breeding site, therefore, it is highly likely that this lovely individual is a Breckland bird.

Hethersett, Norfolk

This morning, during my work break, I spent 45 minutes surveying the birds in the churchyard at Hethersett.  I eventually found 15 species, this included 3 Nuthatch, 2 Green Woodpeckers, Tit species, and at least 8 Yellowhammers.  Below is one of the two Green Woodpeckers seen.

Green Woodpecker at Hethersett 17th Sept.

Houghton-on-the-Hill (0705-1130)

What an incredible start to the day.  At 0530, about an hour prior to sunrise, I took a walk around Merton Common, the bright, full moon was setting to the west, and the distant silhouetted trees to the east were fringed with an Orange/Pinkish glow.  The temperature was a very autumnal +4 degrees Celsius.
I arrived at Houghton at just after 0700, some mist and fog patches lingered in the valleys, but the rising sun soon burnt this off and as the morning wore on it became pleasantly warm at about 20 degrees Celsius.
My aims this morning were two-fold, firstly, I wanted to check suitable habitat for migrant arrivals, and as it got warmer my plan was to set up for visual migration.  The elevated location here lends itself nicely to visible migration with commanding view over the distant Wissey valley and rising land beyond.
My highlights today were:

1 Hobby south along Wissey valley 1000
a light southerly Meadow Pipit passage
15+ Blackcaps
Several Whitethroats (10+)
1 immaculate looking Lesser Whitethroat
A few Chiffchaffs

Being mid-September I expect migrant Warblers to be plentiful now and indeed this morning I was pleased to see good numbers sharing the same patch of bushes in order to feed upon soft fruits.  Although territorial during the breeding season, Warblers tolerate each others company in their quest to feed up for migration.  I saw many Blackcaps, Whitethroat, and a stunning Lesser Whitethroat all using the same Bramble and Elder bushes to feed.
For me, the stunning Lesser Whitethroat was my highlight species today, this particular bird looked immaculate in its fresh autumn plumage.  This bird initially revealed itself coming out of a bush, I managed to get my 'scope on the bird and saw its grey head, slightly darker grey ear coverts, and dark lores, these features contrasted with the bright white throat, similarly, the white underparts contrasted with the brown/grey upperparts.  In flight, the bird revealed white outer tail feathers.  All in all, an extremely attractive bird.

Whitethroat at Houghton 14th September

From about 0930, as it was getting warmer, I positioned myself for visual migration.  Over the years this site has become a great migration watchpoint for me with some spectacular movements of common migrants being witnessed, as well as seeing common, scarce, and rare raptor species on the move in autumn.
My migration watch today produced a single Hobby flying leisurely south over the Wissey valley until lost to view.  There was also a light southerly passage of Meadow Pipits too.

 

Migration watchpoint 14th September.  Looking north over the Wissey Valley and beyond

Species list for 14th September at Houghton.
Pheasant, Sparrowhawk (3), Buzzard, Moorhen, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Hobby (1 south), Jay, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Marsh Tit (2), Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackcap (15+), Lesser Whitethroat (1), Whitethroat (10+), Wren, Treecreeper (2), Blackbird, Song Thrush (1), Mistle Thrush (2), Robin, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit (light overhead passage), Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting (1).

Houghton-on-the-Hill (0700-0800)

I spent an hour this morning in search of migrants on the patch this morning, and of particular interest was the dominance by Chiffchaffs as the most abundant migrant with at least 12 birds seen or heard, whilst Sylvia Warblers i.e. Blackcaps and Whitethroat, were conspicuous by their absence with just singles of these species noted.
Clearly, Chiffchaff numbers must have been somewhat higher than my count, one patch of Elder held 3 birds.

Chiffchaff at Houghton 10th September

Chiffchaff at Houghton 10th September

The above Chiffchaff appears to be an adult bird which has undergone its post-breeding moult, it appears quite a neat bird whilst juveniles generally appear quite scruffy.
A small flock of 9 Mistle Thrushes also present high over Houghton

Burnham Overy Marshes and Dunes, North Norfolk Coast (with Alan Pickersgill) 9th September 0630-1400

In autumn, Burnham Overy Marshes and Dunes is my favourite location to visit on the North Norfolk Coast in search of migrant birds, September for the last summer migrants, and again in October for the first autumn arrivals of Thrushes and Finches from Northern Europe.
Today, I visited this remarkable location my good birding friend, Alan Pickersgill, our visit would provide us with 61 Bird species, as well as a lovely Natterjack Toad.

