Moving on.....

        Late August and the woods are full of small birds moving through the canopy in a mobile flock. These restless  groups of mixed species are a feature of the Autumn and Winter and this one special  morning they included Summer migrants - one or two Willow Warblers and a family group of Spotted Flycatchers - all on their way south to their wintering quarters. It is likely that the flycatchers bred somewhere in the wood as one or two pairs do every year. Willow Warblers used to be common visitors to Kent but few pairs breed here now; climate change is driving them north to cooler and wetter habitats. Twenty years ago Willow Warblers were heard in our woods every Spring singing their mournful descending melody, but not any more. They do appear most years as passing birds, just moving though like this year, but a delight to see all the same. They are easy to confuse with the more common Chiffchaff but the eye stripes, longer tail and pale, yellowish underparts give them away.

          The mixed flock seen this week included various tit species, Chiffchaffs, Nuthatches, Treecreepers and young Robins. The birds must gain some advantages foraging together like this. Perhaps moving on mass helps keeps predators confused or maybe the movement of many disturbs more invertebrates so  helps with feeding. As the days shorten and temperatures cool it is sad to think this is probably the last I will see of one of my favourite birds - the Spotted Flycatcher - until next May that is.

A shy Willow Warbler, moving through the understorey 

Such a beautiful bird in its plainness, the Spotted Flycatcher, this one part of a family group. Hopefully they nested somewhere in Old Park Wood, I did find a pair building a nest earlier this year in May 

                                             Is this the last I will see this year of the flycatcher ?

These feeding flocks are generally very mobile with birds not lingering long for the photographer. Note the pale belly and hints of yellow of this Willow Warbler

A young Robin tagging along, note the red breast starting to get colour

A Treecreeper using a different feeding strategy and doing what it says on the tin.

A hint of the changing season - Cuckoo Pint berries