Pittswood Birds

No change in the dismall spell of weather, more heavy showers through the morning left everything wet and muddy for my afternoon walk, but it remained dry for a couple of hours whilst I was out.

I went over to the college grounds to see if I could relocate a pair of SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS that I had seen there as I walked home from work. They were very vocal, mainly because they were scolding a squirrel, which could mean a nearby nest, however I couldn't find them, or a nest, despite a patient search.

A walk round the grounds was uninspiring, not one summer visitor called or sang, the only calls were of the nearby JACKDAW and ROOK colonies, of which the now fledged young are constantly shouting for food.

I also had a look around Migrant Alley, and the small patch of scrubby woodland at it's northern most point, I was at least hoping for a Butterfly, or a Damselfly, but nothing was about in the cool damp conditions. I looked and listened for the Lesser Whitethroat, but still no sign, although I was glad to hear TURTLE DOVES singing there, and a little later 3 of them flew past me, from that location. I crossed the Gas Pipeline workings to reach my skywatching seat, collecting 2 tonnes of mud around my boots in the process, cleaning it off at least gave me something to do whilst I was at my seat, as nothing but 2 HERRRING GULLS and a KESTREL, which chased PIED WAGTAILS around the Greenhouse Complex, was seen.

I gave up around 17:00 as another shower came through, on the way home as I passed through the Greenhouse complex, I met the manager there. It was reassuring to find that he enjoyed the wildlife to be found around the greenhouses and let me know that the nettles, long grass, and hedges would not be ''over tidied'', what a refreshing attitude, good on them!

My last 100 yards of the walk was good and bad, I managed to find at least two WHITETHROAT fledglings deep in the hedge along Ashes lane begging to be fed, which I watched the parents dutifully do. Alas though, I found a dead bank vole in the road, no doubt a traffic casualty. Not wanting to see it get squashed flat and wasted (no greenie I didn't take it home for tea!) I put it up on a fence post for a passing Kestrel or maybe one of the Little Owls.

This DUNNOCK pic. is the best it got Photograph wise, it was far too dull again.

LOOK AWAY FROM THE NEXT PIC!!! IF YOUR NOT A KESTREL OR OWL!!!


Poor old Bank Vole, I hope something finds it .