Conditions:  Not a bad day for migrants, dawn was quite bright although cloud increased to eventually give full coverage.  Some light rain showers developed into a more persistent, but light rainfall.  The wind was a moderate southerly.

Highlights
0630: Many thousands of Starlings strung out across the sky from the east to the west horizon and headed off inland.
One skulking Reed Warbler in Hawthorn along track.
One Green Sandpiper on marsh
8 Cattle Egrets on marsh with cattle
One Great White Egret
Migrant arrivals included Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, and a couple of Whitethroats
1215: 8 Grey Herons at height heading west

Burnham Overy Marshes and Dunes 9th September (0700)

Selected Species Notes
As soon as I got out of the car the first spectacle of the day was watching a very large flock of thousands of Starlings strung out across the sky from the east to the west horizon, they all made their way south inland, a very impressive sight indeed.  Were these British birds or arrivals from the continent?
In stubble south of the coast road, 7 Grey Partridges were seen and calling and a short time later a single Red Kite drifted slowly above fields.
Following coffee, we began our day with a walk north between the inviting hedgerows with migrants in mind, and the first migrant of interest was a single Reed Warbler very quietly skulking in the middle of a small Hawthorn from where it was heard to give a brief sub-song.
Continuing our walk north with the marsh now in sight, a small area of water with a muddy shore looked a good site for a passage wader, a check of this habitat straight away produced a single Green Sandpiper, an expected species here.
Next, and of personal interest to me, was the finding of 8 Cattle Egrets on a marsh around cattle.  These beautiful small Herons constitute my first British record.  Smaller, but appearing stockier than Little Egret with a deeper, stronger looking Orangey bill and with a jowl, quite different from the Little Egrets sleek and pointed facial features.  A hint of Orange was seen on the forecrown.  A little later, the Cattle Egrets were joined by a much larger and more stately looking Great White Egret.

Cattle Egret (8 present) at Overy Marshes 9th Sept.

As we walked along the raised path towards the dunes I spotted a Natterjack on the path and then disappearing into grass cover, this was a notable first record for Alan.
We then reached the beautiful Burnham Overy Dunes and decided to walk east towards Holkham Pines.  Our initial thoughts was on the noticeable dearth of summer migrants, however, the reliable and ubiquitous Meadow Pipits were the commonest species seen although a couple of Stonechats were seen together.
The habitat within the dunes, especially towards the east end, is magical for the birder hunting for migrants in autumn, Bramble scrub, Elder, and fruiting Dog Rose cover the dunes, this becomes much denser where the dunes meets the west end of Holkham Pines, and indeed, this is where Alan and I saw most activity, which included migrant Warblers.
It was our intention to check the west end of the Pines, this proved fruitful with many Coal Tits, Goldcrests, Blue Tits, Long-tailed Tits, and Treecreepers moving through the trees as a mobile flock.   It was also in this relatively sheltered part of the dunes where we saw 6+ Blackcaps (including males and a lovely female), 6+ Chiffchaffs, 1 Whitethroat, and a juvenile male Bullfinch, all more or less in the same patch of dunes scrub.
Alan and I then had a leisurely walk back through the dunes, again with Meadow Pipits for company, and at midday we decided to sit for lunch.  During our break we saw an interesting movement of  8 Grey Herons high overhead together, and all in a westerly heading.
For much of the latter part of the morning, rain became the main weather feature with a fairly persistent, but quite light rainfall.  As we headed towards the end of the dunes walk, a single Whitethroat was seen sitting on the edge of Bramble in full view, and picking at fruit.  I think it quite likely that this Whitethroat arrived during rainfall.

 Whitethroat in Bramble in the dunes.  Did this migrant arrive in the rain?

The long walk back along the path with the marshes either side of us was a leisurely affair.  We stopped to overview Overy Creek, the tide was out and several waders were feeding in the soft mud, notably Redshank, Knot, and Oystercatcher.  Finally, the walk between the gorgeous hedgerow corridor leading back to the start/end of our walk revealed a single Dunnock, but no migrants.

