A bright, cool start to the day with a light to moderate WNW wind eventually NW. It remained dry and later quite warm.
A few migrant Warblers were found with the best observations coming from the sheltered and warm east facing hedgerow.
Upon my arrival a female Kestrel was on the tower of St. Mary's where she was calling, also here was a few Jackdaws. The sheltered east facing woodland boundary of the churchyard held a mobile flock of Long-tailed Tits along with Blue and Great Tits too.
A gathering of 10 Stock Doves were on overhead wires whilst the same area held a wandering flock of 50+ Linnets.
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| Blackcap (feamle) at Houghton 9 September. In typical autumn habitat of Elder. |
Once I reached the sheltered east facing hedgerow on Houghton Common I decided to watch this habitat carefully in the knowledge that birds would benefit from being out of the wind. This long and continuous hedgerow is laden with mixed fruits including elderberry, Dog Rose, Hawthorn, and Buckthorn, and it was in this habitat I found 7+ Chiffchaffs (including a singing bird) and another feeding upon elderberries. At least 8 Blackcaps were seen, again attracted to elderberries where a female bird was taking fruit. Also seen was a single juvenile Whitethroat, again in elder.
My return walk was productive with at least 10 Grey Partridges seen in stubble.
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