Pittswood Birds

After overnight rain, sunny intervals developed during the morning's 4 hour walk round my patch. It was all quiet - very quiet, and it had started so well when early on 6 GREYLAG GEESE joined the months list, a species not seen at all last month! I added just 44 more species during the walk round, which was disappointing, and such species as Pheasant, Bullfinch, Coal Tit, and Mistle Thrush, all regulars on the day list, were not seen. I did find the pair of SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS at the college grounds though, they really have proved elusive over the past few weeks.

3 GULL species were seen during a 45 minute skywatch at Migrant alley, HERRING, LESSER BLACK BACKED and BLACK HEADED, but not a single Raptor was noted today - not even the Kestrel at the greenhouse complex! The day list should really have been in the low 50's, but some days the birds just stay hidden and silent, probably keeping low while they go through their feather moult.

Whilst waiting for dinner to cook I did see a NUTHATCH at the garden feeders, and the first COAL TIT since April was also in today, so with those two the day list became at least as good as yesterday.

With the cooler weather, Butterflies and dragonflies were not around in the numbers seen recently, but I did see a Small Tortoiseshell, it was sitting right next to a Comma, It would have made a nice photo, but they evaded the camera at the last moment!

This SONGTHRUSH below, was singing loudly from the tree in my garden, one of the few birds to be heard today.

Below is a Female BLACKBIRD, it was moulting heavily, most of it's tail had gone already.