Species recorded at Burnham Overy Marshes and Dunes
Greylag Goose, Pink-footed Goose, Mute Swan (3), Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Mallard, Teal, Tufted Duck, Grey Partridge (7), Pheasant, Little Grebe, Cattle Egret (8), Grey Heron (10), Great White Egret (1), Cormorant, Red Kite (1), Buzzard (3), Coot, Oystercatcher, Golden Plover (20+), Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Knot, Snipe (1), Green Sandpiper (1), Redshank, Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Kestrel, Jay, Jackdaw, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Bearded Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Skylark (1), Swallow, House Martin, Cetti's Warbler (1), Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler (1), Blackcap (6+), Whitethroat (2), Wren, Treecreeper, Starling (1000's south 0630), Stonechat (2), Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Bullfinch (juv. male), Greenfinch (7), Linnet, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting (61 species)

Bodney, Norfolk (mid-afternoon)

The previous overnight rain has long since moved off into the North Sea leaving behind a day of sunshine and cloud with a fresh, occasionally strong NW wind.
I was working this morning therefore unable to check to see if the rain had brought migrants with it, however, I wanted to check a couple of locations in the Bodney area for possible migrant activity, little seen although the highlights were:

1 Marsh Harrier - male flying north
2 Stonechat singles at two localities

My first stop was along a quiet lane where wide grassy verges and weedy field margins could hold migrant chats.  As soon as I set off a calling Buzzard produced two large raptors, the Buzzard, and a mobbing male Marsh Harrier, following this little tussle the Harrier continued to fly north over wide expanses of arable and in doing so, put up lots of Crow species.
Despite the wind I expected to find Stonechat, and indeed, it wasn't long before I found a single bird in typical habitat of tall grasses and weeds, wire fencing and posts.  This was a very active little bird, moving from post to wire and back to post, and then off to a tall weed in nearby crops, clearly watching my progress, and occasionally the bird would fly up and hover for a while, again, to observe it surroundings, and me.

I then moved onto a small section of the Watton Brook Valley, again to check for migrants, none visible in the windy conditions, but another single Stonechat (female) was seen on wires and posts alongside the brook.  A few Swallows and House Martins also present.

Watton Brook Valley, Norfolk

The night was clear and cool.  The day dawned bright and at 8 degrees Celsius there was a definite feel of autumn in the air.  Following the bright start a weak weather front and thick cloud passed over, clearing from the NW to give bright and quite warm conditions.
With September upon us, migration steps up a gear and indeed later in the month, outgoing migrants will share habitats with the first incoming winter visitors.
This morning was once again intended as a search for migrants in the valley, and the highlights were as follows:

5+ Whitethroats
2+ Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
3 Stonechats
45+ Long-tailed Tits

Whitethroat (male) in Bramble 2nd Sept. Watton Brook Valley

Elder bushes are now heavy with clusters of ripe berries, it is these, and Bramble (Blackberries) where migrant Warblers will be found as they feed upon the soft fruits in order to build energy reserves for their soon to come southbound migration.
Of the 5+ Whitethroats seen, 3 were together and included a pristine male bird, a stunning bird with grey head and contrasting white throat, the upper-wings were brown with the distinctive rusty panel, he was an alert character who typically adopted an alert carriage on a bramble sprig, but was equally, and again typically creeping and skulking in cover.

   

Whitethroat (juvenile) 2nd Sept. in Watton Brook Valley

Whitethroat (male) 2nd Sept. Watton Brook Valley

Other notable birds seen this morning included a single mobile Marsh Tit and a flock of 45+ Long-tailed Tits passing through Osiers.  A check of the valley did not reveal other migrants, however, Yellowhammer, Linnets, and Goldfinches were attracted to the lush sides of the river.

Houghton-on-the-Hill 0630-1000

Prior to leaving for my chosen destination today, I took Toby for his early morning walk around Merton Common.  This walk started about an hour before sunrise, the distant tops of trees silhouetted against the red horizon.  It was about 12 degrees and quite calm.  The walk produced 3 Tawny Owls, a calling male, and two calling female birds.
I set off for Houghton, arriving about 0625, the sun was rising and the sky was clear, however, as the morning wore on cloud increased, as did the wind, from a moderate to fresh southerly.
One of the first birds heard was scolding Jays, this behaviour told me they had found an Owl or raptor species, within minutes a young Sparrowhawk flew through woodland and briefly alighted on the church tower where it occasionally called from.
With this being the final day of meteorological summer, I wanted to check the area for evidence of migrant birds and my visit revealed the following:

70+ Swallows
15+ Whitethroats
12+ Blackcaps
Chiffchaffs

The Warbler numbers given here are a low estimate as many more would have gone unseen.
As expected, good numbers of Whitethroats and Blackcaps were seen and heard, these arrivals were typically seen in association with fruiting bushes within hedgerows, in particular Elder, in which birds were seen to take the soft fruits.
Swallows began arriving from the north, these, and other birds starting feeding low over crops in search of insect prey.

