Male Sparrowhawk in the garden 29 October.

Sparrowhawks are regular visitors to my Watton garden, and indeed are frequently seen overhead, including displaying in spring.

On the 20th October a male Sparrowhawk entered our garden and took a House Sparrow.  The raptor began to strip its prize of its feathers and then proceeded t consume the Sparrow either in small pieces, or sometimes in larger pieces which were thrown back and eventually swallowed.  After its feed, the Sparrowhawk proceeded to wipe its bill clean on the damp grass, this was followed by the bird sitting still for some time to digest its meal.

The male Sparrowhawk is somewhat smaller than the female of the species, what it lacks in size it makes up in plumage colours.  The upperparts are blue-grey, this contrasts with the reddish barring on the breast and underparts.  The iris is yellow, the cere is yellow as are the long, thin legs.  The vent and undertail feathers are pure white. 

Goshawk

On the 20th October I was doing odd jobs in the garden when I heard the familiar clatter of panicking Wood Pigeons, I thought Sparrowhawk, but upon looking up a female Goshawk crashed the party and sent Wood Pigeons scattering.  The bird momentarily went out of view before emerging from behind my garden hedge and flying away west without prey.  I was about 30 feet from the Goshawk at its closest to me.

I have encountered Goshawks on a few occasions both in Watton, and from my garden. 

  

Visual Migration from garden 5th November (0650-0830)

Dawn on the 5th November was cool at 2 degrees Celsius, a light westerly, and eventually, bright conditions.

With a nasty abscess on my gum, I wasn't planning on going anywhere other than my garden for some vismigging. The following totals were gathered:

1 Red Kite

153+ Wood Pigeons SW

Collared Dove

Blackbird (3 garden)

1035+ Redwings (most W.)

150+ Fieldfare W

Robin

5 Chaffinch (2)

Goldfinch

3 Greenfinch

It is evident from my small contribution to vismigging this morning that countywide, the movement of Thrushes, especially Redwings, would have been a significant event.

Redwings were watched passing over at varying heights, including small numbers dropping into my hedge.  The largest single flock numbered 200+ birds, with the total number collected during my watch being 1035+ birds.  The majority of flocks were flying west, with a slight variation in direction by some birds.

150+ Fieldfares also seen, and again, flying in a westerly heading.

Also of interest during this early morning vismigging was several flocks of Wood Pigeons (totalling 153+ birds) all in a purposeful SW heading.   These were probably Scandinavian migrants.   

 

August 2021

For me, August is the most anticipated of months with migration picking up a pace with focus turning to passerine species, notably Warblers and Chats.  Locally, I have a number of migrant magnets which have been watched annually at this time of year.

The first notable bird was a juvenile Peregrine on 9th August at Great Cressingham, I first became aware of something when a couple of Kestrels alarm called, the Peregrine appeared low over fields and continued south-east with a noisy Kestrel seeing it off.

On the 14th I visited North Pickenham to search for migrants. Whitethroat numbers were beginning to build with double figure counts at one site.  Several Blackcaps were also seen. Whilst checking an Elder for movement, I saw between branches a quivering tail, this was a lovely juvenile Redstart, this bird was only briefly seen well before flying into a thick Hawthorn where glimpses were had of the bird preening. 

Always a welcome migrant on the patch is Lesser Whitethroat, a single migrant was located near Bodney on the 16th.  Typically, this was a very neat looking bird with grey head and ear coverts and strongly contrasting white throat, white underparts and uniform brown upperparts.  A check of Elder produce a  feeding Whitethroat.  A single Swift was seen over Watton later in the day.

On the 18th, 3 Stonechats were seen near Watton along a stream where they were seen on fence-posts and tops of Willowherb.

A spot count near Bodney on 20th produced 5+ Whitethroats, 4+ Blackcaps, and 5 Chiffchaffs.  2 Stonechats were seen.  A beautiful Roesel's Bush Cricket was found in lush vegetation by a stream.

Following recent heavy rainfall and a persistent NNE wind, I decided on the 23rd to visit a couple of local sites which are generally good for migrant species. My first site, a lovely hedgerow corridor near North Pickenham, produced several Blackcap, Whitethroats, and Chiffchaffs, whilst 25+ Linnets and 3 Bullfinches were seen.  My second site visited was close to Watton, here, a bird dropped into a large Osier, this was a lovely Whinchat, the bird remained high in the tree for a while before dropping into Umbellifers, where a juvenile Whitethroat was also seen..  3 Stonechats seen as was 20+ Swallows. 

Whinchat Great Cressingham 23 August

A very short afternoon work break at Marlingford produced a calling Wryneck near the churchyard, however, my short time here did not reveal the bird visually.

Finally, on the 30th, low, fast moving cloud, poor visibility due to mist and frequent heavy drizzle, and a fresh NNE wind, gave a feel of something interesting turning up in the Watton Brook Valley, and indeed my thoughts were realised when a lovely migrant Garden Warbler passed by me low and fast into cover, later re-emerging to feed very hurriedly upon Elderberries.  This was a great record of  more scarce member of the Sylvia tribe encountered locally on migration.

A single Wheatear also appeared.