WILLOW WARBLER FLOCK

An impressive flock of at least eight willow warblers took up residence in the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday 13th. 

They seemed to spend most of their time feeding in a couple of smallish - twenty five year old silver birch trees. Both trees have lots of seeds which must also attract lots of insects as the willow warblers were often flycatching from the branches.

There had been four willow warblers in these same trees five days earlier and some of those might've stayed around and then joined by others newly arrived. There are often willow warblers in these trees each early autumn but never this number.

Some of the willow warbler underparts varied in brightness and in the amount of yellow. They were often heard to call their "hooeet" call.

They stayed into the early evening and Steve Entwistle popped round to enjoy the sight, we both thought at least eight willow warblers were present. At times it was difficult to keep a count of them all as they flitted through different parts of the tree.

Also over the Firs Chase garden in the late afternoon/ early evening were 15 swifts, 25 goldfinches, great spotted woodpecker, little egret and ten swallows.