Whitethroat - a typical view of a restless bird, looking back before flying to cover.

Typical views of Whitethroats seen this morning were of birds actively in and out of hedges, rarely settling, behaviour indicating probable recent arrivals in a constant search for food.
Blackcap numbers were similar, these comprised female/juvenile birds, and a smart looking male seen in Elder.
Tomorrow, the first day of September, and of course the first day of meteorological autumn, will see an increase in activity involving migrant Warblers moving through, and being a pivotal month as far as migration in concerned, the first incoming winter migrants will be seen with outgoing summer migrants.

Pied Flycatcher at Little Cressingham, (Watton Brook Valley), Norfolk

My day started at 0400 when I got up for a walk around Merton Common, the air was beautifully cool at 14 degrees Celsius, the sky was clear, and there was a distant redness to the horizon to the east.  Two Tawny Owls, one Little Owl and an alarm calling Song Thrush were all noted.
I made plans to visit Watton Brook Valley with the intention of searching for migrants.  On my arrival at about 0615, it was still pleasantly cool with a light mist, before the predicted highs today of 32 degrees Celsius.
This turned out to be a great day for migrants on the patch with the following highlights:

10+ Swallows
5+ Blackcaps
1 Willow Warbler
3+ Chiffchaffs
2 Whitethroats
1 Pied Flycatcher
3 Stonechats

Sallows in Watton Brook Valley (which held Pied Flycatcher, passage Willow Warbler, and Chiffchaffs)

For many years I have visited and checked the above clump of large Sallows specifically for Pied Flycatcher, I have always thought this habitat could hold this species, in fact, this species crossed my mind this morning.  A largish party of 40+ Long-tailed Tits passed through the Sallows, some crossing quite open areas to get to the next significant cover.  It was at this time I saw a small bird make a few short but fast 'flycatching' sallies from this habitat, I locked on with my binoculars and the bird flew around the edge of this cover revealing dark upperparts and striking white underparts, it remained active but did settle more a moment on the edge of a Sallow, in doing so it revealed darkish wings with white patterning, this was indeed a stunning Pied Flycatcher, it then resumed its 'flycatching' behaviour.
In addition to the Pied Flycatcher, the Sallows also held a migrant, singing Willow Warbler, and a few Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, and a single Song Thrush.
To see evidence of migration, especially involving a scarce migrant such as this Pied Flycatcher, is always a special find, and this proves more of a challenge inland, whereas on the Norfolk Coast, it would be considered a little 'easier' to find.  It pays to be persistent on your local patch.

Bodney, Norfolk

An early pre-dawn walk around Merton produced 2 Tawny Owls, a calling female, and a calling male too.
A check of field edges and ditches in the Bodney area early morning produced a few Blackcaps (4+), including a male and female seen in an Elder, 1 Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blue, Great, and Coal Tits, and along one ditch, 3 Stonechats (male, female, and a juvenile).
Insect species seen this morning included Large Skipper, Emperor Dragonfly, and Banded Demoiselle.

Bodney, Norfolk

A pleasant afternoons walk at Bodney in warm sunshine and a temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. The wind was a moderate south-westerly.
My aim this afternoon was to check weedy ditches for signs of migrant activity, and one particular ditch with lots of weed cover such as Rosebay Willowherb, reeds, and Sallow, is always worth checking.

Ditch at Bodney.  Always worth checking for migrants.

A few Swallows and House Martins were seen overhead, however, checking the above ditch soon provided me with 3 Stonechats, one of which was a well marked juvenile bird.  Their behaviour was typical of this species, they used the posts and fence to watch from, and would often fly into open grassland to pick up food.  They also visited a large Bramble bush, the only one nearby.

Stonechat (juvenile) at Bodney 20th August.  A strongly marked bird.

Stonechat in Bramble at Bodney 20th August.

