Pittswood Birds

A still, and humid morning turned hot and uncomfortable, ok conditions fo birding though. Forty eight species were seen, a good tally for the end of July. A KINGFISHER was at the Lake area, as was a GREY HERON, but just one MALLARD was on the Lake, with a few MOORHEN. Adjacent the lake, in the scrub area, at least 2 TURTLE DOVES purred, a COAL TIT called, and a BLACKCAP sang. The wet woods were quiet, as they generally are this time of year, but as I came out, and into the small holding, I saw 2 LITTLE OWLS fly across my path, and up into an oak, where they were lost from view.
The Juv. Cuckoo wasn't relocated atthe tree nursery, but there were LINNET, and YELLOWHAMMER singing there. A SPARROWHAWK flew over with it's prey gripped in its talons, just as I was entering Migrant Alley, which produced it's first Autumn migrant of the year, a WHINCHAT (91). Fantastic! Another new species for the year. It was sitting 50m out in the maize crop, and wouldn't come any nearer for me to get a decent photo, so i just gave it my best effort - which was rubbish. bouyed by a new species, I moved off along behind the college, and along the stream, all quiet here, I then crossed the stream and went into the college grounds, where I found a SPOTTED FLYCATCHER feeding at least two young, confirmation at last they have bred successfully this year. I only saw one SWIFT all morning, have all the local birds moved south already ? I'll have to remember to start making a note now of every Swift sighting, to get the last date.
A good mornings work, the Whinchat is my earliest ever Autumn record for this species, and the first one recorded in any July.

A Juv. BLACKBIRD, (probably male) was making the most of the overflowing water trough

Above and below. Female Blackcap. It was eating the berries of a geulder rose. I must get one of these bushes for my garden.

Above and below, the Juv. Spotted Flycatchers

OH! and that photo of the Whinchat, possibly the worst pic. I've put on my blog! But it's the only Whinchat photo i've got, so it's the best!