Starlings - Beautiful males in the garden today,

Only summer migrant seen from the garden today was a single male Swallow.

6th to 13th April (Garden, and Merton for daily exercise allowance during current lockdown)

The previous weeks weather has been warm to very warm at times with clear, sunny conditions, such weather means that most migrant birds will be passing over at height and out of sight.
An early morning walk to the village of Merton and back on 6th April produced at least 3 singing Blackcaps, also, my first Willow Warbler was heard in song along the Merton Road on the southern outskirts of Watton.
Frustratingly, the 8th April did present with a mystery Pipit species passing overhead N/E in a very purposeful heading, the flight was strong and direct, not weak and erratic like Meadow Pipit, I suspected Tree Pipit, a species I have encountered as a passage species locally both in Spring and Autumn.  The same day produced my first Swallow of the year heading S/E, however, this species probably arrived earlier somewhere on the patch.
In the garden, two pairs of Blackbirds are nesting, one pair was just visible feeding recently hatched young with small food items, the parents delicately fed their offspring deep in the nest cup.
Sparrowhawks have been seen almost daily with the female often seen performing her spectacular 'switchback' display, on one occasion she was seen directly above me pulling up into a vertical climb.

Sparrowhawk (female) displaying 9th April

Blackcaps have featured as a migrant through my, and adjoining gardens during this period, song has been heard, and purposeful movement through the gardens suggested passage birds as opposed to birds on territory.

Blackcap (male) a common breeding migrant

Dunnocks have been displaying their extraordinary sex life behaviour in the garden, and Long-tailed Tit and Blue Tit pairs were frequent visitors to my hedge.
Starlings have featured daily with males mostly being seen.  The sunny days have certainly shown off the stunning iridescent plumage of these overlooked birds.  Starlings are frequent visitors to the lawn now as they probe the lawn for the larvae of Crane Fly (Daddy Long Legs), these grubs are known as 'Leatherjackets', an invertebrate which potentially damage lawns as they feed upon grass roots.  If you watch Starlings probe, they stab the lawn and then open the bill to widen the hole, once a grub is found the bill is shut and the juicy morsel withdrawn.

Starling (male) with Leatherjacket

House Sparrows are always present in good numbers, which is very pleasing, and during the this reporting period there has been plenty of courtship and mating behaviour observed.  I love to watch their chasing and squabbling behaviour, also, they bring great comic value too.

House Sparrow in the garden

Singing and displaying Greenfinches and a singing male Siskin have been seen most days, however, the most abundant Finch is the Goldfinch, or 'King Harry' as they are colloquially known as in Norfolk.
During this period of lockdown due to the Coronavirus, it is obviously frustrating not to get out onto the patch, however, it is important to show compliance with the Governmental instructions.

Chiffchaffs

Last year (2019), my first singing Chiffchaff of the year was in late February at Great Melton, Norfolk, not surprising given the exceptionally mild conditions and favourable winds.
I have heard from others that Chiffchaffs were encountered in the first few days of March, however, I recorded my first rather later on the 11th of March.
At the time of writing, Chiffchaffs are now well established on their breeding grounds with good numbers seen and heard at many sites.

Chiffchaff at Great Melton, Norfolk, 22nd March

Chiffchaff Great Melton, Norfolk 22nd March

Chiffchaffs are easily separated from their close relative, the Willow Warbler, in both appearance and behaviour.  Primary projection is always a feature to check, here, you can see the primaries extend little beyond the secondaries whilst on Willow Warbler the primaries extend further beyond the secondaries, indicating the greater journey of the migrant.
The Chiffchaff has a habit of a frequent downward movement of its tail, Willow Warblers may only do this once, or never.
Song can be interestingly, I have encountered a few Willow Warblers which have opened a verse of song with the Chiffchaff "chiff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff" before breaking into its own song, a case of mimicry perhaps.

East Wretham Heath 1030-1145

A beautiful day, although cool at 7 degrees Celsius.  This was short visit with most effort given to Langmere.  Walking slowly along a sunny bank with dried ferns I was hoping for my first Adder of the year, and within moments I found one taking the sun in a relatively sheltered spot where a little warmth had encouraged this beautiful Snake to show.
Whilst walking along the path to Langmere, I could hear Mistle Thrush and Stock Dove in song.
A check of Langmere produced a pair of Mallard, a single Oystercatcher feeding along the shore, a couple of Magpies, and a pair of calling Little Owls, one of which was located perched in a small Hawthorn and then within a log pile.
Walking back to the car park, another check of the sunny bank again produced the Adder, I watched it for a short while before leaving it in peace to take in the sun.

Adder at Wretham Heath 6th March

Note the beautiful 'V' marking behind the head. 'V' for Viper

Adder at Wretham Heath 6th March

 

Hingham, Norfolk

Whilst on a short early morning break, I stopped off at a site known for Barn Owls, and was pleased to see two hunting birds together.  These stunning birds were hunting over a field of long grass/weeds/winter bird feed.
Also seen here was 2 Little Egrets, 20+ Fieldfare, a 'drumming' Great Spotted Woodpecker, and a singing Song Thrush.

Barn Owl near Hingham, Norfolk 28/02 (One of a pair seen)

The majesty of trees

Here in England, we are rightly very proud of our woodlands and the magnificent trees that live within them.  Who can not be moved by the mighty Oak, its size, its strength, and its close association with folklore in our land.
The impressive Oak is home to a vast number of life forms, and many have supported life for many centuries, and of course produced many offspring through natural means or by caching of acorns by birds, most notably, the Jay.
Of course it is sad when mighty trees die, however, even after life, their beautiful forms, will continue to provide a home for many invertebrates, hopefully, for decades, or centuries to come.
The photographs here are of a Scots Pine at Thompson, and the beautiful form of a dead Oak at Kimberley, both in Norfolk.  Both remain beautiful aesthetically, and are very important homes to invertebrate species, as well as a number of bird and bat species also.

Scots Pine at Thompson, Norfolk

A magnificent Oak at Kimberley, Norfolk 

Pingo's

The creation of Pingo's began some 20,000 years ago during the last Ice Age.  In the UK these are a rare feature in the landscape, but here in the Breckland area of Norfolk, we boast the greatest density with some 700+ Pingo's.
These special and ancient features appeared as you see this one here about 11,500 years ago.  Len's of Ice formed some 20,000 years ago by pressing into the earth, soil covered these formations to create a small hillock.  When the Ice from the Ice Age retreated the lens of ice melted and the hillock collapsed, thus forming the Pingo as you see here.
It is indeed wonderful to see these ancient features survive the onslaught of the human race, it is also wondrous to see these features in the Breckland landscape remain unchanged for 11,500 years.

A Pingo near Thompson, Norfolk

Pingo - unchanged in 11,500 years