Stonechats are short distant migrants and without doubt these birds originated from a nearby Breckland heath.  This delightful species is a regularly seen bird in ditches and field edges on my patch at this time of year.

Bodney, Norfolk

Rain in the night cleared early morning to warm sunny spells, however, a few light showers passed through later in the morning.
I like to make several visits to my area in Bodney in the Watton Brook Valley where a variety of habitats converge to give a great location for resting and feeding migrants.
A small area of unused rough grassland provides good breeding grounds for insect species.  A few old Elders are a good source of food for migrant Warblers, whilst the surrounding tall grass is this populated by lots of Ragwort and Nettles.
As soon as I arrived at this location this morning it was evident that Sylvia Warblers were in the largest Elder, whilst the old Hawthorn attracted good numbers of Hirundines, with possibly 100+ Swallows forming the majority species.
The Sylvia Warbler species were dominated by Whitethroats and Blackcap, there was no sign however of Garden Warbler or Lesser Whitethroat on this particular visit.  A couple of Stonechats arrived, I suspect these were the same birds I saw earlier in a weedy ditch to the east.
I saw no evidence on this visit of overhead passage.

My visited location today at Bodney

The above area of rough grassland attracted many species today, for migrant activity I paid a lot of attention to the lovely Elder in the far left middle of this shot.  Migrants, and resident species seen in this single Elder were: Robin, Song Thrush, Stonechat (2), Dunnock, Wren, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Marsh Tit (1), Greenfinch, and Goldfinch (14 species)
Male, female, and juvenile Blackcaps were seen here today along with a low estimate of 10+ Whitethroats, the now ripened and palatable Elderberries providing a good food source for these birds.
An initial gathering of 30+ Swallows eventually built to over 100+ birds, along with several House Martins.  A large Hawthorn saw gathering of juvenile and adult Swallows preening.

Swallows gathered in a large Hawthorn to preen

Also attracted to the Elders was a couple of Stonechats, one a moulting male, the other a strongly marked juvenile.  This is the first time I have witnessed Stonechats feeding upon Elderberries.

Stonechat feeding upon Elderberry at Bodney 18th August

Stonechat - a strongly marked juvenile at Bodney 18th August

 The wonderful thing about this mornings visit was that activity never stopped, Swallows and House Martins gathering, sometimes close above me, a couple of lovely Stonechats, and passage Warblers often revealing themselves from within Elder Bushes to either preen, sun themselves, and to feed upon fruits.

Whitethroat at Bodney 18th August

The above Whitethroat was seen in one of the Elder bushes, this was one of many seen here taking advantage of the offerings prior to their long journey south.

Species seen/heard: Wood Pigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Coal Tit, Marsh Tit (1), Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Swallow (100+), House Martin, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat (10+), Wren, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Stonechat (2), Pied Wagtail, Goldfinch, Greenfinch. 

Houghton-on-the-Hill, Norfolk, 17th August

This was to be my first proper day of searching for migrants on the patch this August.  The night was quite wet but the day dawned bright and sunny with a fresh south-westerly.
The habitat checked was a natural spring with heavy Elder, Hawthorn, and Bramble, and a fine, well stocked hedgerow corridor.
This search revealed Blackcaps as the majority species with 20+ birds seen and other heard, these comprised about 8 males, females, and juvenile birds.  A search of Elder bushes especially was to be the best habitat for finding Blackcaps, in which birds were seen to consume the now ripening Elderberry crop.
Also seen was 3+ Whitethroats and a couple of Chiffchaffs.  Juvenile Blue Tits also featured as a common species, especially along hedgerows.

Blackcap (female) in Elder 17th August

Blackcap 17th August

Blackcap (juvenile) in hedgerow 17th August

Hethersett and East Carleton, Norfolk, 11th August 2019

On the 11th August I was working in the Hethersett area.  During my breaks I visited a previously visited location of Hethersett Church, and later in the afternoon, I paid my first visit to the wonderful Ladybelt Country Park at East Carleton.
My visit to the church at Hethersett was dominated by insect life with Emperor and Migrant Hawker Dragonflies being seen, also several species of Butterfly present, these were Painted Lady, Peacock, Red Admiral, Large White, Comma, Gatekeeper, and a Blue species.

Migrant Hawker Dragonfly at Hethersett Church

Ladybelt Country Park (East Carleton)
I paid my first visit to this large park during my afternoon break from work.  What a lovely location with rolling grassland, woodland, and patches of scrub thickets to explore.
Time was limited on this visit, so I decided to stop at a large patch of Bramble within tall ground cover after hearing the contact calls of Blackcap.  I eventually did see a female Blackcap briefly put in an appearance before returning to cover, and at least another was present.  Whilst standing here watching this cover, I was very pleasantly surprised when a Spotted Flycatcher popped up, it was on the edge of cover from where it made a flycatching sally before returning to the same area, here it remained for a minute or two before flying strongly out of sight.
This is certainly a location I will visit again during my work breaks in future.

Early signs of migration (Houghton-on-the-Hill)

The previous night saw increased wind strength from the SW with spells of rain, the morning started cloudy with occasional spells of light rain, but the wind was the notable factor, and indeed, over the coming weekend it is set to be unseasonably stormy.  The morning certainly had a feel of early autumn, although it remained very warm.
Now that we are into the second week of August I decided to visit high ground near North Pickenham which has affectionately become known as my migration watch point.  There surely should be signs of passage birds now.

Hedgerow corridor at Houghton always produces migrant Warblers in autumn.

The hedgerow corridor pictured here has always produced good numbers of migrant Warblers in late summer and autumn.  Often, on an early, bright, late summer/autumn morning, I can stand at the point shown here and watch dozens of Warblers flying between the hedges in their search for food.  The main food sources here are Elderberry and Blackberry, soft fruits which are palatable to Warblers.
This mornings early search for migrants was quite productive, along with more resident species, as follows:

2 Kestrel
1 Hobby (hunting)
8+ House Martins (very high heading south into strong wind)
Blackbird
15+ Whitethroats
1 Lesser Whitethroat
5+ Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaff
Blue Tits - several juveniles
Linnet
2 Bullfinch (juvs)
6+ Yellowhammers

Lesser Whitethroats are simply outstanding Warblers and at least one was seen this morning in a hedgerow Holly with Whitethroats.   Sometimes it is difficult to ascertain what are genuine migrants and what are post-breeding dispersed birds, however, given the time of year and numbers of birds involved, those seen this morning were certainly passage migrants.
The only evidence of visual passage this morning was of at least 8 House Martins flying very high and in a southerly heading, almost directly into the increasing wind.
Resident or local transient birds included several 'yellow faced' juvenile Blue Tits moving along the hedge searching for food.

Yellowhammer 9th August.  Often shuffled on ground amongst stubble.

A number of Yellowhammers were seen in hedgerows, often these birds flew down to stubble to feed.
At least 2 Bullfinches were seen, they initially betrayed their presence with their soft 'piping' call.  These birds were either seen flying away from me showing their distinctive white rumps, or briefly perched on an overhead wire, and appearing quite dull in appearance compared to their parents, and being young, they lack the black crown of the adult bird.

Bullfinch 9th August (lacks the Black cap of the adult bird.

Clouded Yellow Butterfly at Little Cressingham, Norfolk, 5th August

During the afternoon of 5th August I was checking habitat for signs of migrant birds near 'The Arms' at Little Cressingham.  A mixed habitat comprising mostly Bramble produced brief glimpses of expected species, Blackcap and Whitethroat.
Whilst checking the habitat I saw a bright Yellow Butterfly which showed all characteristics of Clouded Yellow.  This was typically for the species, a strong flying Butterfly which gave me the 'run around' until it settled on the ground.

Clouded Yellow Butterfly at Little Cressingham 5th August 2019

Clouded Yellow Butterflies are migrants from North Africa with the majority turning up along the south coast of England and with a few individuals being seen further north, like this particular insect.

There are occasionally 'Clouded Yellow' years when numbers turn up in the UK, otherwise it is quite scarce in other years.

Cranwich Heath, Norfolk (early morning)

Plenty of walkers out on the heath this morning with their beautiful dogs including some gorgeous Border Collies and a very handsome Hungarian Vizsla.

Cranwich Heath, Norfolk

Little evidence seen of summer migrants, although, a couple of Chiffchaffs were calling from cover and two Yellowhammers were in song, including one well-watched male in a small tree within a windrow.
 A single Linnet was seen, also, several Magpies present.  One Common Buzzard was heard.

Yellowhammer (male) on territory on Cranwich Heath