Pittswood Birds

A cloudy and very breezy morning, and the walk round my patch was more enjoyable than yesterday, especially as the sun broke through around 08:00. What little song did reach my ears, through the noisey wind blown trees, was produced by WHITETHROAT, CHIFFCHAFF, BLACKCAP, TURTLE DOVE and a GARDEN WARBLER. A LESSER WHITETHROAT was seen, and heard giving its scolding ''Tic'' ''Tic'' calls. Overhead, HERRING and LESSER BLACK BACK GULLS, were continually passing through, looking like they were enjoying the windy conditions, also a male SPARROWHAWK and a KESTREL were out hunting. The months first KINGFISHER was seen, flying from the small drainage pool adjacent to the tree nursery, I've not recorded this species here before, but the pool does dry up very quickly, the fact it is still full of water is testement to the amount of rainfall we've had this summer. Fledgeling birds were a feature of the morning, the first record of young COLLARED DOVE for the year was found in the college gardens, and three newly fledged SWALLOWS were at migrant alley, more GREENFINCH, Whitethroat, and MOORHEN young were also found.
Butterflies were represented by Meadow Browns, dozens of which were on the cut grass at the tree nursery, also Speckled Wood, and Large or Small skippers I can't decide which!

Large or small skipper?

Speckled Wood

Newly Fledged Collared Dove

Newly Fledged Swallow

Another Young MOORHEN

These thistles looked stunning in the sunshine, great for Butterflies, but I think their time is short, Hadlow college doesn't like scruffy old thistles, whats the chance of them being here come mid July?