Pittswood Birds

Back to the grind! The start of another week and the weather at last seems to be in summer mode, although the morning was chilly in the NW wind. My walk in, was not very remarkable, SWALLOWS sat on the line over Ashes Lane, and 3 BLACK HEADED GULLS flew over, their wings beating in unison and their bodies equidistant, as if they were one bird. Skylarks were missing at migrant alley, they always tend to go elsewhere at the end of july and into August. The college had the usual 'garden' birds, plus one CHIFFCHAFF singing.
This afternoon was a complete waste of time! I should have stayed at home and watched the garden. A visit to the lake and scrub area there, was ruined by the gardener of one of the large houses, blasting away with his shotgun. A large stand of Buddlea looked very attractive, and I sat and waited for 20mins for a butterfly, but not one came in! Maybe they didn't like the shooting either. While I waited a Large Stoat came out from one of the out buildings, it just avoided having it's picture taken. I walked over to migrant alley via the tree nursery, which held plenty of Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper butterflies, plus a single chiffchaff. Another clown was blasting away at god knows what, from one of the fields just off my patch, next to migrant alley, nothing was seen, despite a 30min skywatch.
So that was it, a wasted afternoon really!

This is probably what all the shooting was about, poor old WOODPIGEON. A very common species, and a pest (some might say) A bit like